I went to the velvet cave Christmas Market for a USO trip some time back. It was one of my first…read moreUSO trips and one of my only times in the Netherlands. The town was adorable. Small and quaint with cobble stone streets. But what towns aren't in Europe? The caves were decorated both inside and out. I think that was the coolest part. The market was small, so really the main attraction is the cave.

The Valkenburg Christmas market is held in a labyrinth of caves under the town which sounds unusual…read more& picturesque but it is not that exciting and a little disappointing. There are rather amateurish Christmas scenes of Christmas trees, Santas, elves,etc. with no flair. The theme changes every year. The stalls are unimaginative & some poorly lit. There are some Christmassy bits & pieces and traditional toys but strangely also some household goods. There is no thrill, no magic & little atmosphere. The Gemeentegrot (Municiple cave) was the original market but because of the success has now been extended to the Fluweelengrot (velvet cave) across the road. The caves were made when quarrying for the soft stone over hundreds of years. They also carve the stone into candle holders etc for souvenirs. There is an entrance fee of around £3 for these markets and the queues can be long & disorganised. The caves can get uncomfortably busy, when it isn't a case of stopping to look but to go with the flow. If you really want to shop try to visit when it is a little quieter or at least when all the coaches have gone. Tourist Board is in main square & helpful about parking. Now the town itself is sheer delight. There are masses of wonderful, picturesque restaurants, coffee shops & bars all twinkling with lights & candles. Many have tables & chairs outside, with some kind of heating, and it is lovely to sit people watching, snuggled up with hats & scarves, drinking Glühwein or hot chocolate topped with whipped cream. The food is good and the welcome warm & friendly. There are normally some animated Christmas decorations around the town.

I think Pinkpop is a great music festival in Landgraaf, Netherlands. My mom and I have to fly into…read moreAmsterdam first and then take a train to Landgraaf. We can rent a camping tent, two camping chairs, one table, two sleeping bags and two lanterns at FestiTent so we can camp together. And I think it could be a great adventure.

Went here for a day trip out of Cologne, and I didn't think the market was very different from what…read morewas offered in Cologne. I did enjoy the Printen themes though!

We had been to the Christmas market in Aachen about 30 years ago and went back for the first time…read more It has still got it. Around the Dom, Rathaus and Markt are plenty of stalls with food, gluehwein and Christmas merchandise. The size of the market is quite big but it has a good vibe. A nice place to spend 3 hours getting into the Christmas spirit.

This is a very nice and lovely event. it took place at the GRAND PALACE SQUARE, surrounded by the…read morebeautiful architectural treasure rich with gold and art. This weekend we came in the square braved the lines and got our tokens so we could enjoy samples from all breweries the festival have to offer. the line to pay for the ticket had some pretty nasty event organizer, the lad was very rude and vicious, I with I didn't have experienced that side of Brussels, after we got our tickets everything was ok again, hope next year she doesn't come back. The European way of life is one I love, you see the people hanging and drinking as well as enjoying cigarettes and cigars at the square while enjoying the brews of choice from the over 30 brewers that were there serving their beers, there was a fun band as well and some giveaways, people networked and had fun with strangers this was really a great time. this beer festival gave me the opportunity to try a CHOCOLATE CHERRY BEER! I was amazed with it. it tasted so good that now I am sad that I can only have that beer in Belgium lol I must come back here one day this festival is very worth it.

One of my favorite summer festivals in Belgium! Involves a few different stages in the center of…read moreBrussels (next to Central Station, MIM and the palace by Parc metro station). I love that the event lasts for 10 days, so when you live in the city, you can really get the most out of your ticket, stopping by each evening, if you wish! BSF gets some big names (my favorite was Amy Macdonald last year) both internationally and locally. This festival includes upcoming artists as well in smaller stages, which is fun to see close up. For about 50 eur pp for the 10 day pass, this festival is definitely worth it, even if you just want to go a couple times. Along with your ticket/wristband, you can also visit a few museums for free/reduced price during the 10 days that BSF takes place!

Only two words can accurately describe my recent experience attending Tomorrowland.. absolutely…read moreepic!!! Seriously.. it is a once in a lifetime experience for some, a several in a lifetime for those lucky enough, and a never-got-a-chance-to-do-it for most others. The attention to detail and love for the customer/festival-goer is second-to-none. I attended w my gf and we camped out for 3 days straight, attended workout class at their amazing outdoor gym, met people from aroud the world, walked 30k steps, ate incredible food and dancing our hearts out to world-class DJ's. Did my entire body feel completely beaten up afterwards? Yup. DId I spend way too much money? Sure did. Did I average 4 hours sleep each night? That is true. Would I do it all again? You betcha!! I highly recommend everyone attend at least once... you won't regret it (probability speaking that is).

Always a phenomenal experience!! Once you've been to Tomorrowland, no other festivals can compare…read more Wear comfy shoes though as you will walk and dance a lot during the festival. Bring layers and a poncho, plus extra shoes or waterproof ones - in July, it can be extremely hot during the day with sporadic rain showers and it gets quite chilly at night. I was fortunate enough to have stayed in Montagoe ("glamping" area) this year, which was amazing - will definitely be aiming for a spot there again in the future. The mainstage burned down two days before weekend one this year and I am so impressed by how quickly they pulled together another stage - it was much smaller and nowhere near what the original would have been but at least there was a stage! My heart goes out to all those who worked on the stage, set design, and festival though because I've heard they start planning stage designs like two years in advance and it must be so hard to have watched this happen. I've met so many fantastic people from all over the world. Can't wait to return to this magical place again!