First time to Paris + Amsterdam

I add London. There first, Eurostar to Paris ( buy seats early to save money) then Amsterdam. Fly home from there.

I agree with Claudia; London is very into Christmas. Go to Kew Gardens for the Evening Lights. Go to Hampton Court. Unique shopping experience in the Street Markets. Have Tea! Have Roast! Go to Church Services in Paris! Amsterdam's Christmas Lights photograph wonderfully at night reflecting against the Canals, a plus if you can get a misty moon in the shot. You can take commuter trains to other historic Dutch towns such as Leiden, where the Mayflower Pilgrims lived before sailing to America. All of these cities have the Best Museums and Galleries in the World, great places to hang out on cold days. Bon Voyage!

Thank you Claudia and Kathleen. Taking notes. Will be sharing with the family. :D

I'm planning a trip to Europe this Christmas for 10-11 days.

How many nights will you be in Europe?

That will be key to whether a 3rd location is a good idea.

10 nights.

I'd chose Paris and London over Amsterdam. But if you want to squeeze in 3, there they are. But I don’t feel you have nearly enough time for 3 this time.

I’ve been to all 3 (Paris, London, Amsterdam) multiple times and they’re all fantastic! With 10 nights and it being your first time to whichever you choose, I would recommend doing just two. Really, you could spend all your of your nights in Paris or London and not run out of things to do. Paris and London are hard to compete with…..

I think if you want to visit Paris and Amsterdam, you should. Assuming you'll fly open jaw, to Amsterdam and back from Paris or vice versa. With a total of 10 nights I wouldn't add a third city, personally, even if it's London. There's so much to do in the two cities you mentioned.

Thank you everyone. Will take note of it.

I agree with a PP that, while 3 cities would be lovely, with only 10 nights it might be preferable to keep it to 2. Especially because it is your first trip to Europe, and there is a bit of a learning curve. And secondly, if Christmas Eve through Boxing Day falls within your stay, it will throw a big crimp in your sightseeing due to closures. Just something to think about.

I would look at where you can "best" fly in/out and plan accordingly. "Best" is subjective, of course, based on schedule, price, air miles application, comfort, etc. On my recent trip to Ireland, it happened that the "best" flight for me was to/from Frankfurt, so I added on three nights in the Mosel Valley, which I loved.

A few basic tips for your first time based on my own travels with two teens.

Allocate roughly 7 nights for Paris, 3 for Amsterdam.
Arrival day jet lag can be rough. Plan accordingly.
Warm clothes. Gloves and scarfs. Handwarmers? Winter can be biting cold, and you will be walking a lot.
Pick up a good (RS) guidebook for at least Paris. It's a large city with a lot to do and see.
Pay attention to museum hours, closed days, and timed reservation requirements. Plan accordingly.
Paris transportation - taxis with luggage, otherwise the metro
Paris accommodations - if you can, stay in a central, walkable area with nearby access to the metro. There are a lot of posts about various neighborhood preferences on this site.
Use the train to travel between Paris and Amsterdam versus flying.
Amsterdam accommodations - the right neighborhood is key. I like the Jordaan area for its proximity and laid-back vibe.
If anyone in your party likes van Gogh, there is a great connection between these two cities to explore. Visit the Orsay in Paris and the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.
Take a boat cruise in Amsterdam.
If interested, book the Anne Frank House reservations well in advance. Slots disappear quickly.
Amsterdam transportation - feet, bike, or Uber
Speaking of bikes, there are a LOT. Watch where you walk.
Fly open jaw. In one city and out the other.

Have a great time!

Ten years ago, my husband (then fiancé) and I did a Christmas/New Year's trip to London, Paris, and Amsterdam. Including travel days, the trip was from 12/19 to 1/2.

A few people have suggested adding London or subbing Amsterdam for London. I think this is a great idea. London is a good introduction to Europe. The Metro is easy to navigate, and there are a wealth of interesting museums and activities. Kathleen provided a nice list of ideas.

Paris is always lovely. Riding through the Chunnel to get there is a cool experience. We were in Paris for Christmas Day, and we were able to find restaurants that were open and keep ourselves entertained by visiting Père-Lachaise.

As much as I love the Netherlands, I think a better first trip to Europe would be London and Paris. There is so much to do in these cities, so you could spend all your time within their limits. Amsterdam doesn't offer quite as much. If you can add a couple more days to your itinerary, then consider adding Amsterdam back in.

Be sure to pack warm clothes. It was very chilly when we were there. My husband caught a cold that turned into pneumonia by the end of the trip. We spent New Year's Eve at an Amsterdam ER getting him a chest X-rays and meds.

Hey there and welcome to the Forum! Agreed 2 destinations will be enough to delight you on a first trip to Europe and allow more time to settle in and soak up some atmosphere. Someone just asked about Christmas & Boxing Day (Dec 26) and got an interesting answer about the Netherlands here. (Basically almost everything you would need will be open.) https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/christmas-and-boxing-day-in-europe-2024