Looking at 2 week trip to Paris/Amsterdam (IN/Out) or vice versa) mid-May depart. Belgium, Normandy coast. Male 60 s solo traveller, modest means, like to walk and take public transport but can also drive if makes sense. Want to experience these areas/culture, food, museums, parks, music, vibe, scenery, etc. I'm fine with modest places to stay, 2-3 star is fine. Doable? Not too much of a stretch of places, etc.?
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23601 posts
If you are doing Normandy I would split between Paris and London just to make the logistics easier. And open an open-jaw tickets makes a lot of sense and will probably be cheaper.
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11741 posts
Paris deserves a week (6 or 7 nights) plus time in Normandy, where you need a minimum of 3 nights. I would fly to Paris and go immediate to Normandy (Bayeux is good by Public transportation). That’s 9/10 nights of a two week trip, so how many nights, exactly do you have on the ground i.e., not including the night you are in flight? Amsterdam is an easy trip by train from Paris but needs 3 to 4 nights, IMO. No time to Belgium unless you cut Paris short, which you should not do!
Do splurge in a guided tour of the WWII sites in Normandy. Very hard to do alone even if you have a car. A tour will make a huge impact. Plus, when you travel alone, it is nice to have a group experience now and then. In Paris, look at the very affordable Paris Walks. They have a comprehensive program and only charge (last I knew) €10 per tour.
BTW, we thought Amsterdam was on the expensive side for lodging. You might try staying in Haarlem if you go and definitely fly into one city and out of the other.
Posted by
8168 posts
I would spend about four nights in Amsterdam. Take a tour of the Zuider Zee, a canal boat ride and visit the Anne Frank House and Rijksmuseum (wonderful with all the Rembrandts) and Van Gough Museum.
On your way to Paris, spend a night in Brussels, you can see the city in a day. The Grand Plaza is very nice. Then to nearby Brugges. You can do that in a day.
On to Paris and 5-6 day minimum there. The Lourve is wonderful, Eiffel Tower, Sacre Cour and so much more.
Do a tour of Normandy and one that includes the D-day beaches, American Cemetery and museum as well as Bayeux and the 900 year old Bayeux Tapestry (tells the story of the Norman conquest of England in 1066). Look for lodging in Kayak.com
Posted by
Tel Aviv
15777 posts
I would choose 3 of your 4 destinations, probably omitting Belgium. While I enjoyed my visits there, Paris and A'dam have much more to offer and Normandy seems to be a priority for you. I haven't been there so I don't know how efficient a visit would be without a car.
Logistically, it probably doesn't matter where you start. The only issue would be how to get to and from Normandy. Certainly Belgium is easier to plan by train, you wouldn't need a car at all. It would help to know when you are planning to travel. Weather in Normandy could be an issue.
Count nights in Europe, do not count your first day on the ground - you're likely to be jetlagged and not able to see/do/absorb much. Don't count your last day unless you have a night flight home, all you'll have time for is getting to the airport. A 15-day trip from the US usually means 14 nights, so 13 days. Every time you change locations, you use about 1/2 day. Yes, even if it's only a 2 hour train ride. So 3 nights in a place gives you 2 days there. In general, I'd say at least 5 nights in Paris and 4N in A'dam. There is enough in Paris to fill 2 weeks, in A'dam to fill at least a week. Then there are several excellent day trips from both.
Whatever you choose, you will be skipping great places. Plan with the central thought that you will be back again (and again and again. . . ). When you have decided on a generally itinerary, come back and get more advice and suggestions.
Posted by
OP
New Jersey
183 posts
TY all for the responses.