The summer is becoming a distant memory and the nights are drawing in; but holidays are not just for the summer – autumn is the perfect time to embark on an inspiring weekend break.

There is plenty to see and do this autumn and winter, with more than enough fantastic trips and events to fill your diary – all just a couple of hours away by high speed train.
Fashion and art in Belgium
As of spring this year, Antwerp has had a stunning new museum: the Museum aan de Stroom. The MAS is a dynamic and innovative contemporary museum that tells the story of Antwerp: its past, present and future.
Antwerp is also a popular destination for fashion lovers, with distinctive shops and boutiques waiting to be discovered. A visit to the Modemuseum allows you to fit a slice of culture into your weekend too. The Modemuseum, celebrating fashion in all its guises, is based in the heart of the trendy Antwerp shopping district and is housed in a former 19th century warehouse – the ModeNatie – that has been tastefully brought up to date.
And, when you travel by train you are there in next to no time! Thalys departs from Amsterdam Centraal 11 x a day and arrives in the heart of the city centre in just 1 hour and 12 minutes. There are 16 InterCity Brussels departures to Antwerp Centraal with a journey time of just 2 hours.
Add another hour to your journey and you could be in Brussels where a host of museums await – varying from the Museum of Fine Art (Magritte) and the Comic Strip Centre to a heavenly tasting parlour in the Chocolate Museum.
A sunny day in Brussels makes the perfect opportunity to enjoy one of the many city walks on offer based around varying themes.
Culture and Christmas in Germany
Marlene Dietrich, Bertolt Brecht, Kurt Weill…names that helped make Berlin the theatre and cabaret capital of Europe in the 20s and 30s. With more than thirty stages, the theatre scene in modern-day Berlin is still alive and kicking. Bar Jeder Vernunft is one such venue, where Desirée Nick will be giving a Christmas show with a twist from 22 Nov. to 18 Dec. 2011.
Closer to home, a visit to Dusseldorf is the perfect opportunity to experience the Christmas magic from 18 November. From this date to 23 December, you can shop to your heart’s content at one of the six Christmas markets running in the city.
Travelling from Amsterdam by ICE takes just 2 hours and 11 minutes. You arrive in the heart of the city centre, bypassing the traffic jams and parking worries!
Christmas shopping and fairytales in France
A two and a half hour journey from Rotterdam on board the comfortable Thalys train gets you to the heart of the truly international city of Paris – the ideal place to shop for the best and most original Christmas gifts.
Forget the crowds in Les Halles shopping centre or on the Champs Elysées! For an equally enjoyable day’s shopping try the Rue de Rivoli, where you will not only find your fill of unique boutiques, but also many enchanting cafés.
Special tip: don’t forget to take some Ladurée Macarones home with you.
The Thalys service to Paris makes one other stop half an hour from Paris in Marne la Vallee: Disneyland Paris. At this time of year, well-known fairytales come to life: who knows, there could even be a dusting of snow! From 7 November the entire park is decked out in dazzling Christmas decorations and lights. Sleigh loads of festive magic await young and old alike!
Be the first to know
There’s no need to wait until the spring before you start getting out and about again, there is so much to see and do close to home. To receive regular updates about high speed travel to cities in Europe, sign up for the NS Hispeed newsletter and be the first to hear about city events and travel offers.
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