While this was our first mother-daughter trip to Europe, neither of us was a first-timer. My mom actually backpacked through Europe on $5 a day back in the '70s, first with her older brother, then later with her sisters. And I've been fortunate enough to visit Paris and Amsterdam on previous trips. So this time, instead of racing through bucket-list sites, we got to simply enjoy, indulge, and just be in these cities. And it was fabulous.

Here's a full breakdown of our itinerary, with my honest thoughts on the sites, activities, and food (with links).

Saturday, April 11, 2026

We flew from the U.S. to Paris and both thoroughly enjoyed United's Polaris business class, especially the ice cream sundae cart (full review coming soon!).

Sunday, April 12, 2026

We landed around 11am in Paris. Because the new biometric protocols for the EU weren’t quite in effect, we didn’t experience the multiple hours long wait that many others did and instead, our passports were physically stamped. If you're heading to Europe this summer, look into the biometric collection process at EU entry points, and later in the year, the associated application and fee.

There was some traffic getting into Paris, but we were able to drop off our luggage and be at lunch at The Butcher of Paris in Le Marais by 1pm. Lunch was fabulous; we ordered steak, which while cooked perfectly, definitely benefited from a sprinkle of their regular and smoked coarse sea salt. The wine was natural wine and also fantastic. While we enjoyed our meal, I wouldn’t go back. Not because anything bad happened or because the wait was too long (they don’t take reservations), but because there are so many yummy and new places to try in Paris and if it doesn’t rock my socks up and down, I’m going to use the next opportunity to try a new place.

Monday, April 13, 2026

We visited the newly renovated Notre Dame Cathedral, both the towers and the cathedral itself. The views from the top of the towers are worth every step; I'll always jump at the chance to climb a monument, whether it's the Arc de Triomphe, the duomo in Florence, or the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

After Notre Dame, things took a turn. At Mokonuts for lunch, I got quite sick, not from the food (I hadn't even touched it), but likely due to a medication complication. We skipped lunch and I pushed through a walking tour I'd pre-booked before heading back to the Airbnb to sleep it off. Thankfully, I woke up the next morning feeling completely fine.

Tuesday, April 14, 2026

After sleeping in a bit, I took a quick four-minute walk to Boulangerie Utopie for a baguette and pastries, then stopped at the grocery store for some quality butter (Grand Fermage, highly recommend!). If you go, order the traditional baguette and the pecan roll. You won't regret it.

We spent the afternoon shopping (check out this blog to read about what I bought, with links and prices), then headed to Dumbo Marais for smashburgers. As a devoted smashburger fan, I can say these were genuinely divine.

Dinner was at Joséphine Chez Dumonet, where we shared the beef bourguignon and the grand marnier soufflé. The beef was a touch below my memory of it, but the soufflé was even better than I remembered.

We capped the night by taking the metro to the Arc de Triomphe, climbing it, and taking in the illuminated Eiffel Tower. Highly recommend doing this at least once.

Wednesday, April 15, 2026

This was our longest day as we did a day trip to the Palace of Versailles.

Pro tip: Take the metro, it's cheap and easy. And if it's your first visit, budget much more time than you think you'll need. We booked a Palace-organized tour, which did grant access to areas closed to the public, but in hindsight I would have preferred exploring at my own pace with the free audio guide available through their app. Also, skip the onsite food; pack a lunch or eat outside the gate.

Dinner this night was at Maison; a fabulous prix-fixe meal that I thoroughly enjoyed! Exquisite!

Thursday, April 16, 2026

We kicked off our final day in Paris with a morning photoshoot, which was so worth it; thank you, Alex! Then came a long-awaited lunch at Septime (reservations are hard to come by, so book ahead). The rest of the afternoon was a lovely blur of strolling, shopping, cafe-lingering, chocolate, and eventually packing back at the Airbnb.

Friday, April 17, 2026

We took the Eurostar from Paris to Amsterdam and despite the fact that both my mom and I had 60-lb bags, we made it in one piece and not too exhausted.

Pro tip: you should be able to navigate the train stations with your luggage on your own. Thankfully, our train was at ground level in Paris and in Amsterdam, the train station had elevators.

Dinner this night was at De Kas, a restaurant that I will always, always continue returning to for lunch or dinner. I’ve had both and both are fabulous!

Saturday, April 18, 2026

We kicked off our morning with a walking tour, giving us a really great chance to explore the city, as well as learn some basic knowledge.

Afterwards, we walked north across the water to Fromagerie Abraham Kef for an unforgettable wine and cheese pairing. This is another place I will always return to! Exquisite cheeses, natural wine, and great, super friendly service.

I did not plan this next stop well, because I didn’t realize that the Rijksmuseum closed at 5pm, so we only had an hour to explore after lunch. Just enough time to run to the main highlights, including Vermeer's The Milkmaid and Rembrandt's The Night Watch, and wrap with time shopping in the gift shop.

Pro tip: European museum gift shops are elite; don’t sleep on them!

Sunday, April 19, 2026

We've both been to the Anne Frank House before, but it's one of those places that stays with you every time. We did the introductory program first, which provides helpful historical context before you walk through the museum itself.

Pro tip: Some travelers prefer the Dutch Resistance Museum because it covers the broader historical picture. Both are excellent. But if you only have time for one, I'd vote for the Anne Frank House; you're literally walking through history.

After the museum, we did an unforgettable boat tour and the weather couldn’t have been better!

Dinner this night was at Gitane for steak covered in brown butter (exquisite and super memorable) and natural wine (also, fabulous!). And with a Massimo Gelato close by, we couldn’t resist. Yum!

Monday, April 20, 2026

We had tickets to the Keukenhof tulip gardens, but alas, waking up at 6am and traveling an hour and a half each way on our last day, just did not seem appealing, so we skipped it. Instead, we opted to sleep in, got iced coffees at Kafenion, followed by boozy milkshakes over brunch at Bakers & Roasters, and a visit to the Dutch Resistance Museum, followed by more shopping and finally an unforgettable dinner at Rijsel.

A perfect last day.

TLDR takeaways

Having been to both cities before was a gift, as we could slow down and truly savor them instead of rushing through a checklist.
Restaurants that I can’t wait to return to: De Kas, Fromagerie Abraham Kef, Gitane, and Rijsel. Notice that they are all in Amsterdam 🤔!
Versailles is every bit as jaw-dropping as you'd imagine, but give yourself a full day, ditch the organized tours, explore at your own pace with the free audio guide, and pack food or go outside the castle for lunch.
The Eurostar is a smooth, easy way to travel between Paris and Amsterdam, but make sure you can handle your own luggage.
Research reservations for everything ahead of time, as some places like Septime, the Notre Dame cathedral, and the Anne Frank House require you to book the second reservations open.
European museum gift shops deserve their own itinerary slot. Seriously.
Sometimes skipping the plan (hello, Keukenhof) and wandering is the best travel decision you can make.

Overall, mom and I walked nearly 60 miles during this trip and every step was a moment of indulging, leisure, and pleasure. The privilege of having been to a place before and getting to fully immerse ourselves in the love of being in that place rather than jumping from site to site was invaluable. I’m grateful for having had this opportunity and I will cherish these memories forever. Thank you, ma, for an amazing trip!

Europe in April: Full 10-day itinerary with links & pro tips for getting the most out of your trip