I visited 3 European countries in 8 days: What I did wrong, right

We set out on an ambitious trip: three European countries in eight days, with a travel day on each end. The itinerary packed two full days in London and two and a half days each in Amsterdam and Paris, which made for an exciting but tightly scheduled week. One early misstep was not researching security and customs procedures well enough.

Passing through the Eurostar from London to Amsterdam required an hour of airport-level checks and customs; expecting the same on the Amsterdam–Paris leg, we arrived extra early only to find there was no checkpoint. That wasted hour was a reminder that small logistical details matter when time is limited.

I also waited too long to book one hotel in Amsterdam. A few big events that week filled central rooms, so I ended up farther from the city center than planned. Everything worked out, but the experience taught me to check for major events when planning and to consider booking early and canceling later if prices change.

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