Spec me: Things to do in Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp

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I'm going there in a couple of weeks. Don't know what's there but heard it was nice so went on expedia and sorted a flight + hotel dealio.

Staying in Ghent and travelling around.

So far my research has consisted of watching "In Bruges", which I enjoyed. Next I will read the wiki pages of each of these cities. Man I'm such a 21st century guy :cool:
 
I went to Bruges for the weekend last year with my girlfriend. It's a very nice place, the buildings and wonderful and there some nice places to eat. There is probably only enough things to fill 2 days at the max. Also went to Ghent and Ostende, there wasnt much in either of them. Also went to Brussels which was nice.

To be honest if you are getting on a plane there are about 1000 better places to go, I did Bruges because I fancied a Eurostar break. If I was flying I'd have gone somewhere else.
 
[TW]Fox;18524403 said:
I went to Bruges for the weekend last year with my girlfriend. It's a very nice place, the buildings and wonderful and there some nice places to eat. There is probably only enough things to fill 2 days at the max. Also went to Ghent and Ostende, there wasnt much in either of them. Also went to Brussels which was nice.

To be honest if you are getting on a plane there are about 1000 better places to go, I did Bruges because I fancied a Eurostar break. If I was flying I'd have gone somewhere else.
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Eurostar is a bit of a mission for me, train from Manchester to London, Eurostar to Brussels was more expensive than plane!
 
I wasnt saying you should use Eurostar, I'm explaining why I went to Bruges.

If you are flying there are a million better places to fly to than Belgium.
 
Try the beer, lots of lovely beer.

Go to a Trappist monastery and do a beer tour and sample some beer. Accompany beer with mussels and chips.

Enjoy!
 
[TW]Fox;18525133 said:
If you are flying there are a million better places to fly to than Belgium.
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Well obviously... :confused:

The point is it's relatively cheap to get there, and I actually want to go... Plus I've already booked it so why would you even say that?

That's like saying "why would you drive to the lake district? There are a million better places to drive".
:confused:
 
It's also relatively cheap to get to Paris, or Austria, or Germany, or Holland. You say you want to go yet you've posted a thread explaining how you dont actually know whats there.

Just seems a bit odd? If you dont know whats there why book flights until you know if its worth it? lol
 
[TW]Fox;18525572 said:
It's also relatively cheap to get to Paris, or Austria, or Germany, or Holland. You say you want to go yet you've posted a thread explaining how you dont actually know whats there.

Just seems a bit odd? If you dont know whats there why book flights until you know if its worth it? lol
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Well everyone said it's nice
 
Antwerp is an awesome place. I did a week long tour going to the french alps and back spending the first night in Bruges and the last night in Antwerp, with Antwerp being the highlight of the trip. I would just go there and explore, look around the whole place as it is simply awesome. Watch out for the parking if going by car, I misunderstood the tariff and it ended up costing me 26 euros to park my car for the night in the car park by the river docks.

For Bruges, watch the film In Bruges to give you an idea where to go. I missed out on going up the tower in the main square...
 
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Trifid said:
Antwerp is an awesome place. I did a week long tour going to the french alps and back spending the first night in Bruges and the last night in Antwerp, with Antwerp being the highlight of the trip. I would just go there and explore, look around the whole place as it is simply awesome. Watch out for the parking if going by car, I misunderstood the tariff and it ended up costing me 26 euros to park my car for the night in the car park by the river docks.

For Bruges, watch the film In Bruges to give you an idea where to go. I missed out on going up the tower in the main square...
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Yeh, my Auntie said Antwerp was much better than expected. Will def have a good explore.

blairw said:
Go bowling
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:D

I'm look forward to seeing the alcoves too.

[TW]Fox;18527329 said:
It is nice but then so is Worthing in Sussex and you woudnt book a holiday there without making sure there was something you'd find interesting either :p
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:) True.. but generally Bruges is a little more known than Worthing. Plus - like yourself - wanted to take my gf somewhere and I imagined Bruges to be a little like Venice in a "nice" sort of way, but with a little more to do. Also I know a few guys living in Ghent from erasmus so that'd be handy.
 
I really liked Gent, more so then Brugge, much more to see, a great church, very nice waterfront buildings, a castle of kinds, the Devine Sheep painting. It's less busy then Brugge also and probably a bit cheaper. But you'll enjoy both no doubt so all is well.
 
Went to Ghent for a long weekend a couple of years ago, unfortunatley we got there the day after the beer festival finshed so the place was a tip and nowhere was open.

We had a few drinks in the hotel bar and then went to the resturant at the side of the hotel(Novotel Ghent Centrum). It was the nicest resturant I've ever been in, wonderful atmosphere, great food and it was done out like it was in the 1920's. It was still open when we left at about 11:30 and people were still coming in for meals at that time.

The follwing day we went to Bruges and did the sightseeing bit and by the time we to back to Ghent the place was imaculate again and everything was open. Went for a walk round had a few beers in some of the bars then went back to the same resturant again.

It was the end of July and it was redicously hot all weekend.

Probably the best weekend I've ever had tbh, we keep saying we'll have to go back. Hope we do.
 
wordy said:
We had a few drinks in the hotel bar and then went to the resturant at the side of the hotel(Novotel Ghent Centrum). It was the nicest resturant I've ever been in, wonderful atmosphere, great food and it was done out like it was in the 1920's. It was still open when we left at about 11:30 and people were still coming in for meals at that time.
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Olol.. what is the hotel like? That's where I'm staying!! :D

wordy said:
The follwing day we went to Bruges and did the sightseeing bit and by the time we to back to Ghent the place was imaculate again and everything was open. Went for a walk round had a few beers in some of the bars then went back to the same resturant again.

It was the end of July and it was redicously hot all weekend.

Probably the best weekend I've ever had tbh, we keep saying we'll have to go back. Hope we do.
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Sounds promising, great! :)
 
Sundance said:
Olol.. what is the hotel like? That's where I'm staying!! :D
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Excellent, if it's still the same then they loads of really nice different beers, but some of the bars around town are great.

Hopefully the resturant next door is still there. Fantastically done out it was like stepping back in time, with the decor and the music. The menu was very limited, but as they had all you can eat pork ribs I was in heaven.

Sundance said:
Sounds promising, great! :)
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Let us know how you get on, I'd love to know if that resturant is still there :)
 
wordy said:
Excellent, if it's still the same then they loads of really nice different beers, but some of the bars around town are great.

Hopefully the resturant next door is still there. Fantastically done out it was like stepping back in time, with the decor and the music. The menu was very limited, but as they had all you can eat pork ribs I was in heaven.



Let us know how you get on, I'd love to know if that resturant is still there :)
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Will do :)
 
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