Originally Posted by
Sjoerd
London, Paris and Amsterdam all in one 8 day trip is simply too much. You will be overwhelmed and probably very tired by the time you reach Amsterdam. For this reason alone I would go for Paris -> Bruges /Ghent -> Amsterdam.
The choice between Bruges and Ghent is a difficult one. Bruges is very touristy and rather small, Ghent is larger and more of a "real city". Both are beautiful. I like them both.
I agree completely. My opinion would be to spend one night in Bruges/Ghent (two if you arrive late at night), and get more than one night in Amsterdam. While I don't see Amsterdam as providing the history you like, it is a really great city to explore and get lost in. Even if museums aren't your thing, I find both the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh to be among the very best...worth visiting one while you're there.