We’re over the moon to share that we’re heading to Europe in November! We’ve long talked about exploring Europe together, but as I’m sure many of you can relate, it’s been hard enough to save for and plan a trip in the states, let alone overseas the past few years! With travel restrictions, airline chaos, and now inflation, we’ve been saving, watching, and waiting for the right time to just go for it, and well, that time is now!
When we first started talking about making this trip a reality to start the year, we had big ambitions of taking a few weeks to squeeze in multiple countries and experiences, but have since decided to narrow it down to just three main destinations this go over the course of about ten days: Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam! Someday, we’d love to venture around the countryside and coasts of France and make our way to Germany, too, but really want to ensure we spend enough time in each location to get a good fill without feeling too rushed! I don’t think it’s fully hit us that we’re doing this just yet, and truth be told, we stalled for a long time and still have a lot of bookings to nail down, tickets to buy, and planning to do in the next few weeks!
We can’t wait to see some of the world’s biggest landmarks in Paris, try authentic French wine, explore a couple of Belgium’s picturesque villages, and bike the streets of Amsterdam. Even just typing that out felt like a dream!
Of course, we have a loose itinerary that includes some of the most obvious stops: the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Notre Dame, Montmartre, the Arc de Triomphe, and a few other museums and monuments in Paris. We plan to spend a day in Brussels and then make our way over to Bruges and Ghent to get a taste of both modern architecture and art as well as some medieval charm, while enjoying plenty of Belgian beer. And then in Amsterdam, we’ll be hitting up a handful of museums, including the Anne Frank house, which has been on my bucket list for decades, cruising the canals, and biking around the beautiful streets.
We’re still incredibly open to suggestions you may have for any of these cities! Let us know what your must-dos are, what you think is overrated, general travel tips (especially regarding public transit), any off-the-beaten path places or experiences we should know about, and where you suggest we stop for food and drinks! We especially need help narrowing down our list of things to do in Paris, as we’ll only have about four days there and know there’s no way we can see and do it all in our first visit!
And I’ll admit, I haven’t pulled the trigger on our Airbnbs/hotels just yet, but am planning to do so this week. If you feel strongly about which arrondissement in Paris is best to stay, let me know! I think I’ve. narrowed it down to two, but can be easily swayed if you have experience and thoughts on which is best in terms of walkability, metro access, and general vibe!
We’re also open to any and all tips on what and how to pack. Adapters and converters, best kinds of bags for having on us during the day, things that aren’t worth bringing, and so on!
We’d love to hear your advice! Feel free to comment on this post so other readers who may be interested can take note, too. Of course, we’d also be down to grab a drink and pick your brain in the next couple months!
Merci!
—Aly
First image in post via Headout.
Hate to burst anyone’s bubble, but I think there is no need to visit Paris. It is a dirty, expensive, unsafe and obnoxious city. When I think of all the gorgeous places to visit in France, the thought of spending any time in Paris turns my stomach. And, by the way, my mother’s family is French, so I know what I am talking about. There are day trips out of Paris that can be pleasant like Chartres and Giverny, but I would avoid Paris at all costs.
We appreciate your take, Barb. One of our dreams is to take a slower paced trip to just France someday, without Paris on the agenda! We’d love to travel the coasts and smaller villages, including Bordeaux, Marseille, etc. and would love any suggestions you may have for that adventure!