Mar/Apr 2010 Rhineland/AMS/Belgium trip assistance

Here is an outline of a Mar 25-Apr 8 rail trip for my wife and me (60/61) that I would appreciate suggestions on lodging, transportation, things not to miss, etc

-Thurs DC overnight to FRA then ICE to Amsterdam 3 nights using Hotwire

best place to see tulips?

-Monday, to Ghent w/stopover in Antwerp (luggage storage?) 3 nights @ Marriott

tues to Bruges for the day, wed (maybe) a quick trip to Brussels

-Thurs to Boppard w/stop in Cologne (luggage storage?) 3 nights @ Garni Gunther

fri visit koblenz/cochem/trier, sat train to Bacharach and cruise back (available?)

-Sun to Rothenburg 2 nights @ Gasthouse Golden Grieffen

-Tues to Bacharach 2 nights @ ???

-Thurs morning to FRA for flight home that afternoon

Is this all sensible by train or should we get a car? Are day cruise boats on the Rhine and Mosel this time of year? Can we drop off luggage in Antwerp and Cologne if we day visit? “Best” (easiest/cheapest) way to purchase tickets? We have booked nothing but a flight, so any and all suggestions are appreciated.

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%26quot;-Thurs DC overnight to FRA then ICE to Amsterdam 3 nights using Hotwire

best place to see tulips?%26quot;

Keukenhof Gardens is great. While in A%26#39;dam I%26#39;d recommend Zaanse Schans too, a nice outing from there by train.

%26quot;tues to Bruges for the day, wed (maybe) a quick trip to Brussels%26quot;

I%26#39;d stick with Bruges if only 2 nights.

%26quot;-Thurs to Boppard w/stop in Cologne (luggage storage?) 3 nights @ Garni Gunther%26quot;

Lots of lockers in Cologne.

%26quot;fri visit koblenz/cochem/trier, sat train to Bacharach and cruise back (available?)%26quot;

There%26#39;s a lot to do on the Mosel. One day won%26#39;t be enough. Burg Eltz Castle (near Cochem) opens April 1 - it%26#39;s excellent: www.burg-eltz.de

Trier is full of stuff! Plan on a full day there.

Cochem%26#39;s Reichsburg Castle is open too: reichsburg-cochem.de/english/business_hours.…

I think Cochem is a better base than Boppard if you want to see both Cochem and Trier. You can stop in Boppard for awhile on the way to Rothenburg, or see it when you return to Bacharach.

%26quot;-Sun to Rothenburg 2 nights @ Gasthouse Golden Grieffen

-Tues to Bacharach 2 nights @ ???%26quot;

Great site with accommodations reviews:

bensbauernhof.com/accommodationsrhinemosel.h…

%26quot;Is this all sensible by train or should we get a car?%26quot;

I%26#39;d do it by train. It%26#39;s a healthy walk to Burg Eltz from Moselkern station, but it%26#39;s lovely:

bensbauernhof.com/burgeltzfrommoselkern.html

%26quot;Are day cruise boats on the Rhine and Mosel this time of year?%26quot;

Rhine: I think you%26#39;re looking at April 10:

k-d.com/englisch/…fahrplan-rhein-off.html

Mosel boats from Cochem not yet operational during your visit.

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What you are missing is the major sights. With 3 nights in Boppard, 2 in Rothenburg, and 2 nights in Bacharach, I hope you are packing board games, cards, and DVD%26#39;s. Meanwhile, you are zooming past some fabulous sites and nearly ignoring Bruges, Brussels, and slighting Cologne. I understand that you may want to go totally medieval, but I would do some more research and reading before you start booking hotels. While all these places have reasons to recommend them, they are mostly minor sites that I am afraid will disappoint if so much time is spent there.