I’m heading to mainland Europe Belgium Luxembourg Germany and The Netherlands in February starting in Brussels It’ll be my first time traveling solo and I’m trying to put together a rough itinerary of interesting monuments places museums etc to visit in the cities I’ll be staying in
The thing is there is just so many options So many blogs and YouTube videos and top ten lists of the must-see places hidden gems in each city and I have no idea where to start I want to balance visiting culturally important landmarks and smaller places more in line with my interests as I assume most people do But figuring out what places are actually worth my time and what are just popular tourist spots feels very difficult
This goes doubly for food and drink especially since I’m on a budget I just want to try proper Belgian beer not hear about the Top 10 Fanciest Breweries in Brussels You Have to Try
Essentially I’m asking what websites or resources more experienced travelers use to plan itineraries and find interesting places to visit specifically in Western Europe because as a new traveler I feel a bit lost
I think guidebooks are very helpful Rick Steves Fodor’s Frommer’s and Rough Guide cut out the noise and provide great tips You can visit a local bookstore pick up a few sit in their coffee shop and browse some Then buy the one you like best It’s a fun way to get excited about a trip Half the fun is reading about what you want to do and getting ready for it In my experience when I go to smaller places without much coverage I’ve had great success with self-published guides by locals or expats I find them on Amazon They are usually a hobby project by someone and only cost a few bucks Though for Europe travel there are plenty of guidebooks available
@AdamZane4
I prefer Rough Guides over Lonely Planet Some not all are written with an opinion on whether it’s worthwhile Lonely Planet tends to take an everything is awesome approach But for a first visit they are a good start
Shan said: @AdamZane4
I don’t have a Barnes and Noble nearby not American but that does sound helpful
You can also buy these as e-books but visiting a brick and mortar book shop allows for a proper look Guidebooks even older second-hand ones still have great info Have fun on your travels
Shan said: @AdamZane4
I don’t have a Barnes and Noble nearby not American but that does sound helpful
You can buy a downloadable PDF You only need one good guidebook we like Lonely Planet Look through the book and mark any city or attraction you like You can check that attraction on Google Maps to see if it looks appealing and read more about it Make a list of the places you want to go and put them in order Wiki Travel or Voyage usually has good tips on getting somewhere places to stay and eat etc This is pretty much how I plan itineraries mine is a little more detailed but we travel mostly on our own
We just spent three weeks in Belgium Brussels is okay Highly recommend the music museum It’s easy to get to by public transportation from the city to the Atomium and Royal African Museum In my opinion the African museum isn’t as good as it was after the redesign but it’s still worth visiting we’ve gone there twice
Antwerp and Ghent are outstanding Do not miss the Adoration of the Lamb at St Bavo’s That’s the painting they save at the end of the Monuments Men movie It includes a full tour with virtual reality headsets Totally worth it
@Nico
I’m aware of buying e-books I was mainly responding to the implicit Americanization I’ve seen Lonely Planet around and heard decent things so I’ll definitely consider getting a guidebook The Atomium is on my list and the Royal African Museum sounds interesting especially considering Belgium’s colonization of the Congo I’m also interested in visiting the Parliamentarium near the EU headquarters and only have one full day in Brussels
I’ve been trying to figure out which Belgian city to day trip to Antwerp and Ghent seem like some of the more popular options
You have to know yourself and what you enjoy What others like isn’t relevant to you unless it matches your interests
People often say I’m going to XYZ place tell me what to see and do That’s too broad of a question without any personal context
Get over analysis paralysis and fear of missing out by understanding yourself better what experiences adventures or activities interest you This makes it a lot easier to explore and research what fits your criteria
@Micah
This
The core of most of my trips has similar themes coffee alcohol local sports or shows If it’s a dedicated trip like a ski trip those elements might not apply
You could also visit a public library to find books describing in detail sights and activities that tourists enjoy It’s much easier to flip through a book than to sift through most websites that seem more about making sales than being helpful
I recently felt the same overload planning a trip to Lisbon and I understand your struggle Searching for how to spend a day in X city was helpful with independent travel bloggers sharing their recommendations
I can’t recommend hostels enough many have private rooms if you prefer not to share and you meet interesting people from all over who share their experiences and tips The smaller independent hostels are often run by travelers who know fun spots Couch surfing is another option even if you don’t need a place to stay there are people who enjoy meeting others and showing off their cities It works best in less traveled destinations
Brussels isn’t the most exciting city I’ve been there several times The Grand Place Mannekin Pis a rather underwhelming fountain with a little boy Palace etc all within walking distance If you’re on a budget avoid eating and drinking in the Grand Place there are much cheaper options just a couple streets away
@Budget
Trust me I’m definitely hosteling my way around
I’ve been figuring things out abstractly which means I forget how social and immediate traveling can be and how small some mainland European cities can be I’m from the UK so my mind goes straight to London when I think of capital cities
I only have one day in Brussels so the blog suggestion also sounds helpful I’m mostly interested in visiting the EU headquarters and the Atomium I also don’t get why the pissing boy is popular
I use AI Tell it what you enjoy doing and ask it to create an itinerary At worst it will give you a good starting point and you can modify it if you want something different