Holiday in Belgium

[horseshoes]

Hi, We want to go on a short trip to Belgium. We know that Bruges is lovely but can anybody recommend anywhere else - not necessarily on a tourist trail. We like to see the history of places. We also like flea markets. We don't necessarily have to be by a beach. We hope to go in September or early October. Thanks in advance.

[boxtops]

Have a look here, plenty of options.
http://www.visitbelgium.com/
You can get to Brussels easily on Eurostar if you wanted to go by train rather than ferry or flying.

[horseshoes]

Thanks Boxtops. Great link. Have you or any other AB-ers been to Belgium on holiday? If so, where did you go and what was it like. I like word of mouth recommendations.

[wolf63]

When I saw your post I said (to the cat!) "I've been to Belgium". However when I tried to remember 'when' we went I realised that it would have been nearly 30 years.

However we enjoyed ourselves and went to Brussels, Bruges and we stayed in Ostend. Bring us back some nice Truffles or some Belgian chocolate.

[shaneystar2]

Last time I went to Belgium was over thirty years ago too and I was pregnant at the time ! We did a trip from Holland ( where we were living ) to Antwerp which is fabulous .Full of history .The Grote Markt is lovely .There are several museums,lovely baroque churches and you can also visit the Rubenshuis,Rubens home and studio.
While we were there the Dutch queen of the time was visiting ,Queen Juliana ,tiny little lady :)
Enjoy your trip wherever you go .

[boxtops]

We spent a long weekend in Bruges about 10 years ago, it was lovely, plenty to do on a short visit.

[horseshoes]

Thanks all. I remember then school trip to Ostend when I was 14. That was just after Noah came off the ark! I know I enjoyed it. I have been to Bruges a couple of years ago as the first stop on a cruise to St Petersburg (50th birthday present from my darling husband) and it was lovely. We're going with our friends in September/October. Thank you all for your answers. I know we'll have fun. Wolfy - Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm chocolate!

[boxtops]

MMMMMMussells too!

[horseshoes]

...thinking about it... actually that cruise was 6 years ago, not a "couple of years ago".

[VHG]

I have travelled all over Europe on business and have to say Brussels is the most boring capital city I have ever been to in Europe.

Lots of boring grey buildings. It is the "capital" of the EU and seems just like a town full of civil servants.

Bruges is quite nice, but I would rather go to Paris twice than Paris once and Brussels once.

[VHG]

This survey of business travellers here found Brussels the most boring city

http://tinyurl.com/6b8soj

[horseshoes]

We wouldn't go to Brussels any way VHG - it does sound awful. We're definitely looking for somewhere smaller and prettier.

[yizzy]

Visited many years ago ,but remember a place called Meddlekirk or Middlekirk it was on the coast and very pretty. We sailed to Ostend and got a there by bus

[horseshoes]

Thanks Yizzy, I'll certainly take a look at that.

[Andyvon]

My brother used to live in Brussels and my wife and I would stay with him occasionally. We loved Brussels. It's a beautiful city, very friendly and very peaceful. I presume that VHG is one of those looking for 'adrenaline buzzes' such as bars and late night clubs because we loved Brussels. It's a beautiful city, very friendly and peaceful and certainly not 'boring'. There's so much to see and most of the city is within walking distance of the centre.
One highlight of Brussels is a visit to Waterloo which lies just outside the city. The batlefield is almost unchanged since 1815 and there are tours, a visitor centre, film shows, a panorama etc. The parks are beautiful and the Atomium is worth a visit as are the botanical gardens and the Belgian Army Museum. Not only does the museum preserve Belgium's recent and colonial history, but it includes an impressive collection of military aircraft of the Belgian Air Force displayed in a huge steel and glass exhibition hall. Opposite the Army Museum is a car museum with exhibits dating from the first cars in Belgium up to the 1980s.

Brussels is also good to use as a base to visit other parts of Belgium such as Ostend, Bruges, Antwerp etc. As I said, it depends what you want to see horseshoes. If you just want 'a good time' and stagger around drunk in the early hours then perhaps Brussels is 'boring'. But if you are a traveller interested in the places you visit and want to discover the charm and history of wherever you are, then you won't be disappointed with Brussels.

[karenmac60]

I've been to Ostend a couple of times and it's a lovely town. You have the beach and all that goes with it, but it's also a very interesting town with markets in the square, all night jazz clubs, beautiful parks, not to mention the very interesting night life in the red light district - which is not seen as a seedy off limits part of town! There are food stalls and arcades open till very late at night and some very striking statues - Fat Matilda springs to mind :)