Are we giving these cities their due? Updated potential itinerary...

You know everyone is different, so there is no right and no wrong; but if I were trapped in Prague that long I would go bonkers. I would need some side trips out of town. Pretty much the same for Amsterdam.

There is always the difficult balance. Too little time and you dont even begin to learn if you like it. Too much time and what if it just doesn't speak to you and you are stuck there? Of course stay flexible and you can overcome some of it.

On a first visit I have sort of worked out nights as being a good introduction for my style. Then if I like it I can always return some day (and I do ... fairly often), but if I dont really like it, I am not there so long as to go nuts and the shorter stays allow me to discover a few more options.

@ James
"Too little time and you dont even begin to learn if you like it. Too much time and what if it just doesn't speak to you and you are stuck there"
Exactly! I do very well booking things ahead to save money but I'm tempted to buy a 5-in-a-month railpass to keep us flexible. It would cost a lot less than flexible tickets bought in advance and at least $150 each over carefully booked cheap tix ahead. But the value of changing your mind is pretty big! I imagine we could walk away from 150 in pre bought tickets instead, but there tends to be a domino effect with things like that... go in a different direction and perhaps none of the train tickets for the rest of the trip make sense.)

I'm a little afraid of getting bored in Prague, but also we just got back from Italy and I loved everywhere we visited, but my heart stayed in Rome. I don't think it's a coincidence we were there the longest because objectively, we had lots of stress and mishaps there. I hear people hating on Prague and it seems to be people who didn't stay long?

I have so much I want to do from Amsterdam-- Bruges, and Delft and maybe even Antwerp and more... I think we can stay busy there?

I think your number didn't enter when you typed it and now I'm on the edge of my seat to know this ideal number of nights, haha!

I just don't know what to say about the overall itinerary, beyond this: Think of this trip as the first of two or three so you don't feel you have to put all your top destinations into this itinerary.

Two full days in Berlin is about 1/3 the time I spent in the city, which I felt was inadequate. It depends on what is drawing you to Berlin, though.

I wouldn't worry so much about the cost of food in Stockholm. There are grocery stores. Plan to eat supermarket food for five days. You'll probably need to skip alcohol, too; I believe it's highly taxed.

What is harder to dodge (for me, anyway) is the cost of hotels in high-cost cities. That includes not just Stockholm but also London and--from what I read here--Amsterdam. I'd be leery of plunking myself down for a long stay in Amsterdam on the theory I'd be taking a lot of trips out of town. While paying A'dam hotel rates as well as for the train fares.

You mentioned flying. Be sure you have checked the size and weight limits for all the airlines you might be using. Do not assume your 22" US carry-on bag will work on European budget airlines. It probably will not. The checked-bag fee, even if paid in advance, can be $40 or $50, I think. If you ignore the limits and show up at the airport with a slightly-too large or overweight (which in some cases is anything over 17.6 lb.) bag, the airline may well notice, in which case you will be forced to pay to check it at an even higher cost. And the airline may send you back out to its check-in counter to accomplish that task, causing you to miss the flight. The ticket cost is just part of the expense of flying. (There's also airport transportation to contend with. Some budget airlines fly from obscure, costly-to-reach airports.)

I don't think any of your stays are too long, but I am a slow traveler who likes both museums and walking the streets, looking at the architecture.

Sleight, I never heard of anyone who hated Prague. Maybe hated the wall to wall tourist crowd, but Prague is a beautiful city.

I once had a trip (about 20 years ago), where I booked 5 nights in the long dreamed of trip to the world famous glamorous City A, and 2 nights in communist heii City B. City B was more of curiosity, just because we were close and I thought "what the heck" how bad can two nights in communist heii be anyway? 3rd morning in City A, we looked at each other and confessed to each other we had screwed up. Hated City A. So we checked out early went to the train station and went to City B a few days early. Fell in love with City B and now have home there. You just never know till you try. Since then I have been trying as many as possible and returning to the ones that worked.

Are Berlin and Prague musts for this trip; or could they be visits for another time?

What are your top 5, and his top5 to visit?

That is quite a trip! Of this list of cities, I have only spent enough time to comment on in Prague, Stockholm, and Barcelona.

I am NOT going to try to convince you to skip Stockholm. I spent 5 nights there and would go back again for five more. And cost is relative. With affordable lodging already located, you have taken care of the biggest cost hurdle. For me it was true that both Stockholm and Copenhagen looked different than other parts of Europe I have been to. If it interests your son already, definitely leave it on your list.

Unlike James, I do love Prague and do not go bonkers there. 4 nights would not be too much for me but it would allow you to see the major sights and get a feel for it. However, James very restrainedly (is that even a word?) didn’t tell you to go to Budapest (where I have spent only a bit of time so far but will be back). If Budapest calls you more than Prague, maybe check to see if there is a cheap flight from Amsterdam and to Stockholm and skip Berlin and Prague. I haven’t been to Berlin but can’t see the point of 2 nights there (in this trip) except as just a stopover.

Barcelona for me was a meh. I think part of that was weather and part is just me. I had a really fun week there last month - and there is plenty to see for the amount of time you have here - but I don’t feel the need to go back. If you needed to steal a night (for Berlin if you keep it?), you could steal it from here. But the architecture is definitely pretty! And you do have to go for your flights. :)

The only thing I would say is that you simply won’t have time for much down time without shorting the city you are in - and this is a lot of traveling. But it will definitely give you an overview.

Travelmom, both times I spent 3 nights in Prague I loved it. A good day trip to fend off the bonkers is Karlstejn Castle or one of 30 other fantastic castles in the Czech Republic. But those are best done with a guide i think ......

The key on this trip is getting from A to B. But if you can find the right trains and/or discount airlines .... then go for it.

Oh, obviously City B was Budapest.

@travelmom re:Berlin If we feel we are moving too fast, this is the easiest thing to cut. I think my son will like it a lot once he’s there, and it is a stopover. I’m ok with a stopover. I prefer it to a 12 hour train ride in a single day and I want to see Berlin anyhow. We have lots of museums and bucket list items in Amsterdam and Stockholm. Not in Berlin or Barcelona. I thought we’d let the city lead in those places and enjoy feeling it out without rushing to capture it or see all of it.

I think we could stay one place for the full 23 days on the ground and get a routine and feel like locals, but without that, I do think he may be itchy after 5 days almost anywhere—a week max.

@James, I am totally preparing myself for that A/B scenario, haha!

@Mary57
I mean, nothing is a must, right? It’s all a huge gift to be able to do any of it.

My list is pretty disparate so not particularly helpful in this case. Top 10 at the moment:
Naples, Bogliasco, Lisbon, Tallin/Riga (tied, lol) Greek Isles, Edinburgh, Prague, Ljubljana, Budapest, Stockholm (St Petersburg became a pipe dream for now.)

Everyone is different. For me, the best thing about Prague was its fabulous Art Nouveau architecture, a style I love. Its history as a center for pre-WW II eastern European Jews is also so interesting. It’s hard for me to imagine anyone hating Prague. Cesky Krumlov is really far for a day trip.
I found Stockholm dull; and to give it more days than Barcelona, is inexplicable. If somewhere Scandinavian is necessary to you, Copenhagen would be very easy to reach from Germany. It checks your box for interesting architecture.
Berlin has great art museums. Only 2 days there will hardly give you a taste of the city.
As I wrote the last sentence,, I realized that you have not allowed for the time that changing cities takes. So, for Berlin, you don’t have 2 days, at most 1,5. Barcelona, 3. If you don’t want to spend more time in Berlin, I advise skipping it altogether. I would guess that getting from anywhere in Scandinavia to Barcelona will fill a whole day. Why not just add those days to Barcelona.
Barcelona is, of course, famous for its architecture. And not just Gaudi. It also has a Picasso museum and a Miro museum. Then, there is the Museum of the Art of Catalunya.

@Sleight, a nicely placed stopover is a good thing. :) And I am among those who enjoy train rides (but not 12 hr ones in one day - ha!). :) You have obviously put a lot of thought into your itinerary and truthfully I bet it will work just fine for you as is. When I get back to Stockholm, I am saving a day to ride all the metros to see the stations…..

@James, as much as I do enjoy Prague, my next trip to the area will be all about the REST of the country. Already know I am barely home this year - that may have to be the case the next couple of years also!

@Rosalyn, Travel time is quite fresh on my mind after plenty of recent delays and nonsense, which is why I added the dates to my original post instead of saying “x city-5 days”.
Referring to the dates as days when responding is just easier than listing exact hours. You’ll note I’m not counting our day of departure from Barcelona. We have about 4 days with 3 in the middle and a half on each side, but we also have zero bucket list there. There’s nothing to get through and no tours or tickets.

Museums are not utterly essential to us, so we have no need to get through the expected ones. I don’t think we have time to do Berlin justice as a destination, but I think we have time to walk, do a couple meals, memorials, monuments. I have an old friend there i’d like to say hi to. Not necessary but a decent additional reason to stop over. We would meet for lunch, not stay with them, so not worth derailing a trip if it ends up making no sense. I only planned for one full day in Berlin, which is why I booked 2 nights and I really don’t want to do the train ride from Amsterdam to Prague with no stopover. 10+ hours is past my limit if it’s not sleeping.

FWIW, we were in Prague for 3 nights right as Covid hit. We ADORED Prague and I would go back in a heartbeat. I could easily spend a week there, at least.

Is your plan to take night trains? If not, I can’t help but think of how much more time trains are going to eat up vs flying a bit more. If you were flexible on flying…

London (train to) Amsterdam (plane to) Stockholm (plane to) Budapest (plane to) Barcelona let’s you have more time in key cities and less hours. 5 cities done really well, with plenty of time to get to know each. That also gets you a more eastern Eu city, but keeps you out of the areas just not exciting you that much.

We're no longer good train riders--over 4 hours. The budget European airlines are the way we prefer to travel for longer distances. If you have to go to Scandinavia, we simply prefer the city of Copenhagen to visit rather than Stockholm.

I suggest visiting London and take the Eurostar over to Amsterdam. Then fly to Berlin on Easyjet. On the way to Prague by train, I strongly suggest a stop in Dresden--one of the jewels of a city. From Prague, you can fly on Norwegian Air Shuttle to Stockholm. Then the flight to Barcelona would be on Norwegian Air Shuttle or Ryanair. It too is a great city to visit.

So far, Stockholm has been my favorite city of all that I have been to. I liked it better than Copenhagen. Your itinerary isn't what I would do, but I think it looks great based on your want list. Have a great trip, whatever you decide to do.

That's a lot to cover in 3+ weeks. Do-able, but you scarcely get a chance to slow down, relax and enjoy the city as a place where people live, if you are intent on "seeing the sights."

We've only been to three of your five: London, Prague and Barcelona.

Prague seemed espcially over-run with tourists. Yet we found some quieter, off the tourist track spots there: The Manifesto Market and Mucha Museum. Mucha may be familiar to you for his Sarah Bernhardt posters, but he is dear to the Czechs for much more than that. BTW, as to Prague, "UncleGus" is a prolific poster on the RS Forum for the Czech Republic.

Perhaps the most interesting thing we managed to do in London was to go hear parts of two criminal cases, in the course of two hours, at the "The Old Bailey," London's famous criminal court that you may have seen in the film, "Witness for the Prosecution" with Tyrone Power and Marlene Dietrich. Unlike US courts, which are slow and boring, those British Barristers are spellbinding in their questioning of witnesses. Should you decide to give "The Old Bailey" a go, be warned that you cannot take anything inside the court with you, but RS' Guide identifies where you can arrange to stash your stuff within a block of the courthouse. It was a remarkably fascinating morning. Even if you stick to just two days in London, you will likely find these two to three hours more memorable than standing in line that long to see the Crown Jewels.

Barcelona was absolutely fascinating for us. You can swim in the Mediterreanean at the beach at Barceloneta. There are two absolutely primo museums - The Picasso Museum and the Fundacio Joan Miro ( https://www.fmirobcn.org/en/ ). The Picasso Museum is large and entirely chronological ... so you see his solid foundation as young artist, before he began a lifetime of explorations through his blue period, cubism and more abstracted work later in life. And, there is so much fascinating architecture by Gaudi!

Let me put in a plug for considering smaller cities, as well as less major sites in the larger ones, though I can only really make suggestions for London, given your base five cities. Even though you are planning only a couple of days in London, should you add on one or two more, we enjoyed the Sir John Soane House and The Wallace Collection. And, of course, the Old Bailey. An hour outside London is Oxford - a great destination for a day trip wandering abouy the town, the colleges and two outstanding museums: The Oxford Museum of Natural History and The Ashmolean.

Are these days or nights? You need three nights in Amsterdam and four in Berlin if not taking day trips. I also think you’re spending too much time in Stockholm.

I don't think that is too much time in Stockholm, especially if you add a day trip or two there is certainly enough to see and do to keep you busy. But as always you can't see everything and you need to decide what to see and what to leave out.

And yes, Stockholm can be expensive. But it is also possible to visit Stockholm without going bankrupt.

I'm a bit unsure about the dates, are you planning to fly from Stockholm to Barcelona on the 1st? That is a Saturday and since it is a bit off season, flights can be few and/or expensive. You will probably save a bit if you fly to Barcelona on the Sunday or Friday instead.

@David
We did Easyjet recently and it went well, though a little delayed. (Seems everything is right now.)

I still strongly prefer the train for a number of reasons, but it's less $ to fly, dangit!

@vandrabrud
Did you find it affordable?

@fred
Wow, thank you for the brilliant advice and insightful pointers. The specificity is more helpful than I can say. And you are right. I'd prefer the experience to looking at the crown jewels by a large margin.

We do want to see some things, but not ticking off a list or trying to see the "important" things. I would have been itching to see the Colosseum because I'm "nebby" as Pittsburghers say, so I'm glad I got it out of my system, and though I wasn't at all disappointed, it didn't rate in my top 5 things we did or saw in Rome. I won't feel the need to do it again if I'm lucky enough to return. I know a lot of people tolerate the rest of Rome to see those things, but I loved the city and the people. If I had a day there again, I'd walk and have gelato.

I do love the smaller cities... I loved the tiny village on Montecatini Alto as much as I loved Rome. I've fiddled with the map a lot and even zoomed in on random towns and "strolled the streets" on google. It's a bad game for me because I was thinking of skipping Berlin and staying in a small town on the way, and now there are about 20 I'd like to go to, haha. None of them have big attractions, but we are very much feelers who like to be in a place regardless of "big" things. We've visited Nashville and Boston with the kids and didn't do the New England Aquarium or the Country Music Hall of Fame or The Grand Ole Opry. In Boston, we did walk through Quincy Market and see Old North Church (the kids were studying American history at that stage) and watch street performers and eat street food. In Nashville, we hit up hipster neighborhoods for crazy donut flavors and amazing tacos and let them play in Cumberland Park.

I didn't miss the "attractions" then and I'm not sad I passed them up now. All of my kids still feel an emotional tug to both places though they've only had 2 brief visits. I don't want to rush to the point of missing that on this trip, but I don't plan to cram the days and see everything either.

My son would love to visit Oxford and I would love to visit Bath. I doubt we will have the time, but if we are languishing on day 2 and find the crowds and lines too much, we wouldn't mind the train ride.

@MaryPat The dates listed under each place constitute the actual nights we would stay. There's some play with whether we take late or early trains of course. My son only has a list of things he wants to see in Amsterdam (it's not long, but it is a couple museums and a day trip) and doesn't want to visit Germany at all because he has an unwarranted negative connotation that I'm hoping to reverse. We are definitely not trying to "do" a lot in Berlin. Walk, look, feel, eat.

@Badger

That's a good tip. I'll watch for price increases. I always check actual transportation options with specific dates. Since train tickets aren't released this early, I usually see what the prices are like now and a couple days out and a few weeks out to get a feel. It looks like I can book RyanAir for 31.00 USD one way. I'm not super eager to do that way ahead of time, but it looks like as long as I do it at least 7-10 days before, I should get in that range, assuming it doesn't sell out. (I've been tracking.)

I still need to go over what events, small or large, might be happening in each city in that time frame so I know if they are big factors that will affect travel and timing.

“I have so much I want to do from Amsterdam-- Bruges, and Delft and maybe even Antwerp and more“
Amsterdam is not an ideal base to visit Bruges. It will take almost 3.5 hours one way to get from Amsterdam to Bruges. I would suggest to actually stay in Belgium if you want to visit Antwerp and Bruges.

I have been to all of your listed cities except Barcelona and frankly loved them all. We have stayed in all of them for 6+ days and have never been bored. Prague was very worthwhile including a tour of the Jewish neighbourhood that was intense and moving. Stockholm involved exploring a number of different areas, all interesting, and a tour of the city hall which I found to be beautiful. A day trip from Amsterdam to Antwerp might be manageable but the rest of Belgium I would skip as too far away for day trips; we stayed in Antwerp for a few days and found plenty to explore. Berlin has much to offer and hopefully you could choose 1-2 activities.

Yes Scandinavia is expensive but if that is of interest to your son, then visiting one of its cities makes sense. I liked Stockholm more than Copenhagen.

I see lots of merit with your itinerary considering your stated goals. And hopefully both of you can return to places that are memorable should you want more time in the future.

I've only been to Prague and Amsterdam of the listed cities and loved them with a bit more of an edge to Amsterdam. Prague was more crowded and more "touristy" (although I hate that word). But I loved Cesky Krumlov - it's popular because it's such a charming place! Lots to see and do - the town is nestled in the beds and turns of the Vitalva River, which flows all around the historical center. Above the town, sitting on a cliff overlooking Krumlov is a majestic medieval castle.

The castle was closed the days were were there but we found out that the courtyard was open. It was truly an enchanted evening - we wandered through the stone corridors of the castle courtyards (the place is gigantic–second only to Prague Castle in size) lit by mellow lamps hanging above. It was beautiful and peaceful.

And there are lots of good restaurants - we ate at KRCMS v Satlavski, which served grilled meat over an open fire. Very good! And later we went to a place called Hospoda Na louzi, which served food and lots of beer (including a local brew - Eddingtons). We sat at shared tables and got to talking to a couple from Munich who were there on vacation. Sorry for the long description but I did love Cesky Krumlov. :)

There are many wonderful day trips from Amsterdam - I think my 2 favorites were Leiden and Hoorn. I almost didn't go to Leiden and was so happy I did. It's a lovely and scenic university town with lots to see and do. It hosts the Museum de Lakenhal, which has a nice art collection (including some Rembrandts who was born here).

My other favorite was Hoorn, which sits on the water and reminds me of an old fishing village. We rented a small boat and a man took us around the outskirts of the town and through the waters. We saw a wonderful museum called Westfries with lots of regional history in a beautiful 1600's building, and had a nice lunch with a view of the water. Very charming and interesting.

Other possibilities include Gouda, Delft, den Haag, and Utrecht.

We’re all different. I’ve been to Prague 5 times. I could easily spend 5 days there. One time we spent 2/3 of the day just in the cathedral by the castle. BUT it can be a bit nuts in the height of tourist season. There are many great and easy day trips from there or other stopovers you could do. Anyway it’s one of my favorite cities in the world. And great day trips from there. Also, like others, I find Stockholm a bit dull. Barcelona is fine for a few days but there are also some great smaller coastal cities around that area. Amsterdam also has some good day trips. All of these can be a bit crazy during tourist season.

@David We did Easyjet recently and it went well, though a little
delayed. (Seems everything is right now.) I still strongly prefer the
train for a number of reasons, but it's less $ to fly, dangit!

It will be hard to save money by flying between Amsterdam and Berlin, especially if you want to be able to bring a checked in bag. And even if you only have a small bag each and really want to save €5 or so, it might be worth a bit of money to avoid Berlin's new airport. https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/berlin-brandenburg-airport-one-year-on/index.html

My son only has a list of things he wants to see in Amsterdam (it's
not long, but it is a couple museums and a day trip) and doesn't want
to visit Germany at all because he has an unwarranted negative
connotation that I'm hoping to reverse. We are definitely not trying
to "do" a lot in Berlin. Walk, look, feel, eat.

What is your son interested in? Berlin is an amazing city in many ways and I'm sure there are many things there that might interest him.

It looks like I can book RyanAir for 31.00 USD one way. I'm not super
eager to do that way ahead of time, but it looks like as long as I do
it at least 7-10 days before, I should get in that range, assuming it
doesn't sell out. (I've been tracking.)

Just remember that with low cost airlines, the price you see is usually not the price you end up paying. And if this is for the Stockholm-Barcelona flight, their frequency is usually not that great (once or twice per week). You should also look at what SAS has to offer, once you look at the total cost their prices are usually competitive. And they have better planes as well as better service, which can be nice on a four hour flight.

@Mardee Oh my gosh, thank you. These are just the type of insights and recommendations that are more helpful than google could ever be.

@cchapin100 What coastal cities near Barcelona do you love? I started researching online and it was a lot of suggestions and very little info.

Do you feel mid September-early October is still tourist season in any of those places? I was thinking it was more like shoulder season. We did beautifully in March in Italy, but the Covid restrictions are already less and I think more people will be traveling after the rush this summer.

@Badger
I know this thread has gotten long to keep up with all my previous answers, so I appreciate you taking the time all the more! We won't be checking any bags. My backpack is only 28l. It's under the limit even for European airlines and not heavy when packed.

I'm familiar with Trenitalia, but the many systems covering Europe are still a bit opaque, though I do look into it quite a bit when making plans. Easyjet is 41.81USD. I'm all the way to the end of checkout to complete sale and it's still 41.81. I paid exactly what the list price was for our last Easyjet flight and didn't have any problem with our bags. Looks like I can get a train for around that price, but 6.5 hours. Flying is 1 hour, but I'll call it 4 with check in, security and leaving the airport on arrival. So... I guess I could go either way?
THANK YOU for the article on BER. I do my due diligence (layout, gates, security, trains and trams to/from) but I haven't researched the current news about the airports. It probably would affect me less going in than departing from there, but still... Yikes.

As far as the frequency, I was surprised to find as much availability as there is. (I always check trains and flights in initial itinerary planning. Almost no point without.) Ryan Air is flying out on our desired dates (and the days after... always gotta check that for contingency) 31-50USD, which is a steal, if you ask me. (Iberia is flying direct on those dates too, so I would have a potential backup option.)

Most importantly though, Berlin. I've never been there, but I totally agree!! He's a literary arts major and is a total comedian. He is talkative and friendly and a little old man in teen clothing. (Think, suspenders, peppermints, butter pecan ice cream, bow ties, and opening doors for people, but also, video games and vans sneakers.) He has an interest in the evolution of society and government, which is why Stockholm and Amsterdam both interest him... a big contrast to the US. He likes to eat, and he loves the little details and the mind blowing sites. Not as much the in-between. He's meticulous and a slob. I mean, c'mon, isn't Berlin a study in contrast? He has Dublin on his list, and no offense to Dublin, but I think if he spent a week in each, he'd prefer Berlin by a large margin.

Looks like I can get a train for around that price, but 6.5 hours.
Flying is 1 hour, but I'll call it 4 with check in, security and
leaving the airport on arrival. So... I guess I could go either way?

The train will also be a more relaxing trip and no queues, security checks and so on.

THANK YOU for the article on BER. I do my due diligence (layout,
gates, security, trains and trams to/from) but I haven't researched
the current news about the airports. It probably would affect me less
going in than departing from there, but still... Yikes.

Arriving will be easier than departing, but they have had a lot of problem with the new airport since it opened.

As far as the frequency, I was surprised to find as much availability
as there is. (I always check trains and flights in initial itinerary
planning. Almost no point without.) Ryan Air is flying out on our
desired dates (and the days after... always gotta check that for
contingency) 31-50USD, which is a steal, if you ask me. (Iberia is
flying direct on those dates too, so I would have a potential backup
option.)

What part of the trip is this about? Have you updated you itinerary? Iberia does not fly between Stockholm and Barcelona.

He has an interest in the evolution of society and government, which
is why Stockholm and Amsterdam both interest him... a big contrast to
the US. He likes to eat, and he loves the little details and the mind
blowing sites. Not as much the in-between. He's meticulous and a slob.
I mean, c'mon, isn't Berlin a study in contrast? He has Dublin on his
list, and no offense to Dublin, but I think if he spent a week in
each, he'd prefer Berlin by a large margin.

I agree that Berlin wins! Evolution of society and government is a tricky subject to give advice on. But there is so much history in Berlin (not just cold war history).

@Badger Iberia provides Stockholm>Barcelona direct via Vueling, but it looks like one could also book directly through Vueling as well. Iberia comes up first in my results, but they're just using Veuling.

The cities are fine. Playing bumper cars with the crowds is another matter.

We always enjoy a mix of city and countryside. It's a nice break between city visits and as we travel more we enjoy medieval villages and nature. It's a nice combination.

@Badger Iberia provides Stockholm>Barcelona direct via Vueling, but it
looks like one could also book directly through Vueling as well.
Iberia comes up first in my results, but they're just using Veuling.

I.e. Vueling has direct flights between Stockholm and Barcelona.

Flying is 1 hour, but I'll call it 4 with check in, security and
leaving the airport on arrival. So... I guess I could go either way?

There are now reports about Amsterdam airport having a hard time handling the increased number of passengers, so 4 hours is probably very optimistic.

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/transportation/ams-is-a-mess
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/netherlands/schiphol-airport-a-mess

Copenhagen's architecture is more captivating than Stockholm's AND those open-faced sandwiches at the Torvehallerne food market are both enticing and tasty

@periscope, tell me more? I'm tacking on 3 days in Copenhagen at the end of my Germany trip and will be there in about 5 days and have done no research (it was a last minute decision)! I'll post something on the Denmark forum but would love to know more about Torvehallerne!

@Badger
Thank you so much for thinking of me when you saw that and looping back to let me know. It's a tough one since flights out of Rotterdam or Eindhoven seem to cost 2-3x for many destinations and, in some cases, fly less directly. I'm thinking of just putting off buying tickets for a bit, but I'm not sure that's a good plan either. My google flight trackers are showing mainly increases and I'm told European airlines don't usually come back down the way they do in the US in the 12-16 weeks before a flight.