A 7-Day Budget Trip to Europe with Our 3-year Old!

Day 1: Brussels

We flew with Turkish Airlines, got a cheaper deal from Mumbai instead of Bangalore. We did not have a great experience with the airline as they lost our child’s stroller and there were other mix-ups. From Brussels Airport (BRU), we took a train to Brussels Central Station.

We were impressed with the scheduling of the railway network in Europe; you can easily check the timings online. Finding our hotel (B-aparthotel Regent) gave us a tough time, as we did not even have an internet connection to guide us. My advice is that you save important info in advance so that it is available offline whenever you need it.

Day 2: Ghent and Bruges Day Trip

This was the only planned tour during our entire trip. Bruges is eye wateringly beautiful! After spending some time at attractions like Grand Place, our next getaway was Mechelen. Before heading there, we stored our heavy luggage at Brussels Central Station. If I had a little more time, I would have visited Atomium and the Sonian Forest.

Day 3:  Mechelen

Close to Brussels, on the way to Antwerp, lies the strange little town of Mechelen where we took an evening stroll at the Grote Markt square and the Cathedral.

Day 4: Antwerp-Rotterdam

Although, it seemed worth a stay, we could not stay in Antwerp. Right after we got out of Antwerp station, we were elated to find a giant wheel right there. Later, we went to the beautiful Antwerp City Hall, which was a very busy square. 

Our FlixBus to Rotterdam was already booked so we packed the essentials in three backpacks and deposited our trolley bags in a locker. We felt that trips within a country were cheaper by train while cross-country journeys were more affordable by bus. 

Day 5: Rotterdam

We had booked Holiday Inn Express Rotterdam - Central Station that was very conveniently located and easily accessible via tram or train. As Rotterdam was rebuilt from scratch after the Second World War, all the buildings are modern. We drove by Euromast and visited the village of Kinderdijk, which was the highlight of our stay.

Day 6: Basel

We woke up at three in the morning to catch a train to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol from where we flew to Basel, Switzerland. Although, we spent only a single night in Switzerland, we tried to make the most of it with the help of our host. She gave us detailed directions for sightseeing as well as tips for our following trip to Lucerne and Mount Pilatus.

Day 7:  Lucerne and Mount Pilatus

We boarded a morning train to Lucerne and then a cable car to reach the peak of Mount Pilatus. From there, we boarded a cogwheel train to Lake Lucerne. We enjoyed the lake on a 2-hour cruise.

Later, we returned to Amsterdam, to Hampton by Hilton, which was surprisingly not cramped like most hotels there.

Day 8: Amsterdam

We had only a few hours to spend in Amsterdam, which clearly means that we could not do justice to that tourist destination. After boarding a bus to Brussels, we stayed at “ibis Brussels off Grand Place”, which was satisfactory in our opinion.

On the 9^th day, we packed our stuff and went to Brussels Airport. We completed this memorable trip in only INR 2.5 lakhs.

A few tips from me for anyone who is planning to visit Europe:

• There is a lot of walking so do not forget to carry the most comfortable footwear.
• Please keep in mind that most hotels in Europe do not provide water bottles, as tap water is drinkable there. Therefore, you can carry and refill your own portable bottles. 
• Carry ready-to-eat or instant snacks with you especially if you want to save money.
• You can save a lot on hotels by availing insane discounts on sites like MakeMyTrip and Goibibo.
• Always confirm the booking beforehand so that there are no mix-ups when you arrive at a hotel.
• If you have to stay in Switzerland for a longer time, then it is a good idea to invest in their tourist passes.
• Carry universal adapters for your chargers if required.
• Medicines are very expensive in Europe and you need to have a prescription to buy them, so carry the essential ones from India.
• An umbrella and a raincoat are also required.