Sell and store belongings, confirm the French long-stay visitor visa strategy, arrange insurance, and book the long stays and peak-summer accommodation.
Tue 8 Dec 2026 · Arrive Rome (1 night)
Recover from the flight before travelling south.
Wed 9 Dec 2026 · Bari (about 6 weeks)
Winter in Puglia, through to 18 January.
Mon 18 Jan 2027 · Salerno (about 1 month)
A winter base for Pompeii, Naples, Paestum and the Amalfi Coast.
Fri 19 Feb 2027 · Genoa (1 night)
An overnight stop on the way from Salerno to Antibes.
Sat 20 Feb 2027 · Antibes (1 month)
The French Riviera in the quieter late-winter season.
Mon 22 Mar 2027 · Dijon (11 weeks)
A long spring stay in Burgundy through 7 June.
Mon 7 Jun 2027 · Strasbourg (2 weeks)
Alsace, canals, cathedral and wine-route villages.
Tue 22 Jun 2027 · Munich (about 4.5 weeks)
Summer in Bavaria through 24 July.
Sat 24 Jul 2027 · Vienna (3 nights)
Palaces, museums, music and coffee houses.
Tue 27 Jul 2027 · Venice (3 nights)
Three nights in the historic lagoon city.
Fri 30 Jul 2027 · Genoa (about 3.5 weeks)
Three and a half weeks in Liguria with coastal day trips.
Tue 24 Aug 2027 · Rome (2–3 nights)
Finish in Rome, then fly home. A comfortable Schengen buffer either way.
🛂
French long-stay visa is the key: France now lasts about 122 days, so apply for a French long-stay “visitor” visa covering Antibes, Dijon and Strasbourg. The remaining Schengen travel peaks at 67 days in a rolling 180-day window—a comfortable 23-day buffer. See Visas & Docs before adding or extending any stop.
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🇩🇪 Munich
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Confirmed handwritten schedule: Dates below follow Jill and Rod’s revised plan. Prices are planning ranges only; check live rates before booking, especially for Munich, Vienna and Venice in summer.
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Bari
Puglia, Italy — 9 Dec 2026 – 18 Jan 2027 · about 6 weeks
🏠 Accommodation guide€900–1,400/month
🍽️ Dining for two€40–70/day
✈️ Nearest airportBari Karol Wojtyla (BRI)
🏘️ Areas to considerMurat, Città Vecchia, Poggiofranco
🚆 Getting thereRome → Bari by Frecciarossa, about 4 hours
Why Bari? A relaxed first base in southern Italy, with easy trips to Alberobello, Matera, Monopoli, Polignano a Mare, Ostuni and Lecce.
Planning tip: Winter is quiet and good value. Murat is convenient; Città Vecchia is more atmospheric.
Sydney → RomeArrive Tuesday 8 December 2026; stay one night.
Rome → BariWednesday 9 December · Frecciarossa, about 4 hours.
Bari → SalernoMonday 18 January · train via Naples, about 4–5 hours.
Salerno → GenoaFriday 19 February · fast train via Rome; one night in Genoa.
Genoa → AntibesSaturday 20 February · train via Ventimiglia and Nice.
Antibes → DijonMonday 22 March · train via Marseille or Lyon.
Dijon → StrasbourgMonday 7 June · direct TGV, about 2 hours.
Strasbourg → MunichTuesday 22 June · train via Stuttgart or Karlsruhe.
Munich → ViennaSaturday 24 July · Railjet, about 4 hours.
Vienna → VeniceTuesday 27 July · daytime train or overnight Nightjet.
Venice → GenoaFriday 30 July · train via Milan, about 4 hours.
Genoa → RomeTuesday 24 August · direct train, about 4–5 hours; stay 2–3 nights before flying home.
Booking toolsUse the operating railway first: Trenitalia/Italo in Italy, SNCF Connect in France, DB in Germany and ÖBB in Austria. Compare with Trainline, but check operator change rules before paying.
✅ Revised strategy: the dates appear to fit with one long-stay visa
The long French stay breaks the remaining Schengen travel into two blocks. Using a conservative calendar-day count, the largest rolling 180-day window contains 88 short-stay days, leaving a 2-day buffer under the 90-day limit. A French long-stay “visitor” visa covering 20 February through 22 June 2027 is therefore the key application.
Schengen calculation based on the handwritten dates
Travel block
Dates
Status
Short-stay days
🇮🇹 Italy
8 Dec 2026 – 20 Feb 2027
Visa-free Schengen short stay
75 days
🇫🇷 France
20 Feb – 22 Jun 2027
French long-stay visitor visa (VLS-TS)
Not counted
🇩🇪 Germany + 🇦🇹 Austria + 🇮🇹 Italy
22 Jun – 27 Aug 2027 (using the longest 3-night Rome finish)
Visa-free Schengen short stay
67 days
Method: entry and exit dates are counted, and the check looks backwards over every rolling 180-day period. Days authorised under a residence permit or long-stay visa are excluded. The 67-day peak assumes departure after three nights in Rome on 27 August; leaving after two nights gives one extra day of buffer.
🧮 Live Schengen 90/180 Calculator
Change any of the four critical dates and the count updates instantly. The French period is treated as authorised by the long-stay visa and excluded; all other Schengen days are counted conservatively, including boundary dates.
75Before France
123Visa days
88After France
2Smallest buffer
Calculating…
Planning aid only. Confirm the final itinerary and visa treatment with France-Visas/VFS or a qualified adviser before making non-refundable bookings.
FRENCH LONG-STAY “VISITOR” VISA (VLS-TS)
🇫🇷 Covers Antibes · Dijon · Strasbourg
Why it is needed
The French portion runs from 20 February to 22 June 2027—about 122 days—so it exceeds 90 days. France-Visas says a private or tourist stay over three months requires a long-stay “visitor” visa.
Exact period to request
20 February through 22 June 2027, covering Antibes, Dijon and Strasbourg without a gap.
Conditions
Applicants must show their resources, accommodation and medical cover in France, and formally agree not to work.
After arrival
If issued as a VLS-TS, validate it online within three months of arriving in France.
Apply in Australia
Start with the France-Visas assistant, then lodge through the designated VFS Global centre in Australia. Apply early enough for an appointment, but follow the application window shown by France-Visas.
ITALY, GREECE, GERMANY & AUSTRIA — SHORT-STAY DAYS
🇮🇹🇬🇷🇩🇪🇦🇹 No second long-stay visa appears necessary on these dates
Before France
Rome, Bari, Salerno and the Genoa transit night form one continuous 75-day short-stay block.
After France
Munich, Vienna, Venice, Genoa and up to three nights in Rome form one continuous 67-day short-stay block.
Buffer
About 23 days at the tightest point — a comfortable buffer. Still avoid unplanned trips outside France during the French visa period without recalculating.
⚠️ Confirm before booking: This is a careful planning calculation, not a visa decision. Ask France-Visas/VFS and the relevant consulates to confirm that the French visa dates and transition back to visa-free travel are recorded correctly. The buffer is now more comfortable, but flight changes or extra Schengen side trips could still matter, so recalculate before confirming.
OTHER IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS
📋 Essential documents
PassportsCheck validity and blank pages against the latest airline, Schengen and visa requirements.
Travel insuranceArrange comprehensive cover for the full nine-month journey; French visa evidence must meet the requirements shown by France-Visas.
Italy health agreementAustralia’s reciprocal agreement may cover essential treatment in Italy’s public system for up to six months from arrival, but it does not replace travel insurance.
Accommodation evidenceKeep confirmations for Antibes, Dijon and Strasbourg together for the French visa application, plus the full itinerary and onward travel.
Copies and contactsKeep secure cloud copies and leave a complete itinerary, insurance policy and emergency contacts with family.
Working Trip Budget · about 9 months · 2 people
$75,000–$110,000 AUD
A planning range, not a quote. Re-price accommodation and long-distance transport when bookings open.
💰 Income while away
Australian Age PensionPayments may continue, but supplements and the rate can change after 6 and 26 weeks depending on personal circumstances and Australian residence history.
Confirm with Centrelink
House-sale proceedsAsk a licensed financial adviser and accountant about liquidity, risk, tax and Centrelink asset/deeming effects before choosing savings or term-deposit products.
Personal advice needed
Before departure, report travel longer than six weeks to Services Australia and request a personal portability estimate. Official Age Pension travel guidance →
💱
Currency note: Keep accommodation estimates in euros until payment day, then check the live card or transfer rate and fees. Maintain a separate exchange-rate buffer.
🏠 Accommodation planning ranges
Bari9 Dec 2026 – 18 Jan 2027 · about 6 weeks
€900–1,400/month
Salerno18 Jan – 19 Feb 2027 · about 1 month
€900–1,500/month
Antibes20 Feb – 22 Mar 2027 · 1 month
€1,400–2,500/month
Dijon22 Mar – 7 Jun 2027 · 11 weeks
€1,000–1,600/month
Strasbourg7–22 Jun 2027 · 2 weeks
€900–1,500/2 weeks
Munich22 Jun – 24 Jul 2027 · about 4.5 weeks
€1,800–3,000/month
Vienna24–27 Jul 2027 · 3 nights
€700–1,300/week
Venice27–30 Jul 2027 · 3 nights
€1,200–2,500/week
Genoa19 Feb · 1 night, then 30 Jul – 24 Aug 2027 · about 3.5 weeks
€1,200–2,000/month
Long stays in Dijon, Munich and Genoa are where monthly discounts matter most. Weekly summer stays in Vienna and Venice can be disproportionately expensive.
✈️ Inter-city travel allowances
Australia → Rome and Rome → AustraliaPrice after dates open; compare direct operator fares and baggage rules.
$4,000–7,500 AUD
Rome → BariPrice after dates open; compare direct operator fares and baggage rules.
Allow $150–500 AUD
Bari → SalernoPrice after dates open; compare direct operator fares and baggage rules.
Allow $150–500 AUD
Salerno → Genoa → AntibesPrice after dates open; compare direct operator fares and baggage rules.
Allow $150–500 AUD
Antibes → Dijon → Strasbourg → MunichPrice after dates open; compare direct operator fares and baggage rules.
Allow $150–500 AUD
Munich → Vienna → Venice → Genoa → RomePrice after dates open; compare direct operator fares and baggage rules.
Allow $150–500 AUD
Local transport and day tripsMetro, buses, ferries, regional trains, taxis and excursions across nine months.
$3,000–6,000 AUD
🍽️ Living costs · 9 months · 2 people
Food, groceries and diningMix of home cooking, cafés and restaurants; summer tourist centres cost more.
$22,000–32,000 AUD
Comprehensive travel insuranceFull trip, medical and disruption cover; make sure it satisfies the French visa evidence requirements.
$2,500–5,000 AUD
Museums, events and excursionsMajor sights, tours and special experiences.
$4,000–7,000 AUD
Visa, appointments and documentsFrench long-stay visa, service fees, photos, copies and any required translations.
$500–1,500 AUD
Phone and dataEuropean SIM/eSIM plans and occasional roaming.
$500–1,000 AUD
Contingency bufferAt least 10% for exchange-rate movement, rebooking, healthcare gaps and surprises.