Itinerary help for 20 days including London, Paris & Amsterdam

I would do only 5 days in London, 4 in Amsterdam 5 in Belgium based at Ghent and/or Brugges.
Once you get the order set then drill down and fill in what to see or do.

I've twice stayed one long block from the Notting Hill Gate Undeground station and like the area. Restaurants are clustered down near the station. A good Turkish place, Fez Mangal, is up near the Ladbroke Grove station (on the other end of the Portobello Road Market). I'd poke around on Google Maps to be sure you're not too far from restaurants and perhaps a supermarket, because I think there might be some parts of that area that would be farther from services and the Underground than I'd prefer to be.

In the Netherlands there are lots of side-trips you can make from Amsterdam by train, but I don't know how costly those rail tickets might be. There are good art museums in Den Haag and Rotterdam (depending on your stylistic preferences). I thought Gouda and Utrecht were attractive destinations for just wandering around.

I like Jazz+Travels' suggestion above.

One other piece of advice: count your days c-a-r-e-f-u-l-l-y (and honestly) at this point, based on actual (or at least chosen and specific) travel dates. Don't count your arrival or departure days as usable. At this stage of planning, it's very easy to lull yourself into the trap of "well, we have X days, we will split them up like so..." and then you add an extra stop, maybe two...then when you have your dream itinerary locked in, you realize you don't really have enough usable days on the ground. Get out a calendar and write on it to reinforce the limits of what you have to work with.

I’m only going to speak to London questions.

As you’ve already been there consider staying at a Premiere Inn Euston. Good tube access via Euston Square or Kings Cross. If you’ve not been to the British Library to see the Treasure room it’s a 10 minute walk from the hotel if that.

You might enjoy having tea, cocktail, lunch or dinner at the Booking Office at the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel. It’s not cheap but oh so lovely! Granary Square and the fairly new Coal Drop Yards behind behind St Pancras is interesting

Visit Dishoom at Granary square ( if you can get in) From there a it’s a 25 minute stroll along the Regents Canal to Camden Lock Market.

There’s also the Canopy fresh food market near Granary Square in a building adjacent to the House of Illustration. The latter might be of interest to your Fine Arts Major. The Canopy Market is open FS&Sun.

Within walking distance of the the Euston Premiere Inn you’ll also find the Wellcome Collection.

For theatre see what the schedule is at the Sadler Wells Theatre for your travel dates.

As far as Portobello Road Market go early. If memory serves from Euston tube to Nottinghill Station it’s a 20 minutes to a half hour counting you have to change trains once. Have a nosh at Gail’s Bakery as vendors set up...7:30 am. Fortified, meander taking in both Portobello and Golborne rd markets. Great way to spend a Saturday morning!

Enjoy!

Hi Maria,

I did a very similar trip last summer and loved it! Adding the Netherlands and Belgium in between London and Paris works out very well. Here is my trip report: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/london-to-paris-with-netherlands-belgium-in-between

With your time I think you can include Belgium and it makes logistical sense (a lot of people ask about adding a destination to an itinerary that involves convoluted or long extra train trips, but yours does not - and as you have already been to both London and Paris and have a fairly generous amount of time I say add in Belgium).

How you split the time in the 4 destinations is up to you, no right or wrong way.

From Amsterdam possible day trips include Haarlem (not even a real 'day trip', only 15 min by frequent train), Delft, Leiden, Gouda

For Belgium I would base in Ghent and do day trips to Brugge and Antwerp. Just be sure your dates don't include a major music festival that happens in summer in Ghent (but I think it's in July) cause that turns the city into something of a zoo. But when that's not on I think that would be your best base. Brussels is also a possible day trip. Distances are so short, you could even do two cities in one day if you move fast.

Thanks to all for your great comments and advice... I think I’ll add Belgium after everyone’s suggestions, but might need to add a couple of days to make this a 24 day holiday ...I’m leaning towards this Itinerary:

London (St Pancras Premier Inn, 6 nights)... stayed here before, liked it and upon further review is ideal for travel to A’dam and Covent Garden theatre so more practical than Notting Hill (but will still visit Portobello)... and I totally forgot about nearby Granary Square,... yes we saw Brit Library before and recall that we especially enjoyed being there in last heat wave!)...

Train to A’dam (5 nights)... thought about staying in Haarlem as looks lovely but would prefer to stay very central for our first (and short 5 day) visit... will look into day trips to Delft and Zaanse (spelling?)... two full days for A’dam museums and two full days for day trips...anyone had success finding family accommodation in Jordaan? Thought about the houseboat rental option; heard that it can feel ‘wavy’ and hard to sleep? I’m curious what others think of them...

Train A’dam to Bruges (via Antwerp) I guess ?.. Skip Brussels this time...is Groeninge museum in Bruges worth visiting ?...we like bike riding too so will add the day trip to Damme...3 nights in Bruges enough?

Train Bruges to Paris via Brussels (6 nights)... any family hotel suggestions for opera/Madeleine or Montmartre districts?

Does seem busy with four city/country bases... I think I need to add another day or two to make this trip 24 days (6 nights per country)... once you add up the days including travel time, as suggested, the days go by quickly and it’s hard to decide ...so many places to see...I’m still trying to keep this trip about ‘slow’ travel...

Thanks again and please keep advice coming!
Maria

Maria, if your daughter the fine arts major has ~any~ interest in art restoration you should definitely time things so you can see the art restorers working on the Van Eyck Altarpiece in Ghent. They have a special studio at the MSK Museum in Ghent and according to the website work on it from Tuesday to Friday. I thought this was just amazing. I have no art history background but was mesmerized watching them scrape with what looked like a fine dental tool, then swab with a q-tip. Looking thru a microscope! Wow.

https://www.mskgent.be/en/exhibitions/restoration-ghent-altarpiece

http://closertovaneyck.kikirpa.be/ghentaltarpiece/

After you see the restorers at work, you'll want to visit the Cathedral to see the altarpiece sections that have already been restored.

I'd want at least 2 nights in Ghent so you've got one full day there and if you want to add on Bruges and not move hotels again, do as others suggest and make this a day trip from Ghent.

I've not been to the flower display in the Brussels Grand Place but have heard it is fabulous. It's just done every other year.

For Paris and London I'd want AC in your hotels. I've sweltered in Paris in August with 97 degree afternoons (not as bad as a few days this past July!) and would not consider anything but air conditioning.

hey hey maria
you've received great info about different areas and things to do. i'll add a few for you to look into.
AMSTERDAM:
amsterdam.citymundo.com we stayed at the apartment L10715 prinsengracht. we loved it, and owner, susan, is a great hostess. near tram to central area and sites, on a pretty canal, room to move around in. or going to albertcyup market street. pedestrian only, blocks and blocks of anything and everything to sell, eat, and drink,

houseboathotel.nl we stayed in one in joordan area (B092) the bed in bunk bed room was not the most comfortable but loved the boat, the area, ducks come right to boat for their bread, other boats cruising the canal
houseboatrental.amsterdam
read reviews, look at pictures carefully, steep stairs/steps to climb with luggage, fine print and fees
amsterdamexcursies.nl read about their tours
thatdamguide.com
take the train to haarlem, walk around center and down small lanes, eat poffertjes, yummy, in the middle of square.
tripsavvy.com/where to eat indo-dutch rijsttafel
thisisholland.com (ultimate flight experience)
martines-table.com home dining experience, husband does a tour also
eatingeurope.com
hungrybirds.nl
getyourguide.com has tours to check out.
we did a private canal boat ride and a night light ride, there are so many canals rides to choose from, and to me they are the same, some maybe better than others, i couldn't tell.
wear comfortable shoes, lots of walking, bikes bikes bikes everywhere be careful. loved rembrandt plaza, bars, cafes, shops, grassy park to people watch along with some "free entertainment" tram stop, the "smoke" in the air, street vendors.
any museums and anne frank house book early. we took the thalys from paris to amsterdam about 3hours) comfy ride. book early, 3 months or so, make sure exact date is good, tjere may be discounts at places for your girls, check age appropriate. check arrival and departure times of all trips/places to stay unless you have early checkin or storing luggage. get there too early and lugging your luggage is no fun, been there done that. pack light, i take a little bottle of laundry soap if i have to hand wash in sink, some places may have a washer no dryer, don't want heavy bags.
good you plan on a multi-city flight. check out cross-pollinate.com for places in london and paris, apts within the city. will send you other things that may interest you. enjoy and have a great time.
aloha

Wow... all such great feedback and much thanks to all. Here is what I have planned so far;:

July 28-August 24 (in order):

5 days London (theatre, theatre, theatre)... okay will need to feed the kids sometimes too so will visit Portobello and Camden markets ... again, been to London a few times so am sure the London portion will be easiest part of our grand adventure...

7 days Amsterdam (with day trips to Den Haag, Haarlem & Gouda). Or possibly easier and cheaper to base in Haarlem Or Delft for these places instead? But as we want to stay in just one place might be easier to stay in A’dam... finding relatively affordable accommodation in A’dam is still proving tough... houseboat option appeals but wonder about safety of our stuff left on a boat all day, plus heard mosquitoes are troublesome when right on water (we’re Canadian though so can’t imagine it’s as bad as here?)...leaning towards a BnB in Jordaan? Will be in A’dam first week of August...

7 days Brugge (with day trips to Brussels for flower carpet in mid August, Ghent for alter pieces viewing; my art daughter will love that!). Chose Bruges over other places as we want to bike ride thru countryside, plus it just looks like a fairy tale in pics (fairy tale shared with a million tourists in August I guess)...seems that there are some excellent RS recommendations for BnBs there too...rates look quite decent too...

Paris (7 days).... Still looking into Marais or Opera area hotel options (definitely with AC as advised by Patti)... might return to our previously visited hotel in Le Sorbonne Arrond 5 as it was excellent and relatively affordable compared to Rue Cler etc... as with A’dam, seems prices are higher especially in August in Arrond 7 and 1...I’d love to find a family hotel in Le Marais (with AC) for around $200 per night for three people August 17-24 approx... is it possible?? A fairy tale ?

So yes it’s a month long trip across the pond... so exciting (have VISA, will travel right?)

I’ll be posting more questions re: suggested itineraries under specific country forums but thanks again everyone for above advice ...I always welcome ideas ...

Happy holidays! Maria