If you like beer, consider Brussels. There is an awesome bar Delirium with over 400 kinds of beer and great atmosphere.

Thanks everyone! So very helpful. We are definitely looking for museums, great architecture, food and nightlife. Also, I decided to leave off Brugge and go to Antwerp. We want to experience more of a real city life and night life...

Question: I know London is massive, but should be leave a day earlier to go to Belgium and Amsterdam on Day 8? This would give us a bit more time in Amsterdam...thoughts?

Day 1 (Monday 10/1) - Arrive London / Travel to Edinburgh / Stay the night in Edinburgh
- take overnight train to Edinburgh.
Day 2 (Tuesday 10/2)- Explore Edinburgh / Stay the night in Edinburgh
Day 3 (Wednesday 10/3) - Leave Edinburgh (morning) / Travel to York OR Liverpool / Stay in York OR Liverpool

Day 4 (Thursday 10/4) - Return to London (morning) / Explore London / Late night music event (evening)
Day 5 (Friday 10/5) - Brighton (day trip)
Day 6 (Saturday 10/6) - Explore London / Late night music event (evening)
Day 7 (Sunday 10/7) - Explore London (day/evening)
Day 8 (Monday 10/8) - Explore London (day/evening)
Day 9 (Tuesday 10/9) - Travel to Antwerp (via Brussels, stop in Brussels for a bit
Day 10 (Wednesday 10/10) - Travel to Amsterdam (morning) / Explore Amsterdam (day/evening)
Day 11 (Thursday 10/11) - Explore Amsterdam (day/evening)/ Leave for Paris 9pm


Day 12 (Friday 10/12) - Paris
Day 13 (Saturday 10/13) - Paris
Day 14 (Sunday 10/14) - Paris - Fly home

I believe the Scotland part of your trip is creating a problem. It is too far to go and also go to the other places in your time frame. I would consider London 4 nights, Amsterdam 3, Antwerp 2 and Paris 4.

"<i>Day 1 (Monday 10/1) - Arrive London / Travel to Edinburgh / Stay the night in Edinburgh - take overnight train to Edinburgh.</i>"

your day 1 doesn't make sense as written. If you take the sleeper train . . . you'll spend the night on the train, not in Edinburgh.

And if you do take the sleeper -- it doesn't leave until 11:30PM so you'll be schlepping around for many hours -probably jet lagged. If you take a day time train -- yes you'll sleep in Edinburgh, but you have to cross all of London from LHR to Kings Cross.

If you insist on going up to Edinburgh your first day - Fly. You get off the plane, transfer to a different terminal (or possibly not depending on the airline(s) ), and arrive at EDI much easier/quicker than taking the train.

Now, IF you were starting from central London, trains make more sense. But you'll be out at LHR.

it doesn't leave until 11:30PM so you'll be schlepping around for many hours -probably jet lagged. If you take a day time train>

I boarded my Caledonian Sleeper must earlier than the scheduled departure so you may well not have to Schlepp around until 11:30pm - I believe I boarded mine around 9pm and sat in station until departure.

OK -- you can schlepp until 11:30 (or 11, or 10:30) . . . OR you can waste 2.5 hours sitting in an empty train car. Your choice.

Flying directly up from LHR will have you in Edinburgh probably 10+ hours before the sleeper pulls out of Euston station.

Hi... seems like you're trying to fit in way too much! This may be your first time to Europe but not your last!

I'm a big fan of Ghent, and highly recommend a few days there. Brugge/Bruges is only 40 minutes away, as is Brussels. So you can use Ghent as a base.. if you are budget conscious, there's a decent hostel in the center of town, right near the castle.
Ghent has a terrific farmers market on Fridays and also there's a fairly good flea market just a block away. Great bars... Dulle Griet, Trappistenhuis, and the Beirhuis next to the Drupelkot, which should not be missed... it's all Gin, any flavor you want... yummy! Oh, and the Bicycle Bar-what a trip!
And there's also a brewery in town- Gruut.
Good restos, Twilight for pasta, Amadeus for all you can eat ribs-WOW, and of course lots of chocolate and pastry shops!
There's several gorgeous cathedrals and good museums. it's a university town so it has really good energy,it's beautiful and everyone speaks English. Oh, good clubs too.

Unlike Ghent , Brugge is overrun with tourist - like all the time! but worth a day trip certainly- you might want to see the movie "in Bruges" before you go. The "half Moon Brewery" has an informative and entertaining tour every day. and again there's no shortage of bars and good food.\
Again easy to get to by train and an easy walk into the center.
By the way all the train stations in Belgium have lockers so you can leave stuff you don't want to drag around ...

Brussels is a big city, lots of tourists and it can be agressive. yes the Delirum Cafe is awesome and actually they have more than 2000 beers in-house! Really! There's also the Mort Subite-very cool, just at the end of the Galleries St Hubert. The Grand Place is astounding, and just down the way is the Mannekin Pis- and sure enough across the street is another terrific bar, with a seating area out front- can't remember the name. Oh there's 3 train stations in BRU, Central is where you want to be! out near the Zuid/Midi station is a huge flea market- jeu de Balle- which is every day. and also the Cantillon Brewery

Well I guess you know how I feel about Belgium :-)
Let me know if you need more info!

OR you can waste 2.5 hours sitting in an empty train car. Your choice.>

Janis has obviously not been on the Caledonian Sleepers - you can easily laze back and take a nap or go to sleep anytime - these are not 'empty train cars' as she naively characterizes them but plush private compartments - bring a picnic and enjoy those few hours before at anytime hitting the hay.

and you may want to take your luggage to Euston Station - if that is still where the Caledonian Sleepers depart from - stow it in left luggage and take in a London Play - they always end earlier enough for you to easily get back to the 11:30 train - Schlepping can be very fun and not the derogatory meaning that Janis applies to it!

My son, also interested in "beer-tasting" as you describe it, would agree heartily about Belgium but not Brugge!

Pal dear - schlepping is schlepping. From LHR arrivals to the tube, on the tube, off the tube, through the train station to left luggage, out and about, back through the train station to left luggage, on to the train.

So it is s 'schlepp' even IF one goes to the theatre in the middle of the schlepp.

And yes the Caledonian is nice. But IMO it is still a waste to sit (or nap or 'picnic') for 2 or 3 hours before it leaves Euston.

Why bother with Paris at all?

Hi all,

This thread has been extremely helpful. Based on your comments, we have scaled back the itinerary a bit to include more time in London and less "hopping around" to other cities to allow more time at each place. Can you provide your thoughts?

Day 1 (Monday 10/1) - Arrive London (Morning) / Explore London
Day 2 (Tuesday 10/2)- London / Explore London
Day 3 (Wednesday 10/3) - London / Explore London
Day 4 (Thursday 10/4) - Brighton (Day trip)
Day 5 (Friday 10/5) - London
Day 6 (Saturday 10/6) - Explore London
Day 7 (Sunday 10/7) - Explore London
Day 8 (Monday 10/8) - Early morning train to Antwerp (via Brussels); visit Brussels for a few hours, see the Square, have a beer and then on to Antwerp, stay the night in Antwerp.
Day 9 (Tuesday 10/9) - Morning travel to Amsterdam / Explore Amsterdam
Day 10 (Wednesday 10/10) - Explore Amsterdam
Day 11 (Thursday 10/11) - Explore Amsterdam / Early evening train to Paris / Explore Paris at night
Day 12 (Friday 10/12) - Paris
Day 13 (Saturday 10/13) - Paris
Day 14 (Sunday 10/14) - Paris - Fly home

During Days 2, 3, 5 6 or 7, we would possibly like to include short trips to Oxford, Bath, and some other "day trip" destinations not very far from London. My travel partner would like to have a drink at the Eagle and Child pub in Oxford where C.S. Lewis hung out.

This looks like an enjoyable trip now. Brighton, Oxford and Bath make a good sampling of English towns although I especially like Cambridge.

Good idea on eliminating Edinburgh. I have never been and I am sure it is beautiful, but I am not a huge fan of hopping around on these European trips, because it can be extremely exhausting and disorienting.

We just came back from one week in Paris (more like 5 days with 1 day on each end spent traveling) and a week in Amsterdam. Having previously visited London and Belgium (Brussels with a day trip to Antwerp and Brugge), I think your itinerary is right on. It is doable and you are allowing enough time to get to places and to actually experience London, Antwerp, Amsterdam, and Paris. You may feel like you might need more time in Paris, but there is always a second trip. You will see, this is just the beginning.

Looks excellent - glad you got there. Make sure you do a trip report.

Like your new itinerary. Have a great trip!