Current Events > Amsterdam/Bruges/Cologne or Italy. Where should I go?

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I've been to Italy before, but have been eager to get back to explore the southern part of it. Probably my favorite country.

Have always dreamed of going to Bruges though and Amsterdam/Cologne seem like cool cities.

I haven't been to Italy so I would choose that by default.

Bruges is gorgeous but very small; a day and change is probably all you need unless you want to visit the nearby windmills. Climb the tower, wander the fairy-tale paths. I had a yummy omelette at choclatier Place de Brugge.

Amsterdam is wonderful. We did the Amsterdam Museum right away, which gives a detailed history of the city and helped us better notice the architecture and stuff. Big fan of Vondelpark, I could spend hours upon hours there. Rent a bike and stroll around. The Rijksmuseum and van Gogh Museum are fun and it's def worth taking a walk through the Red Light District as it turns from dusk to night. Enjoyed Pancake Corner and an Indonesian place nearby.

If you go to amsterdam dont fall in love. Those girls are supermodels no joke. Try to stay away from the eastern european women as they are most likely trafficked. Stick to western europeans.

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Amsterdamn is probably my favorite city I've ever been to, Rome being 2nd. It's so nice and clean, so much less trash and graffiti than other big cities in Europe. the people were really friendly, i didn't get any of that snobby anti-American attitude (vs a place like Paris). the canals are gorgeous, especially at night. and being able to stop off in a coffee shop to enjoy an espresso and a joint in the middle of the day was super cool.

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The X Dawg posted...

I've been to Italy before, but have been eager to get back to explore the southern part of it. Probably my favorite country.

I was gonna say Italy can be kind of a drag unless you can sample the local culture esp in the rural / suburban south.

The tourist traps like most of Rome & the Vatican are completely devoid of anything Italian these days. Places up north like Milan are better but you can't beat getting fresh limoncello straight outta the mountains in Sorrento. Or just walking around Nola and going to literally any restaurant. Napoli is great and you can catch a boat to Capri or go straight to the pedelinas.

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Tyranthraxus posted...

I was gonna say Italy can be kind of a drag unless you can sample the local culture esp in the rural / suburban south.

The tourist traps like most of Rome & the Vatican are completely devoid of anything Italian these days. Places up north like Milan are better but you can't beat getting fresh limoncello straight outta the mountains in Sorrento. Or just walking around Nola and going to literally any restaurant. Napoli is great and you can catch a boat to Capri or go straight to the pedelinas.

When I was last there, I spent time in Milan, Pisa, Venice, Florence, Rimini, and Rome. The only truly memorable stops to me were Venice and Rimini. Rome was just so blah.

I like Amsterdam. Kind of Europe's Midwest. Like America's Midwest, enough of everything around it, but not enough to overwhelm you. By the second trip seems bland. Like America's Midwest.

Brugges is interesting. Medieval European city, with a dash of Los Angeles. Gotta know the guy who knows the guy.

Italy has a lot to offer. You can cut it into North, Central and South. The history and influences are unique.

I prefer the central, then the north (basically Florence, fuck Milan), then the south in Italy. Also, race kind of matters in Italy. If you are black, you are safest in central Italy. Especially Rome.

There are northern Italians who hate Sicilians for their mere proximity to Africa. North Africans taught pasta to Italy. "mangia macaroni" aka "pasta eaters" is a slur in the north.

Also, Mussolini banned pasta and introduced risotto instead. "Mangia Macaroni"

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/635709/when-italian-futurists-tried-ban-pasta

After Mussolini was hanged in the streets, Romans ate pasta with the bacon and eggs American soldiers (many of them black) gave them. It's called spaghetti ala carbonara (spaghetti with bacon and eggs). PM me for the address of wonderful place in Rome. It's on Via Flavia in the heart of the city.


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Upon further research, I might pass on Italy for now. Looks like Delta is only flying the 767 there and that plane is just absolute trash for a long-haul flight.

Did you get to extend your previous plans to make time for Cologne? I'm guessing you're the guy who had the previous topic about it

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Shezarr posted...

Did you get to extend your previous plans to make time for Cologne? I'm guessing you're the guy who had the previous topic about it

Yeah there shouldn't be any issue going for a couple of more days now, hence the second topic (and also debating about Italy as it would be the same price in miles).

Now comes the task of trying to schedule it where I would be able to celebrate Halloween in Amsterdam.

It's official: Amsterdam October 24 - November 3.

But now I'm debating.

Should I try to go to Berlin over Cologne? But then how can I ensure I am in Amsterdam for Halloween as well as my flight that Tuesday....

How many days are you budgeting for Germany? Berlin is sprawling. Cologne is much more compact and won't need as much time to get a feel for it.

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Shezarr posted...

How many days are you budgeting for Germany? Berlin is sprawling. Cologne is much more compact and won't need as much time to get a feel for it.

That's what I can't seem to figure out. All I know is that I plan on spending the first night in Amsterdam and the rest is open outside of wanting to spend Halloween night and the following night in Amsterdam as well.

I love Italy inplan to go back in a few years if the pandemic is gone

I've not been to Kln other than passing through

Berlin is great, but large and spread out
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The thing about Cologne is that it is only a couple of hours from Bruges and from Amsterdam. You really don't waste a day.

Berlin is only like 7 hours from Amsterdam though which isn't too bad.

I'm also debating changing my dates now so that I fly out of Detroit instead of Atlanta. Quicker flight and I could leave on a Saturday (October 30) and get an extra day. Only issue is that I could be very jetlagged for actual Halloween.

Alright, feel like updating this instead of a new topic. Made my decision:

One night in Amsterdam, train to Turin for a night, train to Venice the next day for two nights, train to Milan for one night, back to Amsterdam for two nights, then Bruges for one night, and then end in Amsterdam for one night for flight home.

Lot of time on a train, but why not?

The X Dawg posted...

Upon further research, I might pass on Italy for now. Looks like Delta is only flying the 767 there and that plane is just absolute trash for a long-haul flight.

I thought that also until I had to take a 757 from Edinburgh to Chicago. Holy fuck that was a trash flight.

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The X Dawg posted...

Alright, feel like updating this instead of a new topic. Made my decision:

One night in Amsterdam, train to Turin for a night, train to Venice the next day for two nights, train to Milan for one night, back to Amsterdam for two nights, then Bruges for one night, and then end in Amsterdam for one night for flight home.

Lot of time on a train, but why not?

You gotta do you but honestly that's gonna feel so, so rushed. 0.5-1.5 days in a lot of those places won't be much time to even get a feel for the city.

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Shezarr posted...

You gotta do you but honestly that's gonna feel so, so rushed. 0.5-1.5 days in a lot of those places won't be much time to even get a feel for the city.

Here's how I see it:

Amsterdam - Excited to explore it and I feel 4 nights is a lot.

Milan - I've been before and wasn't entirely memorable, so one day seems enough to do one or two things.

Turin - Honesty just want to visit a museum or two including seeing the Shroud.

Bruges - Place I've always dreamed of going, but hear a day or two is all you really need.

Venice - One of my favorite cities I've ever visited, so getting back to explore some local vineyards for a day would be cool.

Ahh, having been to a place before does change things a bit yeah. Especially when you know what you want to do/avoid

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Shezarr posted...

Ahh, having been to a place before does change things a bit yeah. Especially when you know what you want to do/avoid

Granted Venice and Milan were 16 years ago.

That said, I think I'm trying to map out a strict schedule as best as possible. The trains I e looked at will take me into most cities before 6pm. That means check-in, dinner, and a whole night out before exploring the next day.