Last summer we looped through Belgium, Luxembourg, a slice of Germany, the Alsace region of France, and into Switzerland — mostly by train, with a private driver for the longer country-to-country legs. It packed in a lot without ever feeling rushed, and it’s very repeatable whether you’re traveling solo or wrangling a group of five like we were. Here’s the full day-by-day, with links to everything I wrote up in detail.
The route at a glance
- Belgium: Brussels as a base, with day trips to Bruges and Ghent
- The drive south: scenic stops in Durbuy and Dinant
- Luxembourg: Luxembourg City, plus a day trip across the border to Trier, Germany
- Alsace: Haut-Kœnigsbourg castle and Colmar en route to Strasbourg
- Switzerland: Zurich, plus Lucerne and Mount Rigi to finish
The day-by-day itinerary
Day 1 — Travel day. An overnight flight over, landing early the next morning. If you want the full breakdown of how I fit this whole trip into a carry-on, that’s here.
Day 2 — Brussels. Arrival and the Old Town, including the Grand-Place. My honest take on Belgium’s capital: Brussels: An Honest First Look.
Day 3 — Bruges. An early train and the storybook canals — my favorite of the three Belgian cities. Bruges: The Storybook Belgian City.
Day 4 — Ghent. Belgium’s underrated canal city (take the tram, not the walk). Ghent: Belgium’s Underrated Canal City.
Day 5 — Brussels to Luxembourg. A private driver let us break up the drive with two lovely stops. Durbuy & Dinant: The Prettiest Stops Between Brussels and Luxembourg.
Day 6 — Trier. An easy day trip across the German border to Germany’s oldest city. A Day Trip to Trier.
Day 7 — Luxembourg City. A leisurely day of clifftop views, the Grund, and a lot of good cafes. A Leisurely Day in Luxembourg City.
Day 8 — Luxembourg to Strasbourg. A fairytale castle and the storybook town of Colmar along the way. Luxembourg to Strasbourg: Haut-Kœnigsbourg & Colmar.
Day 9 — Strasbourg. Alsatian charm, a grand cathedral, and — for the skincare lovers — a proper French pharmacy haul. Full day here: Strasbourg: Alsatian Charm & a Grand Cathedral.
Day 10 — Zurich. A relaxing arrival into Switzerland: wandering the Limmat, the old-town classics, and watching locals leap off the bridges into the river. First Look at Zurich.
Day 11 — Lucerne & Mount Rigi. A private-tour day and the highlight of our Switzerland leg — Lucerne’s Chapel Bridge and Lion Monument, then a gondola and cog railway to the top of Mount Rigi. Lucerne and Mount Rigi: The Best Day of Our Switzerland Trip.
Day 12 — Flight home. A pure travel day. My rule for the last morning: no ambitious sightseeing — breakfast, one last check that nothing got left in the hotel safe, and head for the airport. Still short on gifts? Don’t panic-buy from a souvenir shop. Swiss grocery stores, the shops at Zurich’s main train station, and the airport all have a good spread — just check what will actually clear a carry-on before you buy.
Before you go
Two posts that made this trip run smoothly: what I packed for 12 days in a carry-on, and how I used AI to help plan the whole thing.
Next up: Belgium — Brussels →