Contributed by The Travel Jock
Europe was just a dream trip especially for a third world citizen like me. You have to produce a huge amount of money and convince the embassy to approve you for a tourist visa.
Europe was not just a dream but a travel goal for me so I worked really hard to achieve and make it a reality. I mounted a Eurotrip fund from my “sideline teaching gigs”. I really planned for it for almost a year.
Also read: How I Did My Dream Europe Trip for Less than ₱100,000 (All-In)
Europe is a big continent with a number of countries. Since I was only allowed 17 days vacation leave, I needed to pick the cities that I would really love to visit. The exchange rate was around 1 Euro to 55 Philippine peso so I really have to arrange the itinerary to match my budget.
Let me share with you how I prepared for this ultimate travel goal, The Travel Jock’s Eurotrip.
What are the cities and countries you would like to visit?
As I like to unleash my Amazing Race aura in this trip, I ended up with 9 cities and 8 countries. It was supposed to be 8 cities and 7 countries but an additional one (Budapest, Hungary) was a random decision because I wanted to ditch my itinerary for just one day and make a detour. I never regretted it though because Budapest was just too awesome.
Here are the 9 cities and 8 countries I visited:
- Berlin, Germany
- Prague, Czech Republic
- Vienna, Austria
- Budapest, Hungary
- Venice, Italy
- Rome, Italy
- Barcelona, Spain
- Paris, France
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
What is your entry and exit point?
After laying out all the countries I wanted to visit, I chose my first entry point and exit point. Fortunately, I found an Etihad Airways promo last February so I depended my entry (Berlin, Germany) and exit point (Amsterdam, Netherlands) on their rates which happened to be the lowest, amounting to ₱37,500 (€707 ).
Note: It is much cheaper if your entry and exit point is the same airport.
Itinerary
17 days are not enough to squeeze in all the cities I wanted to visit. This was the hardest part for me — deciding on which place to stay longer so I started checking all the major tourist attractions in each city I plan to visit and asked some friends who already travelled to those areas. I also checked the transportation hours from city to city; country to country as a consideration for my stay.
- Berlin, Germany = 2 days
- Prague, Czech Republic = 2 days
- Vienna, Austria = half day
- Budapest, Hungary = half day
- Venice, Italy = 2 days
- Rome, Italy = 3 days
- Barcelona, Spain = 2 days
- Paris, France = 2 days
- Amsterdam, Netherlands = 3 days
Note: I will create the itineraries for these cities one by one so watch out for that.
Transportation
I wanted to experience all the types of transportation available that connect the countries in Europe. The first plan was to use the Interrail Global pass (unlimited train travel in Europe for €550) but when I calculated the price, it was not so affordable for my budget, not to mention the travel time.
I mixed bus, train and airplane to enjoy all modes of transportation. I used apps and websites like Rome2Rio, Skyscanner, Kayak to find affordable deals.
Here’s the table:
Accommodation
Since tight budgeting is my concern, I chose hostels where guests can rent just a bed in a dormitory with shared bathrooms, lounges, and kitchens. If you’re not that flexible, I suggest you get a hotel or rent a house/apartment thru Airbnb. But if you’re really out of budget, Couchsurfing may be the answer where you can stay with locals for free and be a friend. I’m just not comfortable sleeping in another’s house without giving anything in return so I opted to book hostels instead.
I check hostels from Agoda or Booking.com, depending on their location and affordability. I usually get one bunk bed in a 16-bed dormitory; I don’t mind sleeping in one room with other people. I just secure my important stuff with me.
Visa
I will reserve another post for details of getting a Schengen Visa. Initial things to know: it cost me ₱3,300 (€60) at the Italian Embassy. Most of the time, you should get the visa from the country of entry point or where you will stay longer. In my case, I chose Italy because I will stay there longer. Italy was strict in my experience, and according to some friends, one should apply at the Spanish Embassy or German Embassy. There’s really no formula I guess. Just prepare all the requirements.
Also read: How to Apply for a Schengen Visa for Philippine Passport Holders
Budget
After getting the lowest possible airfare, I told myself that I just have ₱100,000 – 150,000 as a budget all in all so I started finishing my itinerary and getting low fares in transportation and accommodation.
- Airfare: Etihad Airways ₱37,500
- Major Transportation in Europe: ₱13,420
- Hostels / Accommodation: ₱18,601
- Pocket Money: ₱60,000
- Visa Fee: ₱3,300
- Total: ₱132,250
At the end of the day, it will not really matter how much it would cost you because the experience and memories you would get are really priceless. I have learned so many things, and my curiosity was fulfilled. Europe will always be a dream destination.
Also read: Backpacking 15 European Cities Solo in 43 Days: Tips, Highlights and Lessons
You can follow my Instagram account @thetraveljock for the photos I’ve taken using my iPhone.
