Practical Cozy Travel

Category: Destinations

A Summer Grand Tour of Belgium, Luxembourg, Alsace & Switzerland: Our Day-by-Day Itinerary
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

Four home bases, everything else a day trip. Dotted lines are excursions; dashed lines are the travel days between cities.
- 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.

← Back to all Destinations

Next up: Belgium — Brussels →
July 30, 2026
Lucerne and Mount Rigi: The Best Day of Our Switzerland Trip

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If you only have one big day to spend beyond Zurich, this is the one I’d copy exactly. We spent it in Lucerne and up Mount Rigi, and it was hands-down one of the highlights of the entire trip.

Why we booked a private tour

Handing the logistics to someone else genuinely made the day. We went with The Zurich Insider, and our guide, Samantha, and our driver, Josh, took a beautiful route to Lucerne and coordinated every moving piece — the drive, the boat, the gondola, the trains — so we could just relax and take it in.

Samantha was in great communication before we even started, incredibly knowledgeable along the way, and read our group perfectly: she adjusted the pace and priorities to what we wanted and even clocked exactly when we were ready for lunch (and sent us somewhere that fit us to a tee). Josh was a safe, professional driver, and between the two of them every stop was handled so we could simply enjoy the scenery. If you want a day this full without any of the planning stress, a private guide is worth every penny — I’d recommend them without hesitation.

Lucerne

Lucerne is a gem. We saw the Lion Monument — that famous carved lion — visited a few beautiful and genuinely interesting churches, and walked across the iconic wooden Chapel Bridge. Lunch was at a brewery right off the water, which was perfect on a warm day, and I tried a Switzerland cola that was a fun, tasty surprise. We wandered the town, grabbed a few (very touristy) souvenirs, and worked in some cupcakes and treats, because vacation.

One honest note: we took a boat across the lake, and while it was beautiful, it functioned more as a way to get from A to B than a dedicated scenic cruise. Still lovely — just manage your expectations if you’re picturing a sightseeing boat.

Up Mount Rigi

Then came the showstopper. We took a gondola partway up Mount Rigi — I’ll be honest, it was a little horrifying for me, but absolutely beautiful — and then a train the rest of the way to the top. The view up there was, no exaggeration, the most beautiful we have ever seen.

One thing I really appreciated: at the top there’s a steep path and a more meandering one. We took the meandering route — still a decent incline, so don’t picture it flat — and it was absolutely worth it. Coming back down, we took the train, which was less frightening than the gondola, though a few of the drops still made me say oof.

Our driver picked us up and took a scenic route back to the hotel to close things out — a stunning end to an amazing day. If you do one big Swiss adventure from Zurich, make it this one.

Comfort tips: it’s cooler and breezier at the summit than down by the lake, so pack a light layer — and wear comfortable shoes for those inclines. The New Balance 1080 v15 handled the paths at the top easily. If heights aren’t your thing, know there’s some exposure on the gondola, but the cog train is the gentler way up and down.

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← Switzerland — Zurich

Back to: The full 12-day itinerary →

The final stop in A Summer Grand Tour of Belgium, Luxembourg, Alsace & Switzerland.

July 30, 2026
First Look at Zurich: A Relaxing Arrival Day by the Limmat

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Zurich was our arrival into Switzerland, and we kept it deliberately low-key — a day to land, wander, and let the city set the tone. It turned out to be one of the easiest, prettiest arrival days of the whole trip.

A slow wander along the Limmat

After we were dropped off, we just started to explore on foot, and walking along the Limmat was beautiful. The whole riverfront invites a slow pace, which was exactly what we wanted after a travel day.

The best surprise: watching people jump and flip off the bridges into the river. In summer, locals swim the Limmat like it’s the most normal thing in the world, and it looked like so much fun. My one regret of the day — we didn’t bring our swimsuits. Learn from me: if you’re visiting in warm weather, pack a suit so you can join in.

The easy sights

We wove past the classics — the shopping stretch of Bahnhofstrasse, the leafy Lindenhof lookout, the Grossmünster’s twin towers, and the lanes of the Niederdorf old town — with plenty of just-beautiful walking in between. The Lake Zurich promenade is a lovely place to slow down, and if you’re there on a Sunday, Sprüngli is a classic stop for something sweet.

We paused for drinks along the way, and I had a delicious lemonade with mint and honey that I’m still thinking about. Mostly, this was a day to decompress and ease into Switzerland — exactly what we needed before the bigger adventure the next day.

Where to actually buy your souvenirs

Skip the dedicated souvenir shops. Some of the best gifts we brought home came from ordinary grocery stores — Coop and Migros are everywhere, and the chocolate, biscuits, and packaged specialties on those shelves are the same things people actually eat here, at prices that aren’t set for tourists. It’s the easiest way to bring home something Swiss without paying a premium for a paper bag with a cow on it.

Two other spots worth knowing: Zurich Hauptbahnhof, the main train station, has a genuinely good spread of shops with plenty of variety, and the shops at Zurich Airport are better than the usual airport fare. Both are convenient if you’ve run out of time in the city, and the airport in particular is a fine last-minute rescue on your way out.

One practical note if you’re carry-on only, as I was: think about what you’re buying before you buy it. Anything liquid or gel-like — jams, honey, liqueur-filled chocolates, spirits — has to go in a checked bag, and a Swiss Army knife won’t clear security no matter how nicely it’s boxed. Chocolate bars, biscuits, dried and packaged goods are all fine in a carry-on. If you know you’re checking a bag, you have far more freedom; if you’re not, buy after security or stick to the solid stuff.

Comfort tip: in summer, tuck a swimsuit and a quick-dry towel in your day bag so you can jump in the Limmat with the locals — the regret of not having one is real. The Rainleaf microfiber travel towel is the one I pack: it’s compact, dries fast, and takes up almost no room in a carry-on.

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← French Pharmacy Haul

Next up: Lucerne & Mount Rigi →

Part of A Summer Grand Tour of Belgium, Luxembourg, Alsace & Switzerland.

July 30, 2026
Strasbourg: Alsatian Charm, a Grand Cathedral, and a French Pharmacy Haul

Strasbourg struck a really nice balance for us — big enough to feel like a proper city, but with all the half-timbered, canal-laced charm of Alsace. It’s a lovely place to slow down, shop a little, and eat very well.

Where we stayed

Our Marriott was in a perfect location, which made a real difference — we could walk out the door and be in the thick of it. In a city this walkable, a central base is worth prioritizing.

The sights

The Strasbourg Cathedral is stunning and worth lingering at — the detail on the facade is something else. From there, La Petite France with its canals and the Ponts Couverts is the prettiest stretch to wander, and Place Kléber and the Palais Rohan round out the classics.

We also did the Batorama canal boat tour: I’ll be honest, I didn’t love it as much as some of the others we’d done — but the rest of my group said it was their favorite, so it’s clearly a your-mileage-may-vary thing and worth doing.

Eat, drink, and reserve ahead

The food was a highlight — the frittatas were well worth trying, and the region’s wines are genuinely excellent. We had lunch at La Corde à Linge, and my tip is simple: you can reserve, so do it. It saves you standing around at the busiest time of day.

One more must for skincare lovers

If you love a good skincare find, save some time (and suitcase space) for a French pharmacy. I did a proper haul at the Pharmacie de l’Homme de Fer right in the center of Strasbourg — the sunscreen alone was worth it. It turned into enough of a thing that I gave it its own post: my full French pharmacy haul, and how to shop one carry-on-friendly.

← Haut-Kœnigsbourg & Colmar

Next up: French Pharmacy Haul →

Part of A Summer Grand Tour of Belgium, Luxembourg, Alsace & Switzerland.

July 30, 2026
My French Pharmacy Haul: Shopping Pharmacie de l’Homme de Fer in Strasbourg
This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through a link, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Full disclosure here.

If you’re a skincare person, a French pharmacy is one of the most fun (and surprisingly practical) stops you can build into a trip. In Strasbourg I made a beeline for the Pharmacie de l’Homme de Fer, and I walked out with a whole new routine. Here’s why it’s worth the suitcase space, and how to shop one without blowing your carry-on liquid limits.

Why bother with a French pharmacy?

French pharmacies carry cult-favorite skincare and sunscreen that’s often hard to find (or much pricier) back home. The formulas tend to be elegant, well-priced, and genuinely good — the kind of thing beauty editors quietly stockpile. For me, the sunscreen alone justified the visit.

Finding it in Strasbourg

The Pharmacie de l’Homme de Fer sits right on Place de l’Homme de Fer, one of the central squares and a major tram hub, so it’s genuinely easy to fold into a day of sightseeing. You can wander the cathedral and La Petite France, then swing by here without going out of your way.

What I brought home

I picked up a whole new skincare regimen here, with the sunscreen as the star. On a hot, walking-heavy trip like this one, a lightweight, actually-pleasant-to-wear SPF isn’t a luxury — it’s the thing I reached for every single morning.

Everything I actually brought home from the Pharmacie de l’Homme de Fer.

How to shop one without a carry-on headache

A few things I’ve learned so your haul actually makes it home:
- Budget the suitcase space (and a little weight allowance) before you go in — it’s easy to get carried away.
- If you’re carry-on only, remember full-size liquids need to go in a checked bag, or stay under your 3.4 oz / 100 ml limit in your quart bag.
- Bring a couple of TSA-approved silicone travel bottles so you can decant and keep using your favorites for the rest of the trip — they’re leak-proof and squeezable, which matters more than you’d think.
- Wrap anything glass in clothing, and keep receipts in case of any customs questions on larger hauls.
Can’t get to France right now?

Plenty of French pharmacy staples have close equivalents you can track down at home, so you can build a similar routine without the plane ticket — and it’s worth keeping a set of refillable travel bottles on hand for whenever the next trip comes around.

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← Alsace — Strasbourg

Next up: Switzerland — Zurich →

Part of A Summer Grand Tour of Belgium, Luxembourg, Alsace & Switzerland.
July 30, 2026
Luxembourg to Strasbourg: A Fairytale Castle and the Storybook Town of Colmar

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The drive from Luxembourg down to Strasbourg is a destination in itself if you build in the right stops. We had a private driver for this leg, which let us break it up with a hilltop castle and one of the prettiest towns in Alsace. Here’s how it went.

Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg

This restored medieval château sits high above the Alsace plain, and the views from the top are stunning. One honest heads-up: there are a lot of stairs. It rained while we were there, which made the stone a bit slippery, so if stairs or uneven footing are uncomfortable for you, this may be one to admire from below rather than climb. If you’re up for it, though, it’s a genuinely memorable stop.

Colmar (I wish we’d had more time)

Colmar was absolutely stunning — the kind of place I wish we’d given a full day. The half-timbered architecture and the canals of La Petite Venise are beautiful to simply arrive and walk through, no agenda needed. The old town around Maison Pfister and the Koïffhus is dense with restaurants, shops, and little eateries, and it’s well worth wandering off the main drag to find the quieter, equally pretty corners.

The rain had held off by the time we arrived and actually cooled things down, so we got beautiful weather for it. Don’t miss the Marché Couvert (covered market) if you’re there at the right time — it’s a lovely spot to graze.

The takeaway

If you’re routing between Luxembourg and Strasbourg, these two stops turn a transfer day into one of the prettiest days of the trip. If I could redo it, I’d shave time somewhere else and give Colmar a proper afternoon — it earns it.

Comfort tips: grippy, closed-toe shoes for those castle stairs — especially if it’s wet — and something for the rain, because Alsace weather can turn on you mid-visit. I wore the New Balance 1080 v15 and keep the BAODINI mini travel umbrella in my day bag — it’s tiny, fits in a purse, and doubles as excellent sun protection on the hot days.

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← Luxembourg City

Next up: Alsace — Strasbourg →

Part of A Summer Grand Tour of Belgium, Luxembourg, Alsace & Switzerland.

July 30, 2026
A Leisurely Day in Luxembourg City

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Luxembourg City surprised me. It’s compact, walkable, and packed with more beauty than its size suggests — dramatic cliffs, a storybook lower town, and enough cafes and shops to fill a relaxed, wandering kind of day.

The sights worth your time

Start up top around Place d’Armes and the Grand Ducal Palace, then make your way to Place de la Constitution for the Gëlle Fra monument and the views. The Chemin de la Corniche — often called the most beautiful balcony in Europe — is the walk to prioritize; it looks down over the valley and the lower town.

A tip for first-timers: a free walking tour goes a long way here. I’d been before, so I played guide for the rest of our group, but if it’s your first visit a good tour ties the history together nicely.

Head down to the Grund

Don’t skip the Grund, the lower town along the river. It’s charming down there, and Scott’s Pub had an excellent view to go with some cold drinks — a perfect afternoon pause.

One very practical note: getting back up from the Grund is no joke. The roads themselves are seriously steep, so use the free public elevator or the designated walking path instead of grinding up the streets. Your legs will thank you.

Our kind of day

We kept this one leisurely — sights, yes, but also stops to shop, duck into a few cafes, and enjoy an adult beverage or two. Luxembourg rewards that unhurried pace, and it makes a great base for a day trip to Trier just across the German border.

Comfort tip: between the steep streets and the cliff-top paths, this is a shoes-that-grip kind of city. Save the cute-but-slippery pair for dinner. I relied on the New Balance 1080 v15 here — the steep bits are much friendlier with real traction underfoot.

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← Germany — Trier

Next up: Haut-Kœnigsbourg & Colmar →

Part of A Summer Grand Tour of Belgium, Luxembourg, Alsace & Switzerland.

July 30, 2026
A Day Trip to Trier: Germany’s Oldest City, Straight from Luxembourg

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If you’re basing yourself in Luxembourg City, Trier is one of the easiest day trips you can add to your itinerary — and one of the most rewarding if you love Roman history and pretty German squares without the tourist crush.

Getting there

The train from Luxembourg drops you right at Trier Hauptbahnhof, and the whole trip is genuinely simple — no connections to stress over. I’ll be honest: stepping off the train, the area right around the station felt a little sketchy, and we weren’t totally sure what to expect. Don’t let that first impression put you off. About a ten-minute walk in, the city opens up and the beauty starts to show itself.

What we saw

Trier wears its Roman history on its sleeve, and the monuments are genuinely cool to see in person — the Porta Nigra especially. The old market square (Hauptmarkt), the cathedral, and the architecture around town made for a really fun wander, and the shopping was better than I expected. Those core sights sit fairly close together, so it’s an easy stroll from one to the next.

Where the distances start to add up is getting out to the Roman amphitheater. It sits a good 15-to-20-minute walk from the Hauptmarkt and the main shopping streets, off on its own edge of the center — so tacking it on after a morning of wandering is more of a trek than the map makes it look.

Which brings me to my most practical tip: there’s a real spread between some of the sights, so we ended up doing the hop-on-hop-off bus — and it was completely worth it. It let us reach the amphitheater and a few extra spots without piling miles onto our step count, which on a hot day made a real difference.

A few honest notes

It was hot the day we visited, so we stopped for a drink partway through — a cold beer for part of our group, and I had a Granini juice topped with sparkling water, which was ridiculously refreshing and something I’d order again in a heartbeat.

One thing I appreciated: without the Christmas markets in full swing, Trier didn’t feel especially touristy. It felt like a real, lived-in German city that just happens to be beautiful. Lunch was a proper German spread and hit the spot.

Is it worth it?

Yes — easily. If you’re in Luxembourg and want a low-effort day trip that delivers history, good food, and a change of scenery, Trier is a great pick.

Comfort tip: this is a walking-heavy day even with the bus, so wear shoes you already trust and bring water — it gets warm in summer. My go-to travel bottle is the Owala FreeSip insulated 24 oz, and I wore the New Balance 1080 v15 for the extra cushioning on a high-step day.

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← Durbuy & Dinant

Next up: Luxembourg City →

Part of A Summer Grand Tour of Belgium, Luxembourg, Alsace & Switzerland.

July 30, 2026
Durbuy & Dinant: The Prettiest Stops Between Brussels and Luxembourg

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We were lucky enough to have a private driver for the leg between Brussels and Luxembourg, which meant we could break up the drive with a couple of stops instead of powering straight through. If you’re planning the same route — with a driver or your own car — here are the two we chose, and my honest take on each.

Durbuy

Durbuy gets billed as one of the smallest towns around, and it’s cute and quaint in exactly the way you’d hope. That said, I’ll be straight with you: it’s very small, with just a handful of shops, and nothing that made me stop in my tracks. It’s a lovely leg-stretch and good for a photo or two, but I wouldn’t build a whole day around it.

Dinant

Dinant, on the other hand, was a highlight. The setting along the water is stunning, and there’s a real cluster of restaurants (plus a few shops), which makes it a perfect place to stop for lunch.

The saxophone bridge was such a fun surprise — Dinant is the birthplace of Adolphe Sax, the inventor of the saxophone, and the bridge is lined with colorful sax sculptures. Walking across it was genuinely beautiful and just really cool, and there are some great photography spots here if you like to capture your trips.

We also grabbed a gelato and wandered down along the river with it — honestly one of the best ways to cool off in the summer heat while soaking up the views. Little moments like that are what made Dinant so easy to love.

We also went up to the citadel. Here’s my honest opinion: unless you’re really into history, I’m not sure it’s worth the fee just for the view. The view is beautiful — but you can enjoy plenty of Dinant’s charm from the ground for free. Still, the town as a whole is absolutely worth the stop.

The takeaway

If you’ve got a driver or a car between Brussels and Luxembourg, skip the straight shot. Durbuy is a quick, charming pause, and Dinant is well worth a proper lunch stop and a wander.

Comfort tip: both towns involve some uneven, hilly walking, so easy shoes make this a lot more enjoyable — and a crossbody keeps your hands free for photos. I wore the Skechers GO Walk Flex slip-in sandals and carried the Baggallini Securtex Anti-Theft Daytripper Sling.

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← Belgium — Ghent

Next up: Germany — Trier →

Part of A Summer Grand Tour of Belgium, Luxembourg, Alsace & Switzerland.

July 30, 2026
Ghent: Belgium’s Underrated Canal City

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Ghent often gets overshadowed by Bruges, and while Bruges did win my heart, Ghent was absolutely worth the visit. It has a completely different feel — bolder, a little grittier, with its own gorgeous canal and a very different style of architecture.

Getting there — and skip the walk

Ghent is an easy morning train from Brussels — the same line as Bruges, just an earlier stop. Here’s the one thing I’d do differently: from the station, take the tram into the city center. We decided to walk it, hoping the route would be scenic, and honestly it wasn’t worth the steps or the effort. The tram is cheap, quick, and gets you to the good part faster. Learn from my mistake.

What we saw

The waterfront along Graslei and Korenlei is the postcard shot, and the medieval Gravensteen castle anchors the old center. St. Bavo’s Cathedral (Sint-Baafskathedraal) is home to the famous Ghent Altarpiece and worth stepping inside. We also did the canal cruise here — it was great, though I’d say it edges out just behind Bruges for me. Different architecture, still very beautiful.

One local sweet to try: cuberdons, the little cone-shaped candies. Fair warning — they are very sweet. And if beer is more your thing, Artevelde is brewed right here in Ghent.

One thing to check before you go

Our one downside was timing: the city was setting up for the Ghent Festivities (Gentse Feesten), which meant a fair amount of construction and stage rigging around the center. If you want Ghent at its prettiest and least cluttered, it’s worth checking the festival dates (usually mid-July) before you lock in your day trip.

Is it worth it?

Yes. I enjoyed Bruges more overall, but Ghent earns its spot — pair the two on separate days from a Brussels base and you get two very different, very beautiful sides of Belgium.

Comfort tip: even with the tram, it’s a walking day on cobbles and canal-side paths. I alternated between the Skechers GO Walk Flex slip-in sandals (unbeatable on cobblestone, and easy to rinse off) and the New Balance 1080 v15 for extra cushioning.

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← Belgium — Bruges

Next up: Durbuy & Dinant →

Part of A Summer Grand Tour of Belgium, Luxembourg, Alsace & Switzerland.

July 30, 2026