I’ve just spent the most wonderful few weeks meeting members up and down the Australian East Coast in New South Wales, as well as Melbourne in Victoria.
If those gatherings made one thing clear, it’s that the best part of Stitch is always our members. And that as the community grows, we get more and more opportunity to meet other members from locations other than our own. Whether it’s just to the town next door, or somewhere on the other side of the world, Stitch gives everyone a unique opportunity to be welcomed and make friends no matter where you are.
That’s exactly what’s behind the trips I want to tell you about today — because next year, we’re doing something even more special for the 2027 Big Stitch Trip than we’ve ever done before.
And it’s going to be amazing.
For those who are new to the community, our Big Stitch Trips are the special group trips we organize only once or twice per year, where Stitch members travel together to a destination that’s often been on their bucket lists for years.
Stitch is a community, not a travel company, but these trips are an incredible way to get members from towns and cities all over the world to experience the community spirit, so we work with brand-name travel companies and get them to organize a custom trip for our members.
What makes them special isn’t only the place. It’s travelling with people who genuinely understand what the Stitch family is all about: being friendly, being supportive, being welcoming, and being there to make real connections.
Our very first Big Stitch Trip, down the West Coast of the US, turned out to be one of the most joyful experiences of my life — and like me, many members who came along have since booked onto other trips in 2026 and 2027.
So without further ado, here is the trip I’m so excited about for next year!
The Big Stitch Trip: A Douro River Cruise
Our 2027 Big Stitch Trip is our very first river cruise.
We’ll be sailing up the Douro River in Portugal — from Porto inland, briefly crossing into Spain, then back down again — through gorgeous countryside, little villages and hillsides, with amazing food, history and culture all the way.
Our first few Big Stitch Trips were coach tours provided by with Trafalgar, one of the world’s leading tour companies. These were fantastic, but a river cruise gives us a couple of things that are not possible with a coach tour, and we think will make the experience even better.
The first is a slower, more relaxed pace, giving us more time to see things at our own speed.
You unpack once. The boat carries no more than a hundred people, and usually fewer, so you actually get to know everyone, while still having your own private cabin to retreat to.
You wake up in a new town each morning, wander at your own pace, join an organised side tour if you fancy one, or simply relax if you don’t.
The second is room for more people to come along. Our Ireland trip for 2026 sold out, and we hated knowing that some members missed out.
I’ve never done a river cruise myself, but every friend who has won’t stop telling me how brilliant they are — and I can understand why.
Meals and drinks are included(top-shelf aside!), and there’s a welcome cocktail, a gala dinner, and on-board entertainment on some nights. It’s about as low-stress as travel gets, which makes it a wonderful way to bring everyone together.
We quietly posted this trip to the Stitch Travel page a couple of weeks ago without any official announcement, and already have 60+ people registered — so we’re pretty sure it’s going to sell out!
Make sure you register your interest soon if you want to make sure you secure your spot.
We’ve made deposits fully refundable until the end of August, so you can reserve your place while still giving you plenty of time to plan your trip without any downside.
Two Camino Walks in Spain
Europe is a long way to go for many of us, so it felt right to give everyone the chance to make the most of being over there.
That’s why, alongside the cruise, we’ve added two walks on the Camino de Santiago, one of the most famous pilgrimage routes in the world. (Back in the Middle Ages, something like 10% of Europe walked it!)
There are many paths that all converge on the beautiful historical town of Santiago de Compostela. Along the way you meet people, form friendships, and soak up the culture.
Because the Stitch community spans a real range of budgets, we’ve deliberately offered two options.
The first is the relaxing three-star walk — a self-guided, cost-conscious option, though you’ll have plenty of support, from a kickoff briefing through to being met at the final destination. It runs for nine days, and covers the last 100km of the Camino, which means you qualify for the official certificate and stamps confirming you’ve completed the pilgrimage.
The second is the four-star escorted walk — a higher-end, escorted option with four-star hotels, more inclusions and more culture. It runs for 13 days, covering two parts of the Camino (the Northern and French routes), with wine-tasting in Rioja, a stop in Bilbao and its incredible art galleries, and flexible daily walking distances.
Explore the four-star Camino walk →
Both walks finish in Santiago, where the two groups overlap for a couple of days of special, custom Stitch events to celebrate together.
Do be mindful that these are walks. The Camino is gentler than something like the Kumano Kodo in Japan — the only other UNESCO-certified pilgrimage walk, and my very first Stitch trip — but both walks are only suitable for people who are willing to walk long distances over multiple days. Check the daily distances to see what suits you, and if you’ve got questions, just ask.
The walks are timed to begin soon after the cruise ends, so you can pair the two if you’d like to — which is what I’m doing!
Or, of course, you can come on the cruise and then plan your own travel in Europe. You are quite likely to find some travel buddies on the cruise, if you’d like someone to travel with too.
How to Register
Head to the Stitch home page and click Travel at the top.
Under upcoming trips you’ll the 2027 trips listed near the top of the page.
You’ve got a few ways to secure your place:
- Register interest for free — no commitment, just stay on the list for announcements.
- Pre-register for around $30 — holds your spot for 30 days while you choose your cabin type and get your questions answered (and is deducted from the deposit once you decide to book).
- Pay a deposit — locks in your guaranteed place.
And here’s the reassuring part: given all the uncertainty in the world right now, we have made deposits fully refundable until the end of August. So you can grab your spot with no obligation.
Any questions? Email and Louise from the Stitch team will look after you.
Come Along!
I’m genuinely bursting with excitement about these trips … so much so that I’ve put a hold on learning Japanese (which I have been learning since the pandemic) and started learning Spanish instead!
I know Europe is a long way, and I completely understand it won’t be possible for everyone.
But if you can make it, it’ll be a trip full of unique shared experiences and new friendships. And both of those, after all, are what Stitch is all about.
Get in quick to nab your spot!




