Sam Newman's Europe Trip, Stop by Stop

About Sam

Who is Sam Newman

Sam Newman is one of Australia's best known media personalities, and right now he is on the road in Europe with Sue, filming the trip for his YouTube channel SmartASSam. Sam Newman's Europe trip started on the French Riviera, ran through Provence and the Rhône, crossed into Italy and carried on down the Adriatic, with more countries still to come.

We arranged parts of the trip from our office in Ballan, and Sam & Sue have agreed that their names and videos can be used here. So every stop on Sam Newman's Europe trip gets its own write-up on this page: the place, what he found there, what is worth your time when you go, and how we could put a trip like it together for you.

Where he has been

Sam and Sue's visited places

Every stop on the trip. A solid pin has a write-up, an open one is still to come.

The write-ups

Stop by stop

Melbourne to Paris, From Australia to France

The Journey to Europe: What a Well-Planned Trip Looks Like

The flight from Australia to Europe is not short. Melbourne to Paris via Dubai is close to 24 hours in the air, plus the connection. For…

Day 1

Le Lavandou, France

Provence and the Var: Planning Your Trip to Southern France

From hilltop villages to Mediterranean beaches, discover what makes a Provence trip to the Var region worth planning.

Day 2

Monaco, Monaco

Visiting the Monaco Grand Prix: A Traveller’s Guide

Visiting the Monaco Grand Prix is the reason most people first look up flights to the principality, and for a few days in May the whole…

Day 3

Cannes, France

A Day in Cannes on the French Riviera

Spend a day in Cannes and you understand quickly that the French Riviera is not shy about what it is. The sea is a hard blue,…

Day 4

Saint-Tropez, France

Saint-Tropez Market and a Slow Day on the Côte d’Azur

Plan a Saint-Tropez trip around market mornings, the old port and the Var coast. What to see, when to go and how long to stay.

Day 6

Gorges du Verdon (Lac de Sainte-Croix, Provence), France

Visiting the Gorges du Verdon in Provence

Provence tends to arrive in the imagination as lavender rows, stone villages and long lunches, so the first sight of the Verdon canyon comes as a…

Day 7

Juan-les-Pins, France

Visiting Juan-les-Pins: The Riviera’s Quieter Side

Beaches, jazz and Cap d'Antibes walks. Why Juan-les-Pins is one of the most relaxed bases on the French Riviera, and how to plan a trip there.

Day 15

Valensole, Provence, France

Provence Lavender Fields: A Guide to Valensole

When to see Provence's lavender fields, where to base yourself and what to pair with the bloom on a tailored Provence trip from Australia.

Day 18

Nice, France

Hiring a Car in Nice for a French Road Trip

Hiring a car in Nice is one of the most quietly satisfying ways to begin a European holiday. You land on the Cote d’Azur, walk a…

Day 20

Châteauneuf-du-Pape, France

Driving Through Châteauneuf-du-Pape: Rhône Wine Country

Driving through Châteauneuf-du-Pape is one of those short stretches of road that justifies the whole flight from Australia. In half an hour you can go from…

Day 27

Milan, Italy

Driving from France to Italy: the Riviera Road to Milan

Why a Milan trip deserves more than a stopover: the Duomo rooftop, The Last Supper, Brera, Navigli aperitivo and how long to stay.

Day 30

Turin, Italy

Turin City Break: Italy’s Most Underrated Stop

Why a Turin trip belongs on your Italy itinerary: royal palaces, Egyptian treasures, Alpine views, chocolate and one of Europe's great aperitivo scenes.