A night in Bruges on the way to Paris

The Rijksmuseum and the canal ring in Amsterdam, the Grand-Place in Brussels and central Bruges after the day-trippers have left: the 83 m Belfry, the Begijnhof in the late afternoon and the Memlings in the old St John’s Hospital. Paris rounds off the trip with the Orsay, Montmartre and, from April to October, Monet’s house at Giverny. The whole way is by train.

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Amsterdam → Brussels → Bruges → Paris · 9–13 days

The route on the map, in the itinerary’s order.

NetherlandsAmsterdam
Days
3
When
Apr–Jun · Sep
Per person/day
Average 150–220 EURMid-range · per person/day
Cost scope
Per person per day: accommodation, meals, urban transport, visits and a small allowance for extras. Flights excluded; larger purchases vary. Editorial estimate, not a quote.
BelgiumBrussels
Days
1–2
When
May–Jun · Sep
Per person/day
Average 130–200 EURMid-range · per person/day
Cost scope
Per person per day: accommodation, meals, urban transport, visits and a small allowance for extras. Flights excluded; larger purchases vary. Editorial estimate, not a quote.
BelgiumBruges
Days
1–3
When
Apr–Jun · Sep
Per person/day
Average 161 EURMid-range · per person/day
Cost scope
Per person per day: accommodation, meals, urban transport, visits and a small allowance for extras. Flights excluded; larger purchases vary. Editorial estimate, not a quote.
FranceParis
Days
4–5
When
Apr–Jun · Sep–Oct
Per person/day
Average 170–240 EURMid-range · per person/day
Cost scope
Per person per day: accommodation, meals, urban transport, visits and a small allowance for extras. Flights excluded; larger purchases vary. Editorial estimate, not a quote.

Who it is for

For anyone who wants to sleep in Bruges rather than see it on a day trip, since the best of the town is in museums that close between 5 and 6 pm and in the empty centre at night, and who wants to finish in Paris with time for 19th-century painting.

Not for anyone who wants to pack and unpack as little as possible, since there are four bases and a change of train every few days.

The strategy

Amsterdam comes first; the Van Gogh Museum and the Anne Frank House only admit visitors with a booked time, so reserve before fixing your dates. The direct train reaches Brussels in about 2 hours. Three trains an hour leave Bruxelles-Midi for Bruges, taking about an hour; book the Belfry slot and avoid arriving on a Monday, when the Groeningemuseum and St John’s Hospital close. The Groeningemuseum closes on 11 January 2027 for a four-year renovation, and the highlights of the collection move to BRUSK, on the same quay, on a date not yet announced. For Paris, go back through Bruxelles-Midi, from where the train arrives in about 1h22. The flight home leaves from Paris: Charles-de-Gaulle is 30 to 40 minutes from the centre on the RER B. May, June and September suit all four cities.

What you will see

Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. National museum opened in 1885 in Pierre Cuypers's building and reopened in 2013 after a ten-year renovation.
Grand-Place, Brussels. A square of about 68 by 110 m surrounded by guild houses rebuilt between 1696 and 1700, after the French bombardment.
Rozenhoedkaai, Bruges. The quay between the Dijver and the Huidenvettersplein, beside the canal, is the boarding point for one of the five boat-tour operators.
Eiffel Tower, Paris. Raised in 26 months for the 1889 World's Fair, it stands 330 m with the antennas, made of 7,300 metric tons of puddled iron, 18,038 parts, and 2.5 million rivets, and is hand-repainted every seven years.

Day by day

Paris

9
Day 9: The island, the river, and the Left Bank
1. Sainte-ChapelleUp to half an hourEssential
Day 10: Museum in the morning, the Marais in the afternoon
11
Day 11: Montmartre, a cemetery, and the Eiffel Tower
1. Eiffel TowerEssential
Day 12: Giverny (day trip)
Day 13: Versailles (day trip) · if you have more time

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