Whats best - Bruges or Amsterdam?

[acfj]

I'm thinking of doing a short cheap city break prehaps in Bruges or Amsterdam

Can anyone recommend them?

(*Not a smoker)


Already done
- Rome
- Barcelona
- Venice
- Prague
- Most of France
- Berlin
- Florence
- Frankfurt

thks

[bossgin]

Amsterdam much better for the weekend -lots more to see and do

bruge is more of a day trip -nice place but limited in the amount of things you can do overall.

[mtbskalover]

i am a pot smoker so wud say amsterdam from that view

but as a none stoner amsterdam is also a wonderful place. You tend to visits completelty different places.

Stoners tend to stick around central area, red light district and leidsplein (sp)

where as other may explore the beuatiful canals of the jordaan area just west of the centre of south of leidsplein is all the fantastic museums and the huge vondel park. Also you can hire a bike and apparently (dont quote me) get out of the city and be in the coutry side and maybe see a windmill within say 15mins bike ride.

heinkiken (sp?) musem and brewery is supposed to be ace and a nice chilled drink is such a nice way to spend an afternoon watching life go by.

also you have to take a night trip around the red light district and just go in a sex shop and maybe just see a coffeeshop just for the experience. You dont have to buy anything...

[Badger Kitten]

Amsterdam. Van Gogh museum. Flower market. Amstel and toasties. :)

[Faithy]

Never been to Bruges, so I would reccomend A'dam.

Try to go to a concert in Paradiso: an old church that's now a great hall for concerts of all sorts!
Last year I went to Nightwish and Millencollin over there, which was great.

Oh, and the Waterlooplein has a very nice (alternative clothing and stuff like that) market! :)

[Faithy]

i am a pot smoker so wud say amsterdam from that view

but as a none stoner amsterdam is also a wonderful place. You tend to visits completelty different places.

leidsplein (sp)



heinkiken (sp?)

Leidscheplein

Heineken

;)

[Guineveretoo]

I have been to both places, and I don't smoke. I agree with the person who said that there is a lot more to do in Amsterdam. I love the place, and visit it quite often. Just get a guidebook and wander. There are so many cultural things of one kind or another. Bruges is kind of cute, but in a market town way. There is a good flower festival on which may be worth a visit, but that's about it, really.

Amsterdam is fantastic.

[purves grundy]

Amsterdam is tres lekker. You'll have a brilliant time, smokin or not.

I found Bruges rather dreary dull. Might as well take a little side trip out of A'dam to Haarlem. It's like a micro-Bruges.

[Lysistrata]

There is definitely a lot more to do in Amsterdam, but Bruges is also a lovely place to visit - it's very small so you'd only need a couple of days. Both are interesting architecturally. Amsterdam has much more in the way of art although Bruges has a couple of good galleries and is better for craftwork. Amsterdam has the obvious cannabis connection and Bruges is fabulous for chocolate and interesting beer.

I'd say - go for Amsterdam but don't cross Bruges off the list - perhaps you could combine it with Brussels for a long weekend.

[oisleep]

I found Bruges rather dreary dull.

yeah me too, nice enough place to look at, but it just seems a bit unreally pretty and sanitised, made the mistake of spending three nights there once, and were literally going mad on the third day, even the delicious belgian beers didn't really make up for it

[java1200]

Leidscheplein

;)

Leidseplein

[J77]

Amsterdam - there's a lot more to it than just the old part, ie. than the red light/coffee shop area. Go to the museems, take a canal boat, but best: just walk around the areas. If you want to see some real flashy properties (and find some non-touristy restaurants) check out the Oud Zuid. The Jordaan's nice for walking round too. Don't think of Amsterdam just as a city of debauchery - that part is very localised.

Bruges - nice for a day trip. Tall churches and a basilica which is painting nice on the inside - even have some of the big J's blood in there, apparently.

Both are nice - I lived have in Belgium and visited Brugges a bit - and am moving to Amsterdam soon.

Which reminds me - don't drink Dutch beer! Always find a Belgian alternative :) :D

[geminisnake]

Oh, and the Waterlooplein has a very nice (alternative clothing and stuff like that) market! :)

Most excellent market and shops in that area. It's the only place I've spent money on new clothes in the last few years.