diff --git a/tests/ui/home-highlights.spec.js b/tests/ui/home-highlights.spec.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9f136c6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/ui/home-highlights.spec.js
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+// @ts-check
+// Tests: H2–H5 — Between-trips highlights mode
+// These tests temporarily set travelling: false in user/config/site.yaml,
+// run the assertions, then restore the original value.
+// Requires demo data with featured entries: run `make demo-load` first.
+const { test, expect } = require('@playwright/test');
+const fs = require('fs');
+const path = require('path');
+
+const SITE_YAML_PATH = path.join(__dirname, '../../user/config/site.yaml');
+
+test.describe('Between-trips highlights mode', () => {
+    let originalSiteYaml;
+
+    test.beforeAll(async () => {
+        originalSiteYaml = fs.readFileSync(SITE_YAML_PATH, 'utf8');
+        const patched = originalSiteYaml.replace(/^travelling:\s*true/m, 'travelling: false');
+        fs.writeFileSync(SITE_YAML_PATH, patched);
+        // Brief pause for Grav to re-read config on next request
+        await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, 400));
+    });
+
+    test.afterAll(async () => {
+        fs.writeFileSync(SITE_YAML_PATH, originalSiteYaml);
+    });
+
+    // ── H2: Highlights grid is visible ──────────────────────────────────────────
+    test('H2: homepage shows highlights grid when not travelling', async ({ page }) => {
+        await page.goto('/');
+        await expect(page.locator('.home-highlights-grid')).toBeVisible({ timeout: 10000 });
+    });
+
+    // ── H3: Highlight cards contain trip link ────────────────────────────────────
+    test('H3: highlight cards have a View-trip link', async ({ page }) => {
+        await page.goto('/');
+        await expect(page.locator('.home-highlight-card').first()).toBeVisible({ timeout: 10000 });
+        await expect(page.locator('.home-highlight-trip-link').first()).toBeVisible();
+    });
+
+    // ── H4: Between-trips home map renders without JS errors ────────────────────
+    test('H4: home map renders in between-trips mode without JS errors', async ({ page }) => {
+        const errors = [];
+        page.on('pageerror', e => errors.push(e.message));
+        await page.goto('/');
+        await expect(page.locator('#home-map canvas.maplibregl-canvas')).toBeVisible({ timeout: 10000 });
+        expect(errors, 'No JS errors').toHaveLength(0);
+    });
+
+    // ── H5: CTA links to /trips ──────────────────────────────────────────────────
+    test('H5: "Explore all past trips" CTA links to /trips', async ({ page }) => {
+        await page.goto('/');
+        const cta = page.locator('.home-highlights-cta');
+        await expect(cta).toBeVisible({ timeout: 10000 });
+        await expect(cta).toHaveAttribute('href', /\/trips/);
+    });
+});