When they tell you Europe is hot and crowded in the summer, believe them–and go anyway. Travel is good for the soul, even if you’re sweating through your sundress.

For summer vacation, my family traveled the sparkling Mediterranean coast from Nice to Barcelona. We visited 12 destinations in three countries. A dizzying number of destinations that brought me back to my hostel-hopping days in college. So much so that I started referring to the trip as luxury backpacking. Here, my highlights along the route:

Nice (three nights)

Bigger and brighter than I expected, Nice is the quintessential bustling beach city. Book a room with a view and bring your water shoes. The rocky shores are packed with beachgoers well past sunset–which I highly recommend viewing from the seaside promenade. Stay in Nice for its proximity to Monte Carlo and other stops like Eze (a medieval village), Saint Jean du Cap Ferrat (a wealthy peninsula peppered with stunning swimming coves), and Villefranche ( a cute seaside town with calm waters). The drive and the views alone are worth it.

Antibes

Antibes is for art lovers–think charming studios, surprising sculptures, artisan jewelry. I wish I spent more time there. I also wish the Picasso museum, housed in an old Chateau, was open the day I visited. We spent a quick morning in town before heading to Plage Keller beach club for lunch and a much needed dip.

Saint Tropez (two nights)

I’m still dreaming about Saint Tropez where everything–the shops, the gargantuan yachts, the people, the light–is beautiful. We stayed in an Airbnb in the old city on a narrow street conveniently located across from Cedric Grolet bakery, which boasted a line down the block—and chocolate croissants the size of my head—every morning. I bought a raffia purse and linen pants, naturally. Pro tip: book beach clubs in nearby Ramatuelle in advance! We spent the day at lowkey elegant Las Palmiers but got turned away from other clubs.

Marseille (Two nights)

You can skip France’s gritty port city, but we stayed here to catch our train to Barcelona and for a planned boat tour of the stunning Calanques (a National Park mostly accessible by boat, kayak or a longish hike), which got canceled. Instead we drove to nearby Les Gourdes, a tiny fishing village that feeds into hiking trails and snorkling coves on the outer edges of the park.

Cassis

We had our favorite meal in France at Hotel Georges right on the port in pretty Cassis. Prawns over pasta for my husband. Mussels and a Hugo Spritz for me. Gelato for the whole fam.

Barcelona (three nights)

You can’t beat the efficiency (and romanticism) of train travel in Europe. Marseille to Barcelona is an easy 4.5 hours on the high speed line. We stayed at a beautiful boutique hotel on the edge of the Gothic quarter. And I was thrilled (thrilled!), to find out upon arrival that it once housed Picasso’s first art studio in the city. I mean, come on. Barcelona’s tree lined streets are such an interesting juxtaposition: a tangle of wrought iron and graffiti, art nouveau and street art. The Gaudi sites (Park Guell, Sagrada Familia, the houses) will blow your mind. Try walking into the cathedral without gasping or welling up (I did both). The Picasso museum may not have his most famous works, but it highlights the trajectory of his career and the scope of his success during his lifetime in a beautiful way. Seeing his small sketchbooks filled with figures was a highlight. And his pigeon paintings, completed while he summered on the mediterranean coast, were a special treat.

Travel Diary: Côte d'Azur & Barcelona