trip to amsterdam brussels and paris

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar

A perfect 10-day itinerary for Amsterdam, Brussels, and Paris

June 26, 2019 by Karen Turner 2 Comments

As an American who has lived in Paris, briefly Brussels, and Amsterdam, I know that one of the popular routes for first-time travelers (as well as experienced travelers) is to spend a week (or 10 days) traveling from Amsterdam to Brussels to Paris. This is a great route as there are great train and bus connections between all of these cities. I’ll be doing an overview of what to do in each city along with some helpful tips for planning your itinerary!

• Helpful tips for planning your 10-day trip to Amsterdam, Brussels, and Paris
• Day 1: Paris

Day 2: Paris

Day 3: versailles/paris.

• Day 4: Thalys to Brussels; Brussels

Day 5: Antwerpen

Day 6: ghent.

• Day 7: Amsterdam
• Day 8: Amsterdam
• Day 9: Another city in Holland (Leiden, Alkmaar, the Hague)
• Day 10: Amsterdam / travel day
• 1 Helpful tips for planning your 10 day trip to Amsterdam, Brussels, and Paris
• 2 Day 1: Arrive/Paris
• 3 Day 2: Paris
• 4 Day 3: Versailles/Paris
• 5 Day 4: Brussels
• 6 Day 5: Antwerpen
• 7 Day 6: Ghent
• 8 Day 7-8: Amsterdam
• 9 Day 9: Day trip to another city in Holland
• 10 Day 10: Amsterdam/Leave
• 11 Any questions about this itinerary for Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam?

Helpful tips for planning your 10 day trip to Amsterdam, Brussels, and Paris

Something that many people don’t do is book an open-jaw flight. This means that you fly into one city and fly out of another city. The advantage here is that you often save money, as that you don’t need to backtrack to where you began, leaving you time to enjoy your last destination more! Paris and Amsterdam are both serviced by KLM as well as Air Frances, so if you book a flight with one, it should be possible to fly out of Paris instead of Amsterdam for not much more.

The trains in this region are generally quite good. The best (and most expensive train) is the Thalys, which runs between Amsterdam, Brussels, and Paris. If you want to take the Thalys, you should book as far in advance as possible as it can be expensive last minute. This also makes it easy to take day trips.

A cheaper alternative is the reliable network of buses that run between various European cities. You can check Ouibus as well as Flixbus for affordable bus fares that drop you off in the cities that you’ll be visiting. It’s not as fancy, but it’s usually fine!

Be sure to book your hotels in advance. Peak season (e.g. summer) is when hotel prices in all of these cities increase. Amsterdam as well as Paris have been cutting down on Airbnbs, which is putting more strain on the hotels to accommodate tourists, which is driving up prices.

You should be able to use your card pretty reliably, so there’s no need to take out large sums of cash. You can check out this article about saving money on taking out money in Europe for more information.

Day 1: Arrive/Paris

One of my tricks for avoiding the worst of the jetlag (if you have to deal with this) is to ensure that you sleep on the plane, especially if you land in the morning. You still might be a bit tired, but there’s nothing like a delicious French pastry from a local bakery, a good coffee, and a power nap to get you on your way! With only three days in Paris, you’ll need to choose carefully to decide what you want to prioritize.

Personally, I’d recommend your first day to get off to a slower start within the true center of Paris. See Notre Dame (once it reopens), Île de la Cité, eat some macarons, maybe step into Museum D’Orsay or the Louvre (the Louvre is open late on certain days). Maybe end the day with a nice sunset at a cafe close to the Seine or somewhere where you can people watch! For a more detailed itinerary, including restaurant recommendations, you can head over to my Paris itinerary .

In general, I recommend finding a hotel in Le Marais  or in  Saint-Germain-des-Prés , which will make most of the major attractions easy to walk to or take a metro to. For those on a budget, my friend stayed at Hotel Rivoli, which is in the heart of Le Marais in a historic townhouse.

There’s nothing like waking up early on the second day refreshed and ready to go. I love the cafe culture in France that often involves lingering over a coffee and pastry to start off the morning. The Paris Metro is the cheapest and often the best way to get around Paris.

After some coffee, get up early and head to Montmartre, one of the most charming neighborhoods of Paris. It’s best coming here in the mornings as the crowds that descend upon the Sacre Coeur tend to be minimal in the mornings! You can click for my free self-guided walking tour of Montmartre .

After visiting Montmartre, I recommend walking down or taking the Metro down towards the 1st arrondissement to experience the covered passages! These covered shopping malls from the turn of the century are absolutely beautiful to walk through and 100% free.

There are quite a few great places to eat lunch along the way in the 9th arrondissement close to Rue Notre Dame de Lorette. It should take maybe 1-2 hours to explore the covered passages on foot. You’ll end close to the Seine and the Louvre. You can click here for my self-guided walking tour of the covered passages in Paris .

I always love going to Le Marais for dinner. Whether it’s a quick and delicious dinner at L’As du Falafel (a famous cash-only joint) or a great sit-down restaurant, you’ll find plenty of great options for dinner in this cozy neighborhood. If you’re not too tired, you can always take the Metro to sit next to the Eiffel Tower or the chic Saint-Germain-des-Prés neighborhood to cafe hop!

For your last day in Paris, you’ll need to choose carefully what is of interest to you. Versailles is a whole day in itself and you can visit Versailles pretty easily from Paris on your own. Click for my day trip guide to Versailles with tips for saving money !

Versailles is massive, way bigger than I even imagined in my mind. My feet were killing me by the end of the day and I’d recommend bringing extra cash to pay for the tram that passes through the property to bring you back to the start. Afterward, you might be pretty tired, so besides a quick dinner and a good night to the Eiffel Tower (at night), you might have had enough.

I hope that this is enough to get a brief taste of Paris. I lived in Paris and I can tell you honestly that every neighborhood has its charms. Just like many big cities, you’ll need many trips to really get to know Paris, but these are my personal recommendations.

Day 4: Brussels

Say adieu to Paris and bonjour to Brussels! I recommend taking the Thalys, which is the easiest way to travel between Paris and Brussels. The ride should take just one hour and thirty minutes! See if you can drop your items off at your hotel until you can check-in.

I’ve visited Brussels many times (and even lived in Brussels). It’s often easier to stay within the city center if you’re only briefly in Brussels as most things will be walking distance from your hotel. The Dominican  is a good option for an affordable boutique hotel although Sleep Well is a steal with clean, basic rooms and a good location.

Once you’re settled in, start off your day indulgently. (You’re in Brussels!) My personal favorite way to start off a day in Brussels is with a delicious Liege style waffle and a good coffee. After a waffle and a coffee, enjoy Brussels on foot by seeing the Manneken Pis (who is often in costume as a warning) as well as the stunning Grote Markt/Grand Place .

Once you’re done with seeing Grote Markt, you need to taste the chocolate in Brussels! You don’t need a chocolate tour if you have the addresses of the best chocolatiers in Brussels. You can follow my self-guided chocolate tour of Brussels here , which will work out considerably cheaper than a chocolate tour. Also, you can pick your favorites and just pay for them.

You’ll want to decide whether you want to move with your luggage or stay in Brussels for the next two nights with doing day trips. Hotels in Brussels tend to be surprisingly affordable although I always find rates in Antwerp and Ghent to be reasonable. I find one day in Brussels to be just about right although you can easily swap Antwerp and Ghent out for two days in Brussels if you’re intrigued by the off the beaten path neighborhoods!

Belgium has surprisingly decent and affordable trains, making day trips to Antwerpen and Ghent very easy. Personally, I’m biased and vote that you experience nighttime on the canals in Ghent–and stay overnight. It’s also quite affordable.

I love Antwerp. It’s such a beautiful Belgian city and although the crowds often flock to Bruges and Brussels, Antwerpen has remained mostly unscathed by the selfie sticks.

The historic city center of Antwerp is very walkable and it is filled with history. You’ll need to choose carefully whether you want to visit the UNESCO-recognized Platin-Moretus Museum to learn about the history of printing at one of the oldest printing houses in the world or visit the Reubens House to learn more about Reuben’s paintings.

The center with its stunning Grote Markt is a delight to visit, especially if you stop into the wonderful quirky Elfde Gebod bar, which is full of religious statues and great beer. I always love to find the hidden entrance one of Antwerp’s prettiest streets, Vlaaikensgang, while wondering around the city. You can find my one-day itinerary for Antwerp here .

I recently spent a whole weekend in Ghent and I have to say that it’s the most underrated city in Belgium! If you’re looking for the awe factor of Bruges (with the stunning canals) and none of the crowds, you’ll love Ghent.

If you only have a day in Ghent, be sure to visit  Gravensteen , Ghent’s grand medieval castle that dates back to 1180. It’s truly a castle straight out of a movie and some parts of the castle have a fascinating history. It’s easy to spend at least two hours here exploring the high and low parts of the castle.

Beyond the castle, you’ll want to explore the picturesque Patershol with its many crooked medieval alleys to discover some of the best food in Belgium as well as numerous small boutiques. For something truly unique, head to Confiserie Temmerman for sweets. You can also enjoy street art in other parts of Ghent!

After a great meal, consider sitting out along the canals on a lovely day to enjoy the beautiful atmosphere in the city along with the rest of the city. You won’t be alone in soaking up the atmosphere and many bring drinks with them.

If you want to stay overnight in Gent, consider booking early as there aren’t that many hotels in the city center for Ghent. I recommend staying at  Hotel Onderbergen ,  an affordable and cozy boutique hotel walking distance from the river.

Day 7-8: Amsterdam

Of course, you want to visit Amsterdam. The Dutch capital is incredibly charming although often quite busy! The picturesque canals make for great photos. I personally always love to enjoy a drink at one of Amsterdam’s historic brown bars .

As someone who lived in Amsterdam until recently, I have to write that there’s far more to Amsterdam than just the tourist attractions in the Red Light District . You’ll find many neighborhoods outside of the city center from the modern yet cool De Pijp to the picturesque Oude Zuid neighborhood bordering Vondelpark. You can click for my perfect itinerary for three days in Amsterdam.

In Amsterdam, I recommend staying at  Max Brown ,  a boutique hotel in Amsterdam.  This stunning hotel is made of various canal houses sewn together along one of Amsterdam’s most scenic canals.  For something more basic yet still a hotel,  the Student Hotel   is a great choice and  StayOkay Vondelpark   is a cozy hostel that friends of mine have stayed at. It’s a great location!

Day 9: Day trip to another city in Holland

It is a lot cheaper to stay outside of Amsterdam, so it might be better to spend three days and two nights in Amsterdam prior to moving with your suitcase to the other cities mentioned here.  You’ll save a lot of money and have more time to enjoy these stunning cities without having to worry about heading back early! I include hotel picks for a few of the cities (with more recommendations within the dedicated city guides).

A lot of people spend most of their trip in Amsterdam when visiting the Netherlands, which I think is a bit of a shame. There are many other charming places in the Netherlands to visit, including day trips less than thirty minutes away!

You’ll need to choose where you want to visit, but I always recommend visiting Leiden (mini Amsterdam without the crowds!), Hoorn for a quieter day trip full of V.O.C. history, Delft for art and pottery, Rotterdam for modern architecture, and the Hague for culture and politics. You can read my full overview of the best day trips from Amsterdam here.

Day 10: Amsterdam/Leave

Schiphol is a great airport to fly in and out of! I always recommend arriving at least three hours early, but one big advantage of Schiphol (compared to CDG) is that it’s pretty close to Amsterdam, which leaves you more time to enjoy the day if you’re leaving in the evening!

If your flight is in the afternoon or evening, I’d recommend having a lazy day along the canals just enjoying Amsterdam’s beauty after a good breakfast. Perhaps a Dutch pancake? You can read my guide to Schiphol Airport here and a step-by- step guide for getting from Amsterdam to Schiphol airport here .

Any questions about this itinerary for Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam?

• Four days in Paris
• Three days in Amsterdam
• A self-guided chocolate tour of Brussels
• Two days in Brussels
• The best day trips from Amsterdam
• Your perfect Netherlands itinerary
• First time tips for visiting Amsterdam
• Two weeks in Europe packing list

About Karen Turner

New Yorker–born and raised. Currently living in the Hague, the Netherlands after stints in Paris and Amsterdam. Lover of travel, adventure, nature, city, dresses, and cats.

Reader Interactions

September 26, 2023 at 5:39 pm

Very helpful! What are your thoughts on Bruges? We were thinking of staying in Paris > Bruges > Amsterdam.

November 24, 2023 at 9:57 am

Hi Sarah, we are happy to read that you found the article helpful! Your travel plan from Paris to Bruges and then Amsterdam sounds fantastic. Bruges is a charming and picturesque city with its medieval architecture and winding canals. It offers a different yet equally enchanting experience compared to the bustling cities of Paris and Amsterdam. Consider exploring Bruges’ historic center, taking a boat tour along its canals, and enjoying some delicious Belgian chocolate and waffles. Each city has its unique charm, and I’m sure you’ll have a wonderful time on your journey.

Happy holidays, safe travels your Wanderlustingk Team

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

• The Netherlands
• New York State
• Other European destinations
• Work With Me
• Disclosure and Privacy Policy
• Jeju SEO Tool: Free SEO Writing Tool

You can unsubscribe anytime. For more details, review our Privacy Policy.

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

TreasureHunter USA Inc. 251 Little Falls Drive Wilmington, Delaware 19808 +1 (915) 4632387 EIN 88-2174128

www.wanderlustingk.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. We also participate in other affiliate programs

www.wanderlustingk.com all rights reserved © 2023 | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy |

Three Exciting Capitals in 10 Days

10 days / 9 nights, paris, brussels, amsterdam.

Travel across three countries and get to know some of Europe's most fascinating capital cities during a 10-day itinerary to remember for life. Start with a trip for all your senses in Paris as you savor freshly baked croissants and sip on exquisite French wine while filling your eyes with the beauty of one of the world's most romantic cities. Continue to the Art Nouveau wonder that is Brussels, a city that has been the beating heart of the European Union for the last few decades. Before you say au revoir to Europe, indulge in the magic of Amsterdam, the iconic Venice of the North, with its charming canals and colorful tulip fields.

One of our team members in the region will be available to you leading up to and during your trip to answer any questions and arrange local services. You will receive access to your Guest Page, which includes all the necessary information on the best these destinations have to offer, including things to see and do and other insider tips, from restaurant recommendations to tipping advice. Upon arrival, we will provide you with a local SIM card that you can use to reach your local JayWay contact (who you will meet in person) throughout your trip. In all of our destinations, we offer a wide selection of memorable 3-5 star accommodation options, including boutique hotels and charming B&Bs. With our firsthand experience, we can ensure they are all clean, comfortable, and centrally located, with local ambiance.

3 Nights in Paris

Paris is situated in the northern part of France. The city sprawls over both banks of the Seine River and on two islands: the Îles Saint Louis and the larger Île de la Cité. The historical city center is built around the Seine, and it has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991. For a glimpse into the oldest part of Paris, take a stroll along the Seine and around the 1st and 4th districts to admire iconic landmarks, such as the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris or the Louvre Museum, among others. But leave some space and time for the rest of the city's districts, as each of Paris' 20 arrondissements possesses incredible treasures to discover.

Day 1 - Arrival in Paris

Welcome to Paris! We'll arrange for a driver to meet you at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport and drive you to your centrally located accommodation. The journey time to the city center is about one hour.

Day 2 - Your First Full Day in Paris

Introduction to Paris Private Tour

This tour is the perfect introduction to Paris, an overview of the city to help you find your bearings and feel confident enough to explore Paris further on your own. In the company of your knowledgeable guide, get ready to marvel at the French capital's most iconic landmarks along the Seine.

Day 3 - Your Second Full Day in Paris

A Taste of Paris

The best way to get to know a destination is through its distinct tastes. When in Paris, we recommend taking a private tour of the French capital's original flavors. During this walking tour, you will have the opportunity to explore the quaint Saint-Germain-des-Prés neighborhood in the company of a knowledgeable local guide, while eating your way through the iconic streets of Paris. The tour includes various tastings, from croissants, cheese, and baguettes to wine, chocolates, and jams.

Day 4 - Traveling to Brussels by Train

You're leaving Paris behind today and heading to Brussels. We will arrange your transfer to the train station and provide you with second-class tickets. If you prefer, you can upgrade to first class for an additional fee. There are several train departures from Paris to Brussels daily, and you can choose your preferred departure time. Once on the train, sit back and enjoy the 1.5-hour journey.

You can upgrade your transfer

Brussels by Private Transfer

Upgrade for an additional cost, 3 nights in brussels.

The birthplace of Tintin, the Smurfs, and several other famous comic strip characters, Brussels is also the capital of Art Nouveau architecture and the ultimate symbol of the European Union. Home to over 80 museums of all shapes and sizes and for all tastes, the multifaceted capital of Belgium is a laid-back multicultural city with an inescapably authentic and irresistibly quirky character, where the flavors of chocolate, beer, and fried mussels come together to create the city’s mesmerizing scent. Conveniently located between London and Paris, Brussels has always been a hub for international artists and the perfect starting point for a trip across Belgium and beyond.

Day 4 - Arrival in Brussels

When you arrive at the train station in Brussels, a driver will meet you to take you to your accommodation.

Day 5 - Your First Full Day in Brussels

Highlights of Brussels Private Walking Tour

During a picturesque walk through the alleys of the historic center, a local experienced guide will show you some of the must-see places in the city, such as Grand Place, MannekenPis, and Galeries Saint Hubert. You will hear about the history of Brussels and its numerous legends.

Day 6 - Your Second Full Day in Brussels

Art Nouveau Masterpieces in Brussels

For many, Brussels is the capital of Art Nouveau architecture. The Art Nouveau brilliance lies at the core of Brussels, and it's one of the characteristics that have been defining the city throughout the centuries. To learn more about the Art Nouveau movement in Brussels, we recommend taking a private tour that will guide you through most of the city's Art Nouveau gems.

Day 7 - Traveling to Amsterdam by Train

You're leaving Brussels behind today and heading to Amsterdam. We will arrange your transfer to the train station and provide you with second-class train tickets. If you prefer, you can upgrade to first class for an additional fee. There are several train departures from Brussels to Amsterdam daily, and you can choose your preferred departure time. Once on the train, sit back and enjoy the 2-hour journey.

Amsterdam by Private Transfer with a 2-Hour Stop in Utrecht

3 nights in amsterdam.

Amsterdam is dubbed the Venice of the North, and for good reason. Spanning more than 60 miles, the city’s 165 canals define Amsterdam and provide the perfect backdrop to the iconic 16th century buildings that seem to be floating sleepily on the calm waters. Art is central to Amsterdam’s cultural identity, as the city’s museums are abundant in masterpieces by Van Gogh, Vermeer, Rembrandt, and several other geniuses of Dutch painting. Traditionally a bike-friendly city and with a mind to ensure a relaxed lifestyle for residents and visitors alike, Amsterdam never stops improving and expanding its cycling infrastructure and facilities.

Day 7 - Arrival in Amsterdam

Upon arrival at Amsterdam Centraal train station, you will be greeted by a driver who will take you to your accommodation.

Day 8 - Your First Full Day in Amsterdam

A Stroll Through Amsterdam

Today you are joining an incredible small-group tour of Amsterdam. Led by a knowledgeable guide, this tour will take you on a fascinating journey into the history of the Dutch capital. You will learn how a muddy village on the Amstel River became the exciting city that it is today. During your walk around Amsterdam, you will be amazed by the city's diversity. From the infamous tales of prostitution and drug decriminalization to Anne Frank's tragic story and the Nazi occupation, all of Amsterdam's secrets are about to unfold before your eyes.

Day 9 - Your Second Full Day in Amsterdam

A Trip To The Iconic Tulip Fields

For your second day in Amsterdam, we recommend spending a day out of the city, specifically in Keukenhof, the so-called Garden of Europe. Home to iconic tulip fields and the world's largest flower exhibition, Keukenhof is the perfect day trip from Amsterdam. During this private tour, your expert guide will explain how an orchard became one of the most famous flower gardens in the world.

Day 10 - Departure Day

A driver will pick you up from your accommodation and take you to the airport for your departing flight. The drive takes about 30 minutes.

What's Included

Here are all the services provided as part of your complete vacation package. See what every JayWay trip includes. Please let us know if you'd like to upgrade any transfers or add any additional tours or excursions to your itinerary.

package excludes:

• Flights to and from Europe.
• Tips for Tour Guides, Drivers and Local Reps.
• Meals (other than breakfast if included in room rate and meals listed as included in food tours and excursions, unless explicitly stated otherwise).
• Parking fees for your Rental Car (if you are booking one with us) unless otherwise indicated. Some hotels provide free parking facilities.
• Travel Insurance. See the insurance link on our website

A JayWay vacation is more than the sum of its parts. Our team work tirelessly to ensure your experience is memorable for all the right reasons. Your trip is personalized to maximize your enjoyment. You're taken care of every step of the way.

A Travel Advisor who speaks your language

A totally tailored itinerary for your vacation, a choice of hand-picked hotels and excursions, detailed pre-trip preparation to make the most of every day, on-trip concierge service to smooth out any bumps in the road, personalized guest page to make sure you're not missing out, glowing reviews from our guests.

The communication and assistance we received during the planning process was excellent. Nico was so attentive and quick to respond to any questions. He considered all our needs and wants and designed the perfect trip. Elena was wonderful! It provided a huge peace of mind that we had a "local" contact while overseas. She met us at our hotel upon our arrival in Paris and maintained constant communication. She monitored our itinerary and quickly reached out when one of our trains was cancelled - she handled all the re-booking and sent us new tickets.

We had already scheduled a river cruise, so we wanted to see some other things in the area before and after the cruise that JayWay was very helpful in setting up. Elena was very helpful to us - both in setting up final details (transfers, train tickets, etc.) in Europe and also being available to us when we had questions while on our trip. JayWay is a high quality, reliable travel agency. They are always quick to respond to our questions and having someone available to speak to while traveling is very helpful! Having our itinerary available on our phones was also very helpful.

JayWay Travel was so helpful in planning our trip. They worked around my pre-planned biking trip and everything was seamless!

Choose the month of travel, how many travelers and what star level accommodation you'd like to stay in, then get an instant price estimate.

Once you’ve done that you can request a tailor-made itinerary based on this by entering just a few more details.

Thank you for your interest in taking a trip based on this itinerary. One of our expert travel advisors will be in touch soon to start tailoring it precisely to your preferences.

Something went wrong at our end, please try again in a moment.

Get Your Custom Trip Plan

Thank you for providing these details. One of our expert travel advisors will be in touch soon to confirm a few more details so we can start preparing the perfect trip plan for you.

Amsterdam Brussels Paris Itinerary 10 days travel guide

Love it? Share it!

Get ready for an epic vacation checking off three of the prettiest cities in western Europe, perfect art and culture lovers, and weekend city trippers. This 10 days in Amsterdam Brussels Paris itinerary takes you through 3 classic destinations in an easy-to-follow route – while you make the most of your trip. 

Expect bucket list attractions, canal cruises, iconic landmarks, art and history museums, cathedrals, red light district, culinary delights, and more!

Amsterdam Brussels Paris Itinerary 10 days (City + Culture)

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click one of them, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Snapshot of the 10 day Amsterdam Brussels Paris itinerary 

• Day 1: Arrive in Amsterdam. Stay at Ambassade Hotel
• Day 2: Explore Amsterdam 
• Day 3: Day trip to windmills Zaanse Schans (more options)
• Day 4: Travel from Amsterdam to Brussels. Stay at Brussels Marriott Hotel Grand Place
• Day 5 : Explore city highlights in Brussels
• Day 6: Day trip to Bruges (or more options)
• Day 7: Travel from Brussels to Paris. Stay at Hôtel San Régis
• Day 8: Check off iconic landmarks in Paris. Get the Paris Pass
• Day 9: More of Paris sightseeing 
• Day 10: Versailles (half day) – fly out 

Here are 2 additional itineraries to help you plan your trip!

Additional Tips: 7 day Amsterdam Brussels Paris itinerary 

• Day 3: Travel from Amsterdam to Brussels. Stay at Brussels Marriott Hotel Grand Place
• Day 4 : Explore city highlights in Brussels
• Day 5: Day trip to Bruges (or more options)
• Day 6: Travel from Brussels to Paris. Stay at Hôtel San Régis
• Day 7: Check off iconic landmarks in Paris. 

Additional Tips: 14 days in Amsterdam Brussels Paris itinerary 

• Day 7: Day trip to Namur or Dinant from Brussels
• Day 8-9 : Spend 2 days in Luxembourg, and then return to Brussels
• Day 10: Travel from Brussels to Paris. Stay at Hôtel San Régis
• Day 11: Check off iconic landmarks in Paris. Get the Paris Pass
• Day 12 – 13: More of Paris sightseeing
• Day 14: Versailles (half day) – fly out

Amsterdam, Brussels, and Paris make for a classic European itinerary of cities, and cultural appreciation. Depending on flight availability you can swap the start and end of this itinerary . 

Most North American cities will have frequent (and better connectivity) flights to Paris – Charles de Gaulle International Airport, or to Amsterdam via KLM at Schiphol Airport.

We have started our trips in Europe from both of these airports and they are great for connections from the United States and Canada and just depends on what works for you and your departure airport. 

We recommend keeping Brussels in the middle of this itinerary so that you can travel to either Amsterdam or Paris via High Speed Trains or Thalys. 

Day 1 of 10 day Amsterdam Brussels Paris itinerary: Arrive in Amsterdam

Kickstart your 10 day itinerary in Amsterdam , the capital city of the Netherlands. Amsterdam is a great European city break option for those who love history, culture, shopping, good food, and an amazing ambiance. Amsterdam will check off all of those boxes. 

From Amsterdam, you can soak in everything that the Netherlands is known for, from canals, beer, and cheese to windmills nearby. 

Where to stay in Amsterdam? Ambassade Hotel

Ambassade Hotel is a wonderful 4 star property located in the centre of Amsterdam. By staying at this hotel you are at the heart of the action.

The picturesque canals are right at your doorstep, and from here – cafes, stores, museums, and the Amsterdam Centraal Station are within walking distance.

Depending on your arrival time (we arrived by noon), spend the rest of the day in Amsterdam city centre. Settle into your hotel, freshen up, and then strap on comfortable walking shoes and take a wander at the Dam Square. 

Dam Square is the historic centre of Amsterdam, located at the original spot of the dam in the river Amstel. At the centre you will find landmark structures such as the Royal Palace, the Nieuwe Kerk, and the War Memorial. 

From the historic center, walk to the red light district in De Wallen. With bright neon lights, old school bars, and centuries-old customs this touristy lane is a fascinating visit. At the red light district, you will also find the Oude Kerk – the centuries-old church. 

In the late afternoon, walk to the Bloemenmarkt – a flower Market . This market is one of the prettiest with colorful tulips and all sorts of flora. It is perfect for snapping some Instagrammable shots and is your best bet to smell the flowers when you are not visiting in the springtime!

Get a glimpse of what Amsterdam has to offer by going on an evening canal cruise . These sightseeing tours last for an hour and a half, and it is a nice way to get introduced to Amsterdam and warm up. 

After the cruise, dine at one of the restaurants/bars located by the canal side , and enjoy the views.

Amsterdam looks stunning under the blanket of lights and stars, and the canalside makes the entire ambiance so romantic and inviting. Gulp a few Heineken if you think Amsterdam is not romantic under the night lights!

Day 2 of Amsterdam Brussels Paris itinerary: Explore Amsterdam

Wake up to freshly brewed coffee, and a warm toast with appelstroop, or cheese and cold meat. Day 2 of your 10 day Amsterdam to Paris itinerary is jam-packed with activities. 

We have included 3 must visit museums, where you can spend 45 to an hour in each. You can skip any you like, or explore all three of them – your choice. The three museums – Rijksmuseum, Vincent van Gogh, and Anne Frank House are all located at or near the city centre, and you can walk to them from your hotel (25 to 30 minute walk or you can catch a ride on the tram).

Museumplein is the museum quarter of Amsterdam, and the three major museums – the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, and Stedelijk Museum (contemporary art) are located here.

From Museumplein, Anne Frank House is a short drive away (or you can walk, it takes 30 minutes).

We highly recommend booking entry tickets ahead of time (online) to reserve your spot. Out of the 3 – Rijksmuseum and Anne Frank House are our top picks – they are great to learn about the art and history of the region (Amsterdam and Western Europe in general) and the heart-wrenching story of Anne Frank during World War II. 

Rijksmuseum : Rijksmuseum is the Dutch national museum, which is home to the largest collection of art in the country. It is one of the most visited museums in the Netherlands. They are open every day from 9 am to 5 pm. There used to be touristy signage – I – AMSTERDAM, but is now removed.  

Book your Rijksmuseum entry tickets and guided tour here

Vincent van Gogh Museum: The Van Gogh Museum is a Dutch art museum dedicated to the works of Vincent van Gogh. It has over 200 paintings, 500 drawings, and 750 written documents. It is located close to the Rijksmuseum and the Stedelijk Museum, Rijksmuseum. Tickets start at 9 euros per person.

Here is a Van Gogh Museum entry ticket

Anne Frank House: The Anne Frank House is a museum dedicated to the life of wartime diarist Anne Frank. The building is located on a canal in central Amsterdam.

The house, known as the Prinsengracht 263 is the residence where Anne Frank and her family were in hiding (before being taken to various concentration camps in 1944). 

The museum has long line-ups everyday – we recommend booking tickets at least 3 months in advance during peak seasons.

Right outside the museum find yourself a place by the canal, and soak in the Dutch sun. We sat here for something enjoying the ambience, and the hustle and bustle of the quarter.

If you miss out on the tickets for the Anne Frank House, we recommend heading to the Vondelpark, which is the largest city park. You can head there after exploring the museums at Museumplein.  

The park is about a 6-minute drive (or a 12-minute walk) from the Van Gogh Museum. Opened in 1865 and originally called the New Park or Nieuwe Park, the Vondelpark is a popular place to relax and hang out in the evening. 

At the park, there are several cafes, and from June through September you can also enjoy theatre performances.

Day 3 of Amsterdam Brussels Paris itinerary: Day trips to Zaanse Schans + windmills or tulip farms

Venture outside Amsterdam to cute tulip farms or go on windmill tours. 

If you are using this 10 day Amsterdam Brussels Paris itinerary in the springtime, then you must visit the popular Keukenhof Tulip Gardens . Every year from March to May 2021 you can see all the beautiful flowers/tulips near Amsterdam! 

We missed the tulip season, and visited Amsterdam in the fall, which was pretty by the way (and fewer crowds!), and went chasing windmills. 

Zaanse Schans windmills are the closest to the city of Amsterdam. There are daily half day guided tours , and public transportation options available to explore the historic windmills and the postcard-worthy green wooden houses. 

Half a day is enough time to check out the windmills, stroll the complex, attend a clog making workshop, and return to Amsterdam. 

(You can spend the reminder time relaxing at the centre, or go shopping!)

Alternatively, you can also join a full-day hop-on and hop-off-style windmills sightseeing tour. This tour covers the villages of Volendam, Marken and Edam along with Zaanse Schans on a full day trip. 

Day 4 of Amsterdam Brussels Paris itinerary: Travel to and arrive in Brussels

Train connections between Western European countries are so awesome – thanks to the high speed Thalys trains. We booked Thalys to reach Brussels from Amsterdam, and the travel time was about 2 hours from Amsterdam Central Station to Brussels City centre.

We have also taken the regional trains (SNCB Belgium trains) and they take about 3 hours. Thalys is a little pricier, but you have other options – just add an extra hour to your itinerary. Trains start as early as 06:00 am. 

Where to stay in Brussels? Brussels Marriott Hotel Grand Place | easyHotel Brussels City Centre  

Both Brussels Marriott (moderate plus) and easyHotel (mid to low budget) are located in the city center, and close to the main train station. Both are great properties for a short trip. The room at the easyHotel was small, so don’t carry a lot of luggage with you (more packing tips below). 

Once you settle into your preferred hotel, head to the Grand Place . Depending on the time you have today, you can surely check out the grandeur of the Grand Place, go on a carriage ride, and even visit the Brussels City Museum. 

In the evening, stop by the Royal Gallery of Saint Hubert – this is a beautiful shopping arcade located close to the city centre. The interiors of the building look like a stunning mansion, with intricate designs in Italianate Cinquecento style (dating back to 1846). You will find a ton of chocolatiers here!

Finish your day in Brussels with dinner near the Grand Place – at the Rue des Bouchers . You will find meals starting from 4 to 80 euros here. 

Day 5 of Amsterdam Brussels Paris itinerary 10 days: Brussels

Start your beautiful day in Brussels, the capital city of Belgium with waffles, and a latte. Cafes at the city centre open as early as 07:00 am. Fuel up, and get ready to explore Brussels. 

Set aside some time near the Grand Place for photos or visit the museum if you missed it on the previous day. From the lower town (which is the centre), make your way to the upper town or the Haut De La Ville. As you approach the top, wonderful city views await you.

All the wonderful buildings in this neighborhood were designed in opulent Neoclassical style in the 18th century by the Austrians. 

The Royal Palace of Brussels is the official palace of the King and Queen of Belgium. It is an administration office, and the palace is only open to the public from July (the national bank holiday) until the beginning of September.

They are closed on Mondays and open from Tuesday until Sunday at 10:30 am and close at 5 pm. 

The official residence of the king and his family is in the Royal Palace of Laeken on the outskirts of Brussels. 

A few steps away from the Royal Palace is the Magritte Museum , which is dedicated to the Belgian surrealist artist, René Magritte. The beautifully manicured gardens  – Mont des Arts Garden – is located near the museum, and is worth stopping by!

The park and the gardens provide a wonderful view of Brussels. The complex is very pretty and artistic with sculptures, decorated flower beds, and art. 

In the afternoon, start for the Atomium . The Atomium is located away from the city, on the Heysel Plateau in Laeken. It takes about 40 minutes to arrive there by train or 20 minutes by car. 

The Atomium is an iconic modern landmark in Brussels. It was originally built for the 1958 Brussels World’s Fair (EXPO 58). The design of the structure is like an atom, but larger – a giant stainless steel atom connected by escalators. 

Today it is used as a museum and an exhibition hall. 

At the foot of the Atomium is the Mini-Europe park. It is a replica of the monuments in the European Union on display, depicting 80 cities and 350 buildings. 

Day 6 of Amsterdam Brussels Paris itinerary: Day trip to Bruges

Visit one of the fairytale cities in Europe – Bruges.  Affectionately known as the ‘Venice of the North’, the medieval city of Bruges is the capital of West Flanders. 

You can visit Bruges from Brussels by public transportation (train) or take a day tour. Trains are available from most stations in Brussels and it connects Bruges through their SNCB rail network. You don’t have to book tickets in advance (online), but it is a good idea to do so. 

You can also book a day tour to Bruges from Brussels. Check it out here

Arrive at the Bruges train station in the morning to experience the medieval Markt Square with its calm demeanor without the jeering crowds and a busy marketplace. 

The Markt Square is the fairy tale place that you see in picture-perfect postcards from Bruges. This market place is filled with pretty gingerbread houses, all decorated in beautiful Flemish architecture. The shops and stalls at Markt Square have been in operation since 958 AD. 

Standing tall and mighty at the main square is the Belfry Tower. The Belfry of Bruges (or Belfort van Brugge) is an iconic medieval bell tower in the city. It stands 83 metres tall and has a long legacy of over 800 years.

The Belfry was important in the middle ages as it protected the village from natural, and human calamities. The tower has been recognized as a part of the 13th-century UNESCO World Heritage site. 

Pretend to be a village guardian, climb 366 steps to reach the top, and take in the city views from above. If you are tired on your way back, stop at a museum to learn about city archives from the Middle Ages. 

From Market Square, head to Burg Square. The Burg Square dates to the 9th century, and is believed to be one of the earliest inhabited places in Bruges, dating back to the second or third centuries.

Inside and in and around Burg Square, you will find a few sightseeing gems that are worth a visit. The Bruges City Hall (The Stadhuis), an Old Civil Registry (1537 which was a CourtHouse) and the Basilica of the Holy Blood.

After checking off these iconic landmarks, rest your legs at a local brewery. Bruges is known for its beer and it is worth booking a brewery tour. 

We booked a tour at the Bourgogne des Flandres Brewery . The cost of the tour was 10 euros and included in that price is a guided tour of the brewery as well as a FREE pint of famous Bourgogne des Flandres beer – red-brown beer, with a creamy finish.

Finish your day by enjoying a canal boat tour in Bruges. These waterways in Bruges led to the prosperity of Bruges in medieval times and taking a ride over the river is sort of customary and essential. The canal tour lasts an hour and costs 14 euros for two.

This tour will also allow you to experience more of what the city has to offer. 

If you have additional time on your hands, visit the 800 year old Saint John’s Hospital or Sint-Janshospitaal , and check out cool art collections, archives, medical items, and instruments from bygone days. 

When visiting Bruges via public transportation/trains, we recommend that you spend an entire day there. However, if you are using a guide, then add a trip to Ghent and Bruges from Brussels, then book this combined day tour.

This is a small group full day tour (8 hours), covering the city highlights of Ghent, from Saint Bavo Cathedral, Belfry, and St. Nicholas’ Church to Earl’s Castle. And then in the second half of the tour, it takes you to Bruges and checks off the Lake of Love and the Beguinage, Market Square and its Belfry, town hall, and Our Lady’s Church.

Note: From Brussels, you can explore a lot of places in Western Europe. We have a detailed guide on day trips from Brussels to other areas in Belgium and other countries – you may use this guide to extend your trip or to swap this day 6 recommendation.

Luxembourg City , the capital of Luxembourg can be explored from Brussels on a day trip. The city is home to a beautiful centre with the residence of the Grand Duchy, abbey, museums, cathedral, and remnants from World War II (underground tunnels at Casemates du bock).

Day 7 of 10 day Amsterdam Brussels Paris itinerary: Travel to Paris

After fun-filled days in Belgium , it’s time for the City of Lights – Paris. 

Brussels to Paris road distance is 307.5 km (191.07 miles), and it takes a little over 3.50 hours. High speed trains take less than 1.50 hours, and this is the most time efficient way to reach Paris from Brussels.

Trains start as early as 05:45 am. Plan to arrive by noon, so that you can explore in the late afternoon.

Where to stay in Paris? Hôtel San Régis

San Régis is a boutique hotel housed inside a 19th-century private mansion. The location of the property is amazing as you can walk to the Champs-Elysées, Seine River, and Grand Palais. 

The best part of the San Régis Hotel is that you can soak in views of the Eiffel Tower from its rooms and balconies. Rooms are richly decorated rooms with carpeted floors and come with all the modern amenities. 

Read : Best hotels in Paris with Eiffel Tower views

Spend the rest of the day exploring the historic neighborhood of Montmartre.

Montmartre is located in the 18th arrondissement and is home to gorgeous Parisian cafes, and the iconic Sacre Coeur. Montmartre is all about quintessential Parisian lanes, the red lights of Moulin Rouge, the grandeur of the basilica, quaint cafes, and art. 

Once you reach Montmartre stop by a cafe to enjoy a latte and a croissant in true Pairisan style. Our top picks – L’artiste, Le Consulat Restaurant, Le Petit Café Montmartre. 

Take a walk at the Place du Tertre, which is an artist square, and admire artists hard at work offering to stretch or paint their subjects. From the Place du Tertre you will see Sacre Coeur peeking at you, we recommend visiting it before sunset. 

Located on a large hill, Montmartre offers scenic city views from the Sacre Coeur.

You can visit Sacre Coeur for free, and they are open from 06:30 am to 10:30 pm. Entry fees apply to the top of the cathedral. Starts at 5 euros ($6) 

In the evening, dine at a cafe in Montmartre (like Le Cabanon de la Butte), or opt for a show and dinner at the Moulin Rouge. Grab this ticket to experience one of the most famous cabaret shows with a troupe of 60 artists performing the famous “Féerie” show. You can grab your tickets here

Day 8 of 10 days Amsterdam Brussels Paris itinerary: Paris

The next 2 days are all about Paris and checking off your bucket list! 

On day one in Paris , head to the Trocadero Gardens to capture one of the best views of the Eiffel Tower. 

Our most cherished memory in Paris was at the Trocadero Gardens, where we sat, and watched the sunshine on this beautiful city. The gardens are open 24 hours, and are free to access – so you can start as early as you like. 

The Trocadéro was the site of the Palais de Chaillot in the 16th arrondissement, where a palace was set up prior to 1878. Today the complex is home to a number of museums including Musée national de la Marine (naval museum) and the Musée de l’Homme (ethnology). 

From the Trocadero gardens, get up close and personal with the Iron Lady – the Eiffel Tower. 

The tower has been forever associated with Paris. The Eiffel Tower was built and inaugurated for the 1889 World’s Fair. The tower is named after Gustave Eiffel. 

In order to access the tower, there are entry fees. And depending on which floor you wish to visit, the fees may vary. 

• The 1st floor of the tower has a transparent glass floor. 
• The 2nd floor is the most popular one and showcases mesmerizing views over the city of Paris. From here you can check out the sights of the Invalides, Notre Dame, Louvre, Grand Palais, and the Seine River. There is a restaurant on-site with romantic dining options, plus, and souvenir shops located here as well. You can book your tickets online to the second floor 
• The summit of the Eiffel Tower stands tall at 273 metres high and you can see the whole of Paris below you. You can reach the summit via 2 lifts, and there are viewing areas. There is also a champagne bar and a museum dedicated to Gustave Eiffel on the top floor. Book your summit tour of the Eiffel Tower.
• The ground level is called the Esplanade, where you will find the hydraulic lifts, ticket counters, information desk, souvenir stores, and other stores. Note that you can view the Eiffel Tower or walk the grounds for free. 

For booking tickets online, you can look for ‘skip the lines’ tickets, which are essentially prepaid passes, and guarantees your visit for the day (in that time slot). 

From the tower grounds make your way to Champs Elysees. Explore this historic boulevard, which is one of the most stunning commercial streets in the world. 

Champs Elysees is a popular shopping street and is a delight for window shoppers and credit card swipers alike. 

The Avenue des Champs-Élysées, located in the 8th arrondissement, was originally created as an avenue lined with leafy trees, stretching from the Place de la Concorde to Arc de Triomphe/Place Charles de Gaulle. 

The Arc de Triomphe was built between 1806 and 1836, on the orders of Napoleon, who wanted to honor the victories of the French troops after the Battle of Austerlitz. It is a symbol of French Unity, and one of the most popular monuments in Paris. 

You can walk around the base and under the arches of the Arc de Triomphe for free. And for less than $15 USD, you can capture some amazing views from the top of the monument. Book your rooftop access tickets here.

In the late afternoon, visit the Louvre Museum. This museum is located inside the Louvre Palace, which was the royal residence of the French Monarchy once upon a time. 

You can easily spend 2-3 hours here, and it is worth heading there in the late afternoon to beat the rush. 

The historical elements of the displayed items and the structure come from the royal family (Louvre Palace), the painters, and the art history.

There are more than 350,000 historical and arts items located inside the Louvre along with Leonardo da Vinci’s Monalisa, making it the world’s MOST visited museum. You can book a comprehensive 3 hour tour of the Louvre

The museum is closed on Mondays, January 1, May 1, and December 25. Tickets start at 17 euros ($ 21) or free with Paris Pass

Stay at the Louvre grounds until the sun goes down, and watch the Eiffel Tower glow in illuminating lights. 

Day 9 of 10 days in Amsterdam Brussels Paris itinerary: More of Paris

Explore Paris’s iconic cathedrals, and prettiest quarters on day 9 of this epic Europe itinerary. 

Start your day with a French breakfast of buttered baguette, with coffee. Today’s sightseeing agenda is centred around Île de la Cité, and it finishes in style with a dinner aboard a Seine River cruise. 

Île de la Cité is the historical centre of Paris – this is where the origins of the city lay in. There is a small plaque in front of the iconic Notre Dame that signifies the marking of all distances in the city aka Paris Point Zero. 

For many visiting Paris, the Notre Dame Cathedral is a bucket list item. Built between the 12-14th centuries as the seat of the Archbishop of Paris, the cathedral is considered one of the finest Gothic architectural landmarks with its stunning stained glass windows, statues, and bells.

Note: Due to the devastating fire at the Notre Dame Cathedral on April 15 2019, the cathedral is currently closed until further notice. Restoration work is currently going on, with hopes of reopening Notre Dame in 2024 for the Summer Olympics.

Today you wander around the area, but cannot go inside. 

Located very close to Notre Dame is Sainte-Chapelle, which is a beautiful royal chapel. 

Sainte Chapelle was built in the Gothic style in the 13th century. The stunning stained glass interiors along with the floor to roof glass interiors are a favorite with visitors.

It is worth taking an hour long guided tour here and also checking out the Conciergerie at the same time. Conciergerie was a prison in the past, where prisoners of war (during the French Revolution) were kept in confinement.

Here is the combo ticket with Sainte Chappelle and Conciergerie

Both Notre Dame and Sainte Chapelle are located by the Seine river banks. So after the guided tour, take a walk along the Seine River. 

We recommend setting aside 20 to 30 minutes here to just enjoy the stroll along the beautiful Cité and Pont Neuf. The Pont Neuf is the oldest standing bridge in Paris. 

From Pont Neuf, as you make your way to Latin Quarter you will find green colored bookstalls, called the Bouquinistes of Paris (aka the green book stalls). These stalls have been located here since the 16th century, and so the Seine has been also popularly described as the “river between 2 book shelves”.

Once you arrive at the Latin Quarter , stop for lunch (in the 5th arrondissement). Latin Quarter is known for multi-cuisine cafes and restaurants and is also home to Sorbonne University and Luxembourg Gardens or Jardins du Luxembourg. 

You can relax with a book at the Luxembourg Gardens before your next sightseeing stop. 

Explore Musee d’Orsay next. The Musée d’Orsay is an art museum located on the Left Bank of the Seine. The beautiful thing about this museum is that it is housed inside a railway station from the 19th century.

The interiors were designed by Gaetana Aulenti, who created a complex layout of galleries when the railway station was transformed into a museum. 

You must visit the museum for its beautiful interiors alone, especially the atrium. And of course, in here you will find paintings, sculptures, photos, and French art from 1848 to 1914. Tickets start at 16 euros (19.60 USD). 

Finish the day with dinner and a sightseeing cruise. Seine River Cruises make it an easy and an unforgettable experience in Paris. We love short 1 to 3 hour sightseeing cruises, as it is super relaxing plus you can also dine abroad. 

Sightseeing cruises begin at the Vedettes du Pont Neuf (located 10 minutes from Louvre) or Bateaux Parisiens (located near the Eiffel Tower Grounds). 

• Here is the one hour sightseeing cruise information. You can embark on this tour at any time of day, we prefer doing this in the evening
• For a sightseeing & dining tour, consider booking the  Seine River dinner cruise 2.5 hours .

Day 10 Amsterdam Brussels Paris itinerary: Versailles & return flight

On your final day of the 10 day Amsterdam Paris Brussels itinerary, go on a day trip to the Palace of Versailles. You can either choose a half-day tour or a full-day adventure with Mornet. 

The train journey from Paris to Versailles is about an hour and it will cost you 7 euros round trip. Head to Versailles Château Rive Gauche by the metro.

From the station, you can either take a cab (4 minutes), train (12 minute ride – RER C train zone 4), or walk (12 minute) to reach the palace grounds. Check out train tickets at Rail Europe

Half day tour is a good option, where you will explore the Palace and the gardens in the morning, and return by noon. They also have an afternoon tour option. 

There is also a full day tour here combining Versailles and Giverny. 

We took a day tour from Paris to Versailles and we HIGHLY recommend you take a guided tour as well. This half-day tour allowed us to explore the palace on a guided history tour, and return to Paris by afternoon. 

The Palace of Versailles is ONE of the busiest and most visited palaces in Europe, and queues to the site are super long. Don’t waste your precious time in Paris by standing in a queue. 

At the Palace complex, learn about the history of Louis IX, his rise, the construction of the palace, and events leading to the French Revolution.

After the guided tour, spend time at the palace gardens (Jardins du Château de Versailles) – they are perfect for Instagrammable shots. 

You may conclude this itinerary by hanging out in Paris or connecting to Amsterdam in the evening – for your return flight from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. 

Check flights to New York, USA, Toronto Canada, and beyond on WayAway and earn cashback

Additional Tips for 10 days in Amsterdam Brussels and Paris itinerary

Essential travel tips: brussels paris amsterdam itinerary.

All the 3 countries mentioned in this 10 day Brussels Paris Amsterdam itinerary belong to the European Union, and their official currency is Euro. 

Each country has its unique cultural characteristics and official languages, however, English is widely spoken, and you shouldn’t have any issues in navigating directions, trains, or communicating with others. 

We recommend downloading Google Translate or Duolingo for translations, just in case you need it for understanding menu items, etc. 

Tourist Visa – Schengen Visa

France, Belgium, and the Netherlands also belong to the borderless Schengen zone of countries. If you have a US or Canadian passport you can travel visa free for up to 90 days for leisure purposes.

If you are a non-exempt passport holder, then you have to apply for a Schengen visa (single entry), and you can visit all the 3 countries – including Luxembourg. 

We have traveled to the Schengen zone, with a visa and visa-free (on a Canadian passport), and the experience was the same, except that you have to apply for the Schengen Visa prior to your trip.  

Thalys – Using high speed trains to connect between the cities

In this itinerary, we mentioned high speed trains called Thalys. Thalys is a French-Belgian high-speed train operator originally built around the LGV Nord high-speed line between Paris and Brussels. You can also take the high speed trains to Amsterdam from Brussels and vice versa. 

• Thalys train tickets are more expensive than regular regional or intercity trains. But it is worth it for the time saved.
• We highly recommend booking the tickets in advance. We booked ours 2+ months ahead of time and got our tickets delivered via email. We printed a copy of the tickets as well during our trip.  

Best time to go on this Brussels, Amsterdam, and Paris Itinerary

Paris, Amsterdam, and Brussels are all-year destinations. All the prime attractions are open daily (except for certain holidays), and each season brings a unique side to the cities. 

All the cities experience 4 distinctive seasons. 

What to wear in Paris, Amsterdam, and Brussels?

All these 3 European cities are very fashionable. We recommend wearing elegant and clean fabrics – without any large logos, or loud colors. Go subtle and neutral colors.

Accessorize with a scarf, beret, or one statement piece of jewelry. 

There will be a lot of walking on cobblestone lanes, so wearing comfortable walking shoes is a must. 

We recommend packing and carrying items in a carry-on preferably a backpack because you will be traveling a lot by train – transiting from one country to another. 

Salil and I prefer to pack light, and we mostly use our 45 litre backpacks. Pacsafe Venturesafe 45 L has served us well for the past trips to Europe.

What we like about this backpack is that it opens up from the side like a suitcase and makes it easy to store our packing cubes , and access items conveniently. It has pockets for organization, to keep our charging cables, universal adaptor , notebook, and toiletries . 

Pacsafe is made of anti-theft and slash proof material, and it keeps our belongings safe when we are using public transportation. 

We stayed in Europe for 2 weeks and carried all the clothing (all of my dresses) in a packing cube with no problems. 

Here is the entire list of packing items for a trip to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam

• Tops: Long sleeve shirts, blouses & tops (for her)
• Bottoms: Jeans (in dark colors), linen pants leggings 
• Dress: Flowy dresses. Nice sweater Dress for dinners out in the winter
• Comfortable walking shoes or winter boots (winter)
• Winter Parka, wool coat (winter)
• Lightweight waterproof jacket (all seasons)
• Sunglasses & sunscreen 
• Stylish accessories – Scarf, Gloves, beret
• Charger: Carry multi charging cables. They are so handy to charge multiple tech devices. This is our favorite  
• Universal Adaptor: A universal adaptor is a must. Europe uses a plug with two round pins (type C), unlike the flat ones in North America. You can buy yours here
• Camera: Don’t forget your camera. Our camera gear – Sony Mirrorless Camera and Sony AR7iii.
• SD Card: To back up all the photos you will be capturing in Europe
• Passport: Check the validity of the passport (not expired). Visa-related documents, if it applies. 
• Currency and Credit Cards : Don’t forget your credit cards and currency 

Don’t forget to apply for travel insurance to protect all of your vacations. 

The road distance from Amsterdam to Brussels is 202.8 km (126.01 miles), and it takes about 2.50 hours to reach by car. High speed trains take less than 2 hours, and regional trains have a travel time of 3+ hours.

There are many ways to reach Paris from Brussels.  The road distance from Brussels to Paris is 307.5 km (191.07 miles), and it takes a little over 3.50 hours to reach by car. High speed trains take less than 1.50 hours, and regional trains have a travel time of 3.50+ hours. Budget flights are also available to the Orly airport in Paris. 

2 days in Amsterdam are perfect to enjoy a relaxing city break. It is ample time to visit a couple of museums, explore the prime neighbourhoods and go on a walking tour/food tour.

The fastest train from Paris to Amsterdam takes about 3 hours and 20 minutes (which is the Thalys high-speed train.

You can start the Paris and Amsterdam itinerary in either city and use our sightseeing tips from day 1-2 where you explore the attractions in Amsterdam – from Dam Square, and canal cruise to visiting a couple of museums.  From there take the high-speed train to Paris, and spend 1-3 days in France. In three days, you can cover iconic landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Louvre, and Seine River cruise. Allot one day to explore a popular neighborhood or two.  For connections, note that Amsterdam and Paris distance is 506.8 km (or 314.9 miles) by car. It is faster to reach there by the high speed train.

2 days in Brussels is enough to visit the city centre attractions – Grand Place, City Museum, Royal Palace, Magritte Museum, Mont des Arts Garden, and the Comic Strip. Spend another day venturing to the Atomium and the Mini Europe area, and then return to the old town to enjoy a cooking class (chocolate or waffle-making workshop).

London, Paris, Amsterdam, and Brussels is a classic European city itinerary. We recommend a full 14 days or 2 weeks to allow enough time in each destination. There are high speed trains to connect you to all the cities – London to Paris is also very popular. Add 3 days in London, and follow the rest of the itinerary as listed above, starting from Paris to Amsterdam via Brussels. 

No, you don’t have to book a vacation package to explore these 3 iconic cities. It is easy to plan and reserve hotels and sightseeing visits online, on your own and all these destinations are great for solo travel as well. If you prefer guided tours, you can book standalone small group excursions to learn more about the city’s history – but this is completely optional!

Need some 10 day Europe itineraries? Click below

• 10 days in Central Europe (the Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary), 
• 10 days in Spain and Portugal Itinerary
• 10 days in Portugal itinerary
• 10 days in Croatia itinerary
• 10 days in Iceland itinerary

Pin: Paris, Brussels Bruges Amsterdam Itinerary

Mayuri is the founder & editor of ToSomePlaceNew. An Indian-Canadian globetrotter, she has traveled to over 100 cities and 35+ countries. Mayuri has a graduate degree in History and is an MBA. She loves traveling the world, capturing historical nuances, and discussing that over a cup of coffee with her husband, Salil. She currently resides in Edmonton, Canada, and plots travel plans to Europe, the Americas, and beyond. 

Similar Posts

2 Weeks in Portugal Itinerary: Road Trip | Train & Tours

Looking for the perfect 2 weeks in Portugal itinerary? Well, you are at the right spot. Portugal is one of our favorite European destinations. And in this post, you will find informative tips and insights on exploring Portugal in 14 days with or without a car! From the timeless capital of Lisbon to the incredible…

Banff Itinerary 5 Days for all seasons

Banff National Park is one of the oldest and most beautiful national parks in Canada. Located in the Canadian province of Alberta, Banff has a subarctic climate and numerous glaciers and ice fields. Banff also has a diverse wildlife population and maintains over 1600 kilometers of trails. But Banff is more than its wildlife, trails,…

Where to Stay in Brussels for First Time Visitors?

Are you planning on heading to Belgium’s capital city, and feeling confused by all the choices and options for where to stay? This is definitely not a unique issue, as many travelers may feel overwhelmed when selecting the right accommodation. Don’t worry, as this is literally our job — to give you tips and guidance…

4 days in London itinerary: Plan a trip to London 4 days

Cosmopolitan – cultural – (sometimes) crazy, that is London for you! If you’re thinking of spending 4 days in London itinerary, you’re in for a treat!  A London 4-day itinerary will be full of history, culture, and an endless array of things to do. From iconic landmarks to world-class museums, there’s something for everyone in…

Rome Itinerary 4 days: How to spend 4 days in Rome

What a Rome-antic city, isn’t it? I didn’t expect to fall in love with Rome like Lisbon or Paris. But I did, and in many ways, some of the corners of Roma reminded me of Paris. In this 4 days in Rome itinerary, you will find how to make the most of your visit, explore…

Best 2 days in Zurich Itinerary – Visit largest city in Switzerland

Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland. Known as the financial capital of the country, Zurich glows with a state of art infrastructure while being happily married to medieval old world charm. In this 2 days in Zurich itinerary, we will discover some of the finest landmarks of the city, will indulge in some shopping,…

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Two Weeks in Europe: Itinerary for Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam

If you’ve got just two weeks in Europe you need to make the most of your time. If it’s your first time on the continent, I’ve come up with a 2 week Europe itinerary to help you see three great cities – Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam.

What You'll Find in This Post

Two Weeks in Europe:

Itinerary for paris, brussels and amsterdam.

It’s quite doable to pack three cities into a two week Europe trip. Paris is the most touristed city in the world and with good reason. You’ll fall in love with Paris. It’s a must for any Europe itineraries. Brussels makes a good stopping point between Paris and Amsterdam and, while you don’t need a lot of time here, you’ll enjoy a few short days. End your two week trip to Europe in Amsterdam, a unique city set around the canals.

 Five Days in Paris

Day 1  – Recover from jet lag . Depending on what time your flight arrives and how far you’re travelling, your first day in Paris will probably be quite low key. However, you’re in Paris! Celebrate with an apperitif and an evening meal in a sidewalk cafe. Stroll the streets and soak up the atmosphere before getting a good night’s sleep.

Day 2  – A hop on, hop off bus tour is a great way to get to know Paris. Don’t feel like you have to jump off at every stop though. Sit back and listen to the commentary, hopping off at the major icons. You’ll want to see the Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame and of course the Eiffel Tower. Stop somewhere around lunchtime and pick up a few sandwiches to snack on. The French chain bakery called “Paul” has shops and kiosks all over the city so you won’t go hungry even on busy days.  Queues to head up the Eiffel Tower can be lengthy. The Eiffel Tower is not on the Paris Pass so  buy your ticket online to avoid the queue.  Twilight is a lovely time to head up the tower for views across the city.

Day 3  – Spend your morning at the Louvre . (It’s closed Tuesdays so switch so with Day 4 if needed.) You really could spend all day here. Purchasing a Paris Pass ahead of time means you won’t need to queue to buy tickets and can walk straight in. Take a break for a late lunch or afternoon tea at Angelina . They have the most decadent hot chocolate and pastries. Wander through the Jardin des Tuileries in the late afternoon. Head back to the Eiffel Tower for sunset and pick up some cheese, bread and wine for a picnic dinner. It’s a Parisian experience you can’t miss!

Day 4  – Take a boat ride down the Seine in the morning. It’s great to see Paris from another perspective. Boats or “Bateux Mouches” leave near the Pont de l’Alma. The Flame of Liberty at the Pont de l’Alma has become a shrine to the late Princess Diana as it’s at the entrance of the tunnel in which she died. You’ll see it before crossing the river to catch the train or walk to the Musee d’Orsay. Enjoy an afternoon of impressionist art at the Musee d’Orsay . (It’s closed Mondays so switch so with Day 3 if needed.) Wander the streets of the Marais in the evening and find a spot for dinner and drinks.

Day 5  – Today you can choose between two options. Either take a day trip to Versailles or spend another day touring Paris. If you stay in the city, head to Montmarte to climb up the stairs to Sacre Coeur in the morning and visit another museums of your choice in the afternoon. There are plenty more museums to choose from on the Paris Pass like the Rodin or Centre Pompedieu. If you’re “museumed out”, the take a journey underground to the Paris catacombs and explore the underbelly of Paris.

Recommended Hotels in Paris

• Budget:   Smart Place Paris Hostel & Budget Hotel – A budget hotel with double rooms and dorms near Gare du Nord.
• Midrange :  Le Mareuil – Affordable hotel with modern rooms and a Turkish spa located in the 11e.
• Luxury:   Four Seasons Hotel George V Paris – The ultimate in Parisian luxury, Louis XVI style hotel just off the Champs-Elysees.
• Airbnb: Look for an Airbnb in Paris in the 10e and 11e. Read up on the various areas to stay in Paris in this post.   You can get a $35 coupon for Airbnb using this link.

Recommended Resources for Paris

• Lonely Planet Discover Paris – A Paris guidebook with pull-out map.
• French Phrasebook for Travelers (with audio!) – Learn a little French before you go.
• Next Stop Paris  – A free app you can download to plan travels on the Paris Metro. Works offline!

Photos of Paris

Tip: Get Yourself a Paris Pass!

A Paris Pass is an invaluable resource for visitors to Paris. You’ll get access to almost all Paris’s museums and monuments (except the Eiffel Tower). A transport card is included so you can use the Metro, RER and buses. You’ll also get the hop on hop off bus tour and the Seine cruise that I mention in this itinerary. One of the main benefits is the fast track entry for Paris Pass holidays. This is a real time saver particularly at the Louvre.

Purchase your Paris  Pass in advance using this link.

Three Days in Brussels

Day 6  – Catch the train from Paris to Brussels in the morning. The journey is only 1.5 hours. Trains depart Paris at Gare du Nord and arrive at Brussels Midi.  You can check train times here. See the boxed text below about booking trains.

Spend your afternoon getting to know Brussels and it’s cuisine. Head down to the the famous “Manneken Pis” or peeing boy, it’s a lot smaller than you think. While you’re walking through the old town grab a waffle for afternoon tea and shop for some Belgian chocolates as a souvenir for friends back home. Head to Cafe Delirium for a few Belgian beers. There are more than 3000 varieties on offer including the delicious cherry “Kriek” beer. After your drinks, stop at a chip window next to Cafe Georgette for some Belgian frites. They come with many delicious sauces and there are also some other yummy fried treats like cheese and croquettes to sample. When you’re back in your hotel, eat the chocolates you bought for your friends! They’re too good to miss.

Day 7 – Spend the day exploring Brussels on foot. It’s a small enough city that you can do a walking tour . Walking tours with local guides are always an excellent way to get a feel for the city, find out about it’s history and uncover sites most tourists don’t get to see. While you’re out, buy another box of Belgian chocolates to replace the ones you ate yesterday! Spend your evening around the Grand Palace and Brussels’ main square. The golden building looks beautiful at night and there are plenty of restaurants surrounding the square. Don’t forget to drink another Belgian beer or two!

Day 8 – Take a day trip to Bruges or Ghent  and spend the day walking around one of these historic, charming Belgian cities. (Click on the links to find out more!) Bruges and Ghent are both easily reached by train from Brussels. It’s 30 minutes to Ghent or you can be in Bruges in an hour. Intercity trains leave from   Brussels Midi & Brussels Central every half hour.

If you don’t want to leave the city, how about a chocolate making workshop ? Learn how to make some delicious Belgian treats and sample the sweets for yourself. In the evening head out for dinner at one of the many restaurants in the historic centre of Brussels where there are many narrow alleyways packed with restaurants serving steaks, moules and other local dishes.

Recommended Hotels in Brussels

• Budget: Urban City Centre Hostel – Centrally located hostel with modern design, private rooms and dorms available.
• Midrange:   Beau Sejours Appart Bruxelles – Aparthotel with attractive studio and one bedroom apartment
• Luxury:   Sofitel Brussels Europe – 5 star hotel with comfortable rooms, excellent location and stunning rooftop terrace.
• Airbnb: Look for an Airbnb in Brussels’ historic centre.  You can get a $20 coupon for Airbnb using this link.

Recommended Resources for Brussels

• Rick Steves Belgium: Bruges, Brussels, Antwerp & Ghent – Guidebook that covers Brussels and your day trip to either Bruges or Ghent.
• Visit Brussels – A handy app you can use offline to discover things around you.
• Wonderful Walks – Bite-sized guides for walks around cities in Belgium

Photos of Brussels

Tip: Booking Trains in Europe Before You Go

Getting around Europe by train is very easy. The train routes between Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam are excellent and you’ll be riding the high speed Thalys trains on each route. There’s even free wifi and a meal service in first class. You will need to book in advance to insure you get a seat on Thalys trains at a reasonable price.  You can purchase the tickets online and have them sent to you before you depart or print them at home.

Use these links to check train times and book online:

US, Canadian or Mexican visitor? Use this link. Rest of the world? Use this link.

Four Days in Amsterdam

Day 9 – Catch the train from Brussels to Amsterdam in the morning. The journey is just under 2 hours. Trains depart Brussels Midi and arrive Amsterdam Centraal. You can check train times here. See the boxed text above about booking trains.

Spend your first afternoon in Amsterdam getting to know the city. The best way to do this is to just wander around or pick up a bike rental  and make like the locals. Amsterdam is a very charming city to simply wander around, over the bridges, peering over to the canals. There are lots of great restaurants in Amsterdam including some excellent Asian food. Pop into a “brown” cafe if you’re that way inclined.

Day 10 – Get to know Dutch cuisine with a food tour around Amsterdam . You’ll be thoroughly surprised at just how delicious the food in the Netherlands is! a four hour walking tour will not only feed your belly but you’ll get an insight into Dutch life and the traditions, history and architecture of Amsterdam. You won’t want to eat for the remainder of the day. Trust me!

Day 11 – In the morning, make your way to the Anne Frank House . The lines are always long so be sure to buy your ticket online in advance . You can do this up to two months before visiting and print your ticket or keep it on your iPhone. Be warned that the online tickets do sell out. If you miss out on online tickets you can queue up on the day but you’ll be waiting for 2-3 hours. Anne Frank’s house is now set up as a museum and is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Amsterdam. Many people find the tour to be a very emotional experience. When your tour is finished, grab some lunch and a drink to decompress. In the afternoon, take a canal boat tour around Amsterdam. It’s fascinating to see the city from a different perspective and you’ll learn much about the history of the canals and why they’re so important to the Dutch. Head over to the Jordaan area for dinner. After yesterday’s food tour, you should have spied a few restaurants that take your fancy.

Day 12 – The Van Gogh Museum is the best place to start your final day in Amsterdam. Skip the line by purchasing your tickets online . You can print the tickets your show them on your iPhone. Tickets don’t sell out in advance like the ones for the Anne Frank House but it’s still a good idea to get them online even a day or so before visiting. Once inside the museum you’ll be treated to the world’s largest collection on artworks by Vincent Van Gogh. You could easily spend hours wandering the museum admiring the paitings so it’s a good idea to grab the audio guide to help you. Next head to one of Amsterdam’s parks for some fresh air and lunch. This is a city that excels at greenspaces. The Vondelpark is close to the Van Gogh museum and is probably the city’s best. There’s a cafe in the Vondelpark. After lunch and a stretch, spend the rest of the afternoon at the Rijksmuseum  to enjoy more art from the Dutch and European masters. If you’re done with art, choose one of Amsterdam’s quirkier museums … cheese, tulips or cats!

Recommended Hotels in Amsterdam

• Budget:   The White Tulip Hostel Amsterdam – Lively location, outdoor terrace and 24-hour reception.
• Midrange:   Room Mate Aitana – Swish new building on Jdock with spacious modern rooms at a great price. OUR PICK!
• Luxury:   Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam – 5-star luxury in a historic building near Rembrandtplein.
• Airbnb: Look for an Airbnb in Amsterdam from the Singel inward… or stay on a canal boat! You can get a $20 coupon for Airbnb using this link.

Recommended Resources for Amsterdam

• Lonely Planet Pocket Amsterdam (Travel Guide) – An Amsterdam guidebook with pull-out map.
• Amsterdam City Guide and Offline City Map – A handy app to have for Amsterdam.
• Holland vs the Netherlands – A quick Youtube clip that explains the difference between Holland and the Netherlands.

Photos of Amsterdam

Tip: Packing for Europe

Packing for two weeks in Europe is pretty simple. You don’t need a lot of gear. Bring along stylish but comfortable clothes that work together to create a capsule wardrobe. Stick to one colour palette so you can mix & match all your items. Dress in layers and choose good walking shoes. You want to look good in your travel photos and blend in with the ever stylish locals.

I recommend a carry-on size rolling suitcase like this one for travel in Europe. You need a suitcase that will fit above your seat in train carriages. You’ll also need to be able to carry it up and down stairs as many train and Metro stations don’t have elevators or even escalators.

What else should you bring? Here’s my list of the 11 best travel accessories for Europe.

Return to Paris for Two Days

Day 13 – Catch the train from Amsterdam back to Paris. The journey is a little over 3 hours. Trains depart Amsterdam Centraal and arrive Paris Nord.  You can check train times here.  See the boxed text above about booking trains.

Enjoy your last day in Europe with a stroll around the Latin Quartier, some shopping for souvenirs along the Seine and dinner in a sidewalk cafe. If you have the energy hop on one of Paris’s Velib bikes (they’re free for the first 30 minutes) and bike along the right bank of the Seine to the Eiffel Tower for one last look at the monument twinkling in the twilight.

Day 14 – Enjoy as much of Paris as you can before your return flight home.

Tip: Finding Flights to Europe

Your flights into Europe are huge chunk of your travel costs so finding the cheapest flights to Europe is essential to managing your budget. I use Google Flights to find the best dates to fly on and also to set up fare alerts for days I’m interested in flying on. Here’s some info on using Google Flights .

This itinerary starts and ends in Paris but you could also search for an open jaw ticket flying into Paris and of out Amsterdam. You could even tack on a few days in London at either end of this Europe itinerary if the flights to London are cheaper. Play around and find the cheapest city in Europe to fly into.

Norwegian  and WOW offer very affordable flights into Europe from the US. You can also find cheap fares to Europe by following Facebook pages like Secret Flying , The Points Guy and The Flight Deal.

Got questions?

You can easily tour Europe in two weeks if you follow the itinerary I’ve set out here. Be sure to come back and read more Europe itineraries on my blog over the coming months.

I’d be happy to answer any questions you have about this 2 week europe trip itinerary or any other Europe travel questions you might have. You can leave me a comment below or connect with me on Facebook .

Pin this post for later! 

• Pinterest 308
• Send to a Friend 3

Thanks for the mentions. Great itinerary!

Love Love Love this post!!! Super informative and useful. I’m taking all your tips for Amsterdam. Thank you!!!

I will say two things: the Musee d’Orsay is a MUST and comfortable shoes will be the best and most appreciated thing anybody will pack. Really great recommendations.

We haven’t taken the kids to Brussels or Amsterdam yet, but they are on our list, so this is very useful. We did go to Paris, and especially loved our boat trip – I think it’s the best way to see the city.

I like how you break down the lodging options for different price ranges. I’d love to go to any of these destinations some day!

Excellent resource! We’ve got a 2-week family trip to Europe this summer, though none of these cities is on our itinerary. I also think 3 cities in 2 weeks is doable; we’ve done it before!

Great round up! We have taken our children to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam and think they are all wonderful cities for families. I love the idea of doing them in a three week trip.

Great post! We did Paris/London/Dublin in that time frame with our kids and it was excellent. Your Paris iten. is almost identical to ours. What a great city!

Hi, me and my Fren will be departing from London to Paris then Brussels and Amsterdam. Saw that there is a eurail pass for the trains between our destinations. Is it worth the price?

You have to pay a reservation fee for the Thalys trains (between Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam) even when you have a Eurail pass and it’s quite high anyway – 15€ to 35€ depending on the class of ticket and route… just for the reservation! Here are the detail – http://www.eurail.com/europe-by-train/high-speed-trains/thalys

If you’re only travelling between these four cities, I would skip the Eurail pass and just purchase point to point tickets. If you do travel with a Eurail pass, you may end up missing out on the Thalys altogether as they only allocate a certain number of seats per train. Having said that, we were on a longer journey through Europe and DID use the Eurail pass on these journeys. We booked our Thalys train about a month in advance for the Amsterdam to Paris journey but couldn’t get a seat for the Brussels to Amsterdam journey and ended up having to use three local trains to get there which was a pain!

This is really helpful! I read this just as I’m 50% done with our itinerary and I’m excited that ours is so similar to yours! Thank you for the wonderful tips 😀

Awesome! Thanks Joy. It’s great to hear that someone finds my work useful. What are your trip plans for Europe?

Two weeks in 3 cities as well, though my mother switched it up to Paris-Amsterdam-Brussels instead. I’m still researching trains and learned that Thalys is like airfare cost-wise :O (we live in a metro-less city so we know little about train life). What do you think are the pros/cons to doing Amsterdam first than Brussels from Paris?

Hello! Great tips!! I am planning a road trip from Paris to Amsterdam and Brussels and driving back to Paris. I am thinking to drive to Amsterdam and spent 2 nights there and drive to Brussels and spenr 1 night and then near Bruges spent one nigh and gonback to Paris. Does it sound good? Please any tips or recommendations about this itinerary. Thanks in advance.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Flashpacker Family is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com and its partners.

Affiliate advertising is used throughout this site. These affiliate ads allow me to earn a small commission on any bookings you may make but they do not incur any extra cost to you.

You can read our privacy policy here.

Start typing and press Enter to search

Your 7 Day Amsterdam and Paris Itinerary

I have been lucky enough to visit Amsterdam and Paris many times.

I studied abroad in Amsterdam in 2014, brought my dad there in 2018 and then my husband in 2022, and did a quick overnight trip in 2023. I visited Paris on my first solo trip to Europe in 2012, with my dad in 2018, on our way to and from Prague in 2019/2020, and again with my husband in 2022.

So after all of those visits, I’m pretty confident in my Amsterdam and Paris itinerary!

Amsterdam was my home for the first half of 2014 when I studied abroad at the University of Amsterdam. I fell in love with the canals, the skinny houses and the delicious pancakes.

Paris was the place where I first found myself enchanted by Europe, which is hard not to be when you’re picnicking in front of the Eiffel Tower!

Both cities are unique, incredible and very easy to visit on one Paris and Amsterdam trip to Europe. In fact, I think it’s one of the best trips for a first visit to Europe.

Ready? Let’s dive into my Amsterdam and Paris itinerary for 7 days in Europe! 

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning if you click through and make a purchase, I will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support! 

Table of Contents

Don’t want to plan your own trip? Check out Amsterdam and Paris vacation packages

If you don’t have the time or interest to plan your own Amsterdam and Paris itinerary, why not jump on a multi-day tour?

While not for everyone, these small group tours are a great way to see the world with little stress, leaving the professionals to make all of the arrangements. Check out this 4 day Amsterdam and Paris trip or this 7 day Amsterdam, Paris, Brussels & Germany trip !

But if you are wanting to plan your own trip, let’s dive into my 7 day Amsterdam and Paris itinerary:

7 day itinerary for Amsterdam and Paris

Below I’ll take you through my complete one week itinerary for Amsterdam and Paris. I’ll share what to do each day (plus my expert tips), where to stay and how to travel between the two cities.

Day 1: Amsterdam’s most famous streets

We’ll start your Paris Amsterdam itinerary for 7 days with a sweet treat! You can go for a scone, apple pie or Dutch pancakes.

Scone lovers should head to De Bakkerswinkel in Westerpark. Westerpark was my local park when I lived in Amsterdam during university . My friends and I would frequent De Bakkerswinkel at least once a week, always craving their freshly baked scones with clotted cream and jam.

Apple pie lovers will head to Winkel 43 for their famous Dutch apple pie, traditionally eaten cold and with whip cream. Or if pancakes are more your thing, visit The Pancake Bakery for a wide array of sweet or savoury, simple or exotic Dutch pancakes.

Can’t decide between scones, apple pie or pancakes? Have one now and another for lunch or dessert later!

After your sweet start to the day, it’s time to take a more serious note. You’ll head to the Anne Frank House for the incredible tour through the home where the Frank family hid during WWII. I’ve visited this house quite a few times and always find it to be a moving and worthwhile experience.

Since the Anne Frank House tour is one of the most popular things to do in Amsterdam, you’ll want to book your tickets as soon as you can! Tickets must be bought in advance, online and for a specific time slot. As per the official site: “Every Tuesday at 10am CEST all tickets become available for a visit six weeks later.” Buy your Anne Frank House tickets here .

Plan on a lighter afternoon after your heavy visit to the Frank house. I suggest jumping on a canal boat tour, many of which leave from right outside the Anne Frank House museum.

A canal boat ride is a must in Amsterdam! Not only are the canals an important part of Amsterdam life and history, but they provide a beautiful avenue to explore the city.  Book your Amsterdam canal boat cruise here!

After your boat ride, you can wander the picturesque Jordaan neighbourhood where you’ll find great shopping on the Nine Streets, picture perfect views of canals, bridges and skinny houses, and quirky museums dedicated to things like cheese and houseboats.

I think the best part of Amsterdam is just walking around and soaking in the city. When you get hungry, pop into Foodhallen , a food venue with 21 stands to satisfy any cravings.

Where to stay in Amsterdam

If you’re looking for an accommodation that screams “only in Amsterdam,” you’ll want to check into SWEETS Hotel .

SWEETS is a collection of 20+ independent hotel suites across the city, each a former bridge house on the canals. It doesn’t get more quintessentially Amsterdam than that! Imagine waking up every day in a piece of history with the best canal view? Check out my full review of SWEETS Hotel in Amsterdam here .

Book your stay at SWEETS Hotel in Amsterdam here!  

If you’re doing this Paris and Amsterdam trip on a budget but don’t want to sacrifice style, cleanliness or location, I highly recommend checking into THIS HO(S)TEL .

This cube hotel is located just a few minutes’ walk from Amsterdam Centraal train station and provides private cube-style rooms, similar to a capsule hotel, in a very cool, modern environment.

I stayed here in January 2023 and really enjoyed it! It’s perfect for the traveller who doesn’t need a lot of space and wants to save on Amsterdam accommodation costs.

Book your stay at THIS HO(S)TEL in Amsterdam here!

Or find an Amsterdam accommodation that works better for you:

Day 2: Amsterdam royalty, red lights and rice tables

On Day 2 of your Paris and Amsterdam itinerary it’s time to check some more Amsterdam must-sees off your bucket list.

We’ll begin with a walk through Amsterdam’s more touristy side, visiting Dam Square and the Royal Palace . While most people just admire this building from the outside, it’s worth going in to see the beautiful rooms and ceilings with the audio guide tour.

For even more about Amsterdam’s history and culture, why not join a free walking tour ? Many leave from Dam Square, so this would be the perfect time to join one. I love going on free walking tours to get an affordable (you should still tip your guide) overview of a new city.

Or, do like the Dutch do and take a tour on two wheels with a city bike tour !

In the afternoon, journey east of Dam Square to the famous Red Light District. You don’t have to partake in any Red Light activities just to walk through the area, but you also shouldn’t gawk at people like you’re in a human zoo either.

You can even join an organized tour of the Red Light District to learn more about Amsterdam’s liberal practices.

Finally, I recommend ending the day with a dinner of rijstaffel, which is Indonesian rice table. It’s a bunch of small Indonesian dishes, similar to tapas, and a speciality in the Netherlands. I’ve taken my mom, dad and Colin out for rijstaffel on three separate trips to Amsterdam and it’s been delicious every time!

Where to stay in Amsterdam:  SWEETS Hotel or THIS HO(S)TEL

Day 3: Amsterdam museums and parks

On your final day in Amsterdam, enjoy a mix of the city’s best indoor and outdoor activities. Head over to Museumplein where you’ll have your pick of Amsterdam’s best art museums: Van Gogh, Rijksmuseum, Stedelijk or Moco.

Van Gogh enthusiasts should, of course, head to the Van Gogh Museum. I visited this one with my dad in 2018 and really enjoyed it.

The Rijksmuseum is a good pick for classic art lovers, Stedelijk Museum is perfect for lovers of modern art and design, and Moco Museum is best for fans of Banksy.

I particularly loved the Moco Museum as I enjoy Banksy’s work. I also really appreciated that it’s a smaller place to explore, as I can get overwhelmed and “museumed out” at the larger ones.

Most of these art museums will sell out if you’re visiting during peak season, so get your tickets ahead of time. This will also save you waiting in a long line on the day!

Get your Rijksmuseum tickets here , your Van Gogh Museum tickets here , your Stedelijk Museum tickets here , and your Moco Museum tickets here .

Planning to visit lots of museums and attractions during your time in Amsterdam? Then check out the Amsterdam City Card which includes entrance to 70+ museums, public transit, bike rental, discounts to restaurants and shops, and a canal cruise!

After a morning of museums, stroll through nearby Albert Cuyp Market where you’ll find fresh produce, snacks and local wares. Pick up picnic supplies and then walk over to Vondel Park, the biggest park in Amsterdam.

Spend the rest of your day enjoying the nice weather in the park by lounging on the grass, walking along the trails or going for a bike ride. Or if you have more art to see, head back to Museumplein after your picnic lunch.

Day 4: Take the train from Amsterdam to Paris

We’ve reached the midpoint of our 7 day Amsterdam and Paris itinerary, which means it’s time to journey to the city of love!

Today you’ll make your way to Amsterdam Centraal to catch your 3.5 hour Thalys train to Paris Gare du Nord. Book your Amsterdam to Paris train tickets here (make sure to look for “0 changes” if you want the direct route).

Alternatively, you may choose to take a bus , fly or rent a car . Though I recommend the train as an easy, eco-friendly, fast and affordable way to travel!

Depending on what mode of transportation you choose, you may need this whole day to get to Paris or you may only need a few hours.

If you have the flexibility, I’d recommend taking a late morning or early afternoon train. That way, you still have time for a final morning in Amsterdam to take care of any sightseeing you didn’t get to.

Or you can just enjoy a delicious brunch or last walk along the canals. You’ll also get into Paris early enough to be able to check into your next accommodation and head out for a nice dinner.

Where to stay in Paris

I recommend staying at OKKO Hotels in Paris. This hotel is a short walk from the Gare du Nord train station where your train from Amsterdam will come in, meaning you won’t have to lug your bags on public transit or pay for an Uber/taxi.

Despite being by the train station, it’s tucked away from the hustle and bustle and offers a really stylish and modern haven, while still being affordable. I also loved the look of their breakfast buffet!

Book your stay at OKKO Hotels in Paris here!

Or find a Paris accommodation that works better for you:

Need more help deciding where to stay in Paris? I asked 11 travel experts to share their favourite budget accommodation in Paris !

Day 5: Paris highlights

The first day of the Paris part of your Paris and Amsterdam trip is all about the highlights of Paris. Start with the famous Arc du Triomphe that sits in the middle of one of the wildest traffic circles in Paris. Luckily, pedestrians can cross underneath and don’t have to brave the roundabout!

Check two iconic Paris experiences off your bucket list: See the view from the Arc du Triomphe and enjoy a cruise on the Seine!

After checking out the Arc, either from ground level or the panoramic viewing platform, stroll down Champs D’Elysees, Paris’ most well known shopping street.

Even if you can’t afford to shop at the designer stores, it’s fun to walk by and get a feel for the city. Keep walking until you cross over the beautiful Pont Alexandre III bridge and head towards the Eiffel Tower.

No trip to Paris is complete without a visit to the Eiffel Tower! I suggest picking up picnic supplies on nearby Rue Cler and setting up on the lawn or benches in front of the tower.

Snack on grapes and cheese, pour yourself some wine and feel totally Parisian. Afterwards, head up the tower for a beautiful view over the city.

Finally, end your first day in Paris with a cruise down the Seine . This is a beautiful way to see Paris from the water and fall in love with the City of Lights!

Where to stay in Paris:  OKKO Hotels

Day 6: Paris for artists

The 6th day of your Paris and Amsterdam trip is all about artists, which means we’re heading to Montmartre.

Known as the artsy, bohemian area of town, Montmartre was once home to Van Gogh, Picasso, Dalí and Monet. You can learn more about the area on a free walking tour or explore it on your own.

Head up the hill to Sacre-Coeur to walk through the beautiful church and admire the view of Paris from above. Meander through cobblestone streets where you’ll find performers, artists and shops set up.

Stop for a glass of wine and don’t miss a selfie outside the famous Moulin Rouge. Even better, grab tickets for a Moulin Rouge show !

Want to see Paris at your own pace with an audio guide and transportation? Check out a 1, 2 or 3 day hop-on hop-off Paris bus tour!

Day 7: Paris museums and parks

Sadly, it’s the last day of your Amsterdam and Paris itinerary. But we have saved some of the best things to do in Paris for last!

Start your day with a croissant and then head to the most famous museum in the world, the Louvre. Not only is the Louvre home to Mona Lisa (which always seems to let people down when they finally see her in person) but it has miles and miles of other incredible art to see.

I’ve visited the Louvre twice and have barely scratched the surface of what’s on display!

Because it’s so popular, Louvre tickets can sell out or require you to stand in a long line to get in. Skip the line and secure your visit with a timed-entrance Louvre ticket , small ground guided tour ticket or Seine river cruise and Louvre combo ticket .

You could also visit Musee D’Orsay for more art in a stunning building or any of the many other museums and art galleries that call Paris home.

If you’re planning to visit quite a few museums in Paris, check out the Paris Museum Pass which includes entrance to 60+ museums and monuments.

After all that art, head towards the Latin Quarter. Here you can admire Notre Dame (reopening in December 2024, but you can check out the reconstruction progress from the ground), Sainte-Chapelle and the Shakespeare and Company bookstore.

Wander on to the Jardin du Luxembourg, a beautiful park where you can enjoy a final picnic in Paris!

Options to extend your 7 day Amsterdam and Paris itinerary

Need more ideas for your time in Paris and Amsterdam? Or want to extend your Europe trip? I’ve got you covered!

Add Belgium

To get from Amsterdam to Paris, you cross right through Belgium, making it the perfect addition to your Amsterdam and Paris itinerary. Check out my Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam itinerary or my posts on Brussels , Ghent and Antwerp .

London can also be easily added to a Paris and Amsterdam trip; it’s a 2.5 hour train ride from Paris to London. Check out my 3 day London itinerary for more ideas on what to do in one of my favourite cities in the world.

Go on day trips from Paris

From Paris, visit the beautiful Palace of Versailles , see medieval monuments at Mont-Saint-Michel or explore the gardens of Giverny .

Go on day trips from Amsterdam

From Amsterdam, admire windmills in the Dutch countryside , cruise past historic homes in Giethoorn or discover more Dutch cities like Rotterdam, Delft and The Hague as you cross things off your Netherlands bucket list .

Of course you could also spend a lot more time exploring in Amsterdam or Paris. Both cities have so many museums, galleries, attractions, monuments, parks, restaurants, theatres, bars, shops and more for you to discover!

7 Day Amsterdam and Paris itinerary FAQs

Can you do a day trip from Amsterdam to Paris?

Yes, you can do a day trip from Amsterdam to Paris, but it will be a very long day! It’s a 3.5 hour train ride from Amsterdam to Paris, meaning you’ll spend seven hours on the train to go there and back.

While it is possible, I would recommend spending a night or two in Paris. Not only would this make your travel schedule more relaxing but there’s also enough to see in Paris to easily fill two days .

Is it better to go to Paris or Amsterdam?

Luckily with my Paris and Amsterdam itinerary above, you don’t have to choose! Obviously I think you should go to both cities but if you can only choose one, I’d base it off of your interests and what is most convenient for you to get to.

Both cities are popular and will be crowded, especially in high season (summer). Both cities experience all four seasons, though Amsterdam is generally colder and wetter. And both cities are easy to get to with international airports and good connections through the rest of Europe.

You’ll also find English is widely spoken in the tourist areas of both Paris and Amsterdam, though more widely spoken throughout Amsterdam and the Netherlands.

I’d choose Paris if this is your first trip to Europe , you want to see the Eiffel Tower and you’re excited about French foods like fresh croissants, crepes and fine dining.

It’s a great place to stroll along the Seine, wander in and out of art galleries, practice your French and go on day trips to places like Versailles or Disneyland. While Paris doesn’t always live up to the magical image everyone paints in their mind, it is a must-see city.

I’d choose Amsterdam if you’re envisioning walks along the canals, admiring the skinny houses and trying not to get hit by bikes.

Like Paris, it’s a great city for foodies (Dutch pancakes, anyone?), art lovers (visit the Van Gogh or Rijksmuseum) and those looking for a bit of European charm. It’s slightly more off-beat than Paris, with its Red Light District and liberal take on soft drugs, but certainly not an under the radar city.

First trip to Amsterdam? Check out 12 things to know about Amsterdam before you go!

How many days are enough for Amsterdam?

I’d suggest spending three days in Amsterdam . That gives you enough time to see the highlights, like the Anne Frank House and art museums, while still making time to slow down and sail down the canals or enjoy a coffee in the park.

But if you’re really short on time, you can hit a few must-sees on just one day in Amsterdam .

How many days should a person spend in Paris?

Similarly, I think three days in Paris is a great amount of time. If you’re not as interested in art museums or exploring the different arrondissements (neighbourhoods), you can enjoy just two days in Paris .

But most people would benefit from three days or more if you want to take day trips or explore some lesser-known areas of Paris.

Is it better to fly from Paris to Amsterdam or take the train?

You may think it’d be better to fly from Paris to Amsterdam, since the direct flight only takes 80 minutes and can be purchased for around $50 USD one-way, but I would recommend taking the train.

Flying always takes longer than just the flight time; you have to get from the city to the airport, check in, go through security, wait around, board and do most of that again on the other side. So an 80 minute flight becomes a multi-hour experience.

Taking the train from Paris to Amsterdam is easy. You can easily get to Paris Gare du Nord, the main train station in Paris, by metro or Uber.

From there it’s a direct 3 hour and 15 minute journey with Thalys to Amsterdam Centraal. As the name implies, Amsterdam’s train station is in the city centre, easy to walk or take public transit from to your final destination.

Plus train tickets are usually around the same price as a flight, especially if booked in advance. So for about the same cost as flying, you can travel from Paris to Amsterdam in a much simpler, smoother, faster and eco-friendly way!

What is the cheapest way to get from Amsterdam to Paris?

The cheapest way to get from Amsterdam to Paris is by bus. Flixbus and BlaBla Car Bus drive this route with buses leaving many times throughout the day.

The journey takes from 6.5 hours to 9 hours, depending on departure time, stops en route and traffic. Tickets are currently as low as $31 CAD ($23 USD, €21) one-way.

While obviously cheaper than flying or taking the train, it will take you longer to bus from Amsterdam to Paris and will likely be less comfortable. But if you don’t mind a longer and less comfortable journey, it’s a good way to travel and save money!

Final thoughts: Creating your perfect Amsterdam and Paris itinerary

After multiple trips to both Paris and Amsterdam, plus months spent living in Amsterdam, I truly believe these are two of the most quintessential European cities that everyone needs to visit. They are charming, magical and full of things to do no matter your budget or interests.

My 7 day Amsterdam and Paris itinerary give you a great taste of what makes these cities so special, but there’s lots more to discover. You could spend months in either of these cities and not run out of things to do.

But to me, the mark of a good trip is one that leaves you thinking, “When do I get to come back?”

I hope my itinerary gives you a great introduction to these European cities and inspires you to plan your next trip back!

What do you think of my 7 day Amsterdam and Paris itinerary? Would you add, remove or change anything? Let me know! 

For more Amsterdam and Paris itinerary resources, check out:

• 2 Days in Paris – Your Perfect Itinerary
• Visiting Paris with a Dog
• The Best Budget Accommodation in Paris
• 7 Day Paris, Brussels & Amsterdam Itinerary
• One Day in Amsterdam Itinerary
• 12 Things to Know Before Visiting Amsterdam
• 3 Day Amsterdam Itinerary
• Falling Back in Love with Amsterdam
• Travelling with My Dad to Paris and Amsterdam

Riana Ang-Canning is a travel writer who has been sharing her global adventures as the founder of Teaspoon of Adventure since 2012. In that time, Riana has travelled to almost 50 countries on 6 continents, including interning in Eswatini, working in Tokyo, road tripping New Zealand and living abroad in Prague. Riana helps everyday travellers discover the world on a mid-budget, proving that you don't have to be athletic, wealthy or nomadic to have an adventure!

Similar Posts

5 Day Cabot Trail Itinerary on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia

Trip Diary: Adventures in Portugal

Is the Set Tour of Hobbiton Worth It?

Traveller of the Month: Meredith from Away With Meredith

A 3 Week Europe Itinerary: From Sweden to Italy

Month in Review: October 2019

It all sounds amazing Boo, certainly brings back lots of memories. I love the itinerary you have lined up for Amsterdam and you and I with Tilo did quite a few of those spots and it was perfect! Same for Paris, all great spots. The climb up to Arc Du Triomphe was well worth it for me, and I did Eiffel Tower climb as well, also cool, but I must say I liked the Arc better. It’s a great view from up there and quite amazing all the cars below aren’t crashing into each other, lol. You must fit in Montmartre area and definitely Sacred Couer, both were favs for me in Paris. I am so happy for you and daddy doing this daddy & daughter trip and it being his first trip to Europe, awesome! He couldn’t have a better guide and traveling companion! Antwerp, Belgium sounds great, I haven’t been, but have been to Ghent, Belgium; it was amazing! I am sure Dad will love Iceland! Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!!! xo

Thanks so much, Moo! Yes, lots of great memories of our time in Amsterdam. Will consider going up the Arc. I would definitely prefer that to going up the Eiffel Tower. I just bought some new comfy shoes so I might be game for a stair climb 🙂 Very excited for the daddy daughter trip. Thanks for all your love & support!

This itinerary looks so fun! I hope you’re having a great time with your dad. I think it’s so special to be able to have that time with a parent – both my girls’ trip to Belize with my mom and our vacation to Ireland and Scotland with M’s parents were really rewarding. I know you’ll do a great job showing your dad all the best that these cities have to offer!

Thanks so much, Gwen! We have been having a great time on this trip. Super special to be able to have that daddy daughter time!

Two places I have always wanted to travel to. Looks like a wonderful trip!

Thank you, it really was! I hope you make it to Amsterdam and Paris one day soon!

Great blog post, Riana. I’ve never been to Paris, but I definitely lost my heart in Amsterdam 🙂 I’m sure you had a fantastic time with your dad!

Thanks so much. Yes, we had an awesome time!

• Pingback: Happy Birthday to Me: 27 Goals for 27 Years - Teaspoon of Adventure

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

• 1800-123-5555
• Travel Agent? Join Us

Get Travel Triangle in your pocket.

Get your app via sms

• Honeymoon Packages
• Family Packages
• Holiday Packages
• Holiday Deals
• Luxury Holidays
• Destination Guides
• Holiday Themes
• Plan My Holiday

Indian Destinations

• Uttarakhand

International Destinations

• Switzerland

• Sikkim - Gangtok - Darjeeling
• South Africa

Seasonal Packages

Water Activities

• Inclusions / Exclusions

₹ 64,999/- ₹ 73,863/-

• International
• 7nights 8days Amsterdam Paris Brussels Tour

Delightful Amsterdam, Paris, And Brussels Package Rated 4.5 /5 (based on 309 reviews) Delightful Amsterdam, Paris, And Brussels Package

Customizable Amsterdam, Paris, And Brussels Tour Packages for a Vacation 8 Days & 7 Nights

Feel the Parisian romance at Eiffel Tower

The night scene of Brussels will take your breath away

Enjoy the beauty of Brussels cityscape

Witness the marvellous Paris Skyline

Enjoy the amazing night view of Amsterdam

Hotel included in package:

• Brussels (2D)
• Amsterdam (3D)

Starting from:

₹64,999/- ₹73,863/-

Per Person on twin sharing

Price For The Month

TravelTriangle has served 4873 + travelers for Europe

Delightful Amsterdam, Paris, And Brussels Package

Planning a European holiday for a week? Relish the beauty of not just one but three marvelous cities of Europe with an exciting 7 nights 8 days delightful Amsterdam, Paris, and Brussels tour package . Much famed and favored by all the travelers, Amsterdam, Paris, and Brussels are the three most enchanting European cities that one can explore altogether while booking the best of Paris tours. Being culturally rich and naturally beautiful, these cities attract travelers from all across the world throughout the year.

Places To Visit

1. van gogh museum.

What’s special: Artefacts, paintings, drawings, letters

Entry Fee: INR 1400 per person

Famous Cuisine: Dutch Cuisine

Timings: 9 AM – 5 PM

Distance from City Centre: 3.8 km

Wondering what to see in Amsterdam, then the Van Gogh Museum is a great place. With more than 1.5 million annual visitors the place is indeed one of the prominent art galleries in the world. There are more than 500 drawings, 200 paintings, and 700 letters from Van Gogh that are preserved here. The exceptional talent and tragic life happenings of Gogh makes it the second most visited museum in Amsterdam.

2. Royal Palace of Amsterdam

What’s special: Royal Dutch functions, citizen hall

Entry Fee: INR 800 for Adults | free for children

Timings: 10 AM – 5 PM

Distance from City Centre: 1.5 km

One of the most popular places to visit in Amsterdam should be a part of every traveler's list. Earlier it was a town hall but it is now in the hands of the state and majorly used for Royal official Dutch functions. Although, the palace is open for visitors throughout the year who love to look at the citizen's hall.

3. The Rozentheatre

What’s special: Happening nightlife, satirical comedy

Entry Fee: Tickets start at INR 1600

Timings: Depends upon show timings

Distance from City Centre: 800 km

While building your itinerary for Amsterdam keep Rozentheatre in the list if you are a night person. Here you can meet an amazing cast who will perform comedies and woo away your shyness before heading here as they call people from the audience too! Head to this place in Amsterdam for a hearty laugh at the satirical comedy theatre on your Amsterdam tour.

4. Efteling Park

What’s special: Thrilling rides, rides based on legends and fairy tales

Entry Fee: INR 3285

Timings: 11 AM – 7 PM

Distance from City Centre: 104.7 km

If you love adventure and thrilling rides, then Efteling Park is one of the must-tour places in Amsterdam. Every day this fantasy-themed amusement park attracts a ton of tourists and offers them a fun-filled day of thrill and adventure. You will find a lot of elements inspired by legend and folklore inside the park. This place in Amsterdam is absolutely dreamy so make sure you add it to your itinerary Amsterdam.

5. Amsterdam Dungeon

What’s special: Amsterdam history, fiction attractions

Entry Fee: INR 1500 onwards

Distance from City Centre: 1.2 km

Amsterdam Dungeon takes you inside a church where you take a turn back to 500 years old history of Amsterdam. The place is a reality cum fiction attraction with chambers, mirror halls, tunnels, and spine-chilling characters on the display. While booking your 7 night 8 days Amsterdam, Paris, And Brussels tour package make sure this exceptional Amsterdam tourist spot is a part of your Instagram itinerary.

With something special to offer to everyone across all age groups, Paris, Amsterdam, and Brussels offer an experience which one will be able to cherish forever. And to enhance the whole experience, the customizable 7 nights 8 days delightful Amsterdam, Paris, and Brussels tour package takes the travelers through the famous places like that of Eiffel Tower, Disneyland, and more of such thrilling experiences in Brussels and Amsterdam as well. Adding to the convenience of the travelers, one can avail these Paris tour packages from the cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and other metropolitan cities as well. Your Paris vacation packages will be all inclusive of famous places to visit such as Eiffel Tower, and Wax Museum in addition to the enthralling experiences of Seine River Cruise and Night Illumination Tour.

• Optional Paris Segway Night tour
• Louvre Museum, Eiffel Tower in Paris and Seine River Cruise
• Visit Disneyland and experience Illumination tour
• Sightseeing tour in Brussels and Mini Europe theme park
• Canal cruise in Amsterdam and visit Diamond Factory

Paris: Arrival and sightseeing

• Leisure Day

Other Benefits (On Arrival)

Embrace the mesmeric charm of Paris on the day of arrival

Upon your arrival, you will be greeted by the representative and transferred to the prebooked hotel in Paris. On reaching the hotel, complete check-in formalities and relax. Enjoy a remaining day at leisure in the city. You can explore the famous Wax Museum, explore the city streets, relish the amazing food, and experience the nightlife of Paris before returning to the hotel for your overnight stay.

Optional: One can also choose to go on the Paris Segway Night tour (charges extra)

Paris: Enjoy the Illumination tour

• Louvre Museum
• Seine River Cruise
• Illumination Tour

Enjoy a day full of sightseeing in Paris and explore the gems of Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum, and more.

On the second day of your delightful Amsterdam, Paris, and Brussels tour package, enjoy a scrumptious breakfast and get going to explore the most famous Louvre Museum. It is not only one of the famous landmarks in Paris but also happens to be the largest art museum in the world. Later in the day, move on to exploring the iconic Eiffel Tower and make sure you do not miss out on admiring the glittering beauty when the Tower is all lit up in the evening. Also, for those who’d like to explore the romantic side of the city, can also choose to enjoy on the Seine River Cruise in the evening, and end the day perfectly with the Night Illumination Tour before heading back to the hotel for an overnight stay.

Paris: Bring out the child in you at Disneyland

• Sightseeing
• Disneyland Tour

Treat your inner child on a day full of fun and adventure at the extravagant Disneyland

On the third day, relish a delicious breakfast and gear up for a fun-filled day at the adventurous Disneyland as planned by this Paris tour itinerary. Treat yourself to endless fun, thrilling rides, amazing performances, and delectable cuisines on the best day of your Paris tour itinerary. Enjoy an adventure-packed day in this amazing theme park and return to the hotel with loads of fun memories.

Brussels: Arrival and a lovely leisure day

The next leg of your 8 days Europe tour brings you to the capital of Belgium - Brussels

Bid a warm farewell to the city of love and post breakfast, head towards Brussels - the capital city of Belgium. You will be transferred to the train station from where you’ll be boarding your train to the ever-charming Brussels. Much famed for its beer and delicious chocolates, do not miss out on exploring the architectural marvels of Brussels on your delightful 7 nights 8 days European trip. On reaching the city, check-in to the prebooked hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure. You can go sightseeing on your own and visit attarctions like Grand Palace and the marvelous cityscape. and your stay at the hotel.

Optional : Sightseeing (charges extra)

Distance From Paris To Brussels : 320 Km

Travel Time : 1.5 hours

Brussels: A happening day awaits

Enjoy the best of sightseeing at Brussels and the theme park of Mini Europe as per your tour plan to Europe

Post a scrumptious European breakfast, get going to explore the marvelous theme park called Mini Europe. Featuring about 350 historical monuments, get to witness the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the iconic Big Ben, Mount Vesuvius, and miniatures of many more renowned landmarks. Post that, you will have the whole day to yourselves at leisure. Be it mingling with the streets of Brussels, relishing some local cuisines, gulping down some traditional beer, or indulging in the vibrant nightlife of Brussels, make the most of your leisure day. You can visit Flower Carpet show or seek blessings at the Cathedral of St. Michael. Later, return to the hotel for a peaceful sleep.

Amsterdam: Arrival and a great day

Your Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam tour brings you to this capital of Netherlandds - Amsterdam

Have a delicious breakfast and proceed with the checkout process from the hotel. Post that, you will transferred to the railway station from where you can board a train to head towards the astonishing Amsterdam. On reaching the city, you can check-in at the pre-booked hotel and relax for some time to revive the energy for a packed day ahead. First up would be the most exciting Canal Cruise tour which will allow you to relish the real beauty and charm of the Amsterdam city. Later in the evening, you can browse through the lively cafes and restaurants of Amsterdam that will put a perfect end to your night in the city. Later, come back to the hotel for a restful sleep.

Distance from Brussels to Amsterdam : 202 Kilometers

Travel Time : 2.2 Hours

Amsterdam: Visit Diamond factory

• Diamond Factory Visit

Explore the City of Diamonds and cruise through the lovely city of Amsterdam

After relishing a hearty breakfast, get going with the activities packed for the last day of your exciting 7 nights 8 days delightful Paris, Amsterdam, and Brussels tour package. The first attraction that you will be visiting is that of the popular Diamond Factory. Since the city is famous for its diamond industries, it is a must for all the travelers to explore the astonishing Diamond Factory. Second on the list is that of a cruising experience in the city that derives its name from the famous Amstel River. A cruising tour not only takes you through the length and breadth of the city but also treats you the mesmerizing vistas that Amsterdam has to offer. One can also choose to experience a variety of cruises like that of pizza cruise, candlelight cruise, dinner cruise, and so on. Later, head back to the hotel for an overnight stay.

Amsterdam: The trip concludes

Relish a delicious breakfast and set on a return journey to India with fond memories

Enjoy your breakfast and proceed to check-out from the hotel. Later on, you will be transferred from the hotel to the Amsterdam airport to embark on a safe journey back home.

Note: Our agents will provide you these or similar hotels depending on availability

The pantone hotel

Ixelles - Avenue Louise, 1 Place Loix

• Breakfast available (surcharge)
• Complimentary Wi-Fi access
• Audio visual equipment
• Meeting Room

Hotel alpha paris tour eiffel

26 Rue Emile Landrin, 92100 Boulogne-Billancourt, France

Hotel casa amsterdam

Eerste Ringdijkstraat 4, 1097 BC Amsterdam, Netherlands

• Accommodation
• Service Charges
• Lunch & dinner
• Personal Expenses
• Anything not mentioned in the itinerary

Your Preferences

Where do you want to go?

FAQs for Europe

How far is amsterdam from brussels.

The distance between Amsterdam and Brussels is around 202 kms, which can be covered in 2.5 hours by road and less than 2 hours by the high speed train that plies between these two destinations. On the other hand, the regional train will take you for a 2.5 hours journey from Amsterdam before you reach Brussels.

How much does the train from Paris to Amsterdam cost?

The train that plies from Paris to Amsterdam has several ticket options, including the Standard Class ticket, which is the most popular. It costs almost 37 Euros if you book early, whereas other options include the 71 Euro first class tickets.

Which are the must-visit places in Brussels?

To witness the best of Brussels, travelers must visit places like:

• Grand Palace
• Manneken Pis
• Mini Europe
• Victor Horta’s Major Town Houses
• Villa Empain

Which are the best places to visit in Amsterdam?

Some of the best places to visit in Amsterdam are:

• Rijksmuseum
• Anne Frank House
• Van Gogh Museum
• The Rozentheater
• Leidseplein Square

What are some of the must-have experiences in Paris?

There is a myriad of experiences one must have on a trip to Paris. Some of the best ones are:

• Exploring the Passage Verdeau
• Admiring the beauty of Palais Royal
• Paying a visit to the Parc Monceau
• Dining at the Eiffel Tower in the evening

What is the best time to go on a Europe trip?

Months from May to June and September to October impart the best time to go for a Europe trip.

650+ Verified Agents

Traveltriangle Verified

Stringent Quality Control

How It Works

Personalise this package.

Make changes as per your travel plan & submit the request.

Get Multiple Quotes

Connect with top 3 agents, compare quotes & customize further.

Book The Best Deal

Pay in easy installments & get ready to enjoy your holiday.

19 Europe Tour Packages

Read on to find out why our customers love us!

Deekshitha's 8 days trip to Europe

Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Rohit's 8 days trip to Europe

Rohit Kumar

Vijay's 7 days trip to Europe

Vijay Jeyakumar

Vijesh's 7 days trip to Europe

Vijesh Nair

Mumbai, India

Abhishek's 7 days trip to Europe

Abhishek Pawase

, Switzerland

Manmohan's 7 days trip to Europe

Nitin's 9 days trip to europe.

Nitin Kaushik

Mohamad's 9 days trip to Europe

Mohamad Suhaib

Bengaluru, India

Parul's 8 days trip to Europe

Parul Priya

Partha's 8 days trip to Europe

Partha Sarathi Dash

New Delhi, Delhi, India

Mehul's 8 days trip to Europe

Varun's 9 days trip to europe.

Varun Sharma

Amritsar, India

Kiran's 8 days trip to Europe

Kiran Jahagirdar

Ashburn, United States

Sumit's 8 days trip to Europe

Sumit Khurana

Shreeja's 9 days trip to Europe

Europe packages by city.

India Honeymoon Packages

• Mussoorie Honeymoon Packages
• Rishikesh Honeymoon Packages
• Auli Honeymoon Packages
• Athirapally Honeymoon Packages
• Manali Honeymoon Packages

International Tour Packages

• Turkey Tour Packages
• Nepal Tour Packages
• Paris Tour Packages
• London Tour Packages
• Africa Tour Packages

International Honeymoon Packages

• Turkey honeymoon Packages
• Nepal honeymoon Packages
• Paris honeymoon Packages
• London honeymoon Packages
• Africa honeymoon Packages

India Tour Packages

• Mussoorie tour Packages
• Rishikesh tour Packages
• Auli tour Packages
• Athirapally tour Packages
• Manali tour Packages

Tourist Places In India

• Places To Visit Gujarat
• Places to Visit Himachal
• Places To Visit Kerala
• Places To Visit Rajasthan
• Places To Visit Kochi

International Travel Guide

• Places to visit in Seychelles
• Places to visit in England
• Places to visit in Paris
• Places to visit in Austria
• Places to visit in Italy

Family Hotels in Paris

• Paris Family Hotels
• Hotel De Crillon
• Hotel De Vendome
• Hotel Verlaine
• Banke Hotel Paris
• We are hiring!
• Testimonial
• Travelogues
• Terms and Conditions
• Privacy Policy

Corporate Office:

Holiday Triangle Travel Private Limited

Address: Plot No - 52 , 3rd Floor,

Batra House , Sector 32,

Gurugram - 122001 ,Haryana

Landline: 1800 123 5555

Connect with us on :

All rights reserved © 2024

• An A+ company rated by BBB

• Call US 7 days a week from 8AM to Midnight ET 1-800-430-0484

Destinations

• Europe, Africa & Middle East
• Asia & South Pacific
• The Americas
• Build your Vacation Itinerary
• Gift Certificate
• Subscribe to our Newsletter

All Destinations A - Z

Most Popular Packages

Manage bookings, additional information.

• Travel Insurance

Recently Viewed

• Terms & Conditions

• Destinations ❯
• Build Your Vacation Itinerary
• My Booking ❯
• About Us ❯
• All Destinations A-Z
• See all Recently Viewed
• [tmpagetype=package]
• [tmpagetypeinstance=t21]
• [tmadstatus=]
• [tmregion=europe]
• [tmcountry=]
• [tmdestination=]

Amsterdam - Brussels - Bruges - Paris by Train

❮ amsterdam - brussels - bruges - paris by train.

• Country Info

Price Guidance

This 7 night sample itinerary includes:.

• Flight into Amsterdam and out of Paris
• Hotel for 2 night in Amsterdam
• Train Amsterdam - Brussels
• Hotel for 2 nights in Brussels
• Train Brussels - Bruges
• Hotel for 1 night in Bruges
• Train Bruges - Paris
• Hotel for 2 nights in Paris

Journey through Belgium , France and Netherlands on this unforgettable getaway. Start off this journey in Amsterdam (a charming canal city full of history and excitement), then continue to Brussels (With under crowded museums, totally sumptuous, historic and luxuriously cozy full of delights), Brugges and lastly Paris (the romantic City of Lights). Connection between cities by Thalys and ICE trains. This is a flexible vacation package. Select your number of nights in each city, desired hotel and activities.

Please contact us for any special arrangements such as more than three rooms and partial stays.

Change cabin, booking without flight, returning to a different city/airport, Reorder city, or design your own Itinerary

Flexible Itinerary

Netherlands

The Netherlands (or Holland) may be a small country, but it`s filled with world-famous icons. This country is famous for its bulb fields, windmills, cheese markets, wooden shoes, canals of Amsterdam, masterpieces of Old Masters, Delft Blue earthenware, innovative water management, and millions of bicycles. As you explore the Netherlands you`ll find photogenic spots at every nook and cranny, a hipster coffee scene, an up and coming food scene, and loads of wonderful museums. While its most well-known city is Amsterdam, there are plenty of other beautiful cities that you will want to explore as well.

Belgium is known for its delicious chocolates, its crispy fries, and a wide array of beers. There are over 3,000 castles to explore, battlegrounds from the World Wars, and every museum imaginable. Though it is a small nation, it plays a big part in the world`s history. It is also a destination with thousands of breweries and all the chocolate you can imagine.

France remains one of the worlds most talked-about and written-about destinations. Whether the romance of Paris sweeps you off your feet or you fall gently for the relaxed life of Provence, France is a place for lovers, and will leave you spellbound. Paris is undoubtedly one of the world's great cities, with enough monuments, museums, restaurants, theatres and shows to last a lifetime. The northern provinces of Normandy and Brittany are steeped in history while the Loire Valley is world famous for its châteaux. And there is more to explore.

Customer Reviews

Share your thoughts with other travelers

The package rates displayed are your total price per person based on Double Occupancy and your Arrival Date and Number of Nights selected. You can change details after selecting your travel date.

Your Preferred Major Airport:

• Atlanta ATL (GA), US
• Boston BOS (MA), US
• Cleveland CLE (OH), US
• Los Angeles LAX (CA), US
• New York City NYC (All Airports) (NY), US
• Philadelphia PHL (PA), US
• San Diego SAN (CA), US

Room/Travelers

• 1 room for 1 adult
• 1 room for 2 adults
• 1 room for 3 adults
• 1 room with children or other options
• 2 rooms for (2 adults + 2 adults)
• 2 rooms for (3 adults + 3 adults)
• 2 rooms with children or other options
• 3 rooms for (2 adults + 2 adults + 2 adults)
• 3 rooms with children or other options

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

✓ Economy

  Premium Economy

  Business

  First Class

Related Itineraries:

• Brussels - Bruges - Luxembourg by Train from $1,547
• Amsterdam - Luxemburg - Brussels by Train from $2,088
• Brussels - Bruges - Paris by Train from $1,504
• Amsterdam - Bruges - Brussels by Train from $1,369

Related Cities:

You can now

your payment!

Trip Summary

Easygoing, liberal Amsterdam is "different." Its citizens, bubbling along happily in their multiracial melting pot, are not so easily poured into the restrictive molds of trade and industry. More important, you can enjoy Amsterdam, its culture, history, and beauty, without stretching the limits of your credit cards. Few skyscrapers mar the clarity of the sky and the populace mostly walks or bikes from place to place. The historic center recalls Amsterdam's Golden Age as the command post of a vast trading network and colonial empire, when wealthy merchants constructed gabled residences along neatly laid-out canals. Visit Dam Square, Anne Frank House, Bloemenmarkt, Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, Canal Belt, Jordaan, Red Light District and so much more!

Brussels is sumptuous, historic and luxuriously cozy. What makes Brussels special? For visitors, it's full of delights - Grand Place, mussels with chips, pralines, under crowded museums, intimate hotels, Art Nouveau, Horta, Tintin and unbelievable beers. Modern edifices are only a few steps from the cobbled streets, splendid cafés, and graceful Art Nouveau architecture that speak to the city's eventful past. The city's spirit survives in traditional cafes, bars, bistros, and restaurants. Whether elegantly Art Nouveau or eccentrically festooned with posters, curios, and knickknacks, such centuries-old establishments provide a warm, convivial ambience that is peculiarly Belgian. Enjoy the Grand-Place, Cantillon Brewery, Mini-Europe, Belgian Comic Strip Center, Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, Saint-Michel Cathedral and so much more!

With the city center closed off to cars, all the architectural and artistic treasures, folklore, chocolate shops, lace boutiques, and ambient restaurants the unforgettable city of Bruges can be easily explored on foot, by boat ride along quiet canals, or by horse-drawn carriage among cobblestone streets. Take your time and fully enjoy what this city has to offer, there is so much to experience in this city that has also made the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. Visit the Bruges' Markt (main square), Belfry, Basilica of the Holy Blood, Stadhuis (Town Hall), Liberty of Bruges, Groeninge Museum, Church of Our Lady, Memling Museum, Sint Jansspitaal, Beguinage, Dijver Mansions, Minewater Lake, De Hale Maan Brewery, and so much more!

Paris is regarded as one of the most dynamic cities in Europe, and for good reason: the city assaults the senses; demanding to be seen, heard, touched, tasted, and smelled. Gaze at impressive monuments and savor its gourmet cheeses, chocolates, wines, and seafood. Paris is relatively small as capitals go, with many of its major sights and museums within walking distance of each other. A world of discovery awaits in every hidden corner and at all the famous sites, there is so much to explore. Visit the Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum, Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame Cathedral, Jardin des Tuileries, Latin Quarter, Avenue des Champs Elysees, Musee d'Orsay, Place de la Concorde, Arc de Triomphe and so much more!

• This field is required.
• Must be a valid username.

Deals of the Week   European Long Weekends   Up to 50% OFF

Amsterdam and Paris

• In-depth Cultural
• Fully Guided
• Coach / Bus
• Christmas & New Year

Places You’ll See

• See the Royal Palace in Amsterdam
• Sample local cuisine in Paris
• Take a stroll on the famous Champs-Elysees
• Introduction
• Day 1 Amsterdam
• Day 2 Amsterdam
• Day 3 Amsterdam, Bruges, Paris
• Day 4 Paris
• Day 5 Paris
• Day 6 Paris

Want to read it later?

Download this tour’s PDF brochure and start tour planning offline

What's Included

• Accommodation
• Additional Services
• Optional Extras

Where You'll Stay

Customer photos.

Operated by Europamundo

Your vacations are really important! Your trip should be a success: a few days that you can really enjoy. This is an opportunity for you to experience our wonderful planet accompanied by our extremely professional team. Choose the best journey for you! Europamundo is a company of the JTB group, the largest company of tourism and travel in Asia. JTB was founded over 100 years ago and has always been characterized by searching for excellence in the travel industry. “Perfect moments always” is our motto and our commitment. In our buses, you can see the world: not only for the popular destinations but also by the people with whom you plan to visit. Europamundo has many other catalogs. Every year more than 125,000 people from 22 different countries are traveling with Europamundo. Europamundo is the only coach tour operator company in the world affiliated to the UNWTO, a United Nations travel division agency. Our company was accepted as our mission, vision and values are aligned with those of the UN World Tourism Organization.

Sustainability Initiatives

Reduce Carbon Emissions

Supporting Destinations

Sustainability Programs

Customer Reviews

• Overall Rating Good 3.6
• Itinerary Good 3.8
• Guide Good 3.7
• Transport Excellent 4.2
• Accommodation Good 3.4
• Food Good 3.1
• Tour Operator Europamundo 3.9
• Most Recent
• Most Popular
• Highest First
• Lowest First

Dates & Availability

Pay-by-instalments

Take advantage of our 0% interest instalment plan on selected departures. Learn More

• Upcoming departures
• August 2024
• September 2024
• October 2024
• November 2024
• December 2024
• January 2025
• February 2025
• Thursday 18 Apr, 2024 Tuesday 23 Apr, 2024 English Multiple Room Types $919 Confirm Dates
• Thursday 25 Apr, 2024 Tuesday 30 Apr, 2024 English Multiple Room Types $919 Confirm Dates
• Thursday 2 May, 2024 Tuesday 7 May, 2024 English Multiple Room Types $919 Confirm Dates
• Get Instant Confirmation Thursday 9 May, 2024 Tuesday 14 May, 2024 English Multiple Room Types $919 Confirm Dates Hold space for 48h
• Get Instant Confirmation Thursday 16 May, 2024 Tuesday 21 May, 2024 English Multiple Room Types $919 Confirm Dates Hold space for 48h
• Get Instant Confirmation Thursday 23 May, 2024 Tuesday 28 May, 2024 English Multiple Room Types $919 Confirm Dates Hold space for 48h
• Get Instant Confirmation Thursday 30 May, 2024 Tuesday 4 Jun, 2024 English Multiple Room Types $919 Confirm Dates Hold space for 48h
• Get Instant Confirmation Thursday 6 Jun, 2024 Tuesday 11 Jun, 2024 English Multiple Room Types $919 Confirm Dates Hold space for 48h
• Get Instant Confirmation Thursday 13 Jun, 2024 Tuesday 18 Jun, 2024 English Multiple Room Types $919 Confirm Dates Hold space for 48h
• Get Instant Confirmation Thursday 20 Jun, 2024 Tuesday 25 Jun, 2024 English Multiple Room Types $919 0% Interest Instalments Confirm Dates Hold space for 48h

Frequently Asked Questions

We are there for you! If you have any questions about this tour, then please don't hesitate to contact us 24/7 and we will get back to you latest within 2 hours!

Got a question about this tour?

Reach out to our travel experts.

Good to Know

• Currency € Euro Belgium, France and Netherlands

As a traveller from USA, Canada, England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa you will need an adaptor for types C, E, F.

• Unfortunately we cannot offer you a visa application service. Whether you need a visa or not depends on your nationality and where you wish to travel. Assuming your home country does not have a visa agreement with the country you're planning to visit, you will need to apply for a visa in advance of your scheduled departure.
• Here is an indication for which countries you might need a visa. Please contact the local embassy for help applying for visas to these places.
• For any tour departing before May 19th, 2024 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after May 19th, 2024, a minimum payment of $600 is required to confirm your booking with Europamundo. The final payment will be automatically charged to your credit card on the designated due date. The final payment of the remaining balance is required at least 40 days prior to the departure date of your tour. TourRadar never charges you a booking fee and will charge you in the stated currency.
• Some departure dates and prices may vary and Europamundo will contact you with any discrepancies before your booking is confirmed.
• The following cards are accepted for "Europamundo" tours: Visa, Maestro, Mastercard, American Express or PayPal. TourRadar does NOT charge you an extra fee for using any of these payment methods.
• Accessibility Some tours are not suitable for mobility-restricted traveller, however, some operators may be able to accommodate special requests. For any enquiries, you can contact our customer support team , who are ready and waiting to help you.
• JTR Holidays tours
• Scotland February 2025 tours
• Tonle Sap Winter tours
• Northern Scotland tours
• Bihar December 2024 tours
• Best of Bear's Ears and Beyond Discovery Tour
• Best 3 Week (21 Days) Japan Travel Itinerarie…
• A Sneak Peek of Europe Tour with Europamundo
• Spectacular Video of Europamundo Fancy Tours

Similar Tours

Keep Exploring Europe

• Family Trip to Europe Itineraries (From 1 to 3 Weeks)
• Best 3 Weeks Europe Itineraries 2024/2025 (with Reviews)
• 10 Best Cultural Travel Companies
• 10 Best Cultural Experiences in The World 2024/2025
• Europe from Amsterdam
• Europe In-depth Cultural
• 6 days Europe
• From Amsterdam to Paris
• Operators in Europe
• Amsterdam and Paris Tours in Western Europe
• In-depth Cultural Tours
• Belgium and Netherlands Tours
• Western Europe Tours
• Europe Tours
• Family Tours
• Group Tours
• Fully Guided Tours
• Explorer Tours
• Coach / Bus Tours
• Christmas & New Year Tours
• Netherlands tours
• Belgium tours
• France tours

• Australasia
• Central America
• North America
• South America
• Buenos Aires
• Mexico City
• New York City
• Rio de Janeiro
• Overwater bungalows
• Cruise tips
• Sightseeing Passes
• Attractions
• Theme parks
• When to visit where
• Backpacker Indexes

Sign up for our monthly Priceoftravel newsletter

11 Best first-time Europe itineraries for 1, 2, or 3 weeks

Europe is going to be very busy in the summer of 2024 as the world is back to normal and travel demand is higher than ever. One other key factor is that most European currencies are still hovering at lower levels historically compared to the US dollar, which means that Europe will feel somewhat cheap again this year. In fact, according to our World Backpacker Index , European cities like Lisbon, Madrid, and Munich are about 30% cheaper to visit than Boston, Chicago, and New York City. In other words, flying to Europe might seem expensive, but most things will be cheaper once you get there compared to the costs of visiting a large US city.

Below you’ll find 11 of the most popular and best itineraries for a first visit to Europe. Your first visit is not really the time to be different or creative, and the famous destinations tend to be popular for a reason. In other words, it’s kind of silly to visit, say, Bulgaria, if you’ve not yet been to France or Italy. I lay out the best options along with how long to stay in each place as a general guide. I also discuss Mediterranean cruises, which can actually be an amazing way to see a lot of Europe on your first visit, especially if you don’t like going back and forth to train stations and airports every 2 or 3 days.

For a bit of fun you might be interested in the cheapest 5-star hotels in Europe , which start at US$80 per night for really nice hotels. It helps show that if you choose some of the cheaper cities, you can treat yourself to some luxury that you can’t afford in most other places.

This article was last updated in March, 2024.

There are 11 starter itineraries described in detail below

• Classic London and Paris
• England and Scotland
• Paris and Italy
• Mediterranean cruise
• France, Belgium, and Netherlands
• Paris and elsewhere in France
• Switzerland
• Best of cheap eastern Europe

For each itinerary there are suggestions of other destinations that are easy to add on to the main cities.

Note: This article was most recently updated in March, 2024

Building the best itinerary for your first trip to Europe

Below there are 11 popular itineraries for one week in Europe. If you’ve only got a week then choose one of them and assume you’ll return again to conquer more of this amazing part of the world. If you’ve got more time then you can choose from some of the top add-on suggestions for each one.

Start in the most famous cities

Your first visit to Europe is no time to try to be different or edgy. I recommend that you  focus on these 5 great cities  before you start branching out into cheaper or more obscure places.

Keep your travel days to a minimum

Spend 3 (or 4) nights in almost every major city

So many first-time visitors are initially planning on spending only 1 or 2 nights in major cities that I wrote a detailed explanation of why  3 nights is ideal for almost all European cities , even if you want to see as much as possible.

3 (or 4) nights will be enough for any city on your first trip

Most first-time visitors are tempted to move too quickly, but it can also be a mistake to move too slowly. It’s really amazing how much you can see in two full sightseeing days. If you spend too long in one city you’ll end up seeing things that are way down your list, while you could be in another city seeing things at the top of your list there.

Choose cities that are easy to reach from each other

For your first trip it’s best to visit cities that are no more than a 5-hour train ride apart.

Choose cities that are connected by reasonable train rides rather than flights

To build on the point above, finding cheap flights within Europe is easy, but train travel is about a million times more enjoyable and less stressful. You’ll enjoy the train rides almost as much as the cities, so focus on places that are within 5 hours of each other by train.

Start with one of the classic itineraries below, and then add to it if you have more time

If you only have 7 days then you’ll find a list below of classic itineraries that are well-suited to a first visit to Europe. Hopefully you have more than 7 days though, and if you do you can add in one or more of the suggested add-on cities to build an itinerary that appeals most to you.

Best 1-week itineraries for the first time in Europe

Itinerary 1: classic london and paris.

• London  (3 or 4 nights)
• Paris  (3 or 4 nights)

Fly into either city and take the 2-hour Eurostar train between them

London highlights

• Big Ben and Parliament
• Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s Cathedral
• Tower of London and Tower Bridge
• West End shows (Broadway equivalent) and classic pubs
• Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle

Paris is actually far more beautiful than London and the food is famously much better as well. Since Paris gets so many tourists from non-French speaking countries, it’s easy to get by on just English, and the Metro system makes it fast and easy to get around. The architecture of both cities is amazing from the Tower of London, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey to the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower. These cities each pack a huge punch and they are very different from each other as well. Actually, England is arguably the best choice for your first trip to Europe .

Paris highlights

• Eiffel Tower
• Louvre Museum and Museum de Orsay
• Arc de Triomphe and other monuments
• Montmartre neighborhood and Sacré Coeur Cathedral
• Probably the world’s best affordable restaurants and wine

Best add-ons to London and Paris

• Edinburgh  (2 or 3 nights, from London)
• Amsterdam  (2 or 3 nights, from Paris)
• Bruges  and  Brussels  (2 nights, from Paris)

>>> Best one-week London and Paris itinerary in detail >>> Check London hotel deals >>> Check Paris hotel deals

Itinerary 2: England and Scotland

• York (1 night)
• Edinburgh, Scotland  (2 or 3 nights)
• Inverness, Scotland (2 or 3 nights)

York is a small Roman city with intact city walls and one of the most famous cathedrals in Europe. Edinburgh is not only the capital of Scotland, but it’s easily the second most interesting city in all of Britain. If your time is short, skip York and spend more time in Edinburgh.

If you prefer to focus on the south of England on your first trip then the best option is to go to Bath or nearby Bristol after London. Bath is another of England’s top destinations and it’s a gorgeous city that has been a spa resort for many centuries. It’s also reasonably close to Stonehenge. You can also easily get to Cornwall in England’s southwest corner from Bath, and that’s a whole different and fascinating experience (with nicer weather than up north).

If you’ve got more than a week and want to spend more time in Scotland, especially in the summer months, the place to head to is Inverness. It’s a small town that is considered the gateway to the Scottish Highlands, but it’s an interesting and charming place on its own. You can take day-trips by bus to the highlights of the Highlands including the Isle of Skye and Loch Ness. Between you and me, it’s better to minimize time in Loch Ness or skip it altogether because it’s not one of the more photogenic parts of Scotland and the monster has always been a hoax.

Travel times between the recommended places

• London to York by train: 2 hours
• York to Edinburgh by train: 2.5 hours
• London to Edinburgh by train: 4 hours
• Edinburgh to Inverness by train: 3.5 hours
• London to Bath by train: 85 minutes

Best add-ons to England and Scotland

• Paris  (3 or 4 nights from London)
• Amsterdam  (3 nights from Paris)

If you think you want to spend your whole trip in Britain you should have a look at our article on the  best itineraries in England, Scotland, and Wales .

>>> Check London hotel deals >>> Check Edinburgh hotel deals

Itinerary 3: Paris and Italy

• Paris (3 or 4 nights)
• Venice (1 night)
• Florence (2 or 3 nights)
• Rome (3 nights)

From Paris you can easily fly to Venice (or nearby Treviso) where you should try to spend about 24 hours. Venice is small enough to see in a full day, and so crowded that most people are satisfied to leave after that day. The key is to stay in the main part of the main island so you can enjoy Venice before the cruise passengers and day-trippers arrive, and also after they leave for the day. Two nights in Venice would not be wasted time, and it’s possibly the most gorgeous city in the entire world, but you can see the best of it in a bit over 24 hours.

Rome also lives up to the hype and spending a day in the Vatican City will be a highlight even for non-Catholics, but it’s also a crowded and busy city so three days is usually enough for most people. Similar to Paris, Rome is an unusually beautiful city from almost any angle when you are in the historical center. You’ll walk through a stunning piazza (town square) and then turn a corner and you’ll see gorgeous buildings or public statues that are as nice as anything in the museums. Seriously, it’s worth a visit.

Paris to Venice flight: 1 hour 35 minutes Venice to Florence by train: 1 hour 53 minutes Florence to Rome by train: 1 hour 16 minutes

You can of course instead fly from Paris to Rome and then go north to Florence and then to Venice and fly home (or back to Paris) from there, and it would be just as enjoyable.

Best add-ons to Paris and Italy

• Nice/Cannes/Monaco  (2 or 3 nights)
• Avignon (2 nights)
• Bourges (2 nights)
• Bordeaux (2 nights)
• Aix-en-Provence (2 nights)
• Reims (2 nights)
• Dijon/Burgundy (2 nights)
• Milan  (1 or 2 nights)
• Lake Como (2 nights)
• Siena (2 nights)
• Cinque Terre (1 night)
• Naples / Sorrento /Amalfi Coast/Pompeii/Capri (3 to 5 nights)
• Sicily (3 to 4 nights)

>>>Much more information in this article about the best France and Italy itineraries >>> Check Paris hotel deals >>> Check Venice hotel deals >>> Check Florence hotel deals >>> Check Rome hotel deals

Itinerary 4: Mediterranean cruise

In spite of the reputation of cruises to be floating buffets, they can actually be an excellent way to visit a great number of amazing European cities in a short time. The ship typically is in port from the early morning until mid evening, often giving you the opportunity to have dinner in the city (unlike Caribbean cruises). Better still, the cruise ports are often near the center of town, so you can just walk off the ship and do sightseeing on foot or by public transportation.

Mediterranean cruises usually start at 7 nights but can go up to 3 weeks, which can provide an amazing tour of the entire region without having to pack and repack your bags more than once. They also can provide excellent value, especially compared to the price of taking trains or flights and finding new hotels in every destination.

Most popular Mediterranean departure ports

Barcelona, Spain – It’s an easy port to reach. Ships generally go from Barcelona with stops in France and then Italy.

Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy – The port isn’t very close to Rome, but it’s easy to get back and forth. Ships go west to France and Spain as well as south around the tip of Italy and then on to Croatia, Venice, and to Greece.

Venice, Italy – The cruise ships no longer dock close to the best tourist areas, but it’s easy enough to visit Venice for a day or two before boarding a ship. Ships starting in Venice go south and then head west and to Rome and then to France, or they go south to Croatia and then head east to Greece.

Athens, Greece – The cruise port of Piraeus is just south of Athens and easy to reach. Ships from Athens usually head west towards Croatia, Italy, France, and Spain, but there are also ships that visit Greek islands and Turkey.

>>> Check for deals on Mediterranean cruises

Alternative to consider: a river cruise

Amsterdam ,  Budapest , and  Prague  are some of the most popular river cruise ports, but there are dozens of others including many smaller towns in France where few other tourists will be when you stroll off the ship. There is little or no entertainment on the river cruise ships, but passengers don’t miss it because the entire day and into the evening is spent just steps from local cultural offerings and restaurants.

>>> Check for Europe and river cruise deals

Itinerary 5: France, Belgium, and Netherlands

• Paris  (3 nights)
• Brussels  and  Bruges  (1 or 2 nights)
• Amsterdam  (2 or 3 nights)

Paris to Brussels: 1 hour 22 minutes Brussels to Bruge: 58 minutes Bruges to Amsterdam: 2 hours 45 minutes Amsterdam to Paris: 3 hours 17 minutes

Spending 4 nights in Paris and 3 nights in Amsterdam would be a great trip, but if you want to see something else you’ve got a couple options in between. My advice is to spend an afternoon looking around the Grand Place (main square) in Brussels and then hop a 58-minute train ride to Bruges for a night or two. Brussels isn’t a great tourist city, but Bruges really is so it’s a better option for most people. Whatever you choose out of this group, you can be back in Paris on another high-speed train for your flight home.

Best add-ons to France, Belgium, and Netherlands

• Luxembourg City  (1 or 2 nights)
• Cologne, Germany (1 or 2 nights)
• Interlaken, Switzerland  (2 or 3 nights)

>>> Check Paris hotel deals >>> Check Bruges hotel deals >>> Check Amsterdam hotel deals

Itinerary 6: Paris and elsewhere in France

And a choice of:

• Normandy (2 nights)

While Nice is a wonderful tourist city for a look at the French Riviera, the other larger cities of Lyon and Marseilles are probably better saved for a future trip because they are light on key sights compared to many smaller towns. Wine lovers can rent a car or take trains into Bordeaux or Burgundy. Since you can get between most of these towns by train in 2 hours or less, spending only 2 nights in each one is a reasonable option if you want to see a lot in a short time.

Normandy is an interesting choice and easy to reach in only about two hours by train from Paris. Some visitors like to see the famous WWII beaches and memorials, while others (especially in summer) like to check out one or more of the beach-resort towns. Deauville is one of the more famous of those, and it’s also famous for its horse race track and as one of the epicenters of the industry in Europe.

Best add-ons to Paris and elsewhere

• More France, of course

>>> Check Paris hotel deals >>> Check Nice hotel deals

Itinerary 7: Italy

• Rome  (3 nights)
• Florence  (2 or 3 nights)
• Venice  (1 or 2 nights)

Rome to Florence: 1 hour 16 minutes Florence to Venice: 1 hour 53 minutes

Venice is small enough that you can see the main sights in about 24 hours, and it’s so insanely crowded that many people tire of it after about a day as well. It’s better to pay more for a hotel to be on the main island and visit quickly than to save money with a hotel on the mainland where you’ll be in crowds going back and forth as well. Florence is the most relaxing of the 3, and also a great base for side trips to Pisa, Siena, and Cinque Terre, just to name a few.

Going to Italy? Here are the  best first-time Italy itineraries for 3 days to 2 weeks  (in much greater detail)

Best add-ons to Italy

>>> Check Rome hotel deals >>> Check Florence hotel deals >>> Check Venice hotel deals

Itinerary 8: Spain

• Madrid  (4 nights) (including day trip to Toledo)
• Barcelona  (3 nights)

Madrid to Barcelona: 2 hours 30 minutes

A huge part of Spain’s tourism industry is built around its southern beaches and islands such as Ibiza, Mallorca, and Tenerife (in the Canary Islands). For most people it’s best to ignore those places on your first trip because none of the beaches are special enough to spend days on them compared to the culture of the cities.

Best add-ons to Spain

• Valencia  (2 nights)
• Seville  (2 or 3 nights)
• Granada  (2 or 3 nights)
• Lisbon  (3 nights)

By popular demand, I’ve added a full article on where to go in Spain with itineraries from 7 to 10 days up to two weeks .

>>> Check Madrid hotel deals >>> Check Barcelona hotel deals >>> Check Lisbon hotel deals

Itinerary 9: Germany

• Berlin  (3 nights)
• Munich  (2 or 3 nights)
• Rothenburg ob der Tauber (1 night)
• Füssen (1 night)

Berlin to Munich: 6 hours 2 minutes Munich to Rothenburg ob der Tauber: 2 hours 56 minutes Munich to Füssen: 2 hours 4 minutes

Those two cities are the keys to a Germany visit, and after that you’ve got a wide variety of choices. I cover most of the popular choices in my article on  where to go in Germany , which covers several smaller towns that are major highlights.

Best add-ons to Germany

• Cologne (1 or 2 nights)
• Hamburg  (2 or 3 nights)
• Amsterdam  (3 nights)
• Prague  (3 nights)
• Salzburg  (2 or 3 nights)
• Vienna  (3 nights)
• Interlaken, Switzerland  (3 nights)
• Lucerne, Switzerland  (2 or 3 nights)

>>> Check Berlin hotel deals >>> Check Munich hotel deals

Itinerary 10: Switzerland

• Interlaken  (3 nights)
• Bern (1 night)
• Lucerne  (3 nights)

Zurich Airport to Interlaken: 2 hours 10 minutes Interlaken to Bern: 53 minutes Bern to Lucerne: 1 hour 50 minutes Lucerne to Zurich Airport: 1 hour 3 minutes

Interlaken is the best hub for the most dramatic Alps views and experiences. The one-hour cable car ride up to the Schilthorn observation deck is something you’ll never forget, and the only thing that might be more dramatic is the train ride up to the Jungfraujoch station, which is the highest in Europe. Lucerne is almost as beautiful with a scenic lake at its heart and also great mountaintop views nearby. If you do want to see a Swiss city then the capital of Bern is the most interesting and photogenic on a short visit. Read more about  where to go in Switzerland  for even more ideas.

Best add-ons to Switzerland

• Munich  (3 nights)
• Italy (as long as you’ve got)

>>> Check Interlaken hotel deals >>> Check Lucerne hotel deals

Itinerary 11: Eastern Europe’s best cheap cities

• Budapest  (3 nights) and/or
• Krakow  (3 nights)

Each of these cities is beautiful and historic, but English is less widely spoken so they can also be quite a bit more challenging for a first-time visitor. Another difficulty is that the trains between them are still quite slow compared to the high-speed rail in the West, so it takes most of a day from one to another, and a bus is often a better choice. I cover this best cheap Europe itinerary more fully in the linked article.

Prague to Budapest: 6 hours 41 minutes Budapest to Krakow: 9 hours 54 minutes (flying might be better)

Best add-ons to cheap Eastern Europe

• Cesky Krumlov, Czechia  (2 nights)
• Ljubljana, Slovenia  (2 or 3 nights)
• Split, Croatia  (3 nights)
• Belgrade, Serbia  (2 or 3 nights)
• Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina  (2 or 3 nights)
• Sofia, Bulgaria  (2 or 3 nights)

>>> Check Prague hotel deals >>> Check Budapest hotel deals >>> Check Krakow hotel deals

OTHER POPULAR POSTS

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

11 Best first-time Europe itineraries for 1, 2, or 3 weeks " --> All Comments

Hi Roger, was reading your article and reply to various questions and its actually too good and kind from you. if you pls,help me out a route plan for 15days. but my catch is, i have to start from Stockholm.i like to end in rome to head back home. in between what should be my plan?thanks

I’m happy to help. Stockholm to Rome could be done in 15 days, but it would require skipping quite a few great places along the way. My recommendation would be to choose 5 or maybe 6 cities total and spend 3 days in each. If Stockholm is one of your cities you’d only have 12 days left but even if Stockholm didn’t count on the 15 days I think it’s probably best to fly from Stockholm to a city closer to Italy and then do the rest of it on shorter train rides. You could do Stockholm to Copenhagen by train, but those are pretty long train rides and honestly those two cities are pretty similar to each other.

So maybe Stockholm and then a flight to Paris and then trains to Venice, Florence and Rome? That sort of thing. Stockholm is just so remote that it would require at least 3 or 4 longer train journeys but if you flew from Stockholm to Paris (or Berlin or Prague or Budapest or wherever) the remaining train rides would be relatively short. I hope this helps and let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger

Firstly, I would like to thank you for the article and itineraries; they are very helpful.

My wife and I are planning a 3 to 4-month trip around the EU (Western Europe). Before I delve into the specifics of our itinerary, I am wondering if the same 3 to 5-day in each-city principle applies for cases where travellers will spend more time travelling around?

I look forward to hearing from you. Thanks Raf

Wow. That sounds amazing! Even when traveling for longer periods like that I’d recommend a minimum of 3 nights in almost any place you go. The main reason is your travel days tend to be kind of long when you factor in everything from checking out of one hotel to getting to the train station and waiting and then the journey time and then getting to your next hotel and getting situated. All of that usually takes 4 to 6 hours even when the train journey is only an hour or two, so you just don’t get much sightseeing done on those days. So if you only stay 2 nights in each city it means every other day is a travel day and that just takes up too much time.

That said, I think 3 or 4 days is enough time in most places as well. If you really want to get to know Paris, for example, you might stay a week there. But for most cities there are diminishing marginal returns starting on day 3 or 4. In other words, you’ll be able to see the 10 things that most interest you in 3 days or so, and at that point you might be ready to see the Top 10 things in the next city instead of the #11 through #20 things in the first city.

Another thing that is important with longer trips like that is to plan some down time at least every few weeks. If you try to do sightseeing 7 days per week for weeks at a time it starts to feel like a job. What I like to do is every two or three weeks find a smaller town or cheaper place where I can rent a little apartment or some place larger and more comfortable than a typical small European hotel room. And I like to stop in places without many sights otherwise it’s too tempting to keep sightseeing every day.

I’ve actually done quite a few long trips like this and I’m happy to help with any other advice if you like. -Roger

Comment*We are planning on Athens to Amsterdam from June 4, 2024 to Amsterdam June 24th.

We are thinking trains to major cities inbetween Athens and Amsterdam. We are open to anything and everything.

Priorities: Parthenon in Athens, Art Museums in Amsterdam (3-5 days in Amsterdam) Can you help us?

That is a tricky one. Both Athens and Amsterdam are great and very worthwhile, but once you go north of Athens to Thessaloniki in northern Greece, the train service is spotty and very slow all the way until you reach Budapest. Strangely enough, buses tend to be faster and much more frequent in those “eastern” countries like Bulgaria and Romania. Also, being perfectly honest, most of those in-between cities such as Sofia and Belgrade are kind of dull by European standards, although they are quite cheap.

If you really want to visit Athens I’d definitely start there and then after a few days fly to Budapest or some other city in that area that interests you and then carry on from there by train. In fact, Athens to Budapest and then trains to Prague then Berlin and then Amsterdam could be perfect. You could even add in a couple of days in Cesky Krumlov near Prague if you want to include a gorgeous smaller town among the big cities.

Those are all first-class cities and several of them are quite affordable as well. I hope this helps and let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger

Hi, my wife and I would like to visit Rome, Florence, Italy, Venice, Prague, Berlin and maybe Switzerland. This will be the first time travelling to Europe and I would appreciate your help in planning where to start, where to stay, how to get there and where to go. We will be coming from Trinidad and Tobago for 2 weeks. If possible, i would like a day-to-day plan.

Unfortunately I don’t have time to do a day-by-day plan for you, but I can help get you started. If you’ve got 14 nights I would keep the list to 5 total cities. If you tried to include Switzerland on this trip it would mean spending only 1 or 2 days in some cities and that means spending every other day on trains.

I think the best thing to do would be to fly into Berlin or Prague and then spend 3 days there and then take a train to the other one and spend 3 days there and then fly to Venice. Spend 1 or 2 days in Venice and then take a short train ride to Florence for 2 days or so and then a train ride down to Rome for your final 3 days and then a flight home or back to your starting city if that is cheaper. I’m happy to help if you have any other questions. -Roger

Hi, Roger. My wife and I (56 and 63) want to do our first trip to Europe from Canada and would like to start by visiting Portugal (Lisbon and Porto) and Spain (Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Granada y Sevilla with day trips to close small cities in between). What it would be your suggestion for: 1. Stay in each city for a 15/17 days trip? 2. any additions/modifications? 3. Train over flights internally? 4. If we travel with one suitcase of 50 Lbs would it work to take public transit when required? 5. Instead of this plan, would it be better to visit 1/2 famous city in different countries? Would appreciate your inputs. Than you Roger

If you’ve only got about 16 days I’d recommend choosing 5 or maybe 6 cities in total. I strongly believe that 3 nights is the best amount of time to stay in each city so you have two full sightseeing days in each one, although some smaller cities can be done a bit quicker. I go over the reasons in detail on this other article about how long to stay in each European city , but the main point is that if you stay only two nights it means literally spending every other day on trains or in airports and such and you just don’t get much sightseeing done on those travel days with all of the packing and unpacking and checking in and out of hotels.

I’d definitely include Lisbon, Madrid, and Barcelona. You could add a 2-day visit to Porto and 2 or 3 days each in Sevilla and Granada. I’d save Valencia for a future trip. It’s nice, but aside from the new buildings clustered in one area, it’s more generic than any of the others on your list.

The only train between Portugal and Madrid goes over night and I’m not a fan of those so I’d fly on that leg. But from there I’d definitely take the high-speed trains, which are fast and comfortable. Buy your tickets at least a couple months in advance for the best fares.

There will be room for a 50 lb suitcase on the flights (of course) and on the trains as well. On older trains they have you put them on racks above the seats, but on most of the more modern ones (like the high-speed trains) they also have room for larger bags at each end of the carriage. If you can lift them, there will definitely be room for them.

I think your plan sounds really good and those are all great cities. That said, for most first-time visitors to Europe I’d recommend Paris and Italy as those are really more dramatic and interesting, although also more crowded and somewhat more expensive as well. I think once you do the Iberia trip you’ll be hooked and you’ll start planning a trip to France and Italy for the coming years. Let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger

Hi, Roger. Thank you for your comments and recommendations and also for your prompt response. I have modified my plan as I have now 22 days. My Itinerary is Porto(3), Lisbon(3), Seville(2), Malaga(2), Madrid(3),Barcelona(3), Zaragoza(2) and Bilbao(3). What do you think? is this a good plan? Any suggestions? I am still debating between Malaga and Granada though. I included Bilbao to visit friends. The question on the luggage was more related to the comfort to pull a large back in public transit than the allowance in the planes or trains. I will appreciate your inputs. Thank you again, Roger

Those six more days will help a lot. I think your new plan looks really good. You can probably enjoy Porto in 2 days and add an extra day somewhere else, but you might also be dealing with jet-lag so 3 days might be better. Your itinerary looks efficient and logical.

I really like Granada and Malaga, but I think if I were to choose between the two I would go with Granada. Malaga is (in my opinion) an underrated city that is close to some extremely popular beach towns and it’s got a lot going for it, but if you aren’t also going to be staying by the beach I think I’d save it for another trip. Granada has got the Alhambra and Generalife Gardens and those are unlike anything else in Spain or the world for that matter. Granada is small enough to enjoy in two days and I think seeing the Alhambra will be more memorable than anything in Malaga.

Buy your train tickets as early as possible for the best times and fares, and the flight for Lisbon to Seville (or you could take a bus).

And again, your 50 lb suitcase will fit on city to city trains (although not as well on buses or trams within a city), but still (as the saying goes) no one ever went on a trip around Europe like this and swore they would pack more stuff the next time. In other words, 40 lbs is much easier than 50 lbs and getting laundry done cheaply in a country like Spain is quite easy. Let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger

Comment*Hi travelling first time to europe next year we are 55 years age group any suggestions for 10-12 days itenary with guided tour would be nice if any suggestion are there also april or may better time to visit there anil

Actually, all of my best suggestions for first-time visits to Europe are in the article above. If you specifically want a guided tour you’ll obviously just be choosing from the ones that are available from the companies you look it, although many of those should resemble the itineraries in my article. Planning your own trip to Europe is actually quite easy, and especially if you are going to the classic and most popular cities. I’ve got lots of articles that could help you.

I’m not sure how many guided tours you’ve done, but one thing to consider is that they always move at the speed of the slowest person in the group. If YOU are the slowest person in the group then it’s fine, but if you are 55 then you should be much faster than most other people on a guided tour. For example, if you have a coach/bus tour for a day with 5 or 6 stops, you always have to wait for the slowest people to get on an off the bus. I’ve done countless day tours this way and it can be frustrating waiting 10 extra minutes many times each day as slow people are trying their best.

I think my top two best suggestions are London and maybe another stop or two in England and then Paris and other stop or two in France, OR, Paris then another stop in France and then Venice, Florence, and Rome. It obviously depends whether England or Italy sounds more interesting. Let me know if I can be of any other help. -Roger

Planning a family trip with a adult and nearly adult children. Hoping to be able to do 18 to 20 days. Must sees are Paris, Venice, England, and Prague but would adore seeing more! What route would you suggest and should we rent a car, fly, train, river cruise? There are so many options and I’m completely overwhelmed! A suggested itinerary would be amazing!! Thank you!

That sounds like a great start to a plan. As far as “England” is concerned it’s probably best to just think of it as 3 or probably 4 nights in London. With 4 nights you’d have enough time for a good day trip to Bath/Stonehenge and Windsor or to Oxford or even York, but London is big enough to keep you busy and it’s probably best to just stay there and then take the Eurostar train to Paris for 3 or 4 nights.

Prague is a bit out of the way, but you can fly there cheaply enough if you want and then after 3 nights fly to Venice. After 2 nights in Venice I’d take a train down to Florence for 2 nights and then another train to Rome for 3 nights. That would be just about a perfect 18 to 20 day trip including Prague. I definitely wouldn’t rent a car as they tend to be counter productive when visiting a string of large cities that have bad traffic and expensive parking. Your itinerary doesn’t really work with a river cruise at all, but hopefully you can plan one in the future.

It would probably be cheapest to fly from Rome back to London for your flight home (being careful of which of London’s 5 airports you fly into because your flight home will almost certainly go out of Heathrow), but if you can get a flight home straight from Rome for a good price, that would be even better. Getting around by train in Europe is by far the best way wherever it’s close and fast enough, so I’d focus on trains in the places I mentioned. I hope this helps and let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger

Yes, I meant London. Thank you for picking up on that. After reading though your site and many, many of these informative comments, I think I have figured out a basic itinerary and would love your feedback and suggestions!

-Fly into London London(3 days) -Eurostar Train to Paris Paris (3 days) -Train to Switzerland – unsure which train company Switzerland (3 days) -Train to Venice?? Venice (2 days) -Train to Florence – which train company? Is there a pass? Florence (2 days) -Train to Rome Rome (2 days) -Fly to Prague Prague (3 days) -Fly home out of Prague

Very interested to hear your feedback. I know you suggest 3 nights but I am ok with missing out on some things in Rome/Florence if needed. Would love train suggestions and if passes are best. NO idea on how the trains operate in Europe.

Thank you so much for your time!

This itinerary looks amazing. My only real suggestion would be to spend only one day in Venice and three days in Rome, or at least a day and a half in Venice rather than two, but you’ll enjoy it no matter what. The thing is that Venice is about the size of a theme park like Disneyland and from 9 AM until 5 PM it feels even more crowded than Disneyland. It’s absolutely amazing, but also easy to get tired of the crowds and you’ll do your best sightseeing in the mornings before the day-trippers come and in the evenings after they’ve left. And Rome is huge with a long list of really cool sights so with only one full sightseeing day you’ll miss quite a few of them. But again, you’ll enjoy it no matter how you divide your time.

In most of Europe including between France and Switzerland and Italy, there is just one rail company per country so just book whatever comes up. From Paris to Basel, Switzerland you’ll take the France national service and then change trains to a Swiss train for your ride to Interlaken or Lucern. Then from Switzerland you’ll take (probably) a Swiss train to Spiez or Brig and then change there for an Italian train to Venice. You’ll buy it just as one ticket and it’ll include all the legs required to get from one city to your final city, and usually come with seat reservations as well (except in Switzerland).

My favorite site for checking schedules all over Europe is the Trainline . But you can also check the official rail sites of each country involved and I’d definitely check those prices before booking anything. My article on buying European train tickets in advance is still pretty much up to date and it has links to the various national train companies.

It will be cheapest if you lock in your dates and buy all of your train tickets as early as possible, which will be around 3 months out in most cases. The tickets start off really cheap and go up in price as more seats are sold on each train, so earlier is always better. There are no rail passes that would be helpful on a trip like this, but that’s mostly because the tickets will be pretty cheap already, especially the ones within Italy.

Trains in Europe are really fun and shockingly easy once you get started. All the important signs will be in English as well as a local language. For most of them you can literally walk aboard just before it leaves and you are fine as long as you have a reserved seat, but the Eurostar works more like a flight with security and such so you have to be checked in at least 30 minutes in advance. Let me know if you have any other questions.

I won’t have time to update that other older article about trains vs planes vs buses, partly because these days there is a clear choice depending on which two cities you are going between. There are places in eastern Europe where there are advantages to each mode, but for the cities you’ll be doing the train is going to be the fastest, by far the most enjoyable, and probably the cheapest as well, at least once you factor in airport transportation costs. It’s going to be a great trip! -Roger

Thank you SO much for all of your help. Your in-depth website is an amazing resource! I get so lost in it and spend hours scouring your resources and links – it has everything anyone could need! And, the fact that you are also personally answering comments and offering personalized advice is mind blowing! Thank you for all that you do to inform us!

If you could suggest on a 14-15 day iterinary covering Athens, rome Milan paris London and Finland from New Delhi / Mumbai.

If you have 14 to 15 days I’d suggest choosing about 5 cities in total to visit. So your list should work out fairly well, although it depends on how much of Finland you’d hope to see. I’m guessing you must have a specific reason for wanting to go there? Finland normally isn’t very popular and honestly there isn’t much to see. Helsinki is, in my opinion, the least interesting of the Nordic capitals, although it’s pleasant enough and the country has some nice forests. If you are visiting relatives or something, that requires different planning of course.

It might be easiest to fly from Mumbai to London and then use that as a base. You could spend a few nights there and then fly to Helsinki and back after that or Helsinki to Paris for a few days. After Paris you could fly to Milan or Rome and then take a train to the other and then fly to Athens to finish your trip.

Milan actually isn’t a popular tourist city. It’s the home of most of Italy’s big banks and fashion brands, but neither of those are accessible to most tourists. Italy has amazing fashion shopping in Rome as well as Florence. Venice is also more popular. I hope this helps and I’m happy to help more if you have questions. -Roger

Comment* Planning first trip to Europe Want to do tour of England, Scotland, Wales and then to Paris for sites and Monet Gardens. Might take train to Brussels and Bruge. Then to Switzerland and home. Any suggestions what tour group to contact. Want slower pace trip…at least 3 weeks. Thank you.

I enjoy helping people plan independent trips, and I honestly don’t know much about booking all-inclusive tours like you are after. I’d imagine you’d have to do at least a few different tours to cover all the places you have in mind. The one outfit that I am familiar with is Rick Steves, who I am a huge fan of for his Europe travel guides and I know he has a big tour organization. I’d start with them and see if they have anything that fits what you are looking for. Best of luck. -Roger

Amazing Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris

• Best price guaranteed
• No booking fees
• City sightseeing
• Customizable
• duration 6 days
• tour type Group Request as private
• age requirement 8-95 yrs
• max group size 35
• guiding method Fully guided
• Tour Code BM-39080

• Starts Amsterdam, Holland
• Ends Paris, France
• Travel to Amsterdam to see the city’s captivating canal-woven core, recognized as a World Heritage Site
• Head on a boat ride to Marken, a popular island getaway with breathtaking views and a fascinating past
• Explore the Grand Place with a trip to Brussels, the central square in the heart of the Belgian capital
• Admire the medieval architecture of Bruges, one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Europe
• Visit the Eiffel Tower and head on a scenic cruise on the Seine River, the third-largest river in France
• See the extravagant boutiques and world-famous boulevards in the French capital with a trip to Paris
• Day 1: Amsterdam Arrival
• Day 2: Amsterdam – Zaanse Schans – Volendam – Marken – Amsterdam
• Day 3: Amsterdam – Brussels – Bruges – Paris
• Day 4: Paris
• Day 5: Paris
• Day 6: Paris –
• 05 nights’ accommodation on a twin sharing basis at listed hotels or similar
• Daily breakfast
• Arrival airport transfer
• Transportation in an AC deluxe motor coach
• Evening transfer in Rembrandtplein in Amsterdam
• Evening transfer in Quartier Latin in Paris
• Bilingual English/Spanish-speaking tour guides
• Sightseeing as per the itinerary
• Boat ride to the Ijsselmeer Lake
• Boat ride on the Seine River
• All currently applicable taxes
• Entrance to the Diamond Cutting Workshop in Amsterdam
• Entrance to the 2nd Floor Eiffel Tower in Paris
• Items of a personal nature, tips, and gratuities
• Departure transfer to the airport
• Travel Insurance
• Visa fees if applicable
• Items not mentioned as included
• Lisa Rockford
• On Jun 22 2023
• Arne Carl Schonberger
• On Oct 04 2019
• Personal Itinerary can be tweaked and customized.
• Protected Travel within your own bubble.
• Professional Access our Travel Specialists' insider knowledge.
• Privacy Enjoy a tour focused solely on you or your travel group.
• Earn US$ 42+ in travel credits.
• Best price guaranteed.
• No credit card or booking fees.
• 100% financial protection.
• Carbon neutral tours.
• 25,000+ trip reviews, with an average rating of 4.8 out of 5.
• Read more reasons to book with Bookmundi less Read less

No additional cancellation fees apply for this Amazing Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris tour. You can cancel the tour up to 78 days prior departure and avoid paying the full amount, but your deposit paid is non-refundable. No refund applies for cancellations within 77 days of departure.

For any tour departures within 25 June 2024, full payment is required. For tours that depart later than 25 June 2024, a deposit of 30% is required to confirm this tour, and the remaining balance will be charged 77 days before trip departure.

Amazing Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris tour requires that you have adequate and valid travel insurance covering medical and personal accidents, including repatriation costs and emergency evacuation. World Nomads offers travel insurance for independent travelers and intrepid families.

For this Amazing Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris tour getting the required visa(s) is the responsibility for each individual traveller, as visa requirements vary depending on your nationality. We recommend to check with your local embassies representing the countries that you are traveling to, as part of this itinerary.

All children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Minimum age for children on escorted tours is 8. Minimum age on Safaris is 12. Minimum age for game drives in Kruger National Park (South Africa) is 12. Minimum age for Uganda programs is 15.Please note that many countries have adopted practices to prevent international abductions of children. If a person under the age of 18 years will be travelling with an adult other than his/her parents, or with only one parent, a notarized letter, granting authorization to travel, including the dates of travel should be carried.

• Treasures of France
• Best of Italy, Switzerland and Paris
• Essential Scotland
• Classic Switzerland
• Picturesque Solo Iceland Tour
• Best of Germany
• Discover Tunisia
• France tour packages
• France group tours
• Europe tour packages
• Spain tour packages
• Germany tour packages
• England tour packages
• Italy tour packages
• Spring 2024/2025
• Summer 2024/2025
• Winter 2024/2025
• August 2024
• September 2024
• October 2024
• November 2024
• December 2024
• January 2025
• February 2025
• Europe Tours
• Everest Base Camp Trek
• Italy Tours
• Spain Tours
• Argentina Tours
• Canada Tours
• Sri Lanka Tours
• Chile Tours
• Antarctica Tours

If you book the Amazing Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris tour within the next 5 days , you can get by applying the following code:

A new booking was just made in this location.

Sign-in to unlock instant trip discounts. Create wish lists and save up to USD 1,500.

Travel With Me 24 X 7

Travel itinerary, Travel guide and Destination reviews

Epic Paris And Amsterdam Itinerary – Best Places, Nightlife, Day Trips & Tips

Planning a Paris and Amsterdam itinerary together offers a diverse cultural experience, showcasing iconic landmarks, art, cuisine, and nightlife, all within relative proximity, providing a comprehensive European adventure in one trip.

👉Epic Paris Itinerary 4 Days With Disneyland & Versailles – Best 4 Days In Paris  

Additionally, the efficient transportation network between the two cities allows for seamless travel, maximizing time for exploration and enjoyment.

7 Day Paris And Amsterdam Itinerary – Paris And Amsterdam Trip

Here’s a detailed day-wise itinerary for Paris and Amsterdam. In this 6 to 7-day Amsterdam and Paris itinerary, you can plan three days in Paris and the remaining 3 to 4 days in Amsterdam. 

👉Best Amsterdam Itinerary 3 Days (Daywise Things To Do + Hotels + Vegan Food)

Day 1 of Paris And Amsterdam Itinerary: Arrival in Paris

Paris is worth visiting for its unparalleled beauty, rich history, world-class art, exquisite cuisine, and romantic ambiance, offering a timeless experience that captivates visitors from around the globe.

Arrive in Paris and check into your mid-budget hotel. 

Recommended hotel:  Hotel Le Relais Saint Jacques . Start your day with a delicious breakfast at a local café.

• Visit the  iconic Eiffel Tower  and enjoy panoramic views of Paris from the top.
• Explore the  Champ de Mars park  around the  Eiffel Tower.

• Stroll along the  Seine River  and admire the beautiful bridges and architecture.
• Enjoy a  dinner cruise on the Seine River   for a romantic evening.
• Explore the  nightlife in the Latin Quarter,  known for its vibrant atmosphere and diverse bars.

Day 2: Exploring Paris

• Take a  walk through the Tuileries Garden  adjacent to the Louvre.
• Explore the  historic neighborhood of Montmartre , visit the  Sacré-Cœur Basilica,  and enjoy breathtaking views of Paris.

• Wander through the  streets of Le Marais,  known for its trendy boutiques, art galleries, and charming cafes.
• Experience  Parisian nightlife at Le Caveau de la Huchette , a famous jazz club.

Day 3: Day Trip from Paris

• Book a Day trip to the  Palace of Versailles  and explore the opulent palace and stunning gardens.
• Marvel at the  Hall of Mirrors and the Grand Trianon .

• Have lunch at one of the quaint cafes near the palace.
• Explore the  charming town of Versailles  and its local markets.

👉Best France Itinerary 8 days (Hotels + Vegan Food + Things To Do)

• Return to Paris and relax at your hotel.
• Enjoy dinner at a traditional French brasserie.

Day 4 Of Amsterdam And Paris Itinerary: Travel to Amsterdam

Amsterdam is worth visiting for its picturesque canals, vibrant cultural scene, historic architecture, and relaxed atmosphere, providing a unique blend of history, art, and modernity in a charming European setting.

👉Perfect Day-wise Netherlands Itinerary 7 Days – 1 Week In The Netherlands Trip Guide

• Check out from your hotel in Paris and  travel to Amsterdam.
• The commuting distance between Paris and Amsterdam is approximately 500 kilometers.

• Check into your mid-budget hotel in Amsterdam.  Recommended hotel: Hotel CC Amsterdam .
• Grab lunch at a local Dutch eatery.
• Take a  scenic canal cruise to explore Amsterdam’s  historic canal district.
• Experience  Amsterdam’s nightlife at Leidseplein Square , which is known for its bars, clubs, and live music venues.

Day 5 Of Amsterdam And Paris Itinerary: Exploring Amsterdam

• Visit the  Anne Frank House   and learn about the history of Anne Frank and her diary.

• Visit the  Van Gogh Museum   and admire the largest collection of Vincent van Gogh’s artwork.
• Have lunch at a traditional  Dutch pancake house .
• Explore the  Red Light District  and learn about Amsterdam’s liberal culture.
• Enjoy dinner at one of the many international restaurants in the city.

Day 6 Of Amsterdam And Paris Trip Itinerary: Day Trip from Amsterdam

• Take a  day trip to Zaanse Schans  and explore the picturesque windmills and historic houses.
• Have lunch at a local cafe in Zaanse Schans.
• Visit the  Keukenhof Gardens (open seasonally)  to see the vibrant tulip fields.

• Return to Amsterdam and relax at your hotel.
• Explore the vibrant  nightlife of the Rembrandtplein  area.

End of Paris and Amsterdam Trip – Day 7: Departure

• Look out for interesting Dutch souvenirs at the market near your hotel stay. Check out from your hotel and head to the airport for your departure.

This itinerary combines iconic landmarks, cultural experiences, and vibrant nightlife options in Paris and Amsterdam. Book any necessary tours or tickets to ensure a smooth and enjoyable trip.

👉Best Amsterdam Brussels Paris Itinerary By Train + Things To Do, Nightlife, Tours & Hotels

Paris To Amsterdam Travel Options

There are several options for traveling from Paris to Amsterdam, each offering cost, convenience, and travel time benefits. Here are the most common options.

Thalys High-Speed Train :

• Duration:  Approximately 3 hours and 20 minutes.
• Frequency:  Multiple trains daily.
• Advantages:  Fast and comfortable journey, with onboard amenities such as Wi-Fi and catering services.
• Ticket Cost:  Varies depending on the booking time and travel class.

Intercity Train :

• Duration:  Approximately 4 hours and 20 minutes.
• Frequency:  Regular departures throughout the day.
• Advantages:  It is more affordable than Thalys, with comfortable seating and amenities.
• Ticket Cost:  Generally cheaper than Thalys, especially if booked in advance.

Eurolines or FlixBus:

• Duration:  Approximately 7 to 9 hours.
• Frequency:  Several departures daily.
• Advantages:  Cost-effective option for budget travelers, with onboard amenities like Wi-Fi and restrooms.
• Ticket Cost:  Typically cheaper than trains, especially if booked in advance or during promotional periods.

Direct Flights:

• Duration:  Approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.
• Frequency:  Multiple flights daily.
• Advantages:  Fastest option, especially considering travel time to and from airports.
• Ticket Cost:  Prices vary depending on the airline, time of booking, and travel dates. Budget airlines may offer cheaper fares.

Car /  Rental Car:

• Duration:  Approximately 4 to 5 hours, depending on traffic and route.
• Advantages:  Offers flexibility to explore intermediate destinations along the way.
• Considerations:  Factor in fuel costs, tolls, and parking fees. Traffic congestion can also affect travel time.

BlaBlaCar /  Ridesharing:

• Duration:  Varies depending on the driver’s schedule and route.
• Advantages:  Cost-effective option for travelers looking to share a ride with locals or fellow tourists.
• Ticket Cost:  Generally cheaper than trains or buses, but availability may vary.

Transfer Options within Amsterdam

• Upon arrival in Amsterdam, you can easily navigate the city using public transportation options such as trams, buses, and the metro.
• Taxis and ride-hailing services like Uber are also available for convenient point-to-point transfers.
• Many hotels in Amsterdam offer shuttle services to and from the airport for their guests, so be sure to inquire about this option when booking accommodation.

Choose the transportation option that suits your budget, travel time, and comfort level. It’s advisable to book tickets in advance, especially during peak travel seasons, to secure the best fares and availability.

Must Try French Bistros & Dutch Bakeries At Paris And Amsterdam Trip

Here are some recommended French bistros in Paris and Dutch bakeries in Amsterdam to try out:

French Bistros in Paris

• Le Comptoir du Relais  – It is nown for its cozy atmosphere and traditional French dishes.
• Chez Janou  – Famous for its hearty Provençal cuisine and vibrant ambiance.
• Bistrot Paul Bert  – Offers classic French bistro fare.
• Le Bistrot du Peintre  – A charming spot serving delicious French comfort food in a relaxed setting.
• Les Philosophes  – Popular for its authentic French cuisine and bustling atmosphere in the Marais district.

Dutch Bakeries in Amsterdam

• Bakkerij Hartog  – Renowned for its freshly baked bread, pastries, and traditional Dutch treats.
• De Laatste Kruimel  – Offers a delightful selection of homemade pies, quiches, and cakes in a cozy setting.
• Bakkerij MAMA  – Known for its artisanal bread, croissants, and sweet treats made with organic ingredients.
• Bakkerij van Vessem  is a family-owned bakery known for its wide range of bread, pastries, and sandwiches.
• Vlaamsch Broodhuys  – Specializes in sourdough bread, artisanal pastries, and delicious breakfast options, with multiple locations across Amsterdam.

These establishments offer authentic culinary experiences, allowing you to savor French and Dutch cuisine flavors during your visit to Paris and Amsterdam.

Safe & Famous Nightlife Cabaret Options In Paris And Amsterdam Itinerary

Check some safe and highly-rated lounges in Amsterdam and Paris trip.

Cabarets in Paris:

• Moulin Rouge  – One of the most famous lounges in the world, known for its dazzling performances, elaborate costumes, and iconic red windmill.
• Lido de Paris  – Offers spectacular shows featuring music, dance, and aerial acrobatics in a luxurious setting on the Champs-Élysées.
• Crazy Horse Paris  – Renowned for its avant-garde performances, artistic choreography, and sensual ambiance, presenting a celebration of femininity.
• Le Paradis Latin  – One of the oldest cabarets in Paris, known for its historic charm, lively entertainment, and traditional French revue shows.
• Au Lapin Agile  – A historic cabaret in Montmartre, famous for its intimate setting, authentic atmosphere, and live performances of French chansons.

Cabarets in Amsterdam

• Boom Chicago  – Offers comedy shows, improvisation, and sketch comedy performances in English, catering to international audiences.
• Café Casablanca  is a popular cabaret venue in Amsterdam known for its diverse lineup of live music, comedy, and cabaret acts.
• Bourbon Street  – Features live jazz, blues, and soul performances in a cozy and atmospheric setting reminiscent of New Orleans’ jazz clubs.
• Carré Theatre  – Although primarily a theater venue, Carré occasionally hosts cabaret performances featuring various artists and acts.
• De Kleine Komedie  is Amsterdam’s oldest theater, known for its eclectic program of comedy, cabaret, and theater productions, showcasing both established and up-and-coming talents.

These lounges offer memorable entertainment experiences, combining live performances, music, and comedy for an unforgettable evening in Paris and Amsterdam. 

Famous Cities Or Countries Near Paris And Amsterdam Trip

 If visitors to Paris and Amsterdam have extra time to explore nearby destinations, several beautiful cities and countries are worth considering.

👉7 Days In Denmark (Best Denmark Itinerary + Hotels + Ultimate Things To Do)

Nearby Cities from Paris:

• Brussels, Belgium  – Known for its medieval architecture, delicious chocolate, and famous landmarks like the Grand Place and Atomium.
• Lyon, France  – Renowned for its culinary scene, historic old town, and UNESCO-listed sites, including the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière.
• Strasbourg, France  – A picturesque city with half-timbered houses, the stunning Strasbourg Cathedral, and the European Parliament.
• Amsterdam, Netherlands  – While it’s already on the list, Amsterdam is worth mentioning for its charming canals, world-class museums, and vibrant cultural scene. 
• Bruges, Belgium  – A medieval fairy-tale town known for its canals, cobblestone streets, and well-preserved historic buildings.
• Berlin, Germany  – A dynamic city with a rich history, offering iconic landmarks like the Berlin Wall, Brandenburg Gate, and Museum Island.

• Antwerp, Belgium  – Famous for its diamond district, stunning architecture, and the majestic Cathedral of Our Lady.
• Ghent, Belgium  – A vibrant university city with a medieval castle, picturesque canals, and an eclectic cultural scene.

These destinations offer diverse experiences, from historic landmarks and cultural attractions to culinary delights and scenic landscapes, making them perfect additions to the Amsterdam and Paris trip itinerary.

I hope you loved reading about the Paris and Amsterdam itinerary (Amsterdam and Paris itinerary) with day-wise things to do, where to stay, commuting options, nightlife, and dining options. 

So plan a Paris and Amsterdam trip and enjoy your Amsterdam and Paris trip!

Picture Courtesy – CanvaPro

Follow more on social media channels at 

Facebook     Twitter     Instagram     Pinterest

All content and photos belong to travelwithme247blog(dot)com, and using content/pictures without permission would result in legal action.

DISCLAIMER  – The blog’s content is solely my views of a place or a thing. This does not offend any class, religion, ethnicity, or nation. My thoughts can change from time to time. This blog may contain some advertisements or links to commercial products, so this site is not responsible after you click on those advertisements. 

We are the independent owner of this site, and the views expressed in this are our own. I own all photographs or rights to use them. There can be slight differences in distances, locations, or some details for which I (owner) am not responsible. This post may contain some affiliate links, which means at no additional cost to you. I will earn if you will click through affiliates and make a purchase.

Share this:

• Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Click to print (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Flipboard (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Discover more from Travel With Me 24 X 7

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Type your email…

Continue reading

How To Travel Amsterdam to Brussels (2024)

Brussels is the capital of Belgium and a principal European political centre – located around 200km from Amsterdam.

Travel between Amsterdam and Brussels is possible by high speed and standard rail, airline flights and coaches.

As Belgium and the Netherlands are members of the Schengen Zone agreement you do not normally need to go through a passport control check when travelling between Amsterdam and Brussels.

Amsterdam-Brussels by Train (recommended)

Travelling by train between Amsterdam and Brussels is certainly the best option in terms of time and convenience and gets you into the heart of both city centres. It can be easily booked using via the NS International site (euros) or the Trainline site here (multi-currencies) with prices starting at €25 one-way.

There are currently 3 choices of trains available:

• Eurostar (formerly Thalys), the high-speed train service between Amsterdam and Paris (from €29)
• Intercity Brussels , the Intercity service between Amsterdam and Brussels (from €25)

1. Amsterdam-Brussels by Eurostar (formerly Thalys)

The high speed Eurostar service runs from Amsterdam Central station to Paris Gare du Nord via Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, Rotterdam Central, Antwerp Central and Brussels Zuid/Midi .

Eurostar normally runs up to 15x daily and the Amsterdam-Brussels journey takes 1 hour 50 minutes .

There are 3 classes of travel on Eurostar: Standard, Comfort and Premium.

Standard has 2nd class seating (2-2 configuration) with free WiFi. Food/drink can be purchased at the bar carriage. Standard tickets are refundable and exchangeable up to 7 days before travel; thereafter there are no refunds, but changes are possible for a €15 fee plus the price difference.

Comfort has 1st class seating (2-1 configuration), free WiFi and food/drink can be purchased at the bar. Comfort tickets are also refundable and exchangeable up to 7 days before travel; thereafter there are no refunds, but changes are possible for a €15 fee plus the price difference.

Premium is a proper first class product with 1st class seating (2-1 configuration), free WiFi (with more data), complimentary food/drink served at your seat and and free access to an international press app. Premium tickets are fully refundable up to 1 hour before travel; changes are possible right up to departure time with any price difference applying.

Premium ticket holders can access the Eurostar lounges in Brussels as well as the NS International lounges at Amsterdam, Schiphol Airport or Rotterdam..

All Eurostar seats have individual electric power outlets.

Eurostar permits 2 pieces of luggage (max 75 x 53 x 30cm, no weight limit) plus 1 item of hand luggage. There are overhead luggage racks and special racks at each end of the carriage for larger items.

Eurostar tickets are on sale up to 4 months out and are booked like an airline seat – with a specific seat reservation. Your ticket will have a carriage and seat number.

To secure the cheapest fares you should book as early as possible. Standard fares cost €29-€89, Comfort fares cost €52-€103 and Premium fares range from €106-€129.

TIP: The last Eurostar of the day out of Amsterdam (departing around 2015 or 2115) can often have cheaper availability even at the last minute. Conversely, the first Eurostar out of Brussels towards Amsterdam (departing around 0650 on weekdays) tends to still have the cheaper tariffs.

• Fastest journey time
• Includes seat reservation
• Lowest Standard fares are good value
• Catering available
• More expensive than Intercity
• Popular – so tickets can sell out

Book your Eurostar ticket with NS International here Book your Eurostar ticket with Trainline here

2. Amsterdam-Brussels by Intercity Brussels

The Intercity Brussels is an Intercity train service which normally runs up to 16x daily between Amsterdam and Brussels Zuid/Midi. It is jointly operated by NS Dutch Railways and Belgian Rail.

Although this train does run along the high speed track, it is not a high speed train service and makes more stops than the Eurostar.

The stops are at Schiphol Airport, Rotterdam, Breda, Noorderkempen (Belgium), Antwerp Central, Antwerp Berchem, Mechelen, Brussels Airport , Brussels North and Brussels Central .

Allow about 2 hour 50 minutes to make the Amsterdam-Brussels journey on the Intercity Brussels.

There are no seat reservations so passengers can simply board and sit in any free seat in their class. Seating is 2nd class (2-2 configuration) and 1st class (2-1 configuration). Some 1st class carriages can also have a couple of small 6 person (3-3) compartments.

Luggage racks can accommodate small and medium size bags. In 1st class there are larger luggage racks at the end of the carriage.

Standard distance-based prices are in effect for travel using intercity trains although cheaper online “early bird” fares are also available if booking at least 3 days in advance.

The standard full-flex (2024) fare for Amsterdam-Brussels one-way costs €56.50 (2nd class) or €91.50 (1st class). These are valid on any Intercity Brussels service on-the-day and are freely changeable up to the departure day.

Early bird one-way fares start at €25 (2nd class) and €41 (1st class) and are valid for a specific train only. Tickets can be changed for a €5 fee.

Holders of Dutch Railways NS discount cards and free NS travel cards receive a fare reduction off the full-flex fare for the Netherlands segment of travel.

Intercity Brussels tickets are on sale from 180 days out.

TIP: The Intercity Brussels is a popular service and gets very busy at peak times. Boarding and finding a seat can sometimes be a bit of a scrum. Consider buying a 1st class ticket for a smoother boarding experience; or take the train at an earlier or later time in the day.

• Cheaper than Eurostar
• ‘Walk-up’ full-flex fare always available
• No guaranteed seat reservation – can get busy
• No catering on board

Book Intercity Brussels tickets with NS International here Book Intercity Brussels tickets with Trainline here

Amsterdam-Brussels Flights

It is possible to fly between Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) and Brussels Zaventem (BRU) airport. The scheduled flight time is around 45 minutes – although by the time you take into account travel to/from the airport and waiting for your flight – you are much better off taking the train.

Dutch airline KLM (Skyteam) currently has up to 4x daily flights from Schiphol to Brussels – using either Boeing 737s or “Cityhopper” branded Embraer 175/190 jets. Return airfares start at around €200 – note KLM charges for checked luggage but you do get a complimentary drink and snack onboard.

The reality is this flight route is mainly aimed at transfer passengers on longer-haul routes.

There are train stations at Schiphol and Brussels airports which can get you to the centre of town in 15-20 minutes. The Brussels airport train to central Brussels runs up to 4x hourly. Buy Brussels airport train return tickets in advance here

Amsterdam-Brussels by Coach

The coach is the cheapest travel option between Amsterdam and Brussels with a journey time of around 3 hours

Flixbus is a German coach company that offers services between Amsterdam Sloterdijk and Brussels Noord. It currently operates a multiple daily service with fares starting at around €9 one-way. Book your Flixbus ticket here

BlaBlaCar bus normally operates a 3-8x daily Amsterdam-Brussels coach service. Fares start at €9 one-way. Coach stops are at Amsterdam Sloterdijk station and Brussels Zuid/Midi station. Book your BlaBlaCar bus tickets via Omio here

For more on travel to Belgium see Amsterdam-Antwerp travel options and Amsterdam to Bruges or Ghent

Amsterdam Resources

Looking for a convenient hotel near Amsterdam Central station? Check out the stylish Kimpton-De Witt which is a short walk from the station. For those on a budget the Ibis Amsterdam Centre is literally on top of the western edge of the station platforms.

The I Amsterdam City Card (1-5 days) offers free entry and discounts to numerous Amsterdam museums and attractions. It also includes a free public transport pass, a canal cruise and bike rental as well. You can order your I Amsterdam City Card online here

Brussels Resources

Are you looking for a hotel in Brussels? Book here with Booking.com

The Brussels Pass includes access to the Atomium, the hop-on/off Tootbus Brussels and a city guide app.

This article was originally published in 2010 and has continuously been updated. Last update 30 January 2024 .

Links on AmsterdamTips.com may pay us an affiliate commission.

Related Articles

International Rail Borders in the Netherlands

Eurostar London-Amsterdam Review

How To Travel Amsterdam to Marseille

How To Travel Amsterdam to Liège

40 Best Stops Between Amsterdam and Paris

Navigate forward to interact with the calendar and select a date. Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates.

Navigate backward to interact with the calendar and select a date. Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates.

How long is the drive from Amsterdam to Paris?

The direct drive from Amsterdam to Paris is 313 mi (503 km) , and should have a drive time of 4 hrs 44 mins in normal traffic.

If you’re going on a road trip from Amsterdam to Paris, we did the research for you and compiled some great stops along the way — with Brussels , Bruges , Marne-la-Vallee , Antwerp , Rotterdam , Ghent , Lille , Ieper (Ypres) , Utrecht , and Arras , as well as top places to visit like Dom Tower and Stromma Utrecht | Canal Tours Utrecht - Pedal Boats, or the ever-popular Spoorwegmuseum.

Top cities between Amsterdam and Paris

Track your travel spending and split costs with friends

Plan your trip. Keep your budget organized. Split the cost between tripmates. Wanderlog does it all.

Marne-la-Vallée

Best stops along amsterdam to paris drive, spoorwegmuseum.

Stromma Utrecht | Canal Tours Utrecht - Pedal Boats

St john's cathedral, beekse bergen, dordrecht minster or church of our lady, large church breda - our dear mother church, flood museum, historic leuven town hall, groot begijnhof leuven, saint rumbold's cathedral.

St Michael and St Gudula Cathedral, Brussels

Royal gallery of saint hubert.

Don’t forget to pack anything

Stay organized with a to-do list, packing list, shopping list, any kind of list.

Grand Place

Manneken pis.

Ghent City Hall

Saint bavo's cathedral.

Gravensteen

Tyne cot cemetery & visitors centre, memorial museum passchendaele 1917, vieux-lille.

All travel reservations in 1 place

Never dig through your emails again — access all your flights, lodging, and any reservations in 1 place.

Zoo de Lille

Disneyland paris, parc walt disney studios, la vallee village, top searches in paris, other popular road trips from amsterdam, explore nearby places.

• Le Pre Saint Gervais
• Kremlin Bicetre
• Saint-Mande
• Ivry-sur-Seine
• Levallois-Perret
• Charenton-le-Pont
• La Plaine-Saint-Denis
• Neuilly-sur-Seine
• Romainville
• Aubervilliers
• Asnieres-sur-Seine
• Saint Maurice
• Vitry-sur-Seine

All related maps of Paris

• Map of Paris
• Map of Gentilly
• Map of Montrouge
• Map of Le Pre Saint Gervais
• Map of Kremlin Bicetre
• Map of Bagnolet
• Map of Saint-Mande
• Map of Les Lilas
• Map of Ivry-sur-Seine
• Map of Arcueil
• Map of Pantin
• Map of Malakoff
• Map of Vanves
• Map of Levallois-Perret
• Map of Clichy
• Map of Charenton-le-Pont
• Map of La Plaine-Saint-Denis
• Map of Vincennes
• Map of Neuilly-sur-Seine
• Map of Montreuil
• Map of Saint Ouen
• Map of Romainville
• Map of Cachan
• Map of Aubervilliers
• Map of Bagneux
• Map of Villejuif
• Map of Chatillon
• Map of Asnieres-sur-Seine
• Map of Saint Maurice
• Map of Courbevoie
• Map of Vitry-sur-Seine

Paris throughout the year

• Paris in January
• Paris in February
• Paris in March
• Paris in April
• Paris in May
• Paris in June
• Paris in July
• Paris in August
• Paris in September
• Paris in October
• Paris in November
• Paris in December

Looking for day-by-day itineraries in Paris?

Get inspired for your trip to Paris with our curated itineraries that are jam-packed with popular attractions everyday! Check them out here:

• 1-Day Paris Itinerary
• 2-Day Paris Itinerary
• 3-Day Paris Itinerary
• 4-Day Paris Itinerary
• 5-Day Paris Itinerary

Frequently Asked Questions

Can i drive from amsterdam to paris.

Yes! You can drive from Amsterdam to Paris.

How far is Paris from Amsterdam by car?

The drive from Amsterdam to Paris is 313 miles (503 km).

How long does it take to drive from Amsterdam to Paris?

Driving from Amsterdam to Paris should take you 4 hrs 44 mins in normal traffic.

How much would gas cost from Amsterdam to Paris?

Gas from Amsterdam to Paris would cost around $27 to $64 , depending on your vehicle's fuel efficiency.

Where should I stop on the way from Amsterdam to Paris?

You could check out Dom Tower and Stromma Utrecht | Canal Tours Utrecht - Pedal Boats, or the always popular Spoorwegmuseum!

What are the best cities to visit between Amsterdam and Paris?

People love visiting Brussels, Bruges, and Marne-la-Vallee, among others.

What's the weather like in Amsterdam?

It depends on when you visit! We've compiled data from NASA for each month of the year: see the links below for more information.

• Weather in Amsterdam in January
• Weather in Amsterdam in February
• Weather in Amsterdam in March
• Weather in Amsterdam in April
• Weather in Amsterdam in May
• Weather in Amsterdam in June
• Weather in Amsterdam in July
• Weather in Amsterdam in August
• Weather in Amsterdam in September
• Weather in Amsterdam in October
• Weather in Amsterdam in November
• Weather in Amsterdam in December

What are some other road trips from Amsterdam?

There are plenty! Below you'll find links to all the road trips we've assembled for Amsterdam.

• Amsterdam to London drive
• Amsterdam to Paris drive
• Amsterdam to Brussels drive
• Amsterdam to Berlin drive
• Amsterdam to Rome drive
• Amsterdam to Barcelona drive
• Amsterdam to Prague drive
• Amsterdam to Bruges drive
• Amsterdam to Dublin drive
• Amsterdam to Edinburgh drive
• Amsterdam to Madrid drive
• Amsterdam to Vienna drive
• Amsterdam to Florence drive
• Amsterdam to Milan drive
• Amsterdam to Cologne drive
• Amsterdam to Budapest drive
• Amsterdam to Copenhagen drive
• Amsterdam to Antwerp drive
• Amsterdam to Venice drive
• Amsterdam to Hamburg drive
• Amsterdam to Munich drive
• Amsterdam to Lisbon drive
• Amsterdam to York drive
• Amsterdam to Istanbul drive
• Amsterdam to Turin drive
• Amsterdam to Krakow drive
• Amsterdam to Stockholm drive
• Amsterdam to Frankfurt drive
• Amsterdam to Liverpool drive

• Itinerary + map in one view
• Live collaboration
• Auto-import hotels and reservations
• Optimize your route
• Offline access on mobile
• See time and distance between all your places

Family Holidays Amsterdam Brussels Paris Tour Package – Entertainment & Fun

Tour code: eu-5 entertainment & fun amsterdam brussels paris.

• Information
• Tour Itinerary
• Similar Tours

What's included

• Airport Transfers
• City to City Transfers
• Hotel Accommodation
• Sightseeing
• Any thing which is not mention on inclusions

Vimianos committed to deliver “Best of the Best” deals on your kind of Customize Amsterdam Brussels Paris Tour Package under your budget.

• 02 Nights Accommodation in Amsterdam at 3* Hotel
• 02X Breakfast at Hotel
• Private Transfer from Airport to Hotel
• Amsterdam Sightseeing Tour by Canal Cruise – Duration: 01hr 30min
• Full Day Trip to Netherlands Country Side Villages and Visit to Zannse Schans Windmills – Duration 06 hrs
• High-Speed Train Ticket (Economy Class) from Amsterdam to Paris

• 01 Night Accommodation in Brussels at 3* Hotel
• 01X Breakfast at Hotel

Brussels Walking Tour

• High-speed Train Tickets (Economy Class) from Brussels to Paris

• 02 Nights Accommodation in Paris at 3* Hotel
• Louvre Museum Admission Ticket
• Paris City Tour include Seine Cruise and Eiffel Tower 2nd Floor with Fast Access – Duration: 04 hrs+
• Private Transfer from Hotel to Airport

 The Most Affordable Amsterdam Brussels Paris Tour Package

In this Amsterdam Brussels Paris tour package, you will discover the all major attractions and must do things in these three cities of Europe.

Amsterdam display the Dutch heritage in its architecture, museums and beautiful canals. The old city center, with its cobble type stone roads and countless canals makes it a perfect place to wander and stroll around the city.

Brussels is the capital of Belgium which is home of French Fries and famous Belgium Chocolates. It is another gem’s of Europe and known as other major cities in Europe tour packages like Paris or Amsterdam.

Paris does not need any introduction; it is one of the most attractive European city and a global center for art, fashion, gastronomy and culture.

Highlights of Customized Amsterdam Brussels Paris Tour Package:

Evening Canal Cruise of Amsterdam

• View the most picturesque sight of Amsterdam on this evening canal cruise.
• Enjoy sail and visit the historic city center, admire the Tiny Bridge, Glossy Bend, and many more.
• See the enlightened merchant houses and visit hotspots of local people on canal belt of Amsterdam.
• Board on a canal boat to experience most beautiful sights of Amsterdam – the city lights are switched on which sunset.
• Admire the bridges which are illuminated by lights, click photos of picturesque buildings along the sides of canals.
• Enjoy the sail along with the most scenic channel belt of Amsterdam, which showcase the city in a beautiful appearance.
• You will be welcome by a host on the cruise, who explain many interesting stories and historical facts about the city while sailing.
• Relax and sit back, learn about the local hotspots including information about good restaurants, city’s nightlife and things to do.

Outside Amsterdam City – Windmill & Dutch Country Side Villages Tour

• Take the advantage of our Amsterdam Brussels Paris Tour Package and enjoy this amazing day trip.
• On this day trip from Amsterdam you will discover the charms of the Dutch countryside and the typical fishing villages.
• Visit the picturesque local villages of Netherlands: Edam, Volendam, Marken, and Zaanse Schans, the most visited places outside Amsterdam.
• Visit to the cheese factory from inside, admire typical Dutch light houses and experience about Dutch culture.
• Admire the classic Dutch windmill during the visit to Zaanse Schans.
• Visit the clog factory workshop and learn about the traditional wooden shoe making.
• Meet the local cheese maker and see how they make local cheese.
• On this charming Dutch countryside tour absorb yourself in the culture and beauty of Netherlands.
• Explore Brussels with a knowledge local tour guide.
• Discover the rich history of the iconic city and wonder its treasures on this walking tour.
• Enjoy the time at Brussels old Grand Place.
• Explore the hidden gems in the old town area.
• Learn about culture of Brussels city.
• Heard the stories of the most famous monuments of the city.
• Take in panoramic views of the city from Kunstberg.

Louvre Museum Skip Line Admission

• Fast track admission to the Louvre Museum.
• In one of the greatest museums of the world, spend your time to admire painting of Mona Lisa, the artistic masterpieces of Leonardo da Vinci.
• Admire the wonderful artwork of the world most famous artist from ancient era to the new world.
• Visit the museum and spend your time inside as much you like with your ticket to the Louvre.
• Direct go to the security check, and view some of the finest art of the world.

Paris City Tour + Seine River + Eiffel Tower Combined Tour

• A perfect blend of city attractions in Paris, enjoy the must do things through our Amsterdam Brussels Paris Tour Package.
• Enjoy Panoramic City tour of Paris by bus.
• Fast priority admission to the Eiffel Tower to avoid long waiting queues.
• On this boat trip along the Seine River, you will admire the view of charming Paris.
• Visit to the Eiffel Tower with 02 level priority access tickets and experience the breathtaking views of Paris city.
• This unique tour offers you to discover the most famous tourist sites and monuments of Paris city.
• This in-depth tour is the ideal way to explore Paris if you visiting as first timer.

Customizable Amsterdam Brussels Paris Tour Package

You can customized Amsterdam Brussels Paris tour package as per your budget, our team will design a stunning Amsterdam Brussels Paris holiday package as per your preference at lowest rate guaranteed.

If you wish to travel on a private vehicle, then we organize a  Car or Van  suitable for your family with experienced Driver cum guide who might speak your language.

Please send your query or simply whatsapp to us for customizable Amsterdam Brussels Paris holiday package, we will be happy to assist you. Vimianos Travel will offer you the best in class services and most affordable rates on Amsterdam Brussels Paris tour package  from India.

Weather Report

Click to check Brussels Weather Report

ARRIVAL AT AMSTERDAM AIRPORT

You will Arrive at Amsterdam Airport

After Immigration Clearence, Collect your bags and make your way to Arrival Hall

At Arrival Area you will be meet with your Personal Driver with your Name Signage

First, Meet & Greet by the Driver then You will be Transfer from Airport to Hotel in a Private Luxury Car (Mercedes E- Class / Mercedes V-Class or Similar)

Admire the Panoramic View from your Personal Vehicle, on the way to your hotel

Upon Arrival at your Hotel make your way to the Reception for Check in at your Room

After Check in Relax for some Time

In the Afternoon or Evening Explore the City on your Own

Spend Some Time in A Coffe Shop, Restaurant or enjoy the Shopping in the City

Enjoy 1.5-Hour Evening Canal Cruise

See Amsterdam at its most picturesque on a 1.5-hour canal cruise by night. Discover the historic city center as you sail past the Skinny Bridge, Golden Bend, and more. Marvel at the illuminated merchant houses and learn where the local hotspots are.

Cruise the scenic waterways of Amsterdam by night

See the picturesque bridges and merchant houses, illuminated for the night

Learn about the notable hotspots on Amsterdam's Canal Belt

Climb aboard a canal boat to experience Amsterdam at its most beautiful - when the sun goes down and the city lights are switched on. Thousands of lights highlight the hundreds of bridges and the iconic buildings alongside the canals.

You will cruise along some of the most scenic waterways of Amsterdam’s Canal Belt, passing the illuminated buildings, bridges, and boats that give the city an almost fairytale appearance.

A host will welcome you aboard and tell you many stories, legends, and historical facts about Amsterdam as you sail. Sit back to learn about the local hotspots, including notable restaurants and nightclubs.

WINDMILLS, DUTCH COUNTRYSIDE & FISHING VILLAGES TOUR

Today Discover the charms of the Dutch countryside on this day trip from Amsterdam and visit the picturesque towns of Edam, Volendam, Marken, and Zaanse Schans. Learn about Dutch culture, admire quintessential Dutch lighthouses, and explore a cheese factory.

Admire the typical Dutch windmill at Zaanse Schans

Visit a local cheese producer to learn about Edam and Gouda Cheese

Learn about the traditional wooden clog shoe at a clog factory

Immerse yourself in the culture of the Netherlands on this amazing tour through the jewels of the Dutch countryside. The tour starts from Amsterdam’s Central Station and heads to the first destination of the day, Zaanse Schans. Spend some time admiring the typical Dutch windmills of the town, and learn about how they are still used today.

Next, drive to the Waterland area to arrive at the second stop of the tour, Edam. Walk around some of the town’s most historical sites, including the town square where the famous cheese market used to take place. Then head to Volendam to visit a local cheese producer and learn from the cheese master about the production of Edam and Gouda cheeses.

Head towards a clog factory next to discover the secrets of this typical Dutch shoe. Then, travel back in time to the 17th century as you wander through the fishermen’s houses in the Marken, and explore this quintessential fishing village.

AMSTERDAM - BRUSSELS

Morning Check out from the Hotel and Transfer to Brussels by Highspeed Train

On Arrival at Brussels' Hotel Keep your Luggage

Later Join the Brussels City Free Walking Tour - Tips to be pay by Cash to the Guide on the Spot

Explore Brussels for free with a passionate local guide. Discover the rich history of its iconic city center and marvel at its treasures on this popular 2-hour walking tour.

Marvel at Brussels' centuries-old Grand Place

Explore the hidden gems in the old town area

Learn about Brussels' food and beer culture

Discover the stories behind Brussels most famous monuments

Take in panoramic views of the city from Mont des Arts

Book an advanced reservation for Brussels’s popular free city tour and enjoy an informative 2-hour walking tour of the city’s main attractions. Learn about the city's history from passionate expert guides. These local guides offer their services for free in the belief that you deserve the best possible tour, no matter what your travel budget is. Because they work for their tips, every tour is consistently one of the best.

Listen to your guide as they walk you through the history of Brussels, from its origins as a muddy village on the Zenne River, to its current status as the Political Capital of Europe. Travel along unique routes that you won't find on other tours, and hear previously untold stories.

See the famous Grand Place and discover the city’s historic center. Pass the Manneken Pis, stroll by the Royal Galleries, enjoy a panoramic view from Mont des Arts and much more. Discover history in an entertaining and accessible way, and enjoy one of the most popular tours in the city.

BRUSSELS - PARIS

Morning Check out from the Hotel and Transfer to Paris by Highspeed Train

On Arrival at Paris Hotel Keep your Luggage

Afternoon Visit to Lourve Museum

Benefit from a dedicated skip-the-ticket-line entrance to the Louvre Museum in Paris, and enjoy more time to see the artistic masterpieces such as Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa in one of the world’s greatest museums.

Benefit from fast and easy skip-the-ticket-line entrance

Marvel at works of art, from Ancient Egypt to the Renaissance

Spend as much time as you like inside the museum and explore at your own pace

Explore one of the world’s best art museums at your own pace with your ticket to the Louvre. Skip the ticket line and head straight to the security check, before heading inside and viewing some of the world's finest art.

Once inside the historic palace located on the Right Bank of the Seine, see unmissable and iconic sights such as the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo. Discover masterpieces of the Renaissance and ancient Egyptian relics, along with paintings from the 13th to 20th centuries, prints from the Royal Collection, and much more.

The museum first opened on August 10 1793 with an exhibition of just 537 paintings. Despite closing in 1796, due to structural problems, it reopened in 1801 as the Musée Napoléon with a larger collection. Many works were seized and returned to their original owners after the defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo.

The collection was increased during the reign of Louis XVIII and Charles X, and during the Second French Empire the museum gained 20,000 pieces. Holdings have grown steadily since the Third Republic, and as of 2008, the collection is divided among 8 curatorial departments: Egyptian Antiquities; Near Eastern Antiquities; Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities; Islamic Art; Sculpture; Decorative Arts; Paintings; and Prints and Drawings.

Rest of the Day for your own Leisure

PARIS SIGHTSEEING

Today Enjoy Paris City Tour, Seine Cruise and Eiffel Tower 2nd Floor with Priority Access

Visit of Paris aboard a covered panoramic bus (heated in winter)

Priority access to the Eiffel Tower to avoid long queues

Navigate along the Seine river on a charming commented boat-cruise

Exceptional panoramic view of Paris from the 2nd floor of the Eiffel Tower

Discover Paris's most famous tourist sights and monuments on one unique tour This tour features a visit to the 2nd floor of the Eiffel Tower with breathtaking views of the capital, a panoramic city tour by coach, plus an hour-long boat trip along the Seine. This comprehensive tour is the ideal way to discover Paris for the first time. 

You will go to our agency Paris City Vision to board this flagship tour that will let you have a glimpse of Paris. Your tour by air-conditioned panoramic coach offers you the opportunity to see Paris and learn about its history and most famous sights through an audio guide commentary (individual headsets). Children's commentary is also available in French, English, Spanish, Italian and German. Marvel at Paris's best-known sights: Place Vendôme Square, the Opera House, the Pantheon, the Luxembourg Palace and Gardens, the Orsay Museum, Place de la Concorde Square, the Champs-Elysées, the Arc de Triomphe (Arc of Triumph), and the Invalides.

At the foot of the Eiffel Tower, step aboard for an hour-long musical cruise along the Seine with an audio guide. Marvel at the amazing architecture of the heart of Paris's most prestigious monuments lining the banks of the Seine: the Louvre Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Orsay Museum, the Conciergerie, etc. Relax on the fully-glassed boat with terrace, and be captivated by this river trip among Parisians who walk and cycle beside the river as you glide by.

Thanks to your priority access, you can skip the line and speed up by elevator to the 2nd floor of the Eiffel Tower, Paris's most unmissable monument. Built by Gustave Eiffel for the Universal Exhibition in 1889, it is 1,063 feet high. Take in the magnificent 360°views of the city and explore this iconic monument at your own pace.

Your excursion will end at the Eiffel Tower.

Today Check out from the Hotel and you will be meet with your Private Driver at your Hotel Reception

As per your Flight timing you will be Transfer to Paris Airport in a Private Comfortable Luxury Car

Bring Sweet and wounderful memories back to your home to share with your Friends and Family

User Reviews & Comments

[email protected]

Budget Friendly Package..

Comments are closed.

Send Quick Query

Vimianos travel, useful links.

• Destinations
• Europe Tour Packages
• Europe Group Tour Packages
• Europe Van Tours
• Terms & Conditions
• Privacy Policy

All © Vimianos Travel & Hospitality Pvt. Ltd. – All Rights Reserved.

Amsterdam Brussels Paris Tour Package - Entertainment & Fun

Enquiry about the Tour availability or anything you’d like to know. Required fields are marked *

Belgium, Amsterdam, and Luxembourg 7 Day Itinerary

Are you planning a trip to see Amsterdam, Brussels, Bruges, Ghent, and Dinant? This Belgium and Amsterdam itinerary hits the highlights of Belgium, which is often overlooked when people plan trips to Europe, with an overnight stay in Amsterdam plus a day trip to Luxembourg!

You can check 3 new countries off your list in one 7-day European trip. 

We originally planned our trip to Belgium thanks to a great flight deal on Going, our favorite place to find cheap flights! I've been to Europe several times, and have enjoyed visits to London, Paris, Italy (Venice - Florence - Rome), Greece (Athens - Paros), Germany, and Finland (Turku - Rovaniemi). While the Netherlands, specifically Amsterdam, was always high on my bucket list, Belgium was a country I had never seriously considered before.

I'm so glad I had the chance to see so much of this beautiful country! It far exceeded my expectations. 

I met up with a friend who started her trip in Paris, and then met up with us in Bruges, so Paris is an easy addition to this trip if it's a city on your bucket list!

Here is our sample itinerary for visiting the heart of Europe (Belgium, Amsterdam, Luxembourg). Hope this helps you plan your dream trip!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. That means if you click on a link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Day 1 - Arrive in Brussels

Day 2 - Train to Bruges and Explore

Day 3 - Train to Ghent and Explore

Day 4 - Train to Amsterdam and Explore

Day 5 - Anne Frank House and Canal Tour in Amsterdam, train to Brussels

Day 6 - Day trip to Luxembourg and Dinant

Day 7 - Brussels and head home

Optional Add-On

Day 7 - Train to Paris

Day 8 - Explore Paris

Day 9 - Fly home

Additional Option

Add on 2 more nights in Amsterdam in the springtime for a day trip to Keukenhof Garndens.

Day 1: Arrive in Brussels and Explore the Highlights

We flew into Brussels on Aer Lingus. We have found affordable fares for both of our trips to Europe in the past year on Aer Lingus. 

I was traveling solo with my 3-year-old, and we arrived after 6:30 p.m., so I hired a private transfer from the airport to our hotel. We used the company Welcome Pickups. It cost $62.96 for the private airport transfer, and the drive took about 45 minutes. 

I was also impressed that a car seat was provided. We didn't bring our car seat along since we would mostly be using public transportation.

We stayed overnight at  Holiday Inn Express Brussels Grand Palace  which was €168.18 and included free breakfast. This was the perfect location since I wanted to be close to a train station for our journey to Bruges the next day. I was also glad to be able to fit in a visit to Grand Place, a UNESCO World Heritage Site!

Got a stranger to take a photo of us in the rain in Grand Place in Brussels! We were on our way to the train station but I still wanted to take a moment to take it all in.

Grande Place is the main square in Brussels where you can see the Brussels Town Hall, the King's House, and some private residences. 

If you arrive early in the day and have time to do some sightseeing in Brussels, here are a few recommendations:

Grand Place - the central square in Brussels and a UNESCO World Heritage site

Manneken Pis - a statue of a little boy urinating into a fountain, which is a popular tourist attraction located near Grand Place. Worth visiting for a photo.

The Atomium - a modern building in the shape of a unit cell which is also a museum and art center!

Mini-Europe - a park with all of the major European landmarks in miniature. This is a great place to go if you have kids!

Where to Stay

Holiday Inn Express Grand Place  - includes free breakfast, and is within walking distance of Grand Place and the Brussels Central train station.

Day 2: Take a Train to Bruges and See the Canals

Bruges is a fairytale town known for its cobblestone streets, charming Flemish architecture, quaint canals, and a bustling historic city center. This medieval town should top your list of cities to visit in Belgium. 

We got up early, had breakfast at our hotel, and walked toward Brussels Central train station. We purchased our train tickets ahead of time on the  Belgian Train website . There are frequent trains from Brussels to Bruges, and the journey takes less than an hour.

We arrived in Bruges around 10:30 a.m. and decided to drop our bags off at the hotel. We stayed at  Dukes Academie Bruges , a boutique hotel near Minnewater Lake, and we were delighted to find that our room was already ready! 

You could spend days roaming the streets of Bruges and discovering new picturesque spots around town. If your time is limited, here are the highlights:

With my 3-year-old at Grove Market in Bruges.

Grote Markt (Market Square) - this is the main square in Bruges with the colorful Flemish buildings you'll often see in photos. There are plenty of restaurants and shops here, but we just enjoyed wandering around and getting some photos!

Take a Canal Cruise - If you want to see the city from a different perspective, hop on a canal tour. They run for 30 minutes taking visitors through the historic canals in Bruges. No need to buy tickets in advance. 

Frietmuseum (french fry museum) - Belgium is known for its Friet, or Belgian potato fries, so the Frietmuseum is the perfect place to learn all about the history of the Friet! Lots of interactive exhibits, so great for adults and kids. 

Quay of the Rosary - a bend in the canal with an iconic backdrop for photos.

Climb the Belfry - The Bruges Belfry is a medieval bell tower and a landmark in Bruges. You can climb the 366 stairs to the top for great views of the city.

Minnewater Lake - a small rectangular lake on the south side of Bruges. This idyllic park is quiet and peaceful, and a great place to sit and relax with kids.

Duke's Academie Hotel  - located near Minnewater Lake on the south end of Bruges. On a quiet street, and just a short walk from a grocery store. We paid for the breakfast when we booked the hotel and it was a great choice. The buffet breakfast was outstanding with tons of fresh fruit, waffles, bread, juice, coffee, and more. We booked a quad room for our group of 4, and our room was very spacious.

Day 3: Take a Train to Ghent and Explore the Historic Center

Ghent is another charming city in Belgium that is well worth your time. It's just a half-hour train ride from Bruges (or Brussels), and while it's a larger city than Bruges, it has a nice historic center. The regional trains run very frequently and are super affordable.

Like Bruges, Ghent still has buildings from the Middle Ages, avoiding damages from the bombings of World War II. When you leave the train station, you will have to pass a few blocks of modern architecture before you reach the historic center. 

Once in the history city center, though, you'll enjoy picturesque canals, a castle, and more Flemish architecture. A few things to see and do while you're there:

Canal Tour: no need to book tickets ahead of time. Find an operator along the canal and wait for the next boat.

Saint Michael's Bridge: a stone arch bridge in the historic district that makes a great photo spot!

Castle of the Counts: the former fortress of the Counts of Flanders. You can tour the Castle, by buying your tickets online or in person. A humorous audio guide is available to liven up your visit!

Graffiti Alley: Werregarenstraatje, or Graffiti Street, is an alley where street artists are free to make the walls their canvas. If you're a big fan of street art, this is a must-visit location.

Belgian Waffles: stop for Belgium's signature food at House of Waffle in the historic district along the canal. 

Duke's Academie in Bruges  - after enjoying the sights in Ghent we took an early evening train back to Bruges. Duke's Academie is only a 10-minute walk from the train station.

Day 4: Take a Train to Amsterdam and See the Flower Market

The Netherlands is located directly to the north of Belgium, so it makes sense to include an overnight stay in Amsterdam on your trip to Belgium. It's important to be aware that the train journey from Bruges to Amsterdam is no easy feat, though. 

First, you need to take the regional trains from Bruges to Brussels, and from there you'll connect to the Eurostar which will take you to Amsterdam. You'll need to switch trains several times, but the hassle is well worth your time.

If you depart from Bruges in the early morning hours, you'll still have plenty of free time to explore Amsterdam in the afternoon! The train journey takes around 4 hours in total, so bring a book!

I would recommend spending your first day wandering along the canals of Amsterdam, checking out the Flower Market, getting parmesan fries with truffle mayo from Fabel Friet, and indulging in some stroopwafel. 

Flower Market - stalls full of flowers and souvenirs lined up along the canals. A colorful and lively place near the city centre. 

Fabel Friet - this famous fry spot usually has a small line, but don't let that deter you. It moves fairly quickly and they have a very organized system. I would recommend the parmesan fries with truffle mayonnaise. 

Bike Tour or Walking Tour - a bike tour is probably the best way to see Amsterdam, so if you have older kids (or are visiting without kids), you may want to take a  guided bike tour . If you're not comfortable on a bike, a  guided walking tour  may be more your speed. 

Amsterdam Wiechmann Hotel  - we loved the central location along a canal, and the breakfast was included! The views of the canal at breakfast were idyllic. We stayed in one of the quad rooms, which was quite a climb up to the 3rd floor on steep and narrow staircases. Be ready to carry your luggage!

Day 5: Anne Frank House, Canal Tour, Stroopwafel, and Train Back to Brussels

On your second day in Amsterdam, you'll have time to see some of the city's museums! We started our day at the Anne Frank House, which you must reserve online several weeks in advance. We scheduled our visit for the first time slot, between 9:00 and 9:15 a.m. It was the best time to visit with fewer crowds.

Directly after we visited the Anne Frank House, we joined a canal tour. The boat ride was around 45 minutes with a local guide sharing information about the city of Amsterdam. The yellow boats were right across from the Anne Frank House, so we didn't have to search long to find it. 

Anne Frank House - a walk through the secret annex where Anne and the Frank family, along with 4 other people, hid for several years during World War II. Recommended for ages 10 and up, but I took my 3-year-old in and she did fine. We left early when she started to get restless since I didn't want her to disturb other people's experiences. Be sure to book your tickets online ahead of time!

Canal Tour - no need to book ahead of time. There are vendors all along the canals, and you can simply hop on the next boat. See all the best places in Amsterdam from a different perspective. Hot tip: grab a coffee and some stroopwafel before you go to enjoy during the tour.

Van Wanderen Stroopwafel - one of the most famous cookie shops in the city! We happened to pass by when there was no line, which felt like a huge win! The stroopwafels are huge and you can choose from 3 sizes. I got the one covered in Oreo and chocolate - so good!

Van Gogh Museum - if you have some extra time, stop at the Van Gogh Museum and see his masterpieces including Sunflowers, Self Portrait with Grey Felt Hat, and The Yellow House. (Note: Starry Night is not found at this museum, but rather at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC). 

Hotel Indigo Brussels  - we loved the central location of this hotel. It was an easy walk from the Brussels Nord train station after we took the train from Amsterdam to Brussels. Free breakfast was included!

Day 6: Day Trip to Luxembourg and Dinant

On our last full day in Europe, we took a day trip to Dinant (a small city in Belgium), and Luxembourg City. The tour was 12 hours long on a bus, and we had tour guides with us for part of the time, but they also gave us plenty of free time to wander the 2 cities we visited. 

Dinant is known for its breathtaking views of the Gothic Collegiate Church of Our Lady set against an outcropping of rock with a citadel perched on top. It's also known for being the birthplace of Adolphe Sax, the inventor of the saxophone. Beyond getting a few photos, there is not a ton to do in town. 

You spend the rest of the day in Luxembourg with a short guided tour through town, and then a couple of hours to wander and eat. Luxembourg is small and clean, and it looks like a town straight out of a fairytale. I was so glad we got the chance to visit on this guided tour since I'm not sure that I would plan a separate trip to Luxembourg on my own!

You can book  the tour we took right here  through Get Your Guide. Thanks to Get Your Guide for hosting our group on this tour!

Hotel Indigo Brussels  - we loved that Hotel Indigo has several restaurants on-property so we had somewhere to eat when we arrived late at night!

Day 7: Brussels and Home

If your flight is later in the afternoon, you'll have some time to explore more of Brussels, including any of the tourist attractions you didn't get to on Day 1. Another option would be to  take a walking tour  or a  chocolate-making class . 

You can store your bags at the hotel until it's time to go to the airport.

Optional Add-On: Days 7-9 in Paris

If you're able to extend your trip by a few days and Paris, France is on your bucket list, take the Eurostar south to Paris! The train ride is just under 2 hours, and you can easily check out another country and check some amazing experiences off your bucket list.

Have a slow morning in Brussels, check out of Hotel Indigo, and head to the train station. You can arrive in Paris before noon, drop off your bags at your chosen hotel, and immediately begin exploring!

Having been to Paris twice myself, here are a few things I would recommend fitting into Days 7 and 8 in the city of lights:

Louvre Museum - see the Mona Lisa, of course, but take your time wandering this massive museum and finding many world-famous masterpieces.

Arc de Triomphe - I would recommend paying to climb to the top of the Arc so you can get views of the Paris skyline including the Eiffel Tower.

Eiffel Tower - we paid to go to the top (reserve your tickets ahead of time), which was an awesome experience. My favorite way to enjoy this iconic landmark, though, is to get a picnic dinner and sit on the lawn around the Eiffel Tower until twilight when it starts to sparkle. 

Champs Elysee - this famous thoroughfare has lots of luxury shops. 

Basilica of Sacre Coeur - be ready to climb a lot of stairs! But the views are so worth it.

Stroll the Montmartre neighborhood - the charming and hilly neighborhood is a great place to wander or grab lunch at a sidewalk cafe

Luxembourg Gardens - a beautiful area to relax or let the kids play on a playground

Sit at a sidewalk cafe - all I wanted to do in Paris was sip a cafe au lait and eat a croissant at a sidewalk cafe while people-watching. Have kids get a hot chocolate to enjoy!

Get macarons - these colorful cookies will have you addicted by the end of your trip!

Notre Dame - I believe this church is still closed to the public for restoration after the fire, but you'll still want to see it from the outside!

Half-day trip to Versailles  (note that the tour linked is not for kids under 6) - explore the splendid royal residence of King Louis XIV 

2nd Optional Add-On: Keukenhof Gardens in Amsterdam

If you are visiting during tulip season, I would recommend adding a day or 2 in Amsterdam to take a day trip to Keukenhof Gardens, a garden in the Lisse area of the Netherlands where 7 million bulbs are planted annually. It's one of the best places to visit in spring to see tulips and other flowers in bloom. It is only open from March 21-May 12 in 2024, which is why this optional add-on would only work during a short window of the year.

I would spend 3 nights in Amsterdam if you're visiting during spring and want to add Keukenhof Gardens to your itinerary. That way you could still spend a full day in Amsterdam, and a full day exploring Keukenhof Gardens. 

Be sure to buy your tickets online in advance. You can  book a tour from Amsterdam  on the Keukenhof website, which seems like the most convenient way to get there!

More Europe Travel Tips for Families:

How Much Does it Cost for A Family Trip to Europe?

Best Things to Do in Paros, Greece with Kids

The Perfect 2-Week Italy and Greece Itinerary with Kids

Planning a Trip to Rome with Kids

Perfect 2 Day Itinerary in Florence with Kids

15 Best Things to See in Venice in One Day with Kids

Planning a London Vacation the Whole Family will Love

Tips for Traveling with a Toddler

55+ Best Airplane Games, Toys, and Activities for Toddlers

Tips for Flying with A 2-Year-Old Toddler (From a Mom of 4)

DON’T FORGET IT! PIN IT!

Emily Krause is a Wisconsin-based travel content creator who writes about exploring the world with kids.

On A Mom Explores you’ll find the best family travel destinations, Disney World tips, and how to make travel with babies and toddlers a little easier.

Emily believes that exploring starts in our own backyards, and adventure can happen anywhere with the right mindset.

Go Seek Explore

How To Plan a Trip to Europe: Sample Travel Itineraries

Figuring out how to put together a Europe travel itinerary is a lot of work - where should you go in Europe, and when should you travel? Which cities make the most sense?

I've put together some sample itineraries for planning travel in Europe ranging from a short trip (2-4 weeks) to a long-ish trip (1-3 months).

These can help you get a sense of where and when to travel and a few of the fun seasonal happenings that occur!

Bellagio, Italy [Lake Como]

Why are big cities most of the places listed?

More often than not you'll be arriving in one of the larger cities, whether that's through plane, train, bus, etc.

If you choose to venture into the smaller cities or towns, add 'em in! There are some incredible places in Europe beyond the large cities.

For the purpose of these itineraries, I'll mainly focus on the large cities and add a few day trip recommendations in here or there.

Can I travel for shorter or longer periods of time with these itineraries? 

Absolutely! You don't have to feel constrained to the itineraries outlined below.

Use these as inspiration for planning your trip.

Once you get moving on the nitty gritty of the trip, you'll get more of an idea of which activities you want to do and the things you want to see so you'll be able to customize it. Make it the trip YOU want it to be!

Helpful posts on travel planning:

How To Plan Travel: 2 Simple Steps To Plan Out Your Housing, Transportation, Activities, and Misc. Expenses

How To Get Out of a Travel Run & Plan Your Next Trip

Let's get to it!

Western Europe

Ireland, Scotland, England

Dublin - Edinburgh - London

London, England

Rainy but radiant in life, culture, history, and people, these major cities in Ireland and the UK are not to miss if you're spending time in this region.

Plus, Irish people are some of the friendliest people I've ever met in my travels.

Oh - and you can't forget all the Harry Potter activities in England and Scotland !

England, Netherlands, Belgium, France

London - Amsterdam - Brussels - Paris

Paris, France

These cities are diverse yet easy to move between, especially if you're traveling by rail.

Start in London and from Amsterdam make your way down to Brussels, then Paris. Another place to stop? I hear Brugges, Belgium looks like a scene from a storybook.

France, Netherlands, Denmark, Germany

Paris - Amsterdam - Copenhagen - Berlin

Berlin, Germany

Instead of moving south like the previous itinerary suggests, this one moves north through Paris and Amsterdam (plus Belgium if you wish) on your way to Denmark and Germany.

Berlin is one of the coolest cities in Europe, filled with so much history and art! I recommend Berlin to anyone who likes big cities, history, and nightlife.

Portugal, Spain

Porto - Lisbon - Seville - Madrid - Barcelona

Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain

Most people I talk to have been to Spain but never Portugal, which is a shame according to many people who have been to both! (I haven't made it to either yet since plans have fallen through on multiple occasions because of flight issues! I know, I know.)

Check out the vineyards in Porto, make your way to the capital, Lisbon, then move through beautiful Southern Spain up to Madrid, and lastly, Barcelona, for a unique spin on Spanish culture.

Venice - Florence/Tuscan region - Rome - Amalfi Coast (depending on season)

Positano, Italy - Amalfi Coast

Ah, Italy. There is so much to do and see in Italy, and you can easily spend a whole trip there!

The trains are well-connected between Venice, Florence, and Rome, and if you're only able to see two cities in Italy, I recommend Florence and Rome.

While all cities in Italy are filled with incredible food, art, and history, there is nothing like seeing Rome's Colosseum or Roman Ruins in real life, or the historic artwork in Florence...

My personal opinion is that Florence is the food capital of Europe , hands down. Some people will argue Paris or other cities on this, but I stand firm on my opinion!

I added the Amalfi Coast on this itinerary as an option if you're traveling in the spring or summer as it is only a few hours south of Rome by train and is absolutely gorgeous.

(The Amalfi Coast is that beautiful beach destination that you've probably already seen all over Pinterest )!

Spain, Morocco, Portugal

Barcelona - Madrid - Morocco - Lisbon

This is one of my dream trips! Take a break from Europe and head into a completely different culture - Morocco in Northern Africa is very close to Southern Spain.

Mediterranean  

Spain, France, Italy, Malta, Greece, Croatia

Barcelona - French Riviera - Cinque Terre - Amalfi Coast - Malta - Greece - Croatia

Sailing the Croatian islands near Split

Going to Europe in the spring, summer, or early fall? The Mediterranean is where it's at.

Beautiful beach towns, boat cruising and sailing around islands, fresh seafood, lust-worthy hikes overlooking the sea, and summer night parties are what it's all about. 

Simply writing the sentence above makes me want to plan a trip back to the French Riviera next summer...

This sample itinerary has MANY destinations so I'd recommend extending your trip to see them all, or choosing just a handful if your trip is short.

Central Europe

Austria, Czech Republic, Germany

Vienna - Prague - Berlin

Vienna, Austria

I've done this route twice now for work! It's an easy way to get to these main cities, and if you're taking a bus or train you'll be in awe of the Czech countryside views out your window.

Vienna is the world capital of classical music as the likes of Mozart and Beethoven have lived in Austria's capital and Prague is just something so fun, cool, and beautiful that you just need to go in person. And you know how much I love Berlin.

Also, if you like to party, Prague and Berlin have plenty to offer for nightlife.

Eastern Europe

Germany, Poland, Hungary, Romania

Berlin - Warsaw - Budapest - Romania

Budapest, Hungary in November

Eastern Europe. YES! So I have only been to Berlin and Budapest out of this trip, but I've heard some pretty awesome things about Poland, and the castles in Romania look like they're straight out of a fairytale...

This route is easy on the wallet, too - Berlin is one of the most affordable cities that's on the euro, and Poland, Hungary, and Romania all have their own currencies where the dollar/euro/pound goes very far.

The Thermal Bath Experience in Budapest

Scandinavia & The Baltics

Iceland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Estonia

Reykjavik - Oslo - Copenhagen - Stockholm - Helsinki - Tallinn

Reykjavik, Iceland

Scandinavia is notorious for its high cost of living, so make sure you can afford to travel around some of these countries. This is also another longer trip, so feel free to pick a handful of the cities or extend it to get to them all!

Nonetheless, you'll find some of the most gorgeous northern landscapes (fjords, anyone?), saunas, and a lifestyle that sounds wonderful all-around...

One thing that's great about Iceland is that if you're flying between North America and Europe, you can easily do a stopover on your way. It breaks up the flights, plus you get to see a really, really cool country!

Iceland Travel Tips

Southeastern Europe & The Balkans

Istanbul - Sofia - Bucharest - Budapest - Zagreb - Split - Rome

Boating around the Croatian islands

So I haven't been to all these cities (only Istanbul, Budapest, Split, and Rome), but this would be such a cool (and affordable!) itinerary. You can extend the trip and move from Croatia down the coast if you'd like, but I ended it with Rome if your trip is short and need to fly out of a big airport.

Istanbul itself has so much to offer, as it is literally the bridge between the east and the west. Seeing the blend of east and west in one city is hard to explain..."cool" or "awesome" doesn't do it justice.

Eastern Europe in general is far less expensive than Western and Central Europe, so if you have the time, consider exploring more of this region!

And go to Croatia (Zagreb, Split) and Hungary (Budapest) now - they're highly underrated countries that have been picking up more and more in the tourism industry.

4 Essentials For a Weekend in Istanbul

Where To Find The Best Views in Istanbul

Why You Should Visit Croatia ASAP

Istanbul, Turkey

Suggestions for 2-3 month trips in Europe

Traveling for 2-3 months or so?

Seasons are important to consider - not just for packing, but for activities and things to see as well. 

Here are two longer-term itineraries I came up with based on whether you're traveling in the spring/summer or fall/winter:

Spring & Summer AdventurE

Western Europe: England, France, Italy, Malta, Spain, Morocco, Portugal

London - Paris - French Riviera - Lake Como, Italy - Florence - Rome - Amalfi Coast - Malta - Barcelona - Seville - Morocco - Lisbon - Porto

Tackle the big cities and soak up the sun on beaches, boats, and during festival season! The warmer months are a wonderful time to travel to Europe.

I'd recommend starting in the spring if you can, as crowds, lines, and prices tend to skyrocket in the summer as most people flock to Europe - especially Western Europe - in the summer months.

Keep in mind that August is a vacation month for many Europeans, and some stores and restaurants will be closed for either part of the month or until they re-open in September.

Sometimes you'll see "summer hours" where businesses close early or are only open certain days). Tourist attractions will typically remain open, though. 

Looking for day trips? Try these suggestions for day trips near Florence, Italy  or a weekend getaway to Elba Island, off the coast of Tuscany.

Fall & Winter Adventure

Central/Eastern Europe: Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland, Germany

Munich (Oktoberfest!) - Prague - Krakow - Budapest - Bratislava - Vienna - Slovenia - Venice - Interlaken - Munich or Berlin (Christmas markets!)

Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany

Oktoberfest is a must if you're in Europe during mid-September to the first weekend of October.

Enjoy the changing seasons up north, and closer to the Mediterranean you'll still revel in summer's last warm air until the seasons fully change.

Enjoy mountains, winter adventure sports, and if you're there in December - the Christmas markets! Many cities & smaller towns will have Christmas markets, so you don't have to go back to Germany, though that is where the Christkindlmarkt originated! 

Pack layers for the seasons and bundle up in the winter :)

>>> NOTE: TOURIST VISAS: You also want to make sure your travel within your tourist visa timeframe! If you're from the US, you can travel in the Schengen period for up to 90 days. The Schengen area doesn't include all of Europe, so say for example you want to go to Ireland and/or the UK at the beginning or the end of your trip, that wouldn't count toward your 90 days in the Schengen. There's a lot more to it than this so do your research!

Book a Place to Stay in Europe

My all-time favorite booking website is the well-known Booking.com - I’ve used it for years all over the world.

It is the easiest way to search and find the best hotels (hostels too!), especially based on reviews. I always check the reviews on Booking , even if it’s a name-brand hotel. You never know! 

14 Europe Experiences You Need To Have In Your Lifetime

Backpacking Europe Travel Guide

10 Europe Experiences To Have in Your 20s