Few pairings deliver a week in Europe as elegantly as Paris and Amsterdam. One is the world’s salon of art and café culture; the other is a city of canals where Golden Age history meets progressive design. Between them lies an easy, scenic high-speed train ride, making logistics as simple as your morning espresso.

Paris has been setting trends since the Revolution—Haussmann’s grand boulevards, the Impressionists, and today’s natural wine bars. Expect the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, Montmartre’s hilltop views, and boulangeries that reset your standards for butter. Amsterdam brings Rembrandt and Van Gogh, canal houses with finely carved gables, and a living cycling culture that’s as practical as it is picturesque.

Practical notes: book timed tickets for major museums and the Anne Frank House well ahead. The Louvre is closed on Tuesdays; Musée d’Orsay on Mondays. In both cities you can tap a contactless card for public transport. Watch for pickpockets around major sights, and pack comfortable shoes—this itinerary favors walking, biking, and neighborhoods best savored at street level.

Paris

Paris rewards curiosity. Linger at a zinc-top bar, detour down a covered passage, and time your evening for the Eiffel Tower’s hourly sparkle. From medieval Île de la Cité to Belle Époque grands magasins, the city is a living museum with superb cooking in every arrondissement.

• Top sights: Louvre, Musée d’Orsay, Sainte-Chapelle, Notre-Dame (interior reopened), Sacré-Cœur, Eiffel Tower, Musée de l’Orangerie, Palais Garnier.
• Neighborhoods to explore: Le Marais for boutiques and falafel, Saint‑Germain for cafés and bookshops, Canal Saint‑Martin for indie vibes, Montmartre for views and artists’ lanes.
• What to eat: Croissants at Blé Sucré, buckwheat galettes at Breizh Café, steak‑frites at Bistrot Paul Bert, seafood small plates at Clamato, natural wines at Le Barav.
• Fun fact: The Louvre’s glass pyramid, once controversial, now anchors the world’s most visited museum—and sits above a medieval fortress moat you can still see.

Where to stay: For a classic base, look at Saint‑Germain or Le Marais; for hip dining and canal walks, try the 10th/11th (Canal Saint‑Martin/Oberkampf). Browse stays on VRBO Paris or compare hotels on Hotels.com Paris.

Getting in: Search flights to Paris (CDG/ORY) on Omio (Flights). From CDG, take RER B (~45 min, ~€11–12) to central Paris; from Orly, OrlyVal + RER B (~35–45 min, ~€14). Taxis are flat-rate to the city (roughly €53–€58).

Day 1: Arrival, Île de la Cité, and a Marais Welcome

Morning: Fly into Paris. If you arrive early, drop bags and grab a first coffee at Télescope (specialty roaster) or Café de Flore for a historic vibe.

Afternoon: Start where Paris began—Île de la Cité. Admire Notre‑Dame’s restored interior, then bask in the stained‑glass kaleidoscope of Sainte‑Chapelle. Cross Pont Saint‑Louis for Berthillon ice cream and a slow Seine‑side stroll.

Evening: Dine in Le Marais. Options: Breizh Café (Brittany buckwheat galettes, Normandy cider), Les Philosophes (classic onion soup and beef bourguignon), or Bouillon République (budget‑friendly Belle Époque brasserie). For drinks, try Le Mary Celeste (oysters and seasonal cocktails) or slip into Candelaria’s speakeasy through the back of its taqueria.

Day 2: Louvre, Tuileries, and Montmartre Sunset

Morning: Breakfast at Du Pain et des Idées (legendary escargot pastries) or Holybelly (Aussie‑style brunch). Tour the Louvre—hit the Denon Wing for the Italian masters, then divert to the Egyptian antiquities to dodge crowds. Note: closed Tuesdays.

Afternoon: Walk the Tuileries to Musée de l’Orangerie—Monet’s Water Lilies glow in two serene oval rooms. Continue to Palais Royal’s striped columns and the gilded Opéra Garnier foyer.

Evening: Montmartre. Climb to Sacré‑Cœur for a rosy sunset over zinc rooftops, then dinner at Bouillon Pigalle (no‑frills French classics) or Le Bon Georges (well‑sourced bistro dishes). Nightcap at Le Sans Souci, a neighborhood bar with a local playlist.

Day 3: Left Bank Icons and the Eiffel Tower by Night

Morning: Café crème at Les Deux Magots or Closerie des Lilas, then Musée d’Orsay for Impressionists in a grand Beaux‑Arts station (closed Mondays). Don’t miss Van Gogh’s self‑portraits and Degas’ dancers.

Afternoon: Stroll Saint‑Germain’s bookstores to the Luxembourg Gardens, then visit the Panthéon’s neoclassical dome and Foucault’s Pendulum. Snack on macarons at Pierre Hermé.

Evening: Head to the 7th. Dine at Le Petit Cler (unfussy, on a market street) or Chez L’Ami Jean (Basque‑leaning, hearty; book ahead). Walk to Trocadéro for the Eiffel Tower’s sparkle at the top of the hour; consider a gentle Seine cruise afterward to see bridges lit like a string of pearls.

Day 4: Markets, Canal Saint‑Martin, and Modern Paris

Morning: Marché d’Aligre for produce and antiques; queue at Blé Sucré for what many call Paris’s best croissant. Coffee at Boot Café (tiny, photogenic). Explore the covered passages (Passage des Panoramas) if it’s drizzly.

Afternoon: Wander Canal Saint‑Martin—indie shops, iron footbridges, and shade from plane trees. Lunch at Le Verre Volé (winey small plates) or Ober Mamma (lively Italian if you crave a break). If modern art calls, visit Centre Pompidou (check for renovation updates) or Musée Rodin for sculpture in a lovely garden.

Evening: Classic bistro night: Bistrot Paul Bert (pepper steak, stellar cheese course) or Clamato (seafood sharing plates, no reservations). For music, New Morning hosts great jazz; for cocktails, Experimental Cocktail Club hides behind a modest door in the 2nd.

Amsterdam

Amsterdam is intimate, inventive, and wonderfully livable. Bicycles outnumber residents, gabled houses lean companionably over canals, and the art runs deep—from Rembrandt’s chiaroscuro to street murals at NDSM.

• Top sights: Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, Anne Frank House, Jordaan, De Pijp, Vondelpark, A’DAM Lookout, canal belt (Grachtengordel).
• Eat and drink: Apple pie at Winkel 43, pancakes at Pannenkoekenhuis Upstairs, Indonesian rijsttafel at Blauw, greenhouse‑to‑table at De Kas, craft beer at Brouwerij ’t IJ.
• Fun fact: Many canal houses have hoisting hooks at the roofline—stairs are too narrow for furniture, so locals still lift goods by pulley through windows.

Where to stay: Jordaan for village charm, the Canal Belt for postcard views, or De Pijp for cafés and the Albert Cuyp Market. Compare options on VRBO Amsterdam and Hotels.com Amsterdam.

Getting there from Paris: Take the Eurostar (formerly Thalys) high‑speed train Paris–Amsterdam in about 3h20, often €60–€120 if booked early. Search schedules on Omio (Trains). Buses can be cheaper (6–7h) via Omio (Buses). Flights exist but door‑to‑door are usually slower than the train.

Airport transfer: From Schiphol to Amsterdam Centraal takes ~15–20 minutes by train (~€6). Tap your contactless card at the gates or use an e‑ticket.

Day 5: Train to Amsterdam, Jordaan Wanders, and Canal Lights

Morning: Eurostar from Paris Gare du Nord to Amsterdam Centraal (~3h20). Aim for a departure around 8–9 a.m.; tickets on Omio (Trains). Pick up coffee and a croissant at the station.

Afternoon: Check in, then explore Jordaan: narrow lanes, art galleries, houseboats. Coffee at Screaming Beans; slice of apple pie with a cloud of whipped cream at Winkel 43. If you’ve pre‑booked, visit the Anne Frank House (timed tickets are released weekly and sell out fast).

Evening: Golden-hour canal cruise to learn your Prinsengracht from Herengracht. Dinner at Foodhallen (street‑food hall with Dutch bitterballen, Vietnamese, tacos) or Moeders (home‑style Dutch classics; the walls are covered in mothers’ portraits). Cocktails at Vesper in Jordaan or Flying Dutchmen Cocktails near the canal belt.

Day 6: Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh, Biking, and a Greenhouse Dinner

Morning: Museumplein doubleheader: Rijksmuseum for Rembrandt’s Night Watch and Delftware; then the Van Gogh Museum for sunflowers, self‑portraits, and letters. Book timed entries; arrive early.

Afternoon: Rent bikes (MacBike or a reputable local shop) for an easy loop through Vondelpark, then ride to De Pijp. Snack and coffee at Coffee & Coconuts (set in an old cinema) or Bakers & Roasters (Kiwi‑Brazilian brunch energy). Browse the Albert Cuyp Market—fresh stroopwafels are mandatory.

Evening: Dinner at Restaurant De Kas (seasonal set menu grown in its own greenhouse; reserve ahead) or BAK (creative, local produce, industrial‑chic space). Beer flight at Brouwerij ’t IJ beneath the De Gooyer windmill.

Day 7: Pancakes, Nine Streets, and Departure

Morning: Pancakes at Pannenkoekenhuis Upstairs (tiny, charming; go early) or Pancakes Amsterdam (more seating). Shop De Negen Straatjes (Nine Streets) for independent boutiques and leather goods, then step into the quiet of the Begijnhof courtyard.

Afternoon: Quick lunch—try a broodje at Broodje Bert (overflowing grilled chicken or meatball sandwiches) or Indonesian rijsttafel sampler at Restaurant Blauw if time allows. Collect your bags and take the train to Schiphol (~15–20 min) for your flight home via Omio (Flights).

Useful Add‑Ons and Swaps

• Rain plan Paris: Swap a park stroll for Musée Rodin or the covered passages (Passage Jouffroy). If Centre Pompidou has renovation closures, consider Musée Picasso or Carnavalet.
• Rain plan Amsterdam: STRAAT Museum at NDSM (ferry from Centraal) for monumental street art; or the Dutch Resistance Museum for vivid 20th‑century history.
• Budget tips: In Paris, “bouillons” (République, Pigalle) serve hearty classics at friendly prices. In Amsterdam, set‑menu “daghappen” (daily specials) are good value in neighborhood cafés.
• Transit: In Paris, consider a Navigo Easy pass and load 10 single rides (a “carnet”). In Amsterdam, tap‑to‑pay works on trams, buses, and metro; bikes come with good locks—use them.

Intercity travel recap: Paris to Amsterdam by Eurostar: ~3h20, typically €60–€120 if booked weeks in advance on Omio (Trains). Buses 6–7h on Omio (Buses) can be a budget alternative.

In seven days you’ll have walked grand boulevards, traced brushstrokes from Monet to Van Gogh, and watched city lights ripple on two storied waterways. Paris and Amsterdam pair beautifully—easy to navigate, rich in culture, and delicious at every turn. Keep this itinerary handy; it’s a template you can revisit and refine with every future European escape.