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

Day 85

Kissamos, Greece

Visiting Kissamos in Crete: The Quiet Western End

Kissamos in far western Crete is the base for Balos, Gramvousa and Falassarna. What to do, when to go and how long to stay.

Day 87

Naoussa, Paros, Greece

Visiting Naoussa on Paros, a Cyclades Town to Slow Down In

Naoussa on Paros: a working fishing harbour, Venetian ruins and granite beaches. How to plan a Naoussa trip as part of a Greek island itinerary.

Day 89

Mykonos, Greece

Planning a Trip to Mykonos: Windmills and Little Venice

Plan a Mykonos trip that goes beyond the beach clubs: Chora's lanes, the windmills, Delos, quiet northern beaches and the best time to visit.

Day 93

Thessaloniki, Greece

Visiting Thessaloniki: Greece’s Second City

Visiting Thessaloniki is one of those decisions Australian travellers rarely regret and often make late. Most itineraries to Greece run straight from Athens to the islands,…

Day 93

Pozar (Loutra Pozar), Almopia, Greece

Visiting Pozar Thermal Springs in Northern Greece

Steaming pools, a gorge and mountain villages in northern Greece. How to plan a Pozar trip and what to pair it with in Macedonia.

Day 94

Sofia, Bulgaria

Driving into Bulgaria: The Road to Sofia

Driving into Bulgaria is one of those border crossings that quietly resets the whole trip. One minute you are in the familiar rhythm of Western European…

Day 95

Shipka, Bulgaria

Visiting Shipka Pass and Bulgaria’s Monument of Freedom

Shipka Pass in central Bulgaria: the Monument to Freedom, gold-domed memorial church and the Valley of the Roses. How to plan a Shipka trip.

Day 96

Skopje, North Macedonia

Driving into North Macedonia: Skopje and Balkan Borders

Plan a Skopje trip through the Old Bazaar, Kale Fortress, Mount Vodno and Matka Canyon, with advice on timing, length of stay and what to pair…

Day 97

Pristina, Kosovo

Visiting Pristina, Europe’s Youngest Capital in Kosovo

Why a Pristina trip belongs in your Balkans plan: cafe culture, striking architecture, Prizren and the mountains beyond. Planned by Cartier World Travel.

Day 100

Budapest, Hungary

Planning a Trip to Budapest on the Danube

Why Budapest deserves more than a night. Thermal baths, castle hill, market halls and the Danube, planned properly by Cartier World Travel.

Day 104

Vienna, Austria

Visiting St Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna

Plan a Vienna trip around St Stephen's Cathedral, coffee houses, imperial palaces and opera, with tailored itineraries from Cartier World Travel.