It was time again for a well-deserved vacation! The trip started in mid-September with six friends from Aachen, with our first destination: Bern! I also had SKOTTI (the world's first plug-in gas grill) with me and wanted to finally test it out during our vacation. Below, I'll tell you how the handy SKOTTI gas grill enhanced our road trip through Europe.

This isn't a typical post about the most beautiful road trips through Europe—there are already a flood of those online—but rather a personal story about our eventful journey. Including a few scenic highlights, a break with friends, and plenty of wow moments!

Trunk is overflowing, SKOTTI still fits!

Even before we left, everyone was wondering: What should I take for a two-week vacation? What will the weather be like? Will all the bags fit in the car? Our challenge : fitting six people's luggage into one trunk. But voilà! With a little Tetris experience, it was no problem. When I mentioned I'd bring a grill, the others thought, "Oh God, where are we going to fit that?" But SKOTTI really does fit into every little corner, and everyone was absolutely thrilled.

Off to the south!

At the beginning of our trip, we took a detour to Bern to visit some friends. On the first day, we went hiking together an hour outside of Bern – stunning scenery and scenic highlights awaited us! We climbed up to 1,200 meters, and the well-deserved view was truly breathtaking. We went back down on scooters, a really cool idea for a quick and fun ride down the mountain! In the evening, we went to eat raclette with a couple of our hosts who were friends. I've never seen so many different cheeses at a raclette before – that's Switzerland.

The next day, I turned 30! With a magnificent view of the city, we toasted my birthday together. The weather cooperated, treating us to a few hours of sunshine. A walk through Bern and delicious cake rounded off the day.

Barbecue fun and mountains on Lake Garda

After a six-and-a-half-hour drive, with five of us crammed into the car, we reached our next destination: Lake Garda . A beautiful accommodation with a view of the lake awaited us. And summer temperatures to boot—what more could you want?! There, we met the last two members of our vacation group, who were joining us from Munich.

The plan was to have a barbecue on the very first evening. The accommodation already had a grill, but since we were a group of seven people, we wanted to feast on both vegetable skewers and sausages, so we fired up both grills right away.

First test for SKOTTI: How easy is it to assemble? The answer: easy! All the side panels were put together, the gas bottle was connected, and off we went!

With a view, grilling can only be fun! Sun, lake, grill, and mountains – the perfect setting. We grilled all the sausages on SKOTTI: Not only does it look great, it can definitely hold its own with the big ones! We quickly carried the large dining table from the living room to the balcony and set a grand table with the best view. Along with sausages, vegetable skewers, and salad, we toasted our vacation with plenty of Aperol. A perfect start!

While some people preferred a thrilling ride up and down the mountain on an e-mountain bike the next day, I took the gondola up Monte Baldo with a friend to enjoy the phenomenal view from the very top. We did a few loops at the top and managed to climb to over 2,000 meters. I had my first real hiking experience on that vacation, and I'm definitely hooked.

After a long day in the fresh air, we had another barbecue in the evening! Why not? We spent our third day at Lake Garda with a spin across the lake. The absolute highlight: a swim in the lake with a picturesque backdrop. Perfect for truly savoring the end of summer! The next day, it was time to say goodbye to the lake and get back on the road.

Venice trip & Ultimate Frisbee in Bibione

At dawn, we set off for Venice . The plan: to make a quick stop in the city before heading to Bibione for the Ultimate Frisbee tournament. Upon arrival in Venice, we immediately filled our stomachs with Italian pizza . Well-fortified, we plunged into the tourist crowds and strolled through Venice's picturesque alleyways. Definitely a tourist hotspot, but still truly fascinating! We visited all the major sights and, at the end, took a water bus ride back to the car.

• Rialto Bridge
• St. Mark's Square and Cathedral
• Doge's Palace
• Bridge of Sighs
• Grand Canal

Then we continued on to Bibione, where we met up with the rest of our team—plus a little fan. Now there were twelve of us!

The evening after the first day of games, everyone was starving. Our plan: to end the evening with something delicious to celebrate the opening of our two cottages – but suddenly the power went out. Cooking was no longer an option. SKOTTI came to our rescue, providing all the hungry mouths with skewers, sausages, and lots of delicious vegetables .

Successful evenings with friends and two days of beach tournaments were truly amazing, and we finished in fifth place. In summary: sports, fun, and sitting together in the evenings – really nice!

Last Stop: From Slovenia to Munich

After an action-packed start to our vacation, it was time for some rest and relaxation. Our next destination: Slovenia. Our house in the mountains was perfect for unwinding. The nearest supermarket, 30 minutes away in the valley, said it all about the remote location of the accommodation. The winding roads up to the house were definitely a challenge, but once we reached the top, the reward was there. Our quaint, country-style house with a swimming pool won our hearts. Perfect for a few days of pure relaxation. With the absolute highlight: the sauna!

As the weather gods—or goddesses—would have it, we had three days of rain. But we didn't let that spoil our mood. Equipped with plenty of board games, we spent cozy days with a fire, power outages, and sauna sessions . Finally, it was time to head north—including a quick stop at Lake Bled. With a one-night break in Munich, we returned to Aachen, all happy to finally sleep in our own beds again.

Boksen: For bread, leftovers and as a pot

I have to say one thing: The Skotti Boxes are truly perfect for carrying leftovers on the road. They're a real lifesaver when you have leftovers and need to move on to the next Airbnb. On the way there, I packed a salad and rolls as a snack, and between our accommodations, we used them to transport leftovers. And they're really leak-proof, no matter what we're carrying, no leaks: a true must-have!

Clean your grill on the go!

When traveling, I recommend taking dishwashing tablets with you to remove any stubborn dirt from SKOTTI after use. At home, I gave it a thorough scrub and a thorough cleaning . Part of it can even go in the dishwasher, which makes cleaning much easier.

2-week road trip highlights: 14 days in 3 European countries

The trip flew by – I'm already looking back on our two weeks in Europe and all the highlights with wanderlust. Swimming in Lake Garda and hiking in the mountains are at the top of my list. My SKOTTI verdict: We were all absolutely thrilled with how quick and easy it is to grill. One of my friends was immediately hooked.

As a proud member of Team SKOTTI , I definitely want to try the Pikes next and conjure up some delicious skewers. Also high on my agenda is a barbecue with my colleagues from the office . They're really excited about the experience. I'll also be testing out the plancha soon, because burgers or a fried egg are sure to taste great on the go.

I'd definitely pack SKOTTI back in my luggage to experience new adventures with him. Why not give him a try?