7 days · Solo
7 Days in Paris & Amsterdam — Solo Mid-Range Travel
Split 3 days Paris / 4 days Amsterdam — Amsterdam wins the extra day given it's your first visit and a day trip to Haarlem or Leiden is worth it. Paris gives you the Louvre, Montmartre, and Marais; Amsterdam gives you the canals, the museums, and a slower pace that rewards lingering.
Built for a solo spending 7 days in Paris and Amsterdam
Budget Estimate
$1,155
~$165/day for 7 days · USD
Before You Go
Book Louvre timed-entry tickets online at least 3 days ahead; walk-up queues can add 2 hours.
Book Anne Frank House tickets the moment they release — they sell out weeks in advance.
Reserve Van Gogh Museum and Rijksmuseum entry online; same-day tickets are often unavailable.
Book your Paris-to-Amsterdam Thalys or Eurostar train at least 7–10 days ahead for best prices.
Load an OV-chipkaart on arrival in Amsterdam — it works on all trams, buses, and regional trains.
Good to Know
Paris museums are free the first Sunday of the month — plan around it if your dates align.
In Amsterdam, walking and cycling beat trams for most distances under 2 km.
3 days in Paris is enough for a first visit if you pre-book and skip the queues; it's not enough to feel it deeply.
Amsterdam's brown cafés (bruine kroegen) are the best places to meet locals — cheaper than tourist bars and more atmospheric.
Eat Indonesian food in Amsterdam — the rijsttafel is better value and higher quality than most Dutch cuisine.
Paris cafés charge more if you sit outside; standing at the zinc bar is the local move and cuts prices by a third.
Haarlem is underrated — if you've already seen the Rijksmuseum on a past trip, swap Day 4 for a second day trip instead.
Day by Day
Paris Arrival — Marais & First Impressions
Check in & drop bags
Settle into your Marais hotel or budget hotel near République.
FreePlace des Vosges stroll
Walk the oldest planned square in Paris; sit under the arcades.
FreeMusée Picasso Paris
Two floors of Picasso spanning cubism to late works; rarely overcrowded.
€14Evening walk along Canal Saint-Martin
Iron footbridges, locals on the banks — the real Paris evening vibe.
FreeWhere to eat
L'As du Fallafel, Rue des Rosiers
Best falafel in Paris, cash only
Bistrot Paul Bert area, 11th
Steak frites, classic bistro atmosphere
Paris — Louvre, Left Bank & Eiffel
Louvre Museum (timed entry)
Focus on Venus de Milo, Winged Victory, and one painting wing — 3 hours max.
€22Tuileries Garden walk
Cut through the garden toward the Seine; free and scenic midday.
FreeMusée d'Orsay
Impressionist collection — Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh — inside a converted train station.
€16Eiffel Tower at dusk
View from Trocadéro is free; summit ticket optional but pricey.
Free–€28Where to eat
Café near your hotel
Croissant and café au lait, ~€5
Rue de Rivoli area brasserie
Croque monsieur, quick and central
Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Brasserie Lipp or side-street option
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Paris — Montmartre & Departure to Amsterdam
Montmartre morning walk
Climb to Sacré-Cœur early before crowds; explore Place du Tertre.
FreeRue Lepic market street browse
Downhill street with bakeries and specialty food shops worth a slow walk.
FreeCheck out & head to Gare du Nord
Store luggage at hotel, then take Metro to Gare du Nord.
€2Thalys/Eurostar to Amsterdam Centraal
High-speed train takes ~3.5 hours; arrives Amsterdam Centraal by evening.
€40–€80Arrive Amsterdam, check in, canal walk
Drop bags and take a short walk along Herengracht to orient yourself.
FreeWhere to eat
Montmartre café
Eat before 9 AM to avoid crowds
Jordaan neighborhood, Amsterdam
De Reiger, Dutch-leaning bistro menu
Amsterdam — Rijksmuseum & Museum Quarter
Rijksmuseum
Dutch Golden Age masterworks — Rembrandt's Night Watch and Vermeer; allow 3 hours.
€22.50Vondelpark stroll
Amsterdam's central park; good for a post-museum reset and people-watching.
FreeVan Gogh Museum
Chronological journey through Van Gogh's full career; timed entry essential.
€22De Pijp neighborhood wander
Trendy quarter south of the museums; browse Albert Cuyp Market if open.
FreeWhere to eat
Lot Sixty One Coffee, Kinkerstraat
Best flat white in Amsterdam, light food
Museumplein area café
Quick sandwich between museums
Albert Cuyp area, De Pijp
Surya or local Indonesian rijsttafel spot
Amsterdam — Anne Frank House & Jordaan
Anne Frank House
Deeply moving WWII memorial; timed entry mandatory, mornings are least crowded.
€16Jordaan neighborhood walk
Explore quiet side streets, independent boutiques, and 17th-century canal houses.
FreeWesterkerk tower climb
Climb Amsterdam's tallest church tower for 360-degree canal views.
€9Stedelijk Museum
Modern and contemporary art collection including Mondrian, Matisse, and Basquiat.
€22.50Where to eat
Winkel 43, Noordermarkt
Famous apple pie, get there early
Café 't Smalle, Jordaan
Brown café, Dutch bitterballen and broodjes
Spui area, city center
Herring at a herring cart, then dinner
Day Trip — Haarlem
Train to Haarlem
Direct Intercity from Amsterdam Centraal; 15-minute journey, no reservation needed.
€4.40 each wayGrote Markt & St. Bavo's Church
Haarlem's main square and 15th-century church housing a Müller organ Mozart played.
Free–€3Frans Hals Museum
World's best collection of Dutch Golden Age group portraits in a former almshouse.
€17.50Haarlem streets and Jansstraat shopping
Independent shops and café culture on quieter streets than Amsterdam.
FreeReturn to Amsterdam
Train back to Centraal; evening free for canal-side drinks in the city.
€4.40Canal boat at sunset
1-hour open boat tour gives a different angle on the city at golden hour.
€15–€20Where to eat
Station café, Amsterdam Centraal
Eat before boarding; limited in Haarlem early
Café near Grote Markt, Haarlem
Uitsmijter eggs or soup and bread
Leidseplein area, Amsterdam
Busy but great Indonesian or Thai options
Amsterdam — Red Light District, NEMO & Departure
NEMO Science Museum rooftop
Skip the museum; the free rooftop terrace has the best panoramic view in Amsterdam.
FreeRed Light District daytime walk
Completely different by day — beautiful canal architecture without the nighttime crowd.
FreeHash, Marihuana & Hemp Museum (optional)
Surprisingly detailed history of cannabis culture and policy in the Netherlands.
€12Check out & store luggage at Centraal
Luggage lockers at Amsterdam Centraal cost ~€7–€10 for a few hours.
€7–€10Final canal wander and Noorderkerk area
Last slow walk around quieter northern Jordaan canals before departure.
FreeTrain to Schiphol Airport
Direct train from Centraal to Schiphol in 17 minutes; runs every 10 minutes.
€5.40Where to eat
Café Bouwman or similar near hotel
Dutch pancakes or eggs on your last morning
Broodje Bert or street herring cart
Raw herring with onion, eat like locals
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