Remember Switzerland & Mallorca? | October 2025 #Shorts

A look back at our October 2025 trip to Switzerland and Mallorca, with the lessons, tips, and memories that stuck with us almost a year later.

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Every so often a memory pops up on our phones and stops us mid-scroll. This week it was October 2025, our Switzerland and Mallorca trip, and we just had to share a quick throwback. If you haven't seen it yet, watch the Short on YouTube and then come back here, because we want to unpack why this pairing of destinations still lives in our heads.

Two Very Different Kinds of Beautiful

On paper, Switzerland and Mallorca don't have much in common. One is all alpine peaks, punctual trains, and lakes so clear they look filtered. The other is Mediterranean sunlight, limestone coves, and long lunches that stretch into the evening.

That contrast is exactly what made the trip work for us. Going in October helped too. You catch the shoulder season in both places: crisp, golden-hour light in the mountains and a calmer, more local feel on the island once the summer crowds have thinned out.

As a couple from Mississauga, we're used to Canadian autumns, so seeing fall unfold in a completely different landscape felt both familiar and brand new.

What We Loved About Switzerland

The trains are half the experience. If you've never taken a Swiss train, it's hard to describe. You board on time, the seats are comfortable, and the window is basically a moving postcard. We ended up planning our days around the scenery rather than fighting it.

Everything is efficient, and everything is expensive. We say that with love. Coffee, sandwiches, and even a simple grocery run add up quickly. Our advice is to lean on supermarkets for picnic-style lunches and save your splurges for one or two special meals. Eating by a lake with bread, cheese, and fruit felt as memorable as any restaurant.

Pack layers. Mornings in October can be cold and afternoons surprisingly warm. Being able to peel a layer off and stash it in a day bag made every outing more comfortable.

What We Loved About Mallorca

After the mountains, Mallorca felt like exhaling. The pace slows down, the water turns that unreal shade of turquoise, and suddenly nobody's in a rush.

Rent a car if you can. The best spots on the island are the ones tucked away from the main resort areas. Having a car meant we could chase a quiet cove or a hillside village whenever the mood struck.

Eat when the locals eat. Lunch and dinner both run later than we're used to in Ontario. Once we stopped fighting it and shifted our schedule, the whole trip got more relaxed and the food tasted even better.

Don't overschedule. We built in slow mornings on purpose. Some of our favorite moments were unplanned: a wrong turn that led to a great view, a café we stumbled into, a sunset we had no plan to watch.

The Real Travel Lesson

Something we keep learning from our trips is that a good itinerary isn't about packing in more. It's about contrast and rhythm. Pair a high-energy, sightseeing-heavy destination with one where you can genuinely rest, and you come home feeling like you had two trips instead of one.

We learned similar lessons in France, and if you're planning Europe, our top 10 mistakes in Paris and what surprised us about Paris cover the kind of small things that can make or break a first visit. A lot of that advice, like slowing down, checking transit ahead of time, and not overbooking, applies just as well to Switzerland and Mallorca.

Traveling Together, Two Cultures, One Itinerary

Anyone who follows us knows that Samantha is Vietnamese and Amir is Punjabi, and our travel styles reflect that. Food is always a big part of how we experience a place, and we both love finding the local version of comfort food wherever we land. If you're curious about how we navigate trips as a couple with different backgrounds, we wrote about it in Traveling as an Interracial Couple: What We've Learned.

Quick Tips If You're Planning a Similar Trip

Book trains and accommodation early for Switzerland, especially if you're chasing specific scenic routes.
Travel in shoulder season for better weather balance and fewer crowds in both places.
Bring a reusable water bottle. Tap water in Switzerland is excellent, and it saves money.
Download offline maps before you go. Signal can be patchy in the mountains and on Mallorca's back roads.
Leave buffer time on travel days. Flights, transfers, and connections always take longer than you expect.
Split your budget unevenly. Switzerland will cost more per day, so plan to save on the Mallorca side.

Why We're Glad We Looked Back

It's easy to take a trip, post a few clips, and move on. But looking back almost a year later, what stands out isn't the checklist of sights. It's how we felt: curious, relaxed, and grateful to be exploring together.

If this Short brought back memories for you, or if you're dreaming up your own Switzerland and Mallorca combo, tell us in the comments. We'd love to hear where you're headed and what you want to know.