First timer. Trip draft
 

Good Morning Everyone,
Here is a rought draft of my first time Euro trip. I would appreciate comments and suggestions, please keep in mind that I know is fast-paced. I'm in my mid-twenties and I'm backpacking. Thank you!!!!! Happy Easter

June 28 - Amsterdam arrive at 9:35 am (from Stockholm); Staying in Jordaan; Anne Frank Museum advances tickets for 5pm entrance; Red line district- visit at night

June 29 – Amsterdam: Heineken Experience (tickets bought); Cruise canal (tickets bought); Museumplein; Rent a bike if possible

June 30 - Amsterdam: Dam Square- Royal Palace; Prinsengracht; Leiden Square; Vondelpark

July 1 - Amsterdam: Dappenmarkt; Leave to Central Station leave at 1pm - train to Paris 3:30 hours; arrive Paris at 4:30pm; Staying in 6th arr. near Luxembourg garden; Seine river cruise – last one at 10:30pm; Latin quarter if not too late

July 2 - Paris: Notre Dame cathedral early morning (tickets bought for 10am); visit parks and gardens such as Tuilleries and Luxembourg; Arc de Triomphe; Eiffel tower advance tickets for 10pm (2nd floor)

July 3 - Paris: Eiffel tower advance tickets for 11:30am (top floor); Louvre museum (closes at 9:45pm on Friday); stroll around the Marais district

July 4 - Paris: Stroll around and lunch; Leave for Orly aiport, flight to Venice Marco Polo Airport at 645pm; Arrive Venice at 8:20pm; Take boat to island

July 5 – Venice: San Marco sq and Basilica; Gondola ride; stroll around

July 6 - Venice: Leave to Rome in train in the morning; Arrive in Roma Termini station (~1:10pm); Staying near Pantheon; Pantheon; Colosseum night tour at 8:20 pm

July 7 - Rome: Coliseo/Roman Forum/ Palatine Hill (tickets bought); Piazza del Campidoglio; Piazza del Popolo

July 8 - Rome: Vatican museum, St Peters and Sistine Chapel; Scavi Tour at 2:15pm---(reserved); Night walk Trevi Fountain; Night walk Spanish steps

July 9 - Rome: Trastevere, Santa Maria Trastevere; Campo di Fiori-market square; Capitoline Museums

July 10 - Rome: Leave to airport. Flight is early 9:55am; Arrive at Barcelona at 11:40a; Staying in Gothic Quarter; Guell Park (entrance 6pm); Las Ramblas dinner

July 11 - Barcelona: Sagrada Familia; Camp Nou Stadium; Plaça de Catalunya; Ciutadella Park

July 12 - Barcelona: Montserrat Monastery- Tickets bought in advance morning; Magic Fountain at night

July 13 – Boqueria market; Train to Madrid (at night)

July 14- Flight back to US

Kudos to you for doing your research. It is fast paced, but it sound like you know exactly what you want o do and see in each place.

Have a good trip!

Why not fly back from Barcelona rather than taking the train to Madrid?

Why are you doing the Eiffel Tower twice? Once is plenty. If you like art at all, I would substitute the Orangerie museum (small and lovely.)

It sounds like you have planned a great trip. Have a good time!

Dappermarkt? What do you want to do there? It's a whole way across town and back by tram. What do you hope to find there?

And Dam and Leidseplein? What, apart from items in a guidebook are they to you?

About trains - www.thalys.com is the official site for all Brussels to Paris Gare du Nord trains and fares can vary wildly - gthe earlier you buy the better - can be as cheap as 39 euros or even less or 200 euros or more if you wait until Amsterdam to buy the ticket. So book early.

There is an overnight train Paris to Venice that could save you time even over flying and money on a hotel - www.thello.com operates the train and again booking early can mean fares of 59 euros or so including the sleeping berth.

And there is an overnight ferry from Italy to Barcelona if you want a kind of cruise ship experience.

Anyway you are not taking enough trains to even consider a railpass - some great sites for learning the ropes of European train travel: www.seat61.com - emphasis is on discounted tickets; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

Overall your itinerary for your age seems sweet!

On the Leidesplein in Amsterdam is the Bulldog Palace, one of the premier watering (and cannabis smoking) holes in Europe for folks your age, including many Americans in your age group - a fun place even if you do not imbibe - the Leidesplein is a square that is the epicenter of many restaurants, youth-centers like the famous Melkweg and Paradiso - great concerts and again a place to meet this time locals your age.

The fleshy novelty of the Red Light neighbourhood is not, for my tastes, worth a full evening unless you plan to become a customer. A half-hour stroll should be enough gawking. Stay on streets where the crowds are; no short-cuts down dark alleys. I'd prefer to spend my time (and certainly money) on a good Indonesian meal and then a friendly pub/brown café. Or I hear there is clubbing, including alternative music. I'm too old to know for sure. You've planned your trip well. Many proposals here read like a check-list. How about a trip report after you get back home?

Leidseplein is not an epicenter of anything. Yes, there are Paradiso (not on Leidseplein but nearby) and Melkweg, but only tourists actually stay on Leidseplein. The good nightlife is elsewhere.

And people going to Amsterdam don't need enthusiastic promotion of coffeeshops to find them, PalenQ.

Anyway, OP, drop the Dappermarkt idea.

And people going to Amsterdam don't need enthusiastic promotion of coffeeshops to find them, PalenQ.>

The Bulldog Palace is not just a coffeeshop but a place where a young person may have a lot of fun - yes for the average coffeeshop you'll find them everywhere - less and less but still a few hundred but the Bulldog Palace is not the typical coffeeshop but a lively pub where young folk gather much like on college campuses. That is why I mention it and think many folk will like it though yes older folk will disdain it out of hand - try to think young once in a while perhaps.

Paris and you missed the D'Orsay; other than it looks very organised and fine.