Going to Brussels what other cities should I visit?

Maggie Moo

I am going to Brussels for 7 nights. What cities (different countries or Cites in Belgium) I could visit? No Journey too far or expensive.

Thank you everyone for the help...

Gazza22

For a start, definitely visit Brugge & Ghent. They are lovely cities to spend a day in.

Amsterdam is also just over 2 1/2 hours away by train if you would like to visit. Paris is only 1 1/2 hours away by train, but this is a more expensive journey than Amsterdam.

nick1

gazza is right. Also Antwerp. Maastricht is quite pleasant for a few hours, as are Namur and Dinant. Further afield, Luxemburg city, Koln and Dusseldorf are all worth visiting.
Study the train timetables - so many options. Brussels is a surprisingly great jumping off point for many trips -though not perhaps Europe's most interesting city.

fricatus

Bruges and Ghent for sure. Antwerp and Louvain/Leuven are supposed to be lovely too.

Worthwhile going over the French border to Lille too. A lovely city with a beautiful old quarter, and much bigger and more vibrant than you'll be expecting. It's got the fourth biggest student population in France, which probably explains why!

devongarde

I used to live in Belgium.

Where to go really depends what you want to see. I find Flemish architecture incredible. If you do too, definately, definately, go to Antwerp, go to the medievel centre. The architecture is superb, but not mollycoddled like Bruges feels to me. Walk from the central station (a wow in it's own right) to the old medievel cathedral, or take the underground tram if you want to avoid being tempted by shops.

En route to Antwerp, stop off in Mechelen and visit the chippie opposite the station. It's just an ordinary Belgian chippie. Have a meal, and then wonder why you ever bother to think about eating chips here. The centre of Mechelen is quite ordinary medievel for Flanders, but is still quite incredible and totally outclasses anything I've seen in Ireland (not that I've seen that much). If you have extra time, get a tour round the brewery and bring me back some Gouden Carolus ... I really miss it! :-)

Incidentally, unless you speak Dutch, speak English in Flanders. Don't try your French. The Belgians are a bit funny when it comes to their own languages. Which is why you ought to go to Liege, the big French speaking city in the east of the country, to get a feel for the other side of their linguistic custard fight. Treat yourself, take the fast train, it's cheap, it's fast, it makes the railways here seem fifty years out of date.

There's a lot of history in Belgium. Waterloo is south of Brussels. A lot of WW1 battles were fought there, many Irish lives were wasted in that slaughter. If you want to pay respects, and get a feel for life in those times, consider visiting the battlefields around Ypres.

ADDED: It's worth travelling by train; Belgian trains cost pennies compared to the Irish. *But* avoid Brussels Central station, it's disgusting in places.

Fratton Fred

I would +1 for a visit to Ypres. Try and visit the Menin Gate at 8pm to see the daily last post ceremony, it is something you will not forget.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menin_Gate

dudara

Definitely go see Brugges - it's unbelieveably picturesque. I spent 6 months in Brussels last year and Brugges was one of my highlights





Antwerp is also well worth a visit - the zoo gate is right next to the train station.

But don't ignore Brussels itself. I was really disappointed to come home as I felt I was only just starting to really get to know the city.

Maggie Moo

Guys,

Thanks so much all your info is wonderful.

It would be nice to do 1 or 2 night in a different Country, i was thinking about Amsterdam or Luxembourg which one would be quicker and cheaper to get to from experience.

devongarde

Maggie Moo wrote: »

Guys,

Thanks so much all your info is wonderful.

It would be nice to do 1 or 2 night in a different Country, i was thinking about Amsterdam or Luxembourg which one would be quicker and cheaper to get to from experience.

Luxembourg is about three and a half hours by train. The line is quite pretty going through the Ardennes. Amsterdam is closer, and quicker, especially if they've opened the new high speed line. Paris is much further away, but only an hour by train, and the place I'd visit, but I'm biased towards that city!

Luxembourg is a quiet city, but very very rich and worth visiting if you're into very good food, or fashion. Otherwise, I'd suggest Amsterdam. People in both countries generally speak good English.