Amsterdam or London.....or maybe elsewhere?

try Stockholm!

You can spend several days in Amsterdam which may be just a a little less expensive than London. We have stayed in the museum district three times and walked around the city. The Dutch Resistance Museum is more informative about the war years than the Frank house. Now we stay in Delft, about an hour by train from Schiphol. Its a lot less expensive at the Leeuenbrug Hotel. From there you can easily train to Leige, Cologne, and down to Ulm, then over to Salzburg, and on to Vienna. From Salzburg you can also easily go to Linz, then to Vienna too. Or up to Krakow. That should take care of four weeks. If you go from Seattle there are straight nonstop flights to Amsterdam, our usual route.

What time of year are you going? If you're going in mid-to late April, definitely go to Amsterdam, because that's when Keukenhof near there is at it's most beautiful. And I think London is not in the least North American! I'd go to both, just as you said, if you have the time. If you're not going during tulip season, skip Amsterdam and stay away from London around the olympics.

Wade - very subjective, I agree, but seeing that you are Canadian I'd especially recommend London. My husband is from Vancouver, a little older than you and VERY interested in history. London has so much to offer to any history buff and especially to members (current or former) of the British Empire. He could spend days in the British Museum, loved seeing Greenwich, Tower of London, Churchill's War Rooms. We've been to Amsterdam as well and were very moved by the Anne Frank house. We didn't find the city to be geared toward the party crowd, but we were there in March. My college age daughter was a bit more put off by the smoking culture when she visited in June - the warmer weather apparently had more people out and about. London is a fabulous city - a British New York - and I don't mean that it feels "North American" but rather there is SO much to do that you can decide whether you want to see history or art, eat many different kinds of ethnic food (we've had the best Indian & Thai food there!), travel easily all over with the Tube. I really wouldn't skip it.

I love London because of the theatre. So many plays to choose from, and great museums, most of them free (British, Tate, Victoria & Albert, National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery to name a few of the best). Amsterdam is a great place to spend 2-3 days, without partying. The Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh, churches. But if this is your first trip to the other destinations, I think I would start with Paris and end in Rome, and see more of what's on that route. I've spend 2 weeks in Paris more than once. My last visit there was 9 days and not enough. I'd easily spend 3 weeks from Venice to Rome/Sorrento, adding in Verona, Florence, and Siena, and feel that I'd just seen the highlights. 4 weeks sounds like a lot on paper. When you try to pack in too much you can really shortchange yourselves, spending too much time in packing/unpacking, travel time, and orienting yourselves in each new city. One more comment - as you are interested more in history and culture, I suggest going to Frankfurt instead of Munich. There are high-speed trains in and out, making it an easy destination. Frankfurt totally surprised me this summer (my first trip to Germany) with the wealth of sites and history and charm. (didn't make it to Munich, tho)

Thanks Karen & Chani....good points. Right now our itinerary is as follows: Day 1-4- Amsterdam & Brugges Day 5-9- Paris Day 10-11- Baden Baden (spa days & relax time) Day 12-13 - Fussen (castles) & Dachau Day 14-17- Salzburg(also day trips to EaglesNest & salt mine) Day 18-21- Venice Day 22-26- Rome
Day 27-30- Sorrento Thats it right now....I have thought about skipping the first leg altogether and starting in Paris and adding a little more time in Rome, Paris, Sorrento etc. instead of rushing around so much? And if we stick with what we have, the option of Amsterdam/Brugges or London. Any further thoughts with the itinerary Chani? Karen? Thanks, again.

oh....and I meant to say Chani, that we love the theatre as well, but it isnt a must do for us. We have been to NY 3-4 times over the years and love going to the theatre, but on this trip I wouldnt feel like we missed anything if we didnt go.

Okay - now it's getting tough. If you skip the first leg (Amsterdam, etc.) you'd have more time in Italy which is our favorite country to visit! With that in mind I'd suggest spend your 4 extra days in one of the Tuscan towns, rent a car and drive the countryside. It will give you a different feel from the wonderful cities (Venice & Rome) of Italy. One other option, looking again at what you've already planned, if you do stick with Amsterdam & Brugges, what about adding Normandy as a stopping point on your way to Paris? You'd have to deduct 2 nights from some other part (maybe 1 from Rome & 1 from Sorrento?) but if you're interested in history Normandy would be a great stop for you.

I would pare down Amsterdam to three days, and skip Brussels.. I would add that day to either Paris or Rome. Both cities have alot to see and do.. or I would skip Amsterdam and spend that time in London,, which is full of amazing sites,, and not like North America at all,, and look where I am posting from,, " little England " itself Victoria! London has an amazing array of wonderful museums,, and they are mostly all FREE,,, that alone will offset the slightly higher prices of hotels.. wonder if you took sightseeing costs into account.. cause it adds up. The Tower in London is an expensive site, but well worth it. Paris and Rome are amazing cities also,, and they deserve a minimum of 4-5 days.. more if you want to do a daytrip or two outside city.. Amsterdam ,, while pretty enough, and yes, flowers are lovely, but hey its not like we don't have tulips here,, is not my favorite place in Europe,, BUT I agree that Ann Franks house is a highlight,, remember to buy tickets online ahead of time ,, or you may not get in at all. I personally am not totally into Dutch masters so won't address the museum issue at all,, although they definately have world class stuff there to see.. The canals,, well, you are going to VENICE so no need to duplicate the cute canal aspect..

you are going to VENICE so no need to duplicate the cute canal aspect ah but if in Amsterdam you can see Dutch architecture with all the various types of gables and skinny buildings and houseboats and the Dutch way of managing these quite large canals, and then in Venice you would see the Venetian architecture and chimneys and vaporetti and gondolas, and looking down the small side canals, and the Venetian way of doing things. They really are completely different, you know.

Yes Nigel I know, been to both,, twice,, and to Brugges too.

Wade, hold this thought: YOU WILL GO BACK. YOU WILL SEE ALL THE PLACES YOU ARE CONSIDERING AND MORE. You have discovered the true problem of planning a European trip: choosing. Like going into a really really good sweets shop - all are tempting, you will like pretty much all of them, but you can't eat them all in one go. There isn't one place you are considering that isn't worth at least 3 days. I still recommend you drop Holland and Belgium - you could make that your next trip combined with England. I'd definitely add a day or two to Paris - there are so many wonderful historical sites and museums, and several great day trips (Versailles, Chartres, Rheims, Giverny). And you are starting there (jetlag + long haul flight = at least one ineffective day). Then I'd add the rest of the "extra" days to Italy. There is a reason that Italy gets its own section here - and is the busiest European forum on most other travel websites. Verona is charming and full of history, Siena is completely different and special, Florence has some of the most amazing Renaissance art and architecture (including many of Michelangelo's major works). Also take into account that traveling between destinations eats up a lot of time. I try to take evening trains (and "picnic dinners") to maximize daylight sightseeing, but that doesn't always work out.

Amsterdam, definitely. Sit at an outdoor cafe in Dam Square and do some people-watching. Visit the Van Gogh museum. Visit the Rijksmuseum, only 100 yards away, which has
works by Vermeer and other Dutch artists. Take the Heineken brewery tour and then walk around the corner to the Albert Cuyp Markt, an open-air market with everything from luggage to raw herring and onion sandwiches. Be sure to leave time for a canal boat cruise.