I am leaving Amsterdam and going to Belgium on August 6.
Because I am taking the train out of Brussels on August 9th, I am spending the afternoon and evening of the 8th in
Brussels. Is it realistic to plan on spending one day and one night in another Belgian city ? I have done research and it looks like Bruges might be too crowded at that time of year. Does anyone have a favorite Belgian city or town that they might recommend?
Thanks,
Cynthia
I would normally recommend the university town of Leuven, which is less than a half-hour train ride from Brussels but it will probably resemble a ghost-town at that time of year. If you are an art fan, Antwerp might be worth a visit for the Rubenhuis and the cathedral, although parts of the city are a bit rough.
I love Ieper. The battlefield tours and the In Flanders Field museum at Cloth Hall are incredible if you are interested in history. The ceremony at the Menin Gate at 8:00 pm is very moving. It's a lovely little town, completely rebuilt to its medieval glory. There is a pretty walking path along the city's medieval ramparts, and the chocolatiers are amazing! Like Brugge, it's extremely tourist-friendly, but unlike Brugge it is not so crowded.
There is a great article on Brussels in the New York Times, filled with things you might find interesting. Check out their website.
I would also suggest a tram ride through the woods out to Tervuren and to walk the 50 yards from the end of the tram ride to the Africa museum and have a picnic on the quiet grounds.
On the other hand, Bruges will not be as crowded as, say, Amsterdam, is very walkable, and every time I take visitors there, they tell me that Bruges was more interesting than where we lived (in Brussels).
Take some time to figure out where to go in Bruges, ride a boat, and eat lunch in a restaurant by the lake near the convent.
Happy travels!
We will be going to Belgium soon too.
In Rick's book there is plenty to see in Brussels.
But another interesting possibility, similar to Bruges but closer and less crowded, is Ghent. We hear only good things about Ghent, and we plan to spend a day there, before or after Bruges.
