I have a trip pretty soon for 4 nights in Amsterdam, and 3 nights in Paris. Can someone tell me the very BEST things to do under the time contraints. Also include restaurant recommendations. Thanks in advance!

I'm stunned. You posted this over five hours ago and no responses yet. I won't even begin to list musts in Paris. It would take weeks to visit them all. Many guide books have itineraries that will tell you what to see if you have two days, three days, etc. You may want to go to a bookstore and thumb thru some to see.

In Amsterdam, three absolute musts are the Anne Frank House, the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum.

Amsterdam is well-known for having a large number of excellent Indonesian restaurants. Sorry I can't remember the one we went to, but just ask at your hotel and I'm sure they'll have a good suggestion nearby.

Amsterdam is such a lovely city built around canals. It isn't very big at all and the entire city center can be seen on foot within 2 days. There's no need to feel rushed here.

Take a canal boat ride which is about an hour or so. It provides a nice overview of the city. The museum IluvParis recommended are indeed must sees especially the Anne Frank house and the Van Gogh Museum.

The best Indonesian food I've had ever was at Kanjil on Spuistraat. Make reservations as it is always full even on weekdays. Luden was is across the street has an excellent Prix-fixe dinner menu and serves delectable French food. Reservations are a must. Another great French restaurant is Van Harte.

Have fun, I return to Amsterdam often because it is great for long weekends to relax and walk around the idyllic canals. Everything in my opinion is reasonable in comparison to other European cities even in comparison to US cities.

If you've never been to Amsterdam and would like a more guided view think about a bike tour. Even I was able to keep up. It takes about three hours and you get to ride many of the major sites, as well as the smaller streets not seen by car or public transport. I second the recommendation on the Indonesian food. Excellent!

If you like museums, I would definitely recommend paying a visit to the Mus�e D'Orsay in Paris. Personally, I prefer it to the massive and overwhelming Louvre, particularly since I am a fan of impressionist art.

In addition to this, the gardens at the Mus�e Rodin in the seventh arrodissment (district) are a beautiful, relaxing place to take a walk. Several sculptures of Auguste Rodin - including the fabled 'Thinker' - are displayed in the garden. Skip the museum unless you are a big fan of Rodin's work. The small museum also houses a few of VanGogh's more obscure works.

I would defintely not miss the Rue Cher, a market street where many local Parisians shop. It is a great place to pick up a few things to take home. Don't miss the tiny cr�perie about half way down the street - It has been written about in the Washington Post and the LA Times. Rue Cher is located in the seventh arrodissement!

Another great place to visit is the Pere Lachaise cemetary on the east side of the city. This is a remarkable place to visit; many famous people - French and otherwise - are buried here. You can pay your respects to Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, Chopin, and a host of other influential people.

Of course you will probably want to visit some of the more 'mainstream' attractions, including the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower. It is best to get to the museums fairly early in the day, before most of the tourists arrive. Also avoid museums on Sunday, as admission is free and the crowds are large. Many of the museums are closed on Monday. I recommend visiting the Eiffel tower shortly before twilight and staying up there as the city grows dark - it is really beautiful.

The Arc de Triumphe is interesting to see, but I don't recommend going to the top - unless you are older you will have to use the stairs, which are taxing to climb and, trust me, the view doesn't pay off.

I would also visit some of the department stores tucked behind the Op�ra Garnier, in the ninth arrodissement. On top of being interesting to shop in, many have observation areas on the roof which provide a nice view of the city.

And, on top of all of this, I recommend using the m�tro in Paris - it is the most efficient way to get around the city. Buy a carn�t of ten tickets and you'll be off to explore the most beautiful city in the world.

Amsterdam is a great city as well. I haven't spent a lot of time there, but I would say that I found the VanGogh museum to be enjoyable. I also enjoyed the canal tour, which is a great way to get an overview of the city if you are pressed for time. If you haven't booked a hotel yet, consider staying at the B�tel - a floating hotel near Amsterdam Centraal - the rail station. If you take the Thalys train (go first class) to Paris, it will depart from there. It is centrally located and looks to be an interesting place.

On top of this, be advised that in Amsterdam a caf� is where you go to enjoy a cup of famous Dutch coffee and the Coffee shop is where you go to enjoy Amsterdam's other specialty! Anyway, I hope you have a wonderful trip. IMO, you are visiting two of the worlds most beautiful cities - enjoy!

I just got back from Amsterdam a couple of hours ago. I was there for 28 hours and felt like I saw a whole lot of the city, so with your 3 days, you should have plenty of time. You must go to the Rijksmuseum (sp?). Spend a lot of time on the second floor -- in the Hall of Honor (I think that's the name) where Rembrandt's The Night Watch and other tremendous works hang. That whole floor is awesome. Also, you must go to the Anne Frank House. Those are the two purely tourist-y things I did and they were both great. Most of all, walk. Amsterdam is an amazing city. I'm not lying when I say I probably walked 10 miles from 7 am yesterday to 9 pm. Definitely get some Indonesian food. The place that I went to wasn't so great, but hey, there aren't too many Indonesian restaurants in Chicago so I figured I had to try it. In the pantheon of East Asian food, I'd rank it below Korean, Thai, Japanese, Vietnamese and Chinese -- so I guess it's toward the bottom. But I haven't had Laotian yet!!

If looking for great things to do in Paris, pick one of the smaller museums to visit also. The number of Impressionist paintings, particularly Monets, at the Musee Marmottan is unequaled. The Rodin museum gives a fantastic view of his works. And the Musee Cluny has a little of everything, from Roman baths, the medieval unicorn tapestries and some statuary which once graced Notre Dame and other places and was fished out of the Seine some time ago. Walk the Champs Elysee if it is nice out, and you have the time, and just enjoy the people and the sights. When at Notre Dame, hop over to Ste. Chapelle, and view the blossoming of light in the evolution of the gothic cathedral. Eat at one of the restaurants along the Seine. And realize that you must come back again and again.

Djlawman

dominick, I agree that three days is far too few days to visit Paris, however, since three days is all you've got for your trip, I would recommend reading one of United Airlines "Three Perfect Days" articles on Amsterdam and Paris. The articles provide simple maps and cover many, but not all, of the main attractions when on a tight schedule.

After my first 7 day trip to Paris in Feb 2000, I returned in April 2000 for 7 more days since I had such a great time. I leave for Paris once again in two weeks for more.

See http://www.hemispheresmagazine.com/home.htm
for articles on Paris and Amsterdam.

I totally agree with most of the above recommendations. The main railroad station is also a wonderful place to browse, shop and people-watch (and surprisingly good for fine eating). The surrounding country-side is a winner, especially in the spring or summer. Bike, bus or take a tour. I was fortunate to be Amsterdam for 4 or 5 "First Asparagus Day". What a nice wonderful custom and tasty four course meals of it in many forms and colors.

I have also heard there are some interesting nice free window displays somewhere in this fine city. Nicely and softly lit and finely decorated. Some are politely animated in some instances, so I am told.

MisterNice

The best Indonesian-Dutch style restaurant in Amsterdam is Sama Sebo near the Marriott.