Western Europe blends grand history with daily delights: a croissant still warm from the oven, a gilded palace mirrored in fountains, a canal fringed by merchant houses. This 16-day itinerary traces that magic through Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam—three capitals connected by quick trains and overflowing with art, architecture, and flavor.

In Paris, centuries of creativity spill from the Louvre to the Left Bank bistros. Brussels punches above its size with Art Nouveau façades, comic murals, and a beer culture that UNESCO recognizes as intangible heritage. Amsterdam’s Golden Age canal ring and top-tier museums meet a modern cycling and café scene.

Expect efficient train travel, walkable historic centers, and cuisine that ranges from market snacks to Michelin-caliber tasting menus. Book timed-entry tickets for blockbuster museums, travel light for easy station hops, and bring an appetite—this route is a masterclass in French pastry, Belgian chocolate and beer, and Dutch comfort food.

Paris

Paris is a city of layers: Roman remnants under Gothic spires, Impressionist color beside contemporary design. Neighborhoods feel like small villages—browse Marais boutiques, climb Montmartre at blue hour, then watch the Eiffel Tower sparkle on the hour.

Where to stay: Base in the 1st–7th arrondissements for walkability to the Seine and museums, or choose the Marais or Saint‑Germain for lively cafés and galleries. Compare apartments and hotels here: VRBO Paris stays and Hotels.com Paris hotels.

Getting in: Fly into CDG or ORY. Search competitive fares to Paris with Omio (flights to/from Europe). Already in Europe? Trains to Paris run frequently—check Omio (trains in Europe).

Days 1–3: Icons, Left Bank, and the Seine

• Louvre & Tuileries: Enter by the Pyramid, then follow a greatest-hits path (Winged Victory, Mona Lisa, Delacroix). Book a timed entry; tickets ~€22. Recover in the Tuileries with a café crème.
• Île de la Cité: Admire Notre‑Dame’s progress and bask in Sainte‑Chapelle’s stained glass blaze. Cross to the Latin Quarter’s bookshops and jazz cellars.
• Left Bank art: Musée d’Orsay’s Impressionists shine in a Beaux‑Arts station; Musée Rodin’s Thinker broods amid rose gardens. Consider a Paris Museum Pass if you’ll visit several sites.
• Seine cruise at dusk: Board near Pont Neuf or the Eiffel Tower; an hour on the water turns the city into a lantern-lit stage (~€18–€20).

Eat & drink (Days 1–3):

• Breakfast/coffee: Du Pain et des Idées for the pistachio–chocolate escargot; KB Coffee Roasters for serious espresso near Montmartre; Holybelly for Aussie‑French pancakes and eggs in the 10th.
• Lunch: Breizh Café for buckwheat galettes and cider; L’As du Fallafel for a fast, legendary pita in the Marais; Marché des Enfants Rouges for market stalls (try Moroccan tagines).
• Dinner: Bistrot Paul Bert for textbook steak‑frites and cheese; Le Servan for inventive, Asian‑tinged French; Frenchie Wine Bar for small plates and a deep list.
• After-hours: Le Mary Celeste (oysters and cocktails), Experimental Cocktail Club for speakeasy vibes, and Berthillon on Île Saint‑Louis for classic ice cream.

Days 4–6: Montmartre, Modern Paris, and a Royal Day Trip

• Montmartre morning: Climb to Sacré‑Cœur, stroll Rue des Abbesses, and peek at Place du Tertre’s painters. Seek quiet at the Musée de la Vie Romantique’s garden café.
• Marais & contemporary design: Track medieval lanes to Place des Vosges, then hit Musée Picasso or Musée Carnavalet for the story of Paris itself.
• Versailles day trip: RER C to Versailles Château (~35–45 min; entry ~€21–€30). Tour the Hall of Mirrors, then rent a bike to loop the Grand Canal and Trianon gardens.
• Markets & canals: Browse Marché d’Aligre’s produce and antiques; wander Canal Saint‑Martin’s iron footbridges at golden hour.

Eat & drink (Days 4–6):

• Breakfast/coffee: Ten Belles for filter coffee near the canal; Carette on Place des Vosges for a chic croissant set.
• Lunch: Bouillon Pigalle for classic French at friendly prices (snails, boeuf bourguignon); Clamato for seafood small plates (no reservations).
• Dinner: Septime (book well ahead) for a seasonal tasting; Le Comptoir du Relais for bistro favorites in Saint‑Germain.
• Wine bars: Le Barav in the Haut‑Marais (choose your bottle from the shop); Septime La Cave for natural wines and tins.

Transit tip: Use contactless pay‑as‑you‑go on Metro/RER with daily fare caps—just tap in/out with the same card or device.

Brussels

Brussels is Europe’s capital in spirit and address, where EU buildings meet cobbled lanes, chocolatiers, and Art Nouveau masterpieces by Victor Horta. The Grand Place stuns with gold‑tipped guildhalls, especially at night.

Travel to Brussels (Day 7 morning): High‑speed train Paris–Brussels ~1h22–1h50; typical advance fares €35–€95. Compare departures and prices on Omio (trains in Europe). Budget travelers can check Omio (buses in Europe) (~3.5–4.5h).

Where to stay: Sablon (antiques, chocolate), Saint‑Géry (nightlife), or Ixelles (ponds and Art Nouveau). Browse VRBO Brussels stays and Hotels.com Brussels hotels.

Days 7–8: Grand Place, Chocolate, Magritte, and Beer

• Grand Place & galleries: Start at one of Europe’s most theatrical squares, then wander the Galeries Royales Saint‑Hubert, an 1847 glass‑roofed arcade.
• Surrealism and Art Nouveau: The Magritte Museum reveals bowler hats and cloudscapes; the Horta Museum showcases curving ironwork and light‑filled stairwells.
• Chocolate trail: Taste single‑origin pralines at Pierre Marcolini, spiced ganaches at Laurent Gerbaud, and classic truffles at Neuhaus.
• Beer culture: Tour Brasserie Cantillon’s living‑museum brewery to learn about spontaneous fermentation; finish with lambic and gueuze tastings. Later, nurse a flight at Moeder Lambic or visit Delirium’s sprawling beer list.

Eat & drink:

• Breakfast/coffee: OR Coffee Roasters for flat whites; Maison Dandoy for Liège or Brussels waffles done right.
• Lunch: Noordzee Mer du Nord—order shrimp croquettes and fish soup at the standing bar; Tonton Garby for lovingly assembled cheese sandwiches.
• Dinner: Nüetnigenough for hearty Belgian classics and a great beer menu; Le Chou de Bruxelles for mussels with dozens of sauces; Fin de Siècle for stoemp and carbonade.

Days 9–10: Day Trip to Bruges or Ghent, Atomium, and Street Art

• Bruges day trip: Trains every ~15 min; ~1h each way; about €16 one‑way via Omio. Climb the Belfry, tour De Halve Maan brewery, and sample chocolates at Chocolatier Dumon.
• Ghent alternative: A student‑spirited canal city with the Ghent Altarpiece at St. Bavo’s Cathedral and medieval Gravensteen castle.
• Atomium & Parc du Cinquantenaire: Ride up the 1958 World’s Fair Atomium for city views; explore the Royal Museum of the Armed Forces’ aviation hall nearby.
• Comics route: Track mural art celebrating Tintin, Lucky Luke, and Smurfs—Brussels is the heartland of Franco‑Belgian comics.

Amsterdam

Amsterdam is best explored at a cyclist’s pace along its UNESCO‑listed canal belt. Golden Age gables tilt toward the water, while the city’s museums—from the Van Gogh Museum to the Anne Frank House—tell layered stories.

Travel to Amsterdam (Day 11 morning): Brussels–Amsterdam high‑speed trains in ~1h53–2h03; typical fares €29–€79 via Omio (trains in Europe). Slower intercity trains add ~30–40 minutes but can be cheaper.

Where to stay: Jordaan (romantic canals, indie shops), De Pijp (brunch and Albert Cuypmarkt), or the Canal Ring for postcard views. Compare VRBO Amsterdam stays and Hotels.com Amsterdam hotels.

Days 11–13: Canals, Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh, and Jordaan

• Canal orientation: Start with a 60–75 minute canal cruise (~€18–€30) to learn the ring layout. Note the “neck gables” and warehouse hoisting hooks—quirks of 17th‑century trade.
• Museumplein day: See Rembrandt’s Night Watch at the Rijksmuseum, then sun on the lawn before diving into color and brushwork at the Van Gogh Museum. Book timed slots.
• Jordaan wandering: Browse Nine Streets boutiques, peek into tiny hofjes (courtyards), and linger at Westerkerk’s carillon.
• Anne Frank House: Reserve a timed entry weeks ahead; the museum is intimate and impactful.

Eat & drink (Days 11–13):

• Breakfast/coffee: Dignita (pancake stacks and eggs Benny), Back to Black for house‑roasted coffee, and Winkel 43 for the city’s favorite apple pie.
• Lunch: Vleminckx de Sausmeester for fries with satay or truffle mayo; Foodhallen’s covered market (try Le Big Fish and Viet View stalls).
• Dinner: The Seafood Bar for pristine platters; Indonesian rijsttafel at Restaurant Blauw or Sampurna—echoes of Dutch‑Indonesian history.
• Drinks: Brouwerij ’t IJ under a windmill; Proeflokaal Wynand Fockink for genever tastings; Vesper for elegant cocktails in the Jordaan.

Days 14–16: De Pijp, Cycling, and Windmills or the Coast

• De Pijp morning: Brunch at Bakers & Roasters (Kiwi‑Brazilian flair), graze Albert Cuypmarkt’s poffertjes and stroopwafels, and browse small galleries.
• Bike & parks: Rent a bike to loop Vondelpark and Westerpark; mind dedicated lanes and traffic lights. If you prefer to walk, the parks string together with cafés and ponds.
• Day trip options: Zaanse Schans for historic windmills and wooden houses (~25 min train/bus); Haarlem for a stately square and Frans Hals Museum (~15 min by train). Spring travelers can target Keukenhof’s tulip displays (seasonal, mid‑March–early May).
• Markets & design: Explore the Bloemenmarkt’s floating flower stalls and pop into Droog for minimal Dutch design.

Eat & drink (Days 14–16):

• Breakfast/coffee: Lot Sixty One for espresso; Scandinavian Embassy for terroir‑driven coffee flights.
• Lunch: Broodje Bert (oversized sandwiches by the canal); POF (modern Dutch plates) in Westerpark for a leisurely midday meal.
• Dinner: Café de Klos for ribs in a wood‑paneled den; BAK (seasonal tasting menu) by the IJ; Cannibale Royale for late‑night grills.

Getting home: Fly out of AMS; compare fares and routes on Omio (flights to/from Europe). Trains connect to Paris/Brussels and beyond via Omio.

Travel Logistics at a Glance

• Paris → Brussels (Day 7, morning): 1h22–1h50 by high‑speed train; ~€35–€95. Book via Omio.
• Brussels → Amsterdam (Day 11, morning): 1h53–2h03 by high‑speed train; ~€29–€79. Book via Omio.
• Local transit: Paris Metro/RER tap‑to‑pay; Brussels STIB trams/metro; Amsterdam OVpay contactless across trams, buses, and metro.

Across 16 days, you’ll savor croissants in Parisian squares, toast lambics in Brussels, and watch Amsterdam’s canals glow at sunset. With fast trains and centrally located stays, this Western Europe itinerary balances headline sights and slow, local moments—the memories that linger.