I usually plan a trip and then find a flight. This is the first time I have found a flight and now must plan. The three of us will be in Europe for three weeks in July. Our flight is round trip Brussels. We haven't been to Belgium or Denmark and my family has not been to the Netherlands or Germany. We've spent a lot of time in France, Italy, and Switzerland. We use public transportation and prefer to stay in a place at least 3 nights but have stayed up to 10. Good food, art, and most importantly, a beautiful place to wander (think Rome, Milos, Orange, Cinque Terre). So, I'm thinking of touring northern Europe, do you have suggestions?
Posted by
Louisiana
107 posts
Amsterdam. Bruges. Copenhagen. Oslo. If you like wandering these are the places to see. Bruges can be seen in one day as can Oslo imo. Our 3 days in Amsterdam was not enough time. Take a few hours to wander around the Tivoli Gardens/Park in Copenhagen--it is like going back in time.
Posted by
11361 posts
Stay in the Central Canal Ring in Amsterdam for a wonderful experience. The tram system will take you all over the city. Stay long enough to do some day trips-Haarlem, Leiden, The Hague, Delft.
Posted by
the Netherlands
2487 posts
In Belgium many find Gent a good base. Itself a lively university city with plenty to see, it's only half an hour from both Brussels and Bruges on very frequent trains.
If you find the hotels in Amsterdam somewhat expensive, consider staying in Haarlem, which is only 15 mins away with at least 4 trans per hour.
Lübeck would be a good halfway stop between Amsterdam and Copenhagen (around 6 hours from both). A pleasant historical former Hansa city and a base for day trips, such as small World Heritage Wismar or a day at the beach in nearby Travemünde.
Posted by
Corvallis OR
7061 posts
With three weeks you can see and do quite a bit without moving around too horribly often. I would stay in Brussels for a few days and day trip to see Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp or, as many here would suggest, stay in one of those three rather than Brussels - personally I enjoyed staying in Brussels and it has is the best transportation hub. Then transfer to Amsterdam, or another city in Netherlands, depending on whether you want to stay in the city or in a smaller town. From there I would train or fly to Berlin for several days and then to Hamburg for a couple of days and finally to Copenhagen. From there back to Brussels to fly home.
You could stay 4 nights Brussels, 4 nights Amsterdam, 7-8 nights between Berlin and Hamburg, 4-5 nights Copenhagen, 1 night in Brussels before flight home.
Posted by
Columbus, USA
334 posts
In Northern Germany, we really enjoyed Bremen, Lüneburg, and Lübeck. These three towns have the Hansa Charm. It was fun to get lost in the back alley ways. Bremen has a really cool art museum and the Focke museum. The bad part about the Focke museum it is all in German, but what they have is amazing! It is a crazy collection of all kinds of stuff. We spent most of our time in Lübeck going through Churches, but there was a good museum to Willy Brandt. I wanted to see the Günter Grass house as well, but my legs were tired by that time. Lüneburg was just a cute little town to wander through. We did the Watertower and a ton of churches here as well. The town is sinking. It was built on a salt dome so in one area of town things a crooked. One of the churches has leaning beams. I have to admit we were pretty churched out by the time we got home. But they were incredible.
This is a little out of the way but Cuxhaven was really cool too. It is where the Elbe River empties into the North Sea. We had a good time watching big boats sail past. There was a man on a speaker announcing them and telling info about them. (granted it was in German) There is also a place where you can walk on the Mud Flats (Watten). Or take a horse cart out to the islands. We ran out of time to do that, but it looked really cool! We did dip our toes in the water.
Our main reason for visiting Northern Germany was for a family reunion in Bremen. Our Germany family was really excited about an excursion to an artist colony outside of Bremen called Worpswede. We didn't visit it, as we did the immigration/emmigration museum in Bremerhaven instead (which was really cool and meaningful). When we go back, Worpswede is on my list of places to see.
Hamburg was interesting, but there was a ton of construction going on and it felt gritty to me. Which makes sense as it is a port city and a very industrial one. There is a beauty there, but you have to look beneath the skin. It was also heavily bombed in WWII. The St Nicholas Church is the remains of a bombed church, I do recommend going up it. You can take an elevator up to the top. The warehouse district (speicherstadt) was also really interesting.
In terms of food, the eel soup sounded really strange, but I loved it. Lübeck has Marzipan, which was yummy. Herring was also really popular. I am not a big fish person, so it wasn't my cup of tea. I really wanted to try the Rote Grüze, (a berry dessert) but I have some berry food allergies so that was out of the question.
Enjoy your trip!
Posted by
Brisbane, Australia
7175 posts
•5 nights in Belgium (Ghent, Bruges, Antwerp)
•5 nights in the Netherlands (Amsterdam. The Hague, Utrecht)
•6 nights in Germany (Cologne, Bremen, Hamburg, Lubeck)
•4 nights in Denmark (Copenhagen)
•final night in Brussels
Posted by
Tel Aviv
15651 posts
My comments on David's itinerary. . . . You can stay in Ghent (excellent base) and day trip, you can stay in A'dam and day trip, but how to manage the time in Germany? I've only been to Copenhagen very briefly. Are there day trips to see other parts of Denmark?
Posted by
Brisbane, Australia
7175 posts
If I had to commit Chani, I’d probably keep some flexibility and go ...
•4/5 nights in Ghent
•5 nights in Amsterdam
•2/3 nights in Cologne
•4 nights in Hamburg
•4 nights in Copenhagen
•final night in Brussels