London to Amsterdam

A route for your visit

Includes arrival and departure days, which also link to the next part of the trip.

1. Days 1–3 — London

   London was the start of the trip, with an evening arrival and two full days to explore. Keep the first night simple. Dinner near the hotel and some sleep.

   London’s riverfront brings government, royal ceremony and everyday city life into the same walking route. Enjoy the mix before moving on to the next capital.

   Spend the first full day around Westminster, then have dinner near your West End show. Use the second for Borough Market and the river towards Tower Bridge. If you’d rather do a museum or afternoon tea, swap it into the afternoon. Don’t add another stop. Leave the Paris departure morning for the station and boarding.

   The Seine links big monuments with small neighbourhood streets, so a simple walk can be as good as a big booking. Leave some of the stay free to look around without a ticket time.

2. Days 4–6 — Paris

   After the train from London, drop your bags and start with a river walk. I had bookings for the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre, so I’d plan everything else around those, with a gap after arriving. If the Louvre is on your Paris list, compare Louvre visit options on Viator with the museum’s own admission before fixing the rest of that day. For these nights, browse Paris stays on Trip.com around your arrival connection and the places you’ll walk to.

   Give the Louvre a substantial half-day, followed by lunch and the Tuileries. For the remaining full day, choose a slower wander through the Latin Quarter or a separate trip to Versailles. Pick whichever you’re most excited about. Both won’t fit in three nights.

3. Days 7–8 — Budapest

   Budapest is a short stop: two nights, with a flight using part of the arrival day. Stay local that afternoon and save the real exploring for the next morning.

   Budapest’s hills and flatter Pest riverfront give the Danube two distinct city edges. Use the river to get your bearings. Don’t race between viewpoints.

   Pair the Buda Castle area with views along the Danube, then give the baths a proper break in the day. Check the entry arrangements for your chosen bath before going. Dinner in the Jewish Quarter makes an easy finish; there’s no need to turn the evening into another sightseeing list.

4. Days 9–10 — Venice

   Get your bags to the accommodation before heading into Venice’s lanes. The airport transfer eats into arrival day, so keep the first outing close to your hotel.

   Venice’s canals and pedestrian lanes make water part of ordinary movement through the city. Wander a little past the busiest approach, but remember people live on these streets.

   For the full day, choose one part of the city to explore, leaving time beside the canals and for a meal without watching the clock. Book an interior if there’s one you especially want to see. An outer-island trip can take up part of the day. With only two nights, decide whether you’d rather travel or wander.

5. Days 11–12 · Florence, with Pisa a genuine choice

   Take the train to Florence for two nights. If the Uffizi is a priority, choose a ticket that leaves room for the train journey, dropping bags and lunch; the next morning may be more comfortable than arrival day.

   Florence’s churches, palaces and art collections make its Renaissance history unusually concentrated. Pick one collection and spend time with it. You can’t see every famous work.

   

   If it’s your first time in Florence, I’d stay the second day to see more of the city. Pisa is an alternative excursion, so count the return journey before committing. Leave the following morning for the train to Rome.

   Pisa’s leaning tower belongs to a larger cathedral complex, so the surrounding buildings give the stop more meaning than the familiar pose. Only add the detour if you have time to enjoy the wider view.

   Rome layers ancient remains, churches and present-day streets in a way that makes the walk between bookings part of the visit. Leave space to spot where they overlap.

   

6. Days 13–15 — Rome

   My planner included bookings for the Colosseum and Vatican Museums. With three nights in Rome, I’d give each its own day and keep the arrival afternoon for settling in and a short walk.

   The Colosseum makes the scale of Roman public spectacle tangible, while its interpretation explains the people and systems behind it. Take time with the history, not just the photo loop.

   The Vatican Museums combine papal collecting, major artworks and richly decorated rooms. Pick a route you can manage. You won’t see it all in one visit.

   

   Plan lunch near the day’s main visit and leave room to sit down afterwards. Smaller stops can fit into those neighbourhood walks. Don’t add another excursion here. The big visits are already hard enough on your feet.

   

7. Days 16–19 — Lucerne and Zurich

   Fly to Zurich and continue to Lucerne for three nights, then return to Zurich for the final Swiss night. After the Italian cities, this is where I’d slow down a bit.

   Lucerne’s lake and older streets give the trip a quieter scale after the Italian cities. Start with the water, then decide how much mountain travel to add.

   Zurich’s river and lake edges offer a straightforward city walk between longer travel legs. Enjoy a small area properly. It’s more than an airport stopover.

   Choose one mountain day from Lucerne and leave the other full day flexible for the town and lake. If a scenic railway is the priority instead, work out the exact route, connections and pass coverage first. Check the forecast before settling the order; Titlis, Pilatus and GoldenPass are separate choices, not a two-day checklist. Use the Zurich transfer afternoon for a local walk and dinner.

8. Days 20–22 — Barcelona

   Barcelona gets three nights, including the flight arrival. Sagrada Família was my fixed booking, so I’d plan that day around the ticket and have lunch nearby after.

   Sagrada Família’s architecture uses light, structure and symbolic detail to create a very particular interior. Give the booked visit plenty of room. Don’t squeeze it between other timed stops.

   Keep the other full day for neighbourhood walks with breaks along the way. An evening performance is an option if something catches your interest; choose dinner around its time and location. This late in the trip, leave some space. Skip the far-off excursions.

9. Days 23–25 — Belgium: Brussels and Bruges

   Bruges was canal views, cobbled streets and a strawberry-and-chocolate waffle that didn’t stand a chance. These are the little moments from my Belgian stop: seeing the city from the water, then taking a break for something sweet.

   Bruges’s canals and merchant buildings show the wealth of a historic trading city at a walkable scale. Leave time for the quieter streets between the famous bridge views.

   

   With three nights in Brussels, I’d give Brussels a full day and Bruges another, including the train. Leave room in Bruges for a canal trip, a walk and a waffle. Don’t fill every hour. Ghent is another option if you’d prefer a different excursion; choose one so there’s still time to enjoy Brussels. Keep the final evening easy before moving on to Amsterdam.

   Brussels’s central squares reveal a civic and trading history quite different from the canal towns later in the route. Look at the façades and take your time over a meal before moving on.

   Amsterdam’s canal rings make its trading-city history visible in the layout as well as the buildings. It’s fun seeing the same streets from the footpath and then from the water.

   

10. Days 26–27 — Amsterdam

    Amsterdam was the final stop on my Europe trip. Seeing the canals from a boat gave me a different view of the city: trees along the water, narrow houses and bridges passing overhead. Keep the arrival afternoon for a canal trip and dinner nearby. For a canal cruise, search Amsterdam on GetYourGuide and choose a departure point you can reach comfortably after check-in.

    

    Leave some time to wander as well. A flower-covered cart, a cobbled street, a corner you weren’t looking for — these are the little things I like having room for between the bigger stops.

    

    The rows of bicycles were a sight in themselves. Keep an eye on the cycle lanes when walking, especially when stopping for a photo. Before planning the final day, work backwards from your flight and allow time to collect your bags and reach the airport.

    

11. Zaanse Schans — a windmill detour

    Zaanse Schans was another part of my time in the Netherlands: green windmills beside the water, open skies and plenty of reasons to stop for a photo. I liked seeing them across the waterfront before getting a closer look.

    Zaanse Schans presents windmills and traditional buildings connected with the region’s industrial past. Find out what the mills actually did, not just how they look by the water.

    

    The green De Poelenburg windmill made a particularly good backdrop. Leave time to walk around and enjoy the setting. It’s more than a quick photo stop.

    

    With only one night in Amsterdam on this route, check whether the return journey fits comfortably before adding Zaanse Schans. Do it instead of a museum, or add a night in Amsterdam if you want both. Keep the airport journey clear on departure day.

12. How to shorten the trip

    For about two weeks, I’d drop whole legs before cutting every city down to one night. Choose a connected section, such as London and Paris with one further region, or Italy and Switzerland.

    Fewer bases mean fewer checkout mornings and airport journeys. Keep a few afternoons without timed tickets so there’s room for tired feet, changing weather or a place you want to stay a little longer.

13. Booking order and practical checks

    Start with the international travel dates, overnight bases and long-distance connections, then add the attractions you most want to see. Leave a comfortable gap between arriving in a city and a non-refundable booking.

    Keep each arrival station or airport, hotel address and next departure together in one place. Check current timetables, boarding guidance, luggage limits and change terms with each operator; the arrangements from my 2024 trip won’t necessarily apply to yours.