3 days in Amsterdam.
6 days In Greece -- 4 in Santorini, 2 in Ios.
3 Days in England -- 2 in Wivenhoe & 1 in London. (Wivenhoe is to meet up with some friends of the couple we are traveling with).
We are open to anything really, I am more of a chill at the beach and drink guy while she wants to be on the go 24/7 during vacation. Down to experience as much as possible. In all likelihood this will be our only Europe trip probably ever.
A few general thoughts on Euro travel since this is your first time:
- July/August is Tourist High Season. Expect a crush of tourists -- the entire continent takes those 2 months off. Plus it could get hot, especially in Greece.
- Get advance tickets to attractions where possible (even free attractions). You may still stand in line, but it'll be hours shorter. Some attractions will additionally sell "skip the line" passes which also involve a line, just a shorter line yet -- these are usually a ripoff, just arrive ahead of your slot. (Arrive 30 min early, get street food or takeout and eat in line, save both time and money.)
- The Greek Isles might have little air conditioning. Start every day very early to beat the heat (and cruise ship crowds), take an afternoon break, and go out again later. London and Amsterdam will also have less than in the US -- though the major museums should be climate controlled.
Amsterdam:
- Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum (very near each other; if you have to pick one, do Rijksmuseum -- but both are world class)
- Anne Frank Huis
- Canal Tour by boat (consider at dusk to see daylight architecture + some night lights).. Water taxis if money is an issue.
- De Wallen (Red Light District -- just watch for pickpockets, stoners, and drunks).
- Oude Kerk (old church in Red Light District)
- Royal Palace, if time allows
- Eat at the pancake shops and the colonial ethnic restaurants (Indonesia and Suriname)
- General thoughts: relaxed city (as much as can be in High Season). Compact, flat, easy to get around on foot or by trolley, bus, or boat. If you rent a bike, do point-to-point rentals to avoid theft liability -- welding a bike to a post won't stop the thieves. Some Euros visit Amsterdam specifically to get stoned, so at any time of day or night you may see the walking dead or trip over people sleeping on sidewalks -- usually not a problem, just be alert.
Greek Islands: can't help except they're gonna be hot and very crowded, especially while the cruise ships are docked.
London:
- British Museum -- quite possibly the greatest history/artifacts museum in the world. IMO this should be #1 on the list and could be the entire day (or longer).
- Tower of London -- to see the Crown Jewels
- One of the Palaces: Buckingham (queen's residence + Changing of the Guard) or Westminster (parliament). Churchill War Rooms is under 1/2 mile from each. Kensington Palace is nice but not near the central attractions, go only if you want to see the gardens.
- A performance at Shakespeare Globe Theatre, National Theatre, Royal Albert Hall, or Royal Opera House.
- For something completely different: the Jack The Ripper Tour, a Harry Potter Tour, or the Mail Trail underground train ride (not part of the Tube).
- Consider the Hop On/Hop Off Bus. It's overpriced and I wouldn't do it if you're there longer, but for 1 day it will let you see some other attractions (like Big Ben, London Eye, and the bridges) while riding/taking a break. Otherwise, the Tube is very good and easy. Taxis are good but expensive due to horrific traffic.
- Afternoon Tea.
- Ethnic food from the colonies. (I love traditional English breakfast and fish & chips, and almost nothing else in British food.)
- A traditional pub (duh!).
- Skip Piccadilly Circus -- it's Times Square -- though a lot of good ethnic food is within a few blocks. Also skip Harrods unless you do Afternoon Tea there -- it's a department store.
