The numbers, the planning, and the highlights behind the diary
Actual GPS route from Paul's phone — drag to pan, scroll/pinch to zoom, click a dot for the place name. Flights are left off, so the map shows just the on-the-ground travel through Italy, Switzerland, France & Belgium.
| Place | Dates | Nights | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rome | 27–30 May | 3 | Colosseum, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Vatican, Borghese Gardens |
| Cortona (Tuscany) | 30 May – 6 Jun | 7 | 7-day food tour with a small group; day trips to San Gimignano, Siena, Pienza, Montepulciano, Castellina in Chianti |
| Florence | 6–10 Jun | 4 | Galleria dell'Accademia (David), Boboli Gardens, Ponte Vecchio, Piazzale Michelangelo sunset |
| Navacchio (near Pisa) | 10–20 Jun | 10 | Home exchange; day trips to Pisa (incl. the Luminara di San Ranieri), Lucca, La Spezia, Viareggio |
| Milan | 20–23 Jun | 3 | Duomo, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Sforza Castle, vertical gardens |
| Pontresina (Swiss Alps) | 23–24 Jun | 1 | Scenic Bernina train through the Alps from Tirano |
| Zurich | 24–26 Jun | 2 | Old town, swam in the lake to beat the heatwave |
| Paris | 26 Jun – 1 Jul | 5 | Eiffel Tower, Montmartre, Giverny (Monet's garden) — wedding anniversary dinner |
| Le Mans | 1–2 Jul | 1 | Dinner and a guided evening tour of the old town with friends |
| Paris | 2–4 Jul | 2 | Exploring Paris by metro and foot |
| Wambrechies (near Lille) | 4 Jul – 3 Aug | 28 | Home exchange (~4 weeks); day trips to Lille, Belgium (Ghent, a cycle to Warneton), Dunkirk, Calais, Saint-Omer, Cassel, Roubaix |
| Opal Coast (Cape Gris Nez) | 14–16 Jul | 2 | Le Touquet, Cape Gris Nez, Calais, Ambleteuse, Bastille Day fireworks |
| Amiens | 3–5 Aug | 2 | Jules Verne's house, a boat tour of the hortillonnages |
| Paris / CDG (departure) | 5–6 Aug | 1 | Final night near the airport; flew home via Singapore |
This trip grew out of a home exchange offer in Wambrechies, France — without it we probably wouldn't have come back to Europe this year. Because we'd already seen a lot of France in 2024, we added a month in Italy to the front of this trip. I (Paul) did most of the planning, including the flights, the Tuscany tour and the train bookings, with some AI help. We don't usually plan to this level of detail — normally we just fix the in/out dates and a few key things, then work out the rest as we go. But as we started looking for accomodation we realised that peak Europe holiday season was going to need more planning. For example, intercity train tickets can sell out, so this time we booked almost the whole trip in advance. Booking the "open-jaw" flights early and routing via Singapore (steering clear of the Middle East war) worked well. The week-long guided Tuscany tour was a treat — expensive, but well worth it. The Wambrechies home exchange was a great base: a nice house with a small private garden. We packed light, which is essential for trains and metros. This time we both had data eSims. A few things we'd do differently next time: we travelled a little too late into the European summer and it was often uncomfortably hot. Some of our accommodation — the Paris and Zurich stays especially — had no air conditioning and didn't meet our standards. Next time we'd avoid the peak of summer and check carefully for public holidays etc. before locking in the itinerary.
The Tuscany tour was definitely the highlight of this trip for me. The train ride through the Alps was unforgettable. The day trips we did out of Wambrechies were also a lot of fun. Amiens was a pleasant surprise, and the boat tour of the hortillonnages was definitely something I would recommend to anyone visiting the area. The Eiffel Tower at night was also a highlight, as was the Monet garden in Giverny.
Kayleen said that Tuscany tour was a highlight for her also. She said that the train ride through the Swiss Alps was also amazing, it reminded her of the children's story of Heidi.