The Ultimate Cross-Continental Shuffle: Our Summer 2026 European Journey - PART 1
Summer 2026 has been one of great adventures. Well, at least my kind of adventures! It involved a massive puzzle of logistics and even more prayers for zero travel delays along the way, as every single moment was scheduled down to the minute.
Some people find traveling exhausting, while others find the sheer planning process too intimidating to even attempt on their own. Nowadays, there are plenty of travel "pros" who will organize and book everything for you—but I am simply not the type to pay extra fees to have someone else do the work for me.
Throughout this post, I am going to guide you through our recent trip to Europe. Before we dive in, there are a few things you should know about my travel style:
I am not your typical tourist: You won’t find me pre-booking rigid tours or packed restaurant itineraries.
I love to "play local": I firmly believe that exploring on foot is the absolute best way to truly get to know a place and discover its hidden gems.
I adapt our lodging: While my family usually prefers booking Airbnbs, it was just my two kids and I for the first leg of this trip, so we mixed in a few strategic hotel stays before settling into our favorite Airbnb base in Austria.
How the Puzzle Pieces Came Together
The blueprints for this summer began developing when we gifted my daughter her school’s European trip with EF Tours for her milestone 15th birthday. Shortly after, my son tried out for the American Premier Soccer program and was selected to train and play football in London for a week.
My kids were granted these amazing, door-opening opportunities, and there was no way I was going to let them pass them up. As the amazing mom that I am, I was eager to "sacrifice" (wink, wink) my own time and energy to guide them through their journeys—and beyond! Since they were already going to be across the Atlantic, I absolutely could not pass up a stop in Austria to visit my family.
Finances Before Experiences
The most important takeaway I want to share with you is that my main focus for this itinerary was finances before experiences. The beauty of Europe is that there are incredibly diverse, financially savvy ways to live the full continental experience without the staggering price tag. Sure, you can pay top dollar to travel business class and stay in luxury hotels, but the magic of Europe is that there is something for everyone, no matter your financial situation.
The secret? Once you score a great deal on a plane ticket from the US to Europe, navigating within the continent is significantly more affordable than people think.
To learn more on how and when to snatch the best deals and travel light make sure to listen to
Episode 3 of my podcast,
Cafecito Converstations: The Minimalist Mindset - Travel Light Physically and Spiritually
The Ultimate Cross-Continental Shuffle
(Read ‘til the end to witness us ‘meeting’ the Royal Family)
Once the kids' official schedules were handed to me, it was time to map out the master plan.
My daughter flew out on June 1st with EF Tours, with her itinerary wrapping up in Budapest on June 9th. Meanwhile, my son’s London football training was scheduled for June 7–15. One of the strict team requirements was that a parent or guardian had to physically travel to London to hand the athlete off to the coaches.
Because both trips overlapped, my schedule became a tight, high-stakes sprint:
June 8: I landed in London to hand off my son.
June 8 (Hours Later): I hopped on a flight to Budapest to intercept my daughter so she wouldn't return to the US with her school group. Please note that a previous written parental notice, and the presence of the parent is required in order for EF Tours to hand over your child.
I was incredibly nervous about this window because both UK and EU customs have recently transitioned to updated biometric security systems, and massive lines were expected. But it all worked out perfectly. London to Frankfurt, Frankfurt to Budapest. Thankfully I arrived without any delays 3 hours before the group departed to the airport.
Since I was already in Hungary, we checked out the stunning city for 24 hours. For the first time ever, my daughter and I had our very own girls' trip adventure! After Budapest, we flew back to the UK to stay close to my son just in case he needed anything.
Teaching the Kids the Ropes in Scotland
After my son’s football training and games concluded - bringing home 3 out of 3 game wins- we had four days and three nights to spare before our scheduled departure to Austria.
Normally, when my husband is traveling with us, I focus a lot more on comfort, convenience, and relaxation. We had originally discussed some incredible plans together—like renting our own villa in Tuscany near Pisa and Florence to visit Andrea Bocelli’s vineyard(yes, you can actually do that!) or heading to the Formula 1 race in Barcelona. But because of his demanding work schedule, we had to hold those for next time.
Since it was just the kids and me, I used it as a perfect teachable moment. I kept the trip financially savvy with our adventures and meals. I wanted them to see how to navigate Europe on a real college-student budget for when they eventually adventure out here on their own.
I decided to take them to one of my absolute favorite cities in the entire world: Edinburgh, Scotland, which is only a scenic four-hour train ride from London.
💡 Reseller & Travel Pro-Tip: All national museums in the UK are completely free to the public, granting you budget-friendly access to over 540 incredible institutions!
Scotland is noticeably less expensive than busy London. It is small enough to navigate entirely on foot, yet big enough to keep you endlessly curious. From exploring cobblestone streets that look straight out of a Harry Potter film to touring the city's haunted historic vaults and visiting the National Gallery, we did it all.
Back to My Roots in Austria
On our fourth day in Scotland, we ventured back down to London early in the morning to catch our British Airways flight to Austria via Zurich. Their pricing was competitive compared to lower budget airlines and their schedule met our needs.
I could write a whole separate piece on Austria and the beautiful place where my family comes from but I will leave that for another time! To summarize, I loved taking the kids to follow in my childhood footsteps around Feldkirch, my hometown. It was incredibly special to teach them about our history firsthand while spending priceless quality time with family. Though we are frequent visitors, as they are growing so quickly, they see Feldkirch with different eyes every single time.
It is always sad to see a grand journey draw to a close, but eventually, we had to catch our flight back to London to connect with our return flight to the US. To play it safe and avoid any last-minute stress, we arrived a day early, booked an airport hotel with Amex points, and spent our final afternoon wandering around the heart of London feeling exactly like locals.
Final Thoughts
Looking back, I have to say our entire trip was profoundly blessed and completely free of delays. When you plan things well, lead with logic, and back it with a lot of prayer, your travels will always be a success.
Stay tuned for Part 2! In my next post, I am breaking down the exact capsule wardrobe, outfits, and minimalist packing strategies I used to survive three different countries with just hand luggage. And do not worry, I am working on my detailed itenerary together with tips and reviews for you to have a blue print for your next trip to Europe and the UK.
For more about our amazing trip and more follow me on Instagram!
Are you planning a European getaway soon? Let me know in the comments below where you’re heading!
