Euro tripping

Fort Rouge

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 20/08/2025 (221 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The morning sun beats hot on the concrete terrace in Santorini, Greece. My view includes two of the iconic blue church domes. A man with two donkeys slowly strolls past the white walls. He waves from the first, which he is riding, while the second is hauling tourist luggage. Over my right shoulder, a woman pushes aside a curtain onto her patio, and I greet her with “Kalimera” in which she responds with the same in return, saying good morning. These are the moments that travelling is all about.

People may say that the summer months in Europe are too busy with tourists, too hot, too expensive and would choose to stay home. Although these statements may be true for the most part, I would still recommend such an experience. We are travelling with my 72-year-old mother and 17-year-old stepdaughter. Although things are stressful and difficult at times, the memories of beautiful locations, local foods and culture will last a lifetime.

Milos was advertised to be nicer from the water, so we rented a boat from Firiplaka beach. We cruised along the white stone coast stopping in turquoise bays to anchor and take a swim with a snorkel checking out the fish.

The island of Paros has a perimeter of beaches. We were lucky to find a rare spot of unoccupied sand in a beautiful bay near Naoussa. This island is less expensive, although the main towns are still very busy. The food has been amazing as we have eaten many Greek salads, delicious Tzatziki sauce with pita and kabobs. The pizza and pasta in Italy were amazing and we all had a great time at a cooking class in Florence.

Before our Greek Island hopping, we spent a week in Tuscany, Italy, which should be on every traveller’s bucket list. Again, very busy with tourists, the locals were still very friendly as we visited Pisa and its leaning tower. We made our way through the five ocean coastal towns of Cinque Terre. Expect to walk much more than your daily 10,000 steps if you want to cover lots of ground. We drove to a parkade near Venice to hop a water bus that dropped us off near San Marco Square. Beautiful and busy, Venice is something out of a fairy tale as you take a ride on a gondola down the Grand Canal.

Don’t expect Google maps to be a perfect guide through this labyrinth and always give yourself more time than you think in all these Euro travels.

Climbing the 414 stairs up the Giotto Bell Tower will give you the best view of Florence and the towns of Siena and San Giovanni will give you the most authentic feel on ancient medieval towns. Colosseum and Trevi Fountain are a must see despite the crowds.

Patience and perseverance being your guide, explore Europe even in the busiest of times.