There are faster options, then there are cheaper. If you have 2 weeks total, I recommend flying. Airlines like Ryanair or Vueling can offer one-way tickets for around $10 to $30.
As for visiting 4 countries over 14 days, assuming a flight from Orlando takes about 7-8 hours, that’s a day gone. Three days per country is doable; it gives enough time to see the main tourist sights and downtown areas. If you hope to soak in the culture, you won’t have time to do so. However, for a brief vacation, that’s okay.
In Amsterdam, walk down the canals in the afternoon and enjoy the blooming flowers and colorful apartments. Check out the vibrant nightlife and cozy bars.
Paris has changed a lot; it’s very metropolitan now, filled with diverse cuisine and culture. Expect a vibrant atmosphere with street food and many international eateries. Enjoy your trip!
Two weeks to see all of Europe? It’s not crazy, but it will be a quick pass without in-depth knowledge. They are different countries with distinct cultures. I would focus on one country, or a maximum of two, and come back for another vacation. Any other option seems crazy.
London - Paris - Amsterdam is a good combo for a couple of weeks; you can do this by train. Maybe stop off in Ghent if you want to add Belgium (forget Brussels; it’s not that great).
Lisbon - Madrid - Paris would also be doable (again, by train) and you could add a stop in Barcelona too.
Four destinations is the absolute max I would recommend for two weeks, though; you lose too much time hauling your luggage around airports and train stations otherwise.
Doing Cardiff as a day trip from London is probably doable, but it sounds like an expensive and miserable experience to me; distances might look short compared to the US, but in the southern part of the UK and in the low countries, you’re looking at some of the highest population densities on the planet.
I’m doing almost the same thing this summer with my wife! We had planned to include a stop in Belgium but ultimately decided we wanted more time in these cities. We’re doing London → Paris → Amsterdam, and then back to London to fly out of Heathrow. We already booked our flights and stays, so we’re good to go.
I’d just go to one country in two weeks. It’s not enough time to even see one properly. You’d end up moving from hotel to hotel, and travel days are usually lost days, wasting too much time. Even within one country, I’d visit maybe 3-4 regions max.
London, Paris, and Amsterdam all offer different experiences, but be aware of scams in Paris and keep your bags close. You’ll have a brilliant time with tasty food and fabulous views, but prepare for long days! Enjoy!
We took a lot of night trains on our first two-week Europe trip. Admittedly, I was in my early twenties. You can see a lot more with a private car. Realistically, I think you can cover five or six and sample everything. I like your itinerary! We personally started in Paris and ended in Madrid, with a couple of days in Amsterdam and Hamburg. The train through the Swiss Alps was spectacular. We were on an unlimited Eurail pass.
I would recommend quality over quantity. Don’t cram so much that you can’t enjoy where you are. You could easily spend 2 weeks just in Great Britain and still not even scratch the surface.
Morgan said:
I would recommend quality over quantity. Don’t cram so much that you can’t enjoy where you are. You could easily spend 2 weeks just in Great Britain and still not even scratch the surface.
Adding this: Wales is amazing and beautiful. It has the highest number of castles per square mile in Europe. I even rode on a train that went through/under Conwy Castle.
Europe is pretty small; you can realistically set foot in many countries in two weeks. However, you won’t have time to see what you’d like unless you enjoy airports and train stations.
Plan your trip based on what you want to see. Spending only two or three days in any of those cities (except maybe Brussels) would not be enough. Remember that you basically lose a whole day moving between them.
I would recommend picking 1-2 cities max and visiting them thoroughly. This way, you have time for day trips and can see more than just the major sites.
To each their own, but for me, focusing on a smaller area is more pleasant than trying to visit as many places as possible.
I have been to all four you mentioned, but on different trips. I recommend: 6 days in Lisbon, 3 days in Madrid, up to 10 days in Paris, and 3 days in Brussels.
I suggest doing a day trip to Bruges from Brussels.
For me, London was very underwhelming, but traveling within the UK is relatively easy.