As an American, touring through Europe is one of those trips that are on most of our bucket lists. Europe has a preserved history as well as incredible food, culture and cities that make it so attractive to visitors.
Since we were taking the kids, I knew I didn’t want to be plane or train-hopping to each of our destinations, so we opted for a road trip instead.
What’s also really exciting is just how much there is to see in a relatively short period of time. We were able to stop when we needed to and we built in some multiple-night stays so that we were not always feeling so displaced. It turned out to be my favorite way to travel through these beautiful countries.
Trip Stats
- When: Summer 2018
- Countries Visited: Germany, Italy, Switzerland, France
- Days Away: 14
- Ages of Kids: 7, 5, 10 months
- Time in Car: Medium to High
- Time Outside: Medium
- Level of Difficulty: Easy to medium
- Tour Guide: No
Day #1
Day 1: Fly to Frankfurt - Train to Cologne
Frankfurt has the main airport in Germany and many of the flights from the US will land here. We opted to take the train to Cologne mainly to visit some friends before we started our trip.
Cologne is also a beautiful city with a magnificent Cathedral – the building started in 1248 – which is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visitors can walk up 533 steps to see a panoramic view of downtown Cologne. There are multiple hotel options here – we stayed at the HIlton Cologne near the Cathedral – to get used to the time change and to recover from the flight before the road trip starts.
Tip:
- Short on Time? Fly into Frankfurt or Munich to cut the drive time to the castles on Day 2.
Day 2: Drive to Southern Germany
We began our trip to Bavaria with a full drive day through Germany to head towards the Alps in the south. There are multiple places to stop for lunch and snacks along the Autobahn in the little towns that line the road.
Direct drive time without stops or traffic: about 6 hours
Day #2
Along the Way:
- Bonn is a pretty city on the Rhine that is known for being the birthplace of Beethoven. The city hosts BeethovenFest Bonn from September to October and also has Beethoven’s childhood home on display as a private museum. Museum Mile has – as the name implies – multiple art and culture museums to visit.
- Stuttgart is the hub of German car manufacturing. Mercedes-Benz and Porche both have museums here and the Wilhelma Zoo and Botanical Gardens is a beautiful place for everyone stretch their legs
Where to Stay:
- There are multiple hotels for different budgets near the castle. Larger towns a bit further away are Fussen and Schwangau.
Extend the Trip:
- Germany’s Romantic Road drive is an option if you have time. It is essentially a journey through the backroads from Würsburg to Füssen, Germany that runs through beautiful towns and vineyards.
Day #3
Day 3: Visit Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau Castles
Neuschwanstein Castle is the idyllic, fairytale castle built by King Ludwig II because he, essentially, wanted to be alone. Built about 1 mile up into the hill, you can walk, take a horse drawn carriage or a shuttle that runs periodically, depending on the number of visitors. Ludwig’s childhood home – where his parents resided – is Hohenschwangau Castle and is closer to the entrance and open to the public for touring. The entire area is beautiful and has some pretty hikes and overlooks as well as kid-friendly restaurants making the day relaxed, interesting and fun.
What to Do:
- Visitors can purchase tickets to tour both Castles. Plan ahead if you would like to tour through the castles and buy tickets online in advance. Expect large crowds as Neuschwanstein is the most visited castle in the country. We made crowns with the kids and pretended to be royalty for the day!
- Hike up to Mary’s Bridge, which has a stunning view of the Neuschwanstein Castle (even if the bridge definitely provokes a fear of heights)
- Hang out at Lake Alpsee. Right at the base of Hohenschwangau Castle is a beautiful lake with a paved hiking trail. It’s a beautiful, easy walk and a great place to swim on a hot day.
Extend the trip:
- This area is home to the Bavarian Alps and is wonderful for hiking, mountain biking and camping so it’s easy to spend a few days.
Day 4: Drive to Lake Como
Lake Como is stunning, and also very large, at almost 30 miles long, so there are many options to choose from for hotels or home rentals. Since it is a favorite of the wealthy, many of the hotels and towns – although beautiful – can be a bit pricey. The good news is that there are many smaller towns right on the lake that offer the Como experience without the high price tag.
Direct drive time from Neuschwanstein Castle without stops or traffic: About 5 hours. You’ll go through Lichtenstein and enjoy beautiful views of the Alps.
Day #4
Where to Stay:
- We opted to stay in the village Sala Comacina in a home rental so we could unpack for 2 nights and take a driving break. Since Sala Comacina is located almost midway up the lake, it cut the ferry time to towns like Bellagio and it is also a stop for the ferry, which was extremely helpful.
Day #5
Day 5: Tour Lake Como
Few things come close to boating around a beautiful Italian lake, seeing the magnificent villas and knowing that incredible Italian food and Gelato is just around every corner. Leave some time to explore the towns you stop in – we found it was more enjoyable to spend some quality time in the towns we visited than to try to visit as many as possible.
What to Do:
- Take a boat, any boat. As you float around, you will see many stunning villas along the coastline and in the hills and get the full magnitude of the lake as well as the wealth along its shores. The ferry is a solid, direct option to move from town to town, however there are also private boats, cruises and tours, as well as the “slow ferry” to choose from as well.
- Bellagio is stunning with beautiful streets to wander through, incredible restaurants and two gardens – Villa Serbelloni and Villa Melzi – to walk through. Nicknamed the “Pearl of Lake Como, it can be incredibly busy so plan for some company during your visit.
- Menaggio is a beautiful village on the western shore of Lake Como. This town was a bit quieter than Bellagio and a good place to relax on the lakeshore promenade and grab some Gelato. Bring your suits as there are places to rent boats or try out some water sports and swim on a warm day.
- The city of Como is located on the southern end of the lake and a great place to walk around the town center and lakefront. The Basilica in town is beautiful to see and walk through and there are many shops and restaurants to experience.
Day 6: Drive to Perinaldo
Perinaldo is a small, medieval city in the hills with beautiful views of the Mediterranian located about an hour from Monaco. We were excited to experience Perinaldo because of the opportunity to really experience daily life in a very small, Italian town. Our friends own a home in Perinaldo, so we were able to stay there making it a bit less intimidating.
Day #6
Not up for Perinaldo? You definitely have other options. Nicknamed the Italian Riviera, there are many coastal towns in Liguria, including San Remo and the section known as Cinque Terre. Additionally, Monaco is just over the border to the west and Antibes and Nice, France are just a bit further.
Direct drive time from Como to Perinaldo without stops or traffic: About 4.5 hours
Along the way:
- The quickest route from Como takes you right by Milan, so you can plan on a stop or overnight if you’d like to tour the city.
- The drive takes you from Genoa along the coast of Italy, making it another very pretty drive day.
Day #7
Day 7: Explore Perinaldo and Coastal Towns
Take the day to wander through the towns, stopping at bakeries, enjoying the restaurants and markets and generally just taking a relaxing break from the car. This stop provided much needed down time for everyone, so we deliberately did not have a packed Itinerary for the day.
Here’s what we enjoyed in and around Perinaldo:
- The astronomer G.D.Cassini, was born in Perinaldo and there is an Astronomical Observatory located in the town hall. It has two powerful telescopes as well as a museum outlining Cassini’s discoveries for space-loving kids to enjoy
- Swim in the Mediterranean Sea and wander through the beach town of San Remo. There are many restaurants, gelato shops and places to relax and let the kids play. Like many Italian beaches, it is rocky so bring some water shoes along and some money for a chair rental
Day 8: Day trip to Monaco
With Monaco just an hour away, we took the beautiful, coastal ride to visit. Monte Carlo is a beautiful city, with its yacht-filled harbor, expensive shopping and dining and broad views of the turquoise sea.
Day #8
What to Do:
- Visit the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco to see beautiful fish of the Mediterranean, as well as sharks, sea turtles and tropical fish. It’s an impressive building to see from the outside as well.
- Near the aquarium, there is a pathway that winds along the water with openings that lead to quiet beaches below. The kids loved going down to these secret beaches to explore.
- The Prince’s Palace is also nearby, which you can tour through, or just admire from the outside. The Changing of the Guards ceremony takes place each day at 11:55am
- Hercule Harbor is a deep water port that houses massive boats to dock. It’s fun to take a seat and watch them motor around. We couldn’t believe how big and how many yachts there were around to see.
- For car loving kids, visit the Private Car Collection of Prince Rainier to see some beautiful vintage racing and road cars that was started by Prince Rainier and continued by Prince Albert
Day #9
Day 9: Drive to Chamonix, France
After a few days of rest from driving, head to Chamonix, which is a beautiful ski town in the heart of the Alps and located at the base of Mont Blanc. The ride heads straight back into the Alps and will take you through the Mont Blanc Tunnel, a 7 mile tunnel on the border of Italy and France, which was a bit unique and exciting.
Direct drive time from Perinaldo to Chamonix without stops or traffic: About 6 hours
Day 10: Chamonix and Mont Blanc
Chamonix is one of the most beautiful mountain towns we’ve visited. It’s extremely walkable, with many hotel and restaurant options and there is plenty of access to the beautiful mountains to hike or ski, depending on the season. It is a perfect place to rent a home in the mountains for some solitude, or there are many hotels in town as well that are walkable to everything around. Although it can be busy with visitors – we actually were there during the UTMB Trail Race – everyone spreads out into the mountains during the day so it doesn’t feel overwhelming.
Day #10
What to Do:
- Take the Aiguille du Midi Cable car up almost 4,000 meters to the top. Here you will have panoramic views of the peaks, including Mont Blanc. There is a museum at the top as well as a cafe and places to sit and enjoy the views.
- Notes: When we traveled, kids under 3 were not allowed to go up in the tram.
- It is a two-stage tram, and the second tram is very steep and high. Take care with kids and those who are afraid of heights.
- The Mont Blanc Tramway is the highest railway line in France. It’s route rides through beautiful areas and has views of the mountains, taking you to the base of Mont Blanc.
Day #11
Day 11: Drive to Eguisheim, France
The drive to Eguisheim will take you through beautiful Switzerland. Along the way, stop in Montreux for lakeside views and restaurants and a walking path for everyone to stretch out. You can choose to route through Neuchatel, Switzerland, which is another beautiful city on the lake.
Eguisheim is a small village in France that looks like it belongs in a fairy tale. It has cobblestone streets and houses painted bright colors with pointed roofs and beautiful window flower boxes. It has been voted one of the most beautiful villages in France for many years and is a beautiful and fun place to explore with kids.
While you are in the region, try the wine! You’ll be surrounded by vineyards and, likely, walking distance to the hotel so it’s a good stop to try the local variety
Direct Drive time from Chamonix to Eguisheim is about 4 hours.
Note: Eguisheim is a very small town with limited hotel options. For more variety, stay in Colmar, France (see below), which is just up the road.
Day 12: Day trip to Colmar
Colmar is another real-life fairytale town located about 15 minutes from Eguisheim. While it is larger than Eguisheim, Colmar has the same feel and beautifully preserved architecture along with canal-side restaurants and fun shops. There seemed to be a surprise around each corner, whether it was a shop covered in hearts or a brightly colored building with flowers in window boxes that kept things interesting for the kids.
Day #12
Here’s what we loved to do in Colmar:
- Wander through the Little Venice Area along the Launch River in the center of town. Follow the river to see the Fisherman’s Quay, which is a beautiful stretch and take a break in Old Town at one of the many Cafes.
- Visit the covered market hall on rue des Ecoles that is a beautiful, permanent Farmer’s market that offers fresh fruits and vegetables, homemade bread, jam and cheeses, gifts and lunch options.
- St. Martin’s Church is a massive church built from the 1230’s and is beautiful to walk through to see the Gothic architecture
- Colmar has multiple restaurants with Michelin stars if you want to have a family experience of a fancy meal in France
Day #13
Day 13: Drive back to Frankfurt
We, very reluctantly, headed back to Frankfurt to catch our flight home. The total drive time from Eguisheim to Frankfurt Airport is only about 3.5 hours, so we spent the morning wandering Eguisheim and enjoying the last of our visit before our flight the next day.
Road tripping through Europe is now our favorite way to travel. There is so much culture to experience between the larger cities and makes for a lower-stress trip because of the flexibility. The beauty of a European road trip is just how many ways it can be changed to fit all types of interests and budgets and still be enjoyable for the whole family.
