a 13-day epic road trip across Europe - with kids!
In 2018, our family of four set out on an adventure across Europe. We packed a lot into two weeks but had the best time!
8,276 miles in the air.
1,429 miles in the car.
68 miles on foot.
5 countries.
4 languages.
13 days.
Here's our itinerary.
Stop and grab a street portrait at Place du Tertre in Paris. These amazing portraits now hang proudly on my wall.
Day 1 - Paris, France
Morning: Montmarte
Get street portraits at Place du Tertre. (The best souvenir EVER!)
Ride the carousel at the top of Rue du Steinkerque.
Afternoon: Louvre
See the Mona Lisa (and, as my kids would say, “a bunch of statues with weiners”)
Evening: Eiffel Tower
Pre-book the skip-the-line summit tour well in advance. If you time it right, you can be in the Eiffel when day turns to night - both are wonderful! Once dark, there is a light show at the top of every hour.
Fruhlingsfest in Stuttgart, Germany was a hit! We definitely looked like tourists in our dirndls and lederhosen but the pics made it worth it!
Day 2 - Paris to Stuttgart, Germany
Morning: Bullet train to Stuttgart-Vaihingen Germany (3.5 hours)
Meet your stupid brother at the train station.
Afternoon: Stuttgart Spring Fest (Fruhlingsfest)
Don’t forget your dirndls and lederhosen!
This is like an American carnival on steroids, with BEER! The crowd can get rowdy in the evening so if you have kids, go early.
This alpine coaster in Imst, Austria puts all others to shame. Take a beautiful lift ride to the top, then enjoy a 15-minute spiral back down the mountain. So fun!
Day 3 - Stuttgart to Reutte, Austria
Morning: Pick up rental car
We used Sixt. Look for a coupon - they almost always have a 30% or more discount.
Drive to Imst Alpine Coaster (3 hrs. 15 mins.)
Stop at a gas station as soon as you cross into Austria to buy a vignette sticker. It’s approximately $12 and allows you to drive on Austrian roads for 1 week.
Afternoon: Imst Alpine Coaster
A 15-minute roller coaster ride through the Alps - by far the coolest thing we did.
Evening: Travel to Reutte, Austria (1 hour)
Dinner in Reutte
Pepperoni pizza in Austria does not mean what you think it means. If you don’t love pepperocini, stick with the Margarita pizza.
Alpentherme Ehrenberg
Spa and heated waterpark in the Alps. You cannot beat this view! Fair warning though - the Spa is a no-clothes zone.
Exploring the Ehrenberg Castle ruins in Reutte, Austria before heading to Neuschwanstein Castle.
Day 4 - Reutte to Innsbruck, Austria
Morning: Highline 179 - world’s longest Tibet-style suspension bridge
It’s a pretty strenuous 30-minute hike up a mountain to get to the bridge. Do like me and send husband and kids while you enjoy a relaxing morning on the ground.
Neuschwanstein Castle
This is the one that inspired the Walt Disney castle. Skip the ticket line (you only need a ticket if you want to go inside the castle, and why would you? It’s not even finished). Instead, save your legs and pay $8 to take a horse-and-buggy ride up to the castle.
Afternoon: Drive to Innsbruck (1 hr. 45 min.)
Hungerburg Funicular/Nordkette Cable Car
Take a gondola ride to the top, then slide back down. (We actually skipped this in favor of dinner at Hard Rock Cafe. Poor choice).
Swarovski Kristallwelton (Crystal Worlds) was super trippy. This was a fun stop along the way but I’m not sure I would go back.
Day 5 - Innsbruck to Venice, Italy
Morning: Swarovski Kristallwelten (Crystal Worlds)
This is probably what it’s like to be on drugs. Part art gallery, part kid playground - this place is trippy. Every room has a different look, feel and smell. It all ends in - surprise - a Swarovski shop where you can buy all sorts of sparkly things.
Afternoon: Drive to Venice (3 hrs. 45 min.)
Day 6 - Venice
Morning: Pizza
Afternoon: Pizza and shopping
Evening: Pizza and Gelato
(Okay, we also went to Rialto Bridge, St. Mark’s Square and Lido Beach. We rode the waterbus most everywhere. We skipped Burano and Murano - both on our list - in favor of lounging around and eating more pizza).
Day 7 - Venice to Florence, Italy
Morning: Drive to Florence (3 hours)
Afternoon: Michelangelo's statue of David
Evening: Ponte Vecchio - take in the view, shopping
Seeing the Coliseum was a highlight of our trip. We booked a private tour and got to cut the line and go inside.
Day 8 - Rome
Morning: Take a train to Rome (1 hr. 30 min.)
Afternoon: Coliseum
It’s worth splurging for the private tour. You get to skip the line (which can be 2-3 hours long) and you get to see parts of the Coliseum that most don’t. Our tour guide was great with kids - she grabbed them by the hand and kept them with her at the front of the group the whole time.
Trevi Fountain
Throw a coin backward over your right shoulder with your left hand and you will be sure to come back to Rome. Throw two coins and you’ll find yourself in a romantic relationship with a Roman. Throw three and you will marry him or her. (We only let the girls throw one coin).
Evening: Sightseeing bus tour
There is no way to “do Rome” in a day. Probably not even two days. The bus tour gave us a flavor of the city - we got to see sights from afar. If you have time, the Vatican is worth a visit.
Take train back to Florence
There’s not much to do in Pisa, so make this a quick stop along your route.
Day 9 - Florence to Moneglia, Italy
Morning: Drive to Pisa (1 hr. 15 min.)
Leaning Tower of Pisa
We were in a hurry so we didn’t go up in the tower. If you do the obligatory look-at-me-I’m-holding-up-the-tower picture, make sure the person behind the camera has the correct angle. I was the person behind the camera and I most certainly did not have the correct angle. Sorry, fam.
Afternoon: Drive to Moneglia (1 hr. 20 min.)
Check-in to beach house Airbnb. Fight your brother for the best room.
Hit up the local grocery to stock up on essentials. Make three different meals to accommodate all the kids’ (and, er, some picky adults’) tastes.
Evening: Beach
Find sea glass, tiles and shells. There’s both a rocky beach and a sandy beach here.
Ahh, sipping fresh-squeezed lemonade in perfect weather with the most gorgeous backdrop. We could have stayed here forever!
Day 10 - Moneglia and Cinque Terre
Morning: Take the train to Cinque Terre (20 min.)
We stopped at Monterosso al Mare first. It’s the largest of the five villages, and has the best beach.
Beach time
Don’t forget swimsuits like we did! We bought an overpriced teeny-tiny bikini for the 8-year-old from a shop at the beach. The 7-year-old just went in undies and a borrowed bra from her cousin. Whatever works, right?
Afternoon: Explore the other villages
No cars allowed. You can pay about $20 to hike to the other villages or buy a rail pass for about $50 per family. We chose the latter - but only after hiking halfway to the next village. It’s all uphill - not at all a leisurely stroll.
We didn’t have time to make it to all five villages. I would recommend another day here so you can explore them all:
Riomaggiore (closest to the main city of La Spezia and perhaps the most picturesque)
Manarola (small harbor where you can swim)
Corniglia (smallest - above the ocean on the cliffs. Climb 365 steps to reach the center of town)
Varnazza (church built on the water, castle, remains of an old pirate wall, waterfront piazza/beach)
Monterosso al Mare (largest and flattest - good sandy beach)
Evening: Take the train back to Moneglia
Stop at the bakery on the walk home
The Italian donuts are to die for.
The sunsets were unreal. Every. Single. Night. So beautiful and such kind, amazing people in Cinque Terre!
Day 11 - Moneglia to Lucerne, Switzerland
Morning: Chill - hit the beach again before check-out
Drive to Lucerne (4.5 hours)
It was rainy during our stop in Lucerne but we made the best of it!
Day 12 - Lucerne to Stuttgart, Germany
Morning: Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge)
Iconic wooden bridge with 17th century art. The girls loved feeding the ducks.
Chocolate shop
Gondola ride to Mt. Pilatus
Stop at Krienseregg for the playground. (We had to skip this, unfortunately, to make our rental car return time.)
Afternoon: Drive to Stuttgart (2 hrs. 15 min.)
Steal brother’s chocolate waffles (not as good as the ones in Maastricht, The Netherlands, but close enough.)
Evening: Return rental car
Take bullet train back to Paris (3 hrs. 45 min.)
Be sure to let the cabin crew know if it’s your kids’ first international flight. They may let them sit up front before takeoff!
Day 13 - Paris to USA
Morning: Fly home
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