Last updated on October 18, 2024
The most colourful (and Instagram friendly!) road trip in Europe, taking in Colmar, Lucerne, Lake Como, Cinque Terre, Portofino, St Paul de Vence and the French Riviera.
Hereās an itinerary from that time Steve and I treated ourselves to a dream road trip in Europe. Tired of trying, at the time unsuccessfully, for a baby, we decided that a beautiful jaunt was the desired tonic. A month later, we got our positive test back, so perhaps it really was just what we needed! But fertility magic aside, this trip was truly special, and if youāre looking for an European road trip, I think itās one of the best.
Taking in three countries and stopping in some of Europeās most colourful villages, the 10-day trip is packed with charm, beauty and some seriously excellent food.
Hereās all you need to replicate it, including where we stayed, what we did, where we ate, and how much it all cost. Like I said, I think itās one of the best road trips in Europe.
Weāve since been back to many of these places on our Provence road trip ā check out that itinerary for ideas of how to delve into more of the South of France. Another good way to extend this itinerary would be to head east to Trentino (we love it there and have put together this 7-day Trentino Dolomites itinerary).
You can see all our road trip itineraries here. And donāt miss our guide to how to plan a road trip.
All our France travel tips
Itineraries: How to plan a France road trip | 10 gorgeous France itineraries | Colourful Europe road trip (France, Switzerland and Italy) | Provence road trip | West Coast France Road Trip
City and accommodation guides: Annecy travel guide | Colmar and Eguisheim travel guide | France family surf camp | Chateau Les Carrasses review
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Our budget
This trip was an indulgence. Iām not talking Ā£500-a-night five-star rooms, but most of the places we stayed cost over Ā£120 per night and averaged around Ā£160. We saved money in a few places, but tended to prioritise comfort and location over price.
There are certainly ways we could have done things more cheaply, for example by staying in La Spezia and visiting Cinque Terre on day trips rather than staying in one of the villages. But we really wanted to be there day and night.
If you wanted to copy this itinerary, but on a smaller budget, then the easiest way to do that would be to stick to the same route, but choose cheaper accommodation and not eat out for every meal. Overall, the trip cost roughly Ā£2,500 for the two of us, including accommodation, flights and food.
How we got around
We hired a car for the whole duration of our trip, and as we started and ended in France, it meant we didnāt have any issues with hiring a car for multiple countries. We booked using the site Rentalcars.com as as itās where found the cheapest deals (although nowadays we often find better deals on Discover Cars. The hire for this trip cost Ā£237 for 10 days.
Itās important to take into account parking charges, which can soon add up. Itās really helpful if your accommodation has free parking, but we only had this in two places (St Paul de Vence and Lucerne). We had to pay parking charges everywhere else, which sometimes amounted to Ā£15 per day.
We flew to Basel from Bristol (flights were Ā£56 each), and got the train back to London from Marseille via Paris, which cost Ā£125 each.
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Our Europe road trip itinerary
Colmar
Days 1-3
I became obsessed by Colmar after seeing it fill up the pages of my Pinterest and Instagram feeds. The colourful little town looks like itās straight out of a fairytale, with cobbled streets and canals winding past pastel-coloured homes.
The most pretty part of town is the aptly named Little Venice, but walk around any of the old town and youāre bound to be charmed.
Itās also filled with lots of cute boutiques and restaurants. We had two nights there, which is enough time to explore Colmar, and also allowed us time to hire bikes and cycle to Eguisheim, an even cuter nearby village.
We hired out bikes from Colmar Velo, which cost ā¬12 for half a day. Iāve written a post all about things to do in Colmar, which also includes more details of our bike ride.
And here are some tours you could join while visiting. I would particularly have liked to explore more of the wine region.
Accommodation in Colmar
We didnāt stay anywhere special in Colmar, but did make sure we were in walking distance of the city centre. Our Airbnb apartment was cute and well-priced but the bed was pretty uncomfortable. The location made up for this, so overall I think itās a good option.
The room cost Ā£50 per night including all service and cleaning fees. If you book using this link, youāll get Ā£25 off your first booking.
Food and drink in Colmar
France is notoriously bad for vegetarians, but we did find a couple of good options in Colmar. One was a cute wine bar called LāUn des Sens, which was recommended by Simon and Erin from Never Ending Voyage.
Itās in an atmospheric position, set back from the street at 18 Rue Berthe Molly, and the barās licence means you have to order a small snack with your drink (they had a great selection of veggie dips, cheese and bread).
We also enjoyed a very good lunch in the garden of LāArpege organic restaurant, which has a daily set lunch menu, including veggie options.
Getting to and around Colmar
We flew into Basel and got a bus from there to Colmar, which cost ā¬9.90 with FlixBus and took one hour 20 minutes. We didnāt hire a car directly from Basel because, by getting one in Colmar, it meant we were hiring and dropping off the car in the same country. We also didnāt need a car for our first two days in Colmar, so this saved some money.
Everything within Colmar is in walking distance and we hired bikes to get to Eguisheim.
Lucerne
Days 3-4
Lucerne is another place that captivated me from other travellersā photos. The cobalt lake, surrounded by mountains, is a gorgeous setting for the well-preserved old town, which includes charming covered bridges, turreted houses and pretty waterfront promenades.
The best views of the town can be found from the city wallās towers, and you get a good view of the historic Kappel Bridge from Seebruecke, the neighbouring bridge that runs to to the railway station.
During our afternoon there, we simply wandered around, walked the city walls and visited the Kappel Bridge.
The town certainly deserves more time than that, but we enjoyed our little taster, and chose to spend the rest of our afternoon and evening in the surrounding countryside in a little place called Weggis at an amazing house detailed below.
Iād love to go back to for longer, perhaps doing this 10-day Switzerland itinerary or exploring more of the things to do in Lucerne.
Accommodation in Lucerne
We stayed in an incredible apartment in Weggis, just outside of Lucerne. Itās owned by an architect who also has his own home and office in the same building. Overlooking a lake and hid among the trees, it was a truly special stay. Make sure to ask for a room with a lake view as itās definitely worth the extra money.
Thereās a huge shared kitchen and balcony, and you can also request for a private fondue dinner to be cooked for you, which we highly recommend. It goes down as one of my favourite places weāve ever stayed.
Rooms cost from Ā£140 per night. If you book using this link, youāll get Ā£25 off your first booking.
Food and drink in Lucerne
Switzerland is expensive and Lucerne is no exception. We struggled to find a reasonably priced meal, but ended up finding a great option in the train station called Tibits, a vegetarian buffet restaurant that charges by weight.
Weāre already a fan of the London branch, so were happy to try it in its native country. The food is delicious and you can avoid spending too much by opting for lighter food! In the evening, we ate fondue at our hotel.
Getting to and around Lucerne
The drive to Lucerne from Colmar took 2.5 hours, passing through Basel where we stopped for a coffee. In Lucerne, we paid for parking on the street when climbing the walls, which cost ā¬2.50 per hour. And when we explored the town, we parked in a centrally located car park called Parkhaus Altstadt, which costs around ā¬3 per hour. Our overnight parking in Weggis was free.
Lake Como (Varenna)
Days 4-6
Lake Como is one of my absolute favourite places in Italy. I was first enchanted by it about nine years ago when Steve and I were blown away by its beauty during a romantic break away. Weāve dreamed of it ever since and grabbed the opportunity to return.
Both times, we stayed in Varenna, which is our favourite of the lakeās main towns. Itās quieter than Bellagio and prettier than Menaggio, and has a romantic atmosphere with narrow, flower-filled alleys and a beautiful waterfront promenade, perfect for watching the sunset.
While in Varenna, the biggest joy is simply enjoying the gorgeous setting, but itās also worth visiting the historic Villa Monestero, and climbing up the hill to Castello di Vezio for brilliant views across the lake. Varenna is also an ideal base for visiting Bellagio and Menaggio, which are only about 10-15 minutesā away by ferry.
Accommodation in Varenna
In Lake Como, we stayed at the gorgeous Villa Monti, which overlooks the lake and is just a few minuteās walk from central Varenna. Itās a classic Italian liberty villa thatās been refurbished into luxury apartments. We stayed in the simplest one ā Peony ā and even that was lovely with a window view of the lake.
But if you wanted to go all out, you could opt for one of the rooms that has its own balcony. Thereās also a pool, perfect for relaxing beside while enjoy the magnificent views. Our studio apartment cost Ā£140 per night.
Food and drink in Varenna
First of all, donāt miss La Passerella, the gelato shop on Varennaās waterfront that does the best chocolate sorbet Iāve ever tasted. Itās also worth trying to get a table outside Caffe Varenna at sundown, which is the perfect spot for an Aperol spritz and some time people watching and enjoying the view.
For dinner, I recommend Il Cavatappi, which has wonderful home-cooked food thatās best enjoyed on one of the outdoor tables.
And thereās also a great family restaurant just outside of Varenna, called Il Caminetto, which also does cooking lessons. They can arrange pick-up and drop-off for you from Varenna.
Getting to and around Varenna
The drive to Varenna from Lucerne was stunning, winding through the Alps and offering picture postcard views of everything I imagined the Swiss countryside to offer. The drive includes a few really long tunnels, so be aware of this if you get claustrophobic. Itās just as pretty when you cross over into Italy and start to approach the lakes.
We drove to Menaggio, which took 2.5 hours. And from there we took the short ferry (about 15 minutes) across to Varenna. Most of Varenna is pedestrianised, so we parked on the edge of town in a long-stay car park where we left the car for our two-night stay. It cost ā¬15 per day.
The ferry to Bellagio or Menaggio costs about ā¬5 one-way and takes about 10-15 minutes, leaving around every half hour.
Cinque Terre
Day 6-8
Cinque Terre is a dream destination. Just look at those captivating cliffside villages, and you canāt help but wish to see them. Of course, theyāre no secret and the towns are filled with tourists, but even with the crowds, we think theyāre worth the trip.
All of the five villages are beautiful, but each has a different flavour and appeal ā Monterosso al Mare has a beach, but itās setting is less dramatic; Vernazza is widely considered the most stunning, especially when seen from above; Corniglia is high on a hill, very pretty but without a seafront; Manarola is also very photogenic and a popular place to stay; and Riomaggiore, the one with the most local feel, is often described as the most underrated of the villages (so much so that itās in danger of becoming overrated!).
I think itās worth visiting all five, and that doesnāt take long if you do it by train. You can also walk between the villages on one of two paths, the easier blue route, and the more difficult red option. However, sometimes these paths are closed, so do check beforehand.
We arrived around lunchtime and, after checking in, took the train to Monterosso and then walked along the blue route from there to Vernazza, a gorgeous trail with the perfect view of Vernazza at the end. From there, we took the train back to Manarola and spent the evening there.
On our second day, we took the train to Corniglia and then walked from there to Vernazza along the blue route, before taking a ferry to Riomaggiore and the train back to Manarola.
The trail between Corniglia and Vernazza is also stunning, although if youāre only going to do one walk, Iād choose the one we did the day before.
This itinerary didnāt feel rushed and allowed us a good introduction to all five villages. Of course, having longer would be a bonus, so you could get to know the villages more, and try some of the other walking trails.
The trail between Vernazza and Riomaggiore, known as The Way of Love (Via dellāAmore) is meant to be stunning, but it was closed when we were there.
Accommodation in Cinque Terre
Cinque Terre is an expensive place to stay and a lot of the places on offer are pretty uninspiring. Thereās a surprising lack of design/boutique hotels. However, there are plenty of Airbnb apartments with incredible views across the villages and out to sea. Of course, you pay a premium for a place with a view, but we decided it was worth it.
Availability was scarce when we booked, so we stayed in two different places. The first was Acla apartment, a simple but cute cliff-side apartment with a roof terrace that has a perfect view of Manarola and the sea. It cost Ā£120 per night.
And our second stay was this lovely, newly refurbished apartment in Manarola that sits above the village and has amazing sunset views. Giovanni, the owner, is happy to help with arranging tours or booking restaurants. The apartment costs from Ā£120 per night.
If you use this link to book either of these apartments, youāll get Ā£25 off your first stay.
Food and drink in Cinque Terre
Seafood is the speciality of the five villages but, seeing as weāre vegetarian, I canāt recommend anywhere for this. We did, however, have two good dinners in Manarola: one at Trattoria dal Billy, the villageās most popular restaurant, which has amazing sunset views; and another at Il Porticciolo, which serves good pasta as well as being famous for its seafood.
If you can, try to get a table at the bar Nessun Dorma for sunset, but this could involve long queues. We didnāt get a table, but still enjoyed the views from the walkway above. Thereās a little park there too, so you could bring your own drinks up there instead.
Getting to and around Cinque Terre
We drove to La Spezia from Varenna, which took about 3.5 hours. In La Spezia, we had planned to park in the station car park, but it was completely full. Instead, we parked about a five-minute walk away in the Europa Parking under Europa Square. It costs ā¬15 for the day. From La Spezia, we took a train to Manarola, which took 15 minutes.
We bought a three-day Cinque Terre train pass, which allows train travel between all five villages and La Spezia to the south and Levanto to the north. It costs ā¬41 for three days.
You also need to buy a Cinque Terre Trekking Card if you intend to walk any of the blue coastal trails. This costs ā¬14.50 for two days. The Cinque Terre Insider website gives a good overview of the tickets and why theyāre worth it, and when theyāre not.
Portofino / Santa Margherita Ligure
Days 7-8
Portofino is well known as a yachting stop for the wealthy, and the little village is filled with fancy boutiques and restaurants. The glitzy side isnāt my scene, but the picture-perfect, colourful village is certainly worth seeing. Accommodation there is expensive, so we stayed in the nearby Santa Margherita Ligure, a town popular with upmarket Italian holidaymakers and famous for its decorated trompe lāoiel buildings.
We left Cinque Terre in the morning and, after checking-in to our hotel in Santa Margherita Ligure, immediately took the ferry to Portofino, spending a couple of hours there before getting another ferry to San Fruttuoso, a tiny little bay thatās home to an old abbey. Itās an incredible sight as you round the bayās corner and see the abbey sitting there on the beach.
Thereās a restaurant and cafe, and it would be a nice place to spend a day relaxing on the beach. We were short of time, so only stayed for about 45 minutes, in between ferries.
Even if you only have this tiny amount of time, San Fruttuoso is still worth seeing. Our friends Simon and Erin at Never Ending Voyage did a hike there from Camiogli, which sounded wonderful.
And there are some good tours you can join, which Iāve highlighted below. See a full list of options here.
Accommodation in Santa Margherita Ligure
We found a gorgeous design hotel, Hotel Blu di Te, in Santa Margherita Ligure, which was one of the best places we stayed during the whole trip. Itās one of those hotels you just want to hang out in because the design is so perfect.
Thereās a huge shared lounge, perfect for kicking back with a book and a glass of wine, and thatās also where they serve a decadent breakfast buffet.
We stayed there on my birthday, so it was a treat, and it needed to be as a double room costs Ā£240 for a night ā but in my opinion, it was worth it.
Food and drink in Portofino / Santa Margherita Ligure
We ate good pizza in Santa Margherita at Pizzeria Il Delfino, and just grabbed a sandwich when in Portofino as everywhere was really expensive. Our breakfast at Hotel Blu di Te was amazing!
Getting to and around Portofino / Santa Margherita Ligure
he drive from La Spezia to Santa Margherita Ligure took just over an hour. For our day trip to Portofino and San Fruttuoso, we took the ferry, which goes between all three. The ferry to San Fruttuoso stops at Portofino on the way, so we bought a return to there, hopping off and on along the way.
The round trip costs ā¬16 each, and the ride from Santa Margherita to Portofino takes 15 minutes, and from Portofino to San Fruttuoso takes 30 minutes. You can also walk to Portofino from Santa Margherita Ligure, which takes about 1.5 hours and follows a pretty coastal route.
St Paul de Vence
Days 8-10
Iād never heard of St Paul de Vence until planning this road trip and was delighted by the discovery. The picturesque, medieval hilltop village has long been a magnet for artists including the likes of Chagall and Picasso. Nowadays, its cobbled streets are filled with interesting galleries and boutiques, creating a wonderfully charming, bohemian vibe.
We found it enchanting and spent most of our time simply wandering its streets. We also took a day trip to Grasse, another hilltop village, this one famous for its perfume. St Paul is by far the prettier of the two. If you donāt want to stay in St Paul de Vence, you could do a day trip from Nice instead.
Accommodation in St Paul de Vence
Our hotel in St Paul de Vence was Hotel La Grande Bastide, a romantic spot with a perfect view of the village. Itās housed in an 18th-century country house and has been refurbished in a classic style that feels like a sumptuous home.
Thereās a pool, and a highlight for us was the jacuzzi where we enjoyed an evening with prosecco and beautiful views. Double rooms cost from Ā£140 per night.
Food and drink in St Paul de Vence
As weāve said before, France is pretty terrible for vegetarians, so on one night we just ate a non-remarkable pizza at a low-key take-away restaurant in town. The other night, we ate at Le Tilleul, one of the only places in town that had vegetarian options. The food was great, but quite expensive.
If youāre a meat eater and want a treat, then thereās a famous Michelin Star restaurant, Le Saint-Paul. Le Colombe dāOr also comes highly recommended for lovers of French cuisine and features original works of art by masters such as Picasso and MirĆ³.
On the way to St Paul de Vence from Santa Margherita Ligure, we stopped in a wonderful little Italian village called Finalborgo where we ate at Ai Cuattru Canti, a perfect little osteria with perfect home-cooked food. The village itself is delightful, and a pleasure to walk around. Itās well worth the stop.
Getting to and around St Paul de Vence
The journey from Santa Margherita Ligure to Saint Paul de Vence is just under four hours. The final part of this is along a beautiful stretch of road, taking in the start of the French Riviera. We stopped twice: first in Finalborgo for lunch, and then in Monaco. We drove through Monaco out of curiosity and only stopped briefly to take a walk along the waterfront and ogle at the super yachts.
French Riviera: Cannes, St Tropez, Cassis and Marseille
Day 11
For our final day, we had one goal: to get from St Paul de Vence to Marseille, where weād catch the train back to England the next morning. If weād taken the quick route, the journey is under 2.5 hours, but instead we took a scenic route, stopping in Cannes for breakfast, St Tropez for lunch, and Cassis for ice cream.
We also went on a short hike in the Calanques National Park, which I didnāt know about beforehand and was amazed by. Itās a 20km stretch of sheer cliffs, giving way to turquoise waters with little beaches in-between. The colour of the water and the magnificence of the cliffs is a natural wonder that draws climbers and tourists alike. Iād love to go back to explore some more.
And as for the other towns, I found Cannes underwhelming, but St Tropez was very pretty and Cassis was the most charming of all. To save time, you could just stop in Cassis or St Tropez to get a taste of riviera life.
We arrived into Marseille quite late, so only had time to eat dinner and didnāt explore at all, but wish weād had time to.
This catamaran cruise looks like a beautiful way to see the Calanques National Park, or this electric bike tour also looks really fun.
Accommodation in Marseille
For out final night in Marseille, we needed somewhere simple that was convenient for the station because we had an early train to catch the next morning. We found this modern apartment hotel, Residhome Marseille Saint Charles, just five minuteās walk from the station. It was comfortable, clean and reasonably priced, so exactly what we were looking for. A double room for one night cost Ā£60.
Food and drink on the French Riviera
We stopped for breakfast at LenƓtre in Cannes, which served a good pastry and coffee. For lunch, we ate a picnic from the St Tropez market, and in Marseille we had dinner at a Lan Thai restaurant .
Getting to and around Marseille
Our drive from Saint Paul de Vence to Marseille took all day because we stopped so many times, but the short and direct route would have been under 2.5 hours. We did try driving along the coast from Cannes to St Tropez, but the road is alongside the seafront and the views werenāt great (unlike the route from Monaco to St Paul de Vence), so we decided to take the quicker route along the highway. In Marseille, we returned our car, so didnāt need to find parking.
Some recommended sites for your road trip
For car rentals, we recommend booking with Rentalcars.com. They always have the cheapest deals for mainstream retailers.
If you decide to book any Airbnb apartments, use this link, as itāll give you Ā£25 off your first trip.
We found great last-minute deals on Booking.com, getting a discount of up to 60%.
If youāre planning a trip, be sure to check out our travel planning pages. We also have full, detailed itineraries for a three-week road trip in Italy;Ā How to relax in Goa and Kerala; The ultimate South Africa honeymoon guide; How to make the most of 10 days in Japan; Finding hygge in Copenhagen, andĀ 48 Hours in Dublin.Ā See all our itinerary posts here.
Our road trip itineraries
See all our road trip itineraries here. And donāt miss our guide to how to plan a road trip.
UK: Best UK road trips | Best Scotland road trips
Europe road trips:Ā Best Europe road tripsĀ |Ā How to plan a France road trip | France itineraries |France ā Provence road trip | France ā West Coast road trip | Best Greece road tripsĀ |Ā Best Italy road tripsĀ | Italy: Amalfi Coast, Rome and Tuscany road tripĀ |Ā Italy: Trentino road trip | Iceland road trip |Best Portugal road tripsĀ Ā |Slovenia road tripĀ |Ā Best Spain road tripsĀ |Ā The most colourful road trip in Europe (France, Italy and Switzerland)
USA: Boston to Maine road trip | Ultimate California road trip | New England road trip | Oregon road trip | Pacific Coast Highway | San Francisco to Seattle | Southern USA road trip | The best USA road trips
Africa road trips: Cape Peninsula road trip
Australasia road trips: New Zealand North Island road trip | New Zealand South Island road trip
Great pictures guys! I can’t even decide which location to go to because they all look awesome!
Congrats on the new little one coming along by the way!
great road trip! I’ve done the French riviera part but not Cinque Terre:) I’d love to see it
Wow – what a beautiful trip! I’ve just booked an escape to Cinque Terre in May but am now dreaming of adding more of these destinations on.
Thatās what happened to me – I kept adding extra places! Have a great time!
Hi Victoria – this was a really useful article. We spent some time in France and Italy last year but missed Cinque Terre and the Riviera. I would like to get back and see some more and also to spend some time in Switzerland. We loved Varenna and stayed up the road in Bellano. We also spent some time near Monaco and did a day trip to St Paul Da Vence. Lunched at Le Tilleul which was memorable.
Lovely! Iād really like to go back to lots of these places too!
Oh my gosh, I just want to copy everything you did on this trip – it looks amazing! And that accommodation in Lucerne, OMG.
Yep, that place was amazing! I highly recommend it!
How do we find that amazing place in Lucerne? The link simply takes you to AirBNB
I’ve just updated the link! Here it is: https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/1176575
Hi Hessica, Iām afraid I have no idea about biking in Switzerland. It sounds amazing though ā sure itāll be a wonderful way to take in all the scenery. Enjoy!
I’m so inspired by your blog – it’s amazing. I’m wondering if you could do something very similar only by rail? Or is a car a real advantage? I’m also wanting to add Tuscany in lieu of French Riviera (I think).
Also – did you originate in England? I’m in the US – so I’d have to account for airfare.
Hi Janet, so pleased you found it inspiring! I did start in England, and I’m afraid I’m not that familiar with the railways, so can’t offer that much help on that. I would suggest using the site Rome2Rio, which gives details on how to get from one place to another via all different types of transport. I think it probably is possible by rail as the trains are really good in all those countries. The one thing I would say is that the drive from Lucerne to Lake Como is stunning, but then the train journey probably is too! Good luck with it all! And happy travels!
waao really informative. i would love to go in a car or can you please tell me about rail or any other options.
Wow! I’ll surely be adding these places and itineraries in my bucket list! Those places look so instagrammable, and oh the vibe! Ugh, would really love to travel there someday.
Thanks for the valuable information
Myself and my wife as well as a friend and his wife are planing to visit these three countries (France, Swiss and Italy) and probably will do like you, I mean hire a car and travel from one place to another however we have only one week i.e. 2 days in each country. I would very much appreciate your advice on the below
1- What the most beautiful places that you recommend to visit in each of the three countries taking into consideration that we can’t stay more than 2 days in each country
2- Isn’t it hectic to drive from France to Swiss and back to Italy (I have never been to Europe before so I don’t know what the distance is)
3- Is Milan a good place for shopping ?
4- What would be the food cost for one week approximatly per family (2 persons)
5- How is the whethear at end of March beginning of April (Planning to fly on March 29th and return on April 5th)
Many thanks for your help
Regards
Hassan
Hi Hassan,
I’m afraid I don’t have the answers to all your questions and it largely comes down to personal taste. Here are some brief answers:
1. Colmar; Lucerne; Cinque Terre
2. I’ve included all the drive times in the post, so that should give you an idea of the pace. We didn’t find it hectic, but if you only have two days in each country then it might be harder.
3. I’ve never been!
4.I’m afraid I don’t know the answer to this specific question, but I’ve included food costs in the post.
5. I’m not sure as the weather varies greatly in Europe. I suggest doing a search for average weather temp on Google.
Have a great trip!
I stumbled across this blog, and feel like you have just gifted me the best Christmas present! This is the exact trip I plan to do next July and you have saved me hours and hours of research. Thank you for being so detailed, the only part I’ll skip is Switzerland, but aside from that I’m mimicking your trip (hopefully without getting pregnant š )
Shell
This is very helpful! Thank You!- What time of year was this, or would you recommend?
We were there in April, which was a lovely time of year to be there š
Hi, thank you for sharing with us your journey, it’s really appreciated. I’ve been in France last years with my wife it’s a great country. Thank you for bringing back memories to me
Loved your blog!
Well done!
Thank you!
This is an awesome article! My wife and I are planning to go to France and Switzerland this July for about 8 days. We are thinking of flying to Paris and then fly back from Zurich. The plan is to stay in France for 3 days and spend 5 days in Switzerland. Could you please suggest which cities/places we should go in both the countries?
I would really appreciate it.
Hi Andy, I’m afraid I can’t really offer anything beyond what I’ve covered in this article as these are the places I went to! Sorry not to be more helpful. Have a great time!
Hey! Im a Swede, living in los angeles with my hubs and 4 kids š Going back to europe this summer to visit family in stockholm and we’d love to throw in a 2 wk germany/swiss/italy roadtrip before heading home. LOVE your itinerary, actually the BEST one I’ve found so far haha.
Question: Do you think majority of these locations are kid-friendly (4, 6, 9 and 11. grandma and grandpa will also tag along). We’ll have aprox. 2 wks and might spend a night or two in london with friends and fly home from there. any thoughts? thanks so much!
Yes, I think they would be. The only one that’s a bit tricky is Cinque Terre because of all the hills and steps, but we did see lots of families there. And I think your trip sounds great with London in there too. We loved this itinerary so much!
Hello Victoria & Steve,
In late winter, my husband asked me to book us a trip somewhere in Europe (for travel in May 2019). So many options! I came across this article of your trip and was immediately captivated. We ended up using your itinerary as a template for our two and a half week adventure from which we just returned two days ago and it was AMAZING! I want to thank you for the details you provided and photos. Your choices of locations were just what we were looking for!
Glancing at some of the other comments, I thought I’d take the time to outline the highlights of our trip which may be helpful to others.
We are from Canada and decided to fly into Zurich and at the end we flew out of Marseille. Here are the main comments from our trip:
– We stayed clear of the bigger cities and primarily stayed in the smaller villages. So glad we did this, it made for a truly enjoyable and stress-free trip with plenty of opportunities to talk to locals.
– We took trains from Zurich to Lucerne (2 nights) to Interlaken (2 nights) to Lake Como (we stayed in Lecco two nights) to Cinque Terre (we stayed in Riomaggiore two nights) to Santa Margarita (two nights) and then to Monaco. We rented a car in Monaco, drove through some of Provence (we stayed in Vence one night and then Castellane for one night), then to St. Tropez area and returned the car at the Marseille airport (with no extra drop off fees since it was the same country.)
– We used an APP called TripCase which magically filed our itinerary into one neat package. It automatically takes all the information from any bookings for flights/trains/cars/tours/accommodations and puts it in an easy to follow file. Would highly recommend it!
– My husband also used an APP called TrainLine (https://www.thetrainline.com/) which gave him all the train options in one place to choose from. (It searches all the train companies at the same time.) He found it easy to use and it helped us identify the best trains/times/connections when it was time to move on to our next place.
– Our BEST day of the whole trip was when we rented e-bikes in Interlaken and followed paths of different terrain into Lauterbrunnen. So beautiful!! We enjoyed the small villages, pastures, MANY waterfalls and of course the mountains on both sides. We went as far as we could go on e-bikes. Then we took our bikes up two gondolas to a car-free village called Muren. Breathtaking views. Then we took two additional gondolas (no bikes) to two other peaks. Absolutely stunning! We would highly recommend this experience.
– We stayed in a lovely hotel in Lecco on Lake Como. We highly recommend eating at the family owned restaurant called ORESTINO’s attached to the hotel. This was our BEST meal of the whole trip (although there were many). The experience of watching the family serve and being treated like family was awesome!
– Another BEST day was hiking in Cinque Terre. Not for the faint of heart but worth it! We hiked from Monterosso to Vernazza. Then on a “further up” trail from Corniglia to Manarola. The second leg was tougher but it took us through vineyards and the view of Manarola was spectacular. (Currently 4/5 trails that are closest to the coastline are closed which is why we took another trail further up the mountain.) The next morning we took a FANTASTIC vineyard tour with a local named Andrea. A wonderful, personalized experience with two other couples. Unlike any other vineyard tour we’ve ever taken before. Apparently you just have to ask any local and they’ll know who he is!
– Our favourite place in the Portofino area was actually a place called Camogli (a four minute train ride from S. Margharita). Very warm and pretty place, a different “look” with the (much taller) buildings, a pretty waterfront, with many locals and fisherman wandering about. A great place to watch the sunset since you can’t see it from the Santa Margarita side of the peninsula.
– Monaco was ok for us. They were setting up for the Grand Prix and we walked part of the track which was kind of cool but after a few hours we were ready to get back in the country! A good place to switch to a car.
– Provence was amazing and had us wanting for more! Loved St. Paul de Vence as you recommended. We toured other places that were equally fascinating. We enjoyed Vence and Grasse (parfumerie tour recommended here) and especially Tourettes sur Loup. So pretty.
– May this year was unseasonably cool and unfortunately our weather here was not ideal but that didn’t stop us. We still thoroughly enjoyed our time and appreciated having these villages mostly to ourselves. A great time to travel!
– We then drove around the National Park at the Verdon Gorge. An absolute MUST! Another one of our BEST days in spite of the rain. I wanted to kayak here but the rentals were all closed. It was a great driving day and even though it was rainy, the scenery was SPECTACULAR! The number of switchbacks and scenic sites were too many to count! The driving was thrilling and scary at the same time!
– We treated ourselves for our final three nights at the only beach hotel we could find in the area called Le Bailli de Suffren in Rayol-Canadel-sur-Mer about 45 minutes outside St. Tropez. (We didn’t care for St. Tropez, a bit too pretentious for us! So we visited beaches instead.) It was the perfect ending to our journey and the sun finally shone without a cloud in the sky!
THANK YOU again for your itinerary. From the mountains to the sea, we had the best time!
Linda & Craig
(Ottawa, Canada)
Wow! Thanks for all the tips! And so pleased the itinerary was useful! š
Hi Victoria,
I have never seen someone covering every details in their trip like you did. Wife and I with twins 10 yrs old and daughter 5 yrs old, planning to go to those 3 country by car from Birmingham all the way long with only 15 days.
Do you think is worth taking the kids to explore with us and is it okay using our car rather than plan and rent a car in either France or Basel..
Your input really appreciated,
Wad
Hi, Yes, I think it’d be a fun trip to do with kids. And I can’t see why there would be an issue with bringing your own car! Have a great time š
Look like awesome trips.
Hello. We are doing a similar itinerary. The plan is to rent a car in Colmar and drive to the Lucerne and Black Forest in Germany. I was wondering about the extra costs of driving from one country to another. Did you have to get for a vignette in Switzerland? What can rental company did you use and did they charge for taking the car to a different country? Thank you so much!
Hi, We picked the car up in Colmar and dropped it off in Marseille, so that avoided having to drop it off in a different country (I’m afraid I’m not sure if you can do that). We didn’t have to pay to tke the car into the other countries though. And we didn’t get a vignette as I don’t think we went on any Swiss motorways. Sorry not to be more useful!
Victoria,
I can’t even think of how to start thanking you… I’m thinking of taking my daughter (12 year old) to Annecy for 2/3 days and she’s mesmerized by Paris so maybe 2 days in Paris. I was looking for an additional 3-4 days of road trip. If you could please suggest what part of your trip to copy paste, I’d be super grateful. We’ll be flying in to Geneva from Dubai as Annecy is just a drive and maybe go to Paris and back to Annecy… we’ll come back to Geneva and fly from there.
I will definitely do my bit by reading into your itinerary in detail, but any suggestions would make it easy for me because every time I read about what you’ve mentioned, I start thinking of replicating as it is š.
Thanks again and keep up the great work… helps novices like me š.
Navin
Thanks for sharing details of your trip. Planning a similar trip in September and your itinerary is very helpful. Wondering if you pre-booked all of your accomodations in the different locations.
We did, but I imagine you could book some of them as you go along ā if you want those specific place though, I’d book in advance š
Hi Victoria,
Amazing itinerary and awesome description! Thanks!
Could you please share the place name where you stayed outside of Lucerne?
AM
I’ve updated the link, plus here it is: https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/1176575
Hi! Wonderful itinerary and the inspiration for a trip I am taking this fall. Just wondering how you felt about staying in weggis vs the city of Lucerne? Was it hard to get into the city or did it take too much time ? Thanks!
Hi!
Iām looking to book our first family European trip. Was looking at your itinerary, and was wondering Colmar, to Lucerne, to Lake Como sounds like a manageable trip all by train and flying in and out of Zurich? If you have any suggestions Iām all ears!
In theory that sounds like a great idea! I just can’t really comment as we did it by car. I bet it’d be spectacular by train though!