Hi Everyone,

Would like to get advice/thoughts/ideas on our Europe trip (flying out Dec.16 and fly back home dec.30). So really we have 12 full days along with the day we arrive (early morning) and the day we leave.
I really want to go to London, Paris, and Amsterdam.
Also have thoughts of going to Belgium and Barcelona (Barcelona,which is definitely not in the area of the other countries).

We are couple that are mainly interested in:
-The food
-Museums
-Landarks
-Historic sites
-Amazing architecture
-Harry potter sites (main reason why we want to go to London)
-And just a good place to grab a nice cold beer.

I have been reading that it isn't a good idea to do 3 countries in such a short amount of time, I personally I think I will only need 2.5 days in Amsterdam
Also, any thoughts on where is it best to stay for Christmas?

Thank you in advance

Well land in London
4 days
5- take Eurostar train to Paris - about 2.5 hours and you lose an hour on clock
6,7, 8 Paris
9- Amsterdam for final 3 days

can be done - little quick for many - but 4 nights in London and Paris enough to see major sites

Amsterdam especially has good beer!

Book trains early to get discounted fares - www.eurostar.com for London-Paris
www.thalys.com Paris to Amsterdam
For lots on European trains check www.seat61.com (keen tips on booking own trains online at lowest price); BETS-European Rail Experts and www.ricksteves.com.

Paris is great for Christmas - lots of folks out on streets strolling as French celebrate the night before and some museums even open when I was there on Xmas Day several years ago - cafes and small shops open too. Check out Christmas Eve services in churches even midnight masses and department store windows at Au Printemps and Galeries Lafayette - incredibly popular with all the neat displays:

https://www.google.com/search?q=paris+christmas+windows+department+stores +images&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKE wimh5nnyMfcAhXi4IMKHTKXAZkQsAR6BAgDEAE&biw=471&bih =504

Week after Christmas in Amsterdam is very busy and festive - busiest week of year tourist office once told me as folks flock in from all over to join in the party-like atmosphere.

London, Paris, Amsterdam is plenty for a 12 day trip! I do think you can make it work but it is fast-paced. Now adding two more places isn't a good idea... means you'd have less than 2 days (when you subtract moving from one to the next again and again) in each of 5 countries.

For Brussels at most could stop off for few hours but that would require two separate train tickets at more cost I believe. A night there would sacrifice too much from other places.

Stick with three places. Remember that at that time of the year, it gets light late and gets dark early, so you will have fewer daylight hours to do sightseeing.

You will always hear from most posters here that less is more. That does not necessarily fit every traveler. Only you know your travel style. Some people feel they see enough of even significant cities in a day or two. Some of those who take cruises might feel they get their fill of some cities and regions in a 6-8 hour tour. I note that you went to Hong Kong in the past, so you must have some idea of the way you and your partner travel. Do you get up early and stay out late? Do you travel with a lot of luggage? These things will matter. Search for one, two and three day itineraries for each of the places you are considering. Maybe even a suggested Harry Potter itinerary for London. See which, if any, of those might work for you. An open jaw flight (in one airport and out another) may save you some time, and possibly even money in the long run. Europe has great rail, but we have successfully bopped around on the many discount carriers that sometimes are less expensive, and obviously quicker, than rail. As an example, in the time you have, if you spent an average of 2.5 days in each place and figured half a day for travel to each, you could accommodate four cities.That may not be for everyone, but it can work for some.

Europe has great rail, but we have successfully bopped around on the many discount carriers that sometimes are less expensive, and obviously quicker, than rail>

But for London-Paris-Amsterdam trains are by far faster all in all and cheaper if booked way early.

Agreed. But I mentioned that in case OP still has thoughts of getting to Barcelona which OP admits is out of the way.

Don't forget that there is now a fast train link from London to Amsterdam. The museums in Amsterdam are open on Christmas day.

Yes you could London-Amsterdam-Paris - I'd see what one of those cities offers cheapest flights and decide then - if same I think ending in Amsterdam is logical and a hopping place during Christmas and week after.

Suggestions for all the entries on your "interests" list (except maybe the beer, but certainly for the Boy Wizard) are already available through this website's Destinations menu at the top of the page. You will be better equipped if you read through it (and those of other websites like it) by yourself.

London/Paris would be enough to keep me occupied, even after more than a dozen visits to each. Try to fly into one and out of another city using a multi-destination flight search function.

One question that is important to answer is where and how you will spend Christmas itself. In London, for instance, mass transit is almost completely shut down on Dec. 25. The topic has come up from time to time but probably is worth repeating on an annual basis.

12 days in Barcelona would be great.

Do you have any possibility of staying a bit longer to be there during New Year's Eve festivities? NYE in Europe is really fun and more of an important holiday to people than it is in the US, I'd definitely try to experience it if possible.

Amsterdam celebrates NYEVE like crazy - great place to be! So if you could extend a few days.

You are certainly right about New Years Eve in Amsterdam, PalenQ! I have been there for three of them and have never seen so many close up and personal fireworks in my life! I guess the fact that all of the houses are stone or brick, and the roofs are slate makes the risk of fire from all those explosions in the street acceptable, but my hosts on two of the occasions issued his guests safety glasses, just in case.

New Year's Even in Holland... Bombastic!

Yes indeed NYEve is Dutch towns and especially Amsterdam can be very bombastic - my thread above. Gotta watch where you are walking - issuing safety glasses a great idea! And it starts around noon and goes well after midnight.

Why the Brussels hate. It's got a great vibe, the kind of vibe Amsterdam had in the 1990s. Seems like a shame not to stay there and explore a little.

Well OP wants to do London, Paris, Amsterdam in limited time and yes Brussels has its pluses but can't hit everything. And no I don't hate Brussels having spend lots of time there but IMO does not have time to hit everything. They plan on Amsterdam for 2.5 days after Paris - should they just go to Brussels instead? Or should they cut a day off Paris or London?

I am one of the few discernible fans of Brussels on this forum, but I wouldn't add it to the OP's itinerary without dropping something else. Personally, I'd drop Amsterdam, which I don't care if I ever see again,bbut again I seem to have different preferences to a lot of people here.

I think that Amsterdam like Venice has to be seen or endured - take the good with the crowds - famous museums, a visual feast in canals, etc. To not see it and then wonder what you missed and then maybe regret not at least seeing it. And yes IMO Brussels gets a bad rap too from most here. To bad OP don't have more time.