My husband and I, active 60 somethings, will finish a week long barge and bicycle trip in Amsterdam in late April. Then we have 7 full days before we fly home from Paris. We have two itinerary ideas. One would include stopping in Brussels for 2 days to see the city and maybe take a day trip to Bruges or Ghent. Then we would spend the next 5 days in Paris. Idea #2 is to go straight to Paris for the week. My husband, a lover of both history and good food, hasn't been to France or Belgium before. We're considering a couple of day trips out of Paris - wine tour? Versailles?
We welcome and thank you for any suggestions.
Belgium and Paris suggestions
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Are you planning to spend any time in Amsterdam? I would spend two nights there and the rest in Paris. Belgium is pleasant, but Paris is stunning. I spent 10 days in Brussels, Bruges, and the Belgian and Luxembourg countryside last August/Sept and enjoyed it, but I kept thinking I should be in Paris (which I've been to 6 times).
A daytrip or, even better, an overnight trip from Paris to Giverny to see Monet's house and garden would be lovely in late April.
I suggest two days in Bruges before traveling on to Paris. Bruges is lovely and a rather easy train trip to Paris. Versailles is a great day trip and easy to get to. We have also visited Vaux-le-Vicomte which is less crowded though not quite as easy to reach via public transport. You can also do an easy day trip from Paris to Chartres for the cathedral and the town.
Sounds like a great trip.
I second Scootoir, skip Brussels, its not very interesting or pretty in my opinion, in fact I classify it as "forgettable" and no one forgets Paris. Brugges does make sense for one or two nights, it is at least "cute" and "quaint" .. seemed to be quite alot of lace, beer and chocolate shops to me, but I know others like it very much, one concern it ,I don't know how much one would apprieciate it if it was two rainy days in April, I don't recall that there are many indoor things to do( unless of course you like to go from lace to chocolate to beer shops! ).
This is of course a very bias and generalized view, perhaps a bit jaded( I have heard people call Brugges the "Venice" of the north and find it abit overblown, Venice is Venice, Brugges is cute)
Now, here comes my bias, Go to Paris for the whole time, its amazing city that you can easily fill everyday with world class museums, wine shops( so much better then beer shops, remember I did say this would be bias, lol ) monuments, beautiful bridges and buildings( it was not bombed during WWII so the older parts are still basically intact) .
Daytrips to Versailles and Giverny are easy and cheap to do on your own( and worth doing)
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