Easter break by train

[maslinpan]

We are trying to choose a small city we can get to for a week by train, but just don't know where to start! Our criteria involves a walkable centre, green space nearby, bit of art/museum action. Size wise, smaller (and calmer) than somewhere like Amsterdam, ideally about 3 hours on the train or less. Ghent looks good, but not a lot of Air BNB choice in the centre.

Bruges doesn’t have a big city feel and it’s very pretty and connection in Brussels is easy. There are numerous museums (some of which are a bit bizarre such as the Chip museum!). There are lots of restaurants for different budgets and a wide range of beers. We took our DD when she was 7 and she loved all the chocolate shops, canal trip and carriage rides.

Lille also has a small city feel and being close to Belgium has more of a Belgian feel than French. I wasn’t wholly sold on it (we had foul weather) but I suspect we didn’t see the best of it!

Thanks, we have already checked out Bruges and there's very little in terms of Airbnb there, we passed through in the summer and would happily return. Currently anxiously waiting to see if we can book a place in Nantes, which looks great. But I will bear Lille in mind, too.

Antwerp and ghent are both nice, and less touristy than bruges. Both easily reached by train.

Ghent is lovely, also Antwerp. Don;t restrict yourself to Air BNB. Booking.com also does apartments. Leiden in the Netherlands is like a mini Amsterdam, close to coast by bus, windmill, canal trips, botanical gardens etc. Easy for day trips to Amsterdam, seaside, Rotterdam etc,