Berlin or Bruges or any other suggestions

Mardrew

Hi

My DH and I are looking at taking a city break for either 4 or 5 nights during October Half Term. We are currently thinking about either Berlin or Bruges or possibly splitting a stay between Bruges and Brussels. Would you be kind enough to give me your opinions as to which would be better or, recommend anywhere else. We are looking to fly from possibly Manchester/Liverpool/Leeds. (We don't fancy travelling down to Heathrow or Gatwick.) Budget approx £1000 for flights and accommodation for both of us.

We love stunning views/scenery, nice buildings. We dislike shopping apart from small housey/crafty type shops.

We have been to Paris, Venice, Rome, Barcelona, Madrid, New York, Hong Kong.

Oh, and it's going to be my 50th birthday whilst we are away.

Many thanks

hkminca

Bruges is lovely, but there are also lots of shops. Have you thought about Prague? Loads of historic buildings and the chance to get out into the countryside and see some castles etc.

s_b

hkminca wrote: »

Bruges is lovely, but there are also lots of shops. Have you thought about Prague? Loads of historic buildings and the chance to get out into the countryside and see some castles etc.

Good call i love prague and as said lots to do outside the city
i went to terezin last time i was there it cost about £3 in bus fares and it drops you off at the door
certainly worth your day if you have never been to such a place before,i had a very strange moment walking down through the conker trees near the officers baths and cinema me and the wife had conkers falling all around us but not one hit us

Mardrew

Hi

Thanks for your reply. We've actually been to Prague. I forgot about that when doing the list. (Also forgot to add Boston, Las Vegas, Dublin & Cork.)

[Deleted User]

If looking to do two places in Belgium visit Brugge and Gent, not Brussles. Brussles is horrible (I used to work there) quite scruffy and so horrible I used to commute a long way so didn't have to live there. The train system in Belgium is very good so visiting the two by train is quite easy. You can also walk from the airport to the train station.

Berlin is also really nice, but a lot more modern that Brugge and Gent.

ixia

I've been to Bruges and Brussels- Bruges is beautiful we went during winter so it had all the xmas markets. I thought Brussels was ok nothing great.

I know it's not really deemed a city break but what about Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast beautiful scenery and lots to see and do.

You can fly to Naples with easyjet from Liverpool and then it's easy enough to get a train from city centre to sorrento.

Hobsons_Choice

Tallinn (Estonia) is beautiful - so is Krakow.

Errata

It would be Bruges for me, and I wouldn't dream of flying. Train from Manchester/Liverpool/Leeds and then Eurostar will save you hours in 'gettng there' time.

Falafely

I've lived in Berlin for 2.5 years and I absolutely love it! Anything you want to see can be found there! There's so much history (obviously) and so many tours to go on (even free ones!) and the buildings are magnificent; Reichstag, Brandenburg Gate, TV Tower. It's also one of the cheapest capital cities so you definitely don't have to spend much when you're there. Here's a free tour that a mate went on and liked it: http://www.newberlintours.com/daily-tours/red-berlin-secrets-of-the-communist-capital.html

I went to Prague 3 weeks ago and I also find that a lovely place :-)

[Deleted User]

Errata wrote: »

It would be Bruges for me, and I wouldn't dream of flying. Train from Manchester/Liverpool/Leeds and then Eurostar will save you hours in 'gettng there' time.

From Yorkshire it is much quicker to fly. Living in West Yorkshire she will be less than an hour away from Leeds / Bradford Airport, then the flight to Brussles is only 1 hour (to the airport at Zaventem). As all the flights are scheduled not chartered you don't have to wait around in the airport hours before boarding. Then the train from Brussles to Brugge is 1 hour.

From Leeds to London it is about 2 and 1/2 hours on the train and then it is similar from London to Brussles and then another hour to Brugge so it will take almost double the time by train.

The train is great if you live down south, but trying to get down there from up here takes ages.

bluekp

Another vote for Krakow here. Lovely city and close enough to visit Auschwitz and the Salt Mines.

I also loved Tallinn, Estonia and Riga Latvia.

Budapest, Hungary is also beautiful and lots to see.

Have you investigated costs to go to St Petersburg? You'd need a visa to go there as well though so that's another cost to factor in.