If you have 10 days
Skip Madrid and Barcelona, fly into Paris and keep Paris, Amsterdam and London (4, 3 and 2 nights). Every move between cities is then by train.
Trip itinerary · Western Europe
Western Europe in two weeks: Madrid, Barcelona, Paris, Amsterdam and London
Fly into Madrid, fly home from London, and see five of Europe’s great cities in 13 nights, with fast trains and one short flight between them.
See the routeThe route at a glance
- 1Madrid2 nights
- About 3 hours
- 2Barcelona3 nights
- About 2 hours
- 3Paris4 nights
- About 3.5 hours
- 4Amsterdam2 nights
- About 4 hours
- 5London2 nights
Why this route
Why this route
This route runs from south to north through the cities most first-time visitors to Europe put on their list: Madrid for art and long evenings, Barcelona for Gaudí and the sea, Paris for the classic sights, Amsterdam for canals and museums, and London to finish. Moving north also means the weather tends to cool as the trip goes on.
If this might be your only trip to Europe, the aim here is range: five very different cities, in four countries, each with enough nights for its headline sights. Three of the four moves are by high-speed train, and one is a short flight. It is a fast pace, so we only suggest ideas for each stop, and you decide how much to fit in.
The journey
Madrid → London
- Madrid → BarcelonaTrain · About 3 hours
- Barcelona → ParisFlight · About 2 hours
- Paris → AmsterdamTrain · About 3.5 hours
- Amsterdam → LondonTrain · About 4 hours
Why it is on the route
Two nights is a taster: enough for one day of museums and palaces and one of wandering the old center and Retiro Park, with tapas each night. Madrid runs late, so treat dinner at nine or ten as normal and start the next day a little slower.
Things you could do
- The Prado Museum and its Spanish masters
- The Reina Sofía and Picasso’s Guernica
- The Royal Palace and the Plaza Mayor
- A stroll through Retiro Park
- An evening of tapas around La Latina and the old center
Day trips
- Toledo, a walled hill town a short high-speed train ride away
- Segovia and its Roman aqueduct
Getting to Barcelona
Madrid → BarcelonaTrain · About 3 hours
Take a high-speed train from Madrid Atocha to Barcelona Sants.
When to leave: Mid-morning after check-out, so you reach Barcelona in the early afternoon and can drop your bags before check-in.
Other options
- Flight About an hour and a quarter in the air, but with airport time and the transfers at each end it is rarely faster than the train.
- Seats on the high-speed trains are reserved when you buy, so book ahead in busy months, and check which Madrid station your ticket shows, as some trains leave from Chamartín rather than Atocha. Allow a little time for the security check.
- Works on the line have slowed some trains lately, so allow a little extra time and check the current timetable.
Why it is on the route
Three nights lets you see the Gaudí highlights, wander the old quarter and still have time by the sea. It is a walkable city with a good metro, and the most relaxed of the five, so use it as the place to slow down a little.
Things you could do
- The Sagrada Família
- Park Güell and Gaudí’s other buildings, such as Casa Batlló
- The Gothic Quarter and El Born
- The La Boqueria market
- A walk or swim on the Barceloneta beach
- Sunset from Montjuïc, or the views from the Carmel bunkers by day
Day trips
- Montserrat, a mountain monastery northwest of the city
- Sitges, a seaside town an easy train ride away
Getting to Paris
Barcelona → ParisFlight · About 2 hours
Fly from Barcelona El Prat to Paris (Charles de Gaulle or Orly), then take the rail link or a taxi into the center.
When to leave: Take a morning flight, so you reach your Paris neighborhood in the early afternoon and keep part of the day.
Other options
- High-speed train A direct high-speed train runs between the two cities, but it takes most of a day, about 6.5 to 7 hours.
- With the journey to the airport, check-in and the transfer at the other end, this is effectively a half day of travel, so keep the morning light.
Why it is on the route
Paris gets the most nights because it has the most to choose from: great museums, famous landmarks and neighborhoods made for wandering. Four nights lets you pick a couple of big sights, leave space for a long lunch, and still see how Parisians live.
Things you could do
- The Eiffel Tower and the Trocadéro viewpoint
- The Louvre, if you pick a few rooms rather than try for all of it
- Notre-Dame and Sainte-Chapelle on and around the Île de la Cité
- The Musée d’Orsay and its Impressionists
- Montmartre and Sacré-Cœur
- A walk along the Seine and through the Marais
Day trips
- The Palace of Versailles and its gardens (closed on Mondays)
- Giverny, Monet’s garden, in the warmer months
Getting to Amsterdam
Paris → AmsterdamTrain · About 3.5 hours
Take a high-speed train from Paris Gare du Nord to Amsterdam Centraal.
When to leave: Mid-morning after check-out, so you reach Amsterdam in the early afternoon and can drop your bags before check-in.
- International high-speed trains need a reserved seat, so book ahead in busy months, and keep your passport handy.
Why it is on the route
Amsterdam is small and walkable, so two nights covers the canal ring, a major museum or two and an evening in a neighborhood café. It is the easiest stop to enjoy without a plan, but its best museum tickets need booking.
Things you could do
- The Rijksmuseum and its Dutch masters
- The Van Gogh Museum
- The Anne Frank House
- A canal cruise, or a walk around the canal ring
- The Jordaan neighborhood and its small streets
- Vondelpark and the Albert Cuyp market in De Pijp
Day trips
- Haarlem, an easy train ride away
- The Zaanse Schans windmills
- Keukenhof’s tulip gardens, in spring only
Getting to London
Amsterdam → LondonTrain · About 4 hours
Take a direct high-speed train from Amsterdam Centraal to London St Pancras International.
When to leave: Mid-morning after check-out, so you reach London in the early afternoon; arrive at the station early to allow for passport checks.
- There are only a few direct trains a day, so book ahead in busy months.
- The UK is outside the Schengen area and has its own entry rules, so check what you need for the border and bring your passport. Border checks happen before you board in Amsterdam, so leave plenty of time.
Why it is on the route
London is huge, so two nights is a taster: pick one area for the classic landmarks and another for a market and the river. It is the end of the trip, so a late flight or a lazy last morning works well.
Things you could do
- Westminster: Big Ben, Parliament and Westminster Abbey
- The Tower of London and Tower Bridge
- The British Museum
- A walk along the South Bank to Borough Market
- A West End show
- Buckingham Palace and St James’s Park
Day trips
- Greenwich and its observatory, by river or train
- Windsor Castle (check the opening days, as it is closed on some weekdays)
With more or fewer days
If you have 3 weeks
Add a night each in Madrid, Paris and Amsterdam, two more nights in London, and two nights in Bruges or Brussels between Paris and Amsterdam, which makes 20 nights.
Before you book
- Train and flight times change by season and day, and strikes sometimes disrupt rail and air travel, so check the current timetable and service notices before you book. The durations here are approximate.
- Entry rules and electronic travel authorizations for the Schengen area and the UK change, so check what you need for your passport well before you travel.
- This is a fast pace. If you find five cities too many, drop one and give the others an extra night.
- This is a route outline, not a day-by-day plan. Dayworthy can help you turn it into one that fits your dates and your pace.
Published: · Updated:
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