You know that feeling when you pack your bags for a trip and think, this one’s going to change us? That’s exactly how our summer began — four suitcases, too many shoes, and hearts wide open for the journey ahead.

Our first stop was Istanbul, where East meets West and history brushes against modern life. We wandered through the majestic Topkapı Palace, imagining the sultans who once lived there, then dove into glossy modern malls that could rival any in the world. Shopping bags in hand, we laughed about how our “adventure” started like a family spree — but that’s Istanbul. Old and new live side by side, each with its own magic.

From Istanbul, we flew into Venice and hopped straight into a sea taxi across the lagoon. Our condo in the heart of the city opened the door to canals that felt alive with history. Gondolas glided past, church bells rang, and every corner seemed to whisper a love story.

A quick train carried us to Rome, where we stayed in an apartment overlooking the Trevi Fountain. Imagine sipping morning coffee while tourists tossed coins and wishes just outside your window. Days were filled with the Vatican’s grandeur, the Colosseum’s echoes, and more gelato than we could count.

Then came the cruise — nine days of waking up in a new port like magic. At sea, our favorite ritual was stepping out on the balcony at night: the shade of the moon on the water, the hush of waves, and a silence that wrapped us in peace.

       2. Florence & Pisa: Michelangelo’s David, Renaissance piazzas, and of course, tilting our heads with everyone else at the Leaning Tower. Portofino: A stormy, unforgettable day. We took little tender boats from the cruise, rocking through waves to this Instagram-perfect harbor. Rain poured all day, but we found romance under our umbrellas, laughing as the city sparkled in the storm.

        3. Nice, Monaco & Ezé: The Riviera dazzled. Nice offered pebble beaches, Monaco stunned with its historic casino, where each room was decorated like a gallery, and Rolex clocks kept time. A short trip to Ezé felt like walking through a storybook — stone streets, flowers in every window, and a view that seemed painted just for us.

       4. Provence: Lavender fields, vineyards, and markets overflowing with cheese, olives, and fresh bread — Provence whispered, stay a little longer.

Barcelona greeted us with Gaudí’s Sagrada Família, its towers spiraling like a dream. We wandered La Rambla, ate tapas that turned into feasts, and made a day trip to Figueres for the surreal Dalí Theatre-Museum. 

From there, we picked up an electric rental car and drove down the coast. That little car gave us freedom — cruising to seaside towns, rocky coves, and hidden spots where the Mediterranean sparkled just for us.

Valencia slowed our pace with paella by the sea, while Madrid turned up the energy. We zipped through the city in tuk-tuks, laughed our way through plazas, and ended with dinner at Botín, the oldest restaurant in the world, serving guests for nearly 300 years. The wood-fired ovens have never gone out, and the food tasted like history itself. It’s one of those places worth experiencing once in a lifetime, just to say you’ve been part of its story. Nights ended like true locals — churros dipped in chocolate under a skyline glittering with lights.

We closed our circle back in Turkey, where Mesut’s hometown gave us warmth money can’t buy. One evening, we dined at a restaurant on the Bosphorus, the city lights glittering across the water. It was simple, beautiful, and full of laughter — the perfect finale to a month of adventure.

One month. Six countries. Twenty cities. But the real souvenirs weren’t in our luggage. They were in the moments — hiding from a Portofino storm under one umbrella, discovering a $6 Michelin-starred pizza in Naples, shopping sprees in Istanbul, sipping wine while Vesuvius loomed.

Europe was a masterpiece, painted in endless shades of sky blue — every city another brushstroke, every memory another piece of art.

Because in the end, travel isn’t about the stamps in your passport. It’s about who’s beside you when you’re making the memories.