Capitals, Canals, and Castles: A 9-Day Tour of Amsterdam, Berlin, and Prague

A waterside metropolis with a low-key vibe, a visit to Amsterdam is as fun and freewheeling as a fixed-gear bicycle. This is the city where you can let it all go. The streets of Amsterdam chime with bicycle bells and the laughter of people making their way between bars. Yellow wheels of cheese line shop windows, and in springtime, market stalls are abundant with the famous Dutch tulips.      Younger than other cities in the Netherlands, Amsterdam sprang to life in the 17th century, when it became flush with trade from the Dutch colonies. From the gable tipped houses standing shoulder-to-shoulder on the canals to the Rembrandt paintings hanging on the walls of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam is strewn with relics from the Dutch Golden Age. Whether you rent a bicycle, float down a canal, or just sip on an amber-colored lager and watch the world go by, Amsterdam makes a lasting impression from start to finish.   

Since the fall of its notorious wall, Berlin’s unification has seen it go from strength to strength. No wonder the city feels like it hasn’t stopped partying since the 1990s. There is so much to celebrate here. Fueled by the robust economy, a thriving tech scene, and straight-up German bonhomie, when you step into Berlin you’ll soon be caught up in its spirit.  For all this gusto, Berlin hasn’t forgotten its troubled past. A visit to Berlin is to bear witness to history. Portions of the wall remain intact, and the city’s Jewish Museum offers a detailed, emotional examination of the Holocaust. Inside the reconstructed Reichstag, every attempt has been made to preserve the parliament’s beleaguered history. The buildings' glass dome addition feels less like a triumphal crown and more like a freshly healed battle scar.  Days in Berlin are easily spent wandering from a cafe to the cultural institutions on Museum Island, or over to the Charlottenburg Palace. By night, crowds wander through the booming bars and nightclubs or gaze upon the floodlit Brandenburg Gate and Victory Column monuments. An international city that can offer something to everyone, Berlin is an unmissable stop on your German journey.  

The city of Prague is indisputably the gem of Central Europe. Full of history, culture, and classic Czech pubs around every corner, Prague is teeming with nooks and crannies just waiting to be discovered. The narrow cobblestone streets and warm red rooftops give the city a homey feel, while the well-preserved medieval architecture transports you back in time. Walking across the Charles Bridge with the view of the Prague Castle will make you feel like you’re living in a fairytale, and you might as well be.    As an up-and-coming destination, Prague is a perfect mix of classic and modern. New trendy cafes and bistros are always popping up, and you can always find a group of lively locals chowing down on goulash and quaffing pivo (the best beer in Europe!) at traditional Czech restaurants across the city. The clash of modernity and tradition, preservation and innovation, gives this city a mysterious air that you won’t soon forget.

It feels as though everything in Brussels is tinted with gold. From the gilded rooftops of the old houses on the Grand Palace to the foil-wrapped bonbons piled in chocolatier windows, Brussels seems to sparkle and wink at you around every corner. Aside from the lustrous architecture and Trappist ales, this shiny city is probably still best known for its iconic street food options: salty, golden fries, and fluffy, honey-colored waffles.    While a major political center, home of the EU and NATO, don’t be fooled by Brussels stern ‘Eurocratic’ facade. Brussels revels in cheeky humor and mischief. So much so, Brussel’s beloved mascot, the ‘Manneken Pis’, is a statue of a small child urinating into a fountain. The city takes great pleasure in dressing this statue in festive-themed costumes. It’s no surprise that the artist Magritte, one of the great visual tricksters of the 20th century, called Brussels home. After a few days exploring the city, and taking in its sights and scenes, you’re sure to come away smiling.         

As you travel through Western Germany, Cologne is a cheerful, fun city to stop for a night or two. Flanking both sides of the Rhine river, Cologne's delightful architectural pastiche reflects the breezy anything-goes attitude of its inhabitants. Like most German cities, Cologne took a hit during WWII, losing some of its old-world buildings and neighborhoods. However, thanks to the endurance of the Cologne Cathedral and iconic Hohenzollern Bridge, the city has kept its identity close to hand. Sometimes quite literally in the form of a glass of sparkling Kölsch local beer.  A visit to Cologne should always include paying a call to its eponymous Cathedral. A sensational, Gothic behemoth of a building and a UNESCO Heritage Site, Cologne Cathedral will get you right in the heart, humbling all who enter it. Just outside the cathedral, the Hohenzollern Bridge spans the Rhine, with three iron truss arches looping over the river like the bounces of a skimming stone. After wandering the riverside, if you're looking for some indulgence, Cologne's Chocolate Museum is an eternally popular choice. Maybe you'll be under the influence of the cocoa, but at the end of a day in Cologne, life can seem pretty sweet.       

The magic of Paris is undeniable. This is the most romantic destination in Europe, and surely the number one bucket list destination of all time. If you want to say you've traveled, you have to visit Paris at least once.  Along with classic must-sees like the Eiffel Tower and the  Sacre-Coeur, there is so much to see and do in Paris that it helps to narrow it down by interest. Fashion and shopping enthusiast? Look no further than the Galeries Lafayette, Avenue des Champs-Élysées, or the Marais. Art aficionado? Once you're done with the Louvre, make a start on the Musée d'Orsay. History buffs won't be able to walk a block without uncovering a monument to Napoleon or Louis XIV. If you visit Paris with a foodie, be warned — you'll gaze in a lot of patisserie windows, and sample your weight in croissants. Because Paris always has so much on offer, it never grows old.  At dusk, as you stroll the wide boulevards past Haussmann apartment buildings and sharply dressed Parisians, or gaze down at the city from the hill at Montmarte, you might find yourself saying 'Paris Je t' aime'. This is, after all, the City of Love.