How I Did my Dream Euro Trip for less than P200,000 (All-in)

How I Did my Dream Euro Trip for less than P200,000 (All-in)

Planning your first Europe trip needs a lot of work. Mine, I planned for a year before finally fulfilling it. First, you have to know what kind of traveler you are and which places do you prefer going to. Do you enjoy going to museums? Do you like drinking and partying? Do you prefer walking or riding different public transportations? You might think, do I really need to think about these things? For me, ABSOLUTELY YES!!! The reason is that Europe is expensive (if you compare their currency with Philippine Peso) and if you are on a tight budget like me, you have to make sure that you will get your money’s worth. Of course, it’s also another set of adventure if you don’t want to plan too much and just go wherever your feet takes you. But for me that’s not really an option. I only had 2 weeks to travel and as a female solo traveler, I had to make sure that my safety is my utmost priority. Also, since I have very limited time and it is my first time traveling to these cities, I chose destinations/cities which are major tourist spots. I had at least 25 revisions of my itinerary and I ended up going to major tourist spots just to have a hindsight of every major country in Schengen area.

In this blog, I wrote down the basic steps on how I planned my entire trip.

I. Visa Application

II. Airfare

III. Accommodation

IV. Inter-city/Country Transportation

V.  Local Transportation

VI. Tours

VII. Food

VIII. Itinerary and Breakdown of Expenses

Visa Application

Due to a very tight schedule, I asked the help of Go Travel Philippines (Travel Agency) in processing my Schengen Visa. I paid a total of P10,650 which already includes my Visa and travel insurance. I just submitted all the requirements needed, gave them my target flight schedule and the countries I intend to visit. They made dummy reservations of my accommodation and airfare. After validating my documents, they set my embassy appointment date and after exactly a week, I already received my Visa! Extremely hassle free and I highly recommend them!

Address: 1932 Agoncillo St, Malate, Manila, 1004 Metro Manila

For a list of Visa requirements, click on this link.

https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/schengen-visa-application-requirements/

Tip:

• Make sure that your bank account has enough funds. Use this link as guide on how much you need to budget per city. (https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/schengen-visa-application-requirements/means-subsistence/)
• Make sure that you submit a complete list of all the requirements to avoid delay in processing

Airfare

After I receive my approved Visa, I immediately booked my airfare, accommodation and some tours on Klook (This is not a sponsored blog but I would love to partner with them if given the chance. Lol.. :D). I was so fortunate that I got a very good deal when I booked my airfare through Qatar Airways. I have been consistently monitoring Skyscanner to find the best deals. At first I was eyeing for Thai Airways which costs around P35,000 weeks before my official departure. But when I was trying to book, it skyrocketed to Php 70k which is why I chose Qatar Airways as my next option at 43k. Still a good deal considering it is a Five-star Airline and I have read good reviews (and a few bad ones). A pro-tip in choosing an airline on a long haul flight is considering the hours of layover as well as the schedule of arrival and departure. Always book flights with sufficient time of layovers just in case a delay in your original flight happens. Selecting the cheapest fare doesn’t always mean it’s the most convenient option. Balance the price with the length of layover. You might save on the airfare but spend too much money on airport hotel and food if you don’t plan well. Use skyscanner website/application to compare airfare prices.

Accommodation

Next is my accommodation. I was torned between staying at an AirBnb or Hostel. Yes, hotel was not really an option because it was so expensive for my budget. For months, I have already been looking for some properties to book but a week before my departure, of course everything is pretty expensive and most of the properties are already booked in BnB. The best choice I can get is to read through the reviews of hostels in Agoda and Hostel World with mid-range price. The things that I looked for hostels are as follows;

a.       A solo bed and not a double deck. If not available, at least I want to take the lower bunk bed.

b.       The bed must have its own light and charging port. This is a must for me. But I still brought an extension cord just in case.

c.        Sometimes, I prefer an all-female dorm. If not available, I choose a mix dorm type but with maximum of 6-10 pax

d.       A locker

e.       Location. Must be near the train station and tourist spots. (This is a very crucial part especially if you are traveling at late night or very early in the morning. It also saves you from transportation expenses)

f.         Cooking facilities (For budget travel, this is a must if you really want to save money)

g.        With free breakfast. (Honestly, most of the hostels I booked don’t have breakfast but all of them have cooking facilities)

h.       No bed bugs (Read the reviews very carefully)

i.         Activities in the hostel (Ex. Pub crawl, games, etc)

j.         Must not be too noisy. Not a party hostel

Here’s the list of hostels I booked in Agoda:

• Paris – Le Montclair Montmarte by Hiphophostels
• Amsterdam – Clink Noord Hostel
• Barcelona – Casa Kessler Barcelona Hostel
• Munich – Euro Youth Hostel
• Prague – Hostel and Pension Downtown
• Rome – Hostella Female Only

Inter-city/Country Transportation

This is one part that a lot of travelers miss on planning including me. I have planned this wayyyy ahead but I still had my share of misses. I used the Omio App (Previously GoEuro) in getting the cheapest fares either by train, airplane or bus travel. It is the best app as it includes almost all the details you need to monitor how prices change and which public transports are available on your chosen date. But I didn’t use this to book my fares. I still used the carrier’s App or website in booking my fares. I recommend you doing this too so that if there are concerns with your trip (Cancellation of trip, refund, etc), the Airline or the company you chose will be directly fixing your concern instead of the Omio App.

a.                   The length of travel

b.                   Time of the day of travel (Day or night trip)

c.                    Airport Terminal

d.                   Time of travel from the Airport Terminal to the city or near my hostel of choice

In Barcelona, I took a 7 am flight going to Munich. I thought that since it’s a morning trip, I would check-in just in time for the check-in time of my hostel. What I missed is that for me to get to the Airport, I had to leave the hostel at around 2:30 am and walk around 10-15 minutes to the bus station. Based from a lot of reviews, Barcelona is notorious on pickpocketing. I was really running for my life while carrying my luggages in the middle of the streets at 2am. But as soon as I got to the bus, there’s no more hassle. Everything went smoothly after.

I found that for day trips less than 8 hours, bus travel is a very good option if you’re on a very tight budget. Most people will probably think that taking airplane will be the fastest way but you have to keep in mind the time you need to wait until your departure, time you have to go through immigration as well as getting your luggage which probably eats around 3-5 hours of your time. Not to mention, the time of travel to and from the Airport to the city/hostel location. Here’s a list of airlines and bus services I took while in Europe.

• Paris – Amsterdam: Flixbus
• Amsterdam to Barcelona: Vueling Airlines
• Barcelona to Munich: Vueling Airlines
• Munich to Prague: Flixbus
• Prague to Rome: Czech Airlines

Just a quick review about Flixbus services. I liked that they provide charging ports in each of the seats and sometimes have WIFI on-board too. The seats are just right and quite comfortable. There’s a collapsible table which is convenient if you want to eat or watch your favorite movies if you don’t want to be holding your phone or tablet the whole time. But mind you, for what I know not all of their buses have the same facilities. It varies depending on the route. So far, I am satisfied with my experience with them and I will definitely book them again in the future.

Tip: Pack light! You will save a lot when you don’t have extra heavy luggages with you especially on air flights. In my experience, even bus companies like Flix bus charge 2-5 euros for additional luggages so be mindful about that.

Local Transportation

I mostly walked throughout all the cities I went to in Europe. I availed of the unlimited transportation in Paris and the OMNI Vatican Pass in Rome which includes unlimited transportation but I never got the value of my money buying it. The Navigo card in Paris is a very cheap option if you are staying in Paris for one week starting Monday. Its validity starts on Monday morning until Sunday at 11:59 pm. You can probably get your money’s worth if you purchase it until Thursday. Beyond that, they won’t sell it anymore but purchasing the carnet (Ticket for 10 trips) might be a better option. With me, I arrived on a Wednesday night and it really came handy for me as I went to Disneyland and Versailles which are not covered by Carnet. I think this is a very good deal if you are staying for at least 4 days in Paris and if you plan on visiting 3^rd to 5^th Arrondisement.

In Rome, I only used the OMNI Vatican pass very few times which is why I don’t really recommend buying it. Cities in Europe are very walkable especially if you’re staying in the city center. I suggest you stay in a hostel situated in the city near your chosen tourist spots so you can save time and money for local transportation. In Amsterdam, I stayed in Amsterdam Central which is just a few minutes away from all the spots.

In Barcelona, I took a bus to and from the Airport to my hostel. It took me around 30 minutes of travel time. Barcelona is very walkable as well. But if you intend to travel to farther  places, you might need to buy bus and train tickets which doesn’t really cost that much as compared to its neighboring countries.

Tips:

• Get the Navigo card if you will be staying for at least 4 days in Paris within the week. Schedule your trip wisely.
• Book hotels in the city center so you won’t have to buy bus/train tickets.
• Walk, walk, walk

Tours

Since I have been researching for my top spots to visit for over a year, I came across free walking tours in every European city which is technically free and will make you appreciate more the history of the city. I booked Sandemans Free Walking Tours and how this works is that you just need to sign up on their website or download their app to register and avail of their free walking tours. The guides are very friendly and helpful. After the tour, you might just want to give them a tip say from 5-10 Euro depending on how much you can actually afford (Just give a little thank you to your guide). It usually takes 2-3 hours andI highly recommend this on your first day so you will know how to navigate your way in getting around the city. If you really want to enjoy more of their tours, they also offer paid guided tours which are actually not very expensive at all.

Before leaving Manila, I have already booked all my tours online. Here’s a list of all the tours/packages I availed (Prices will be posted in the summary at the end of this blog). Again, I am not sponsored by Klook but I honestly find them very helpful when I was planning my trip so I highly encourage you to check them out.

City	Type of Tour/Pass	Source
Paris	2-Day Paris Museum Pass	Klook
	Disneyland Paris One Day Ticket	Klook
Amsterdam	Sandemans Free Walking Tour	Sandeman
Barcelona	Sandemans Free Walking Tour	Sandeman
Munich	Sandemans Free Walking Tour	Sandeman
	Neuschwanstein & Linderhof Royal Castle and Oberammergau Tour	Klook
Prague	Sandemans Free Walking Tour	Sandeman
Rome	Omnia Vatican and Rome Card	Klook

Pro-tips:

• Avail of the Free Walking Tours
• Sometimes, Bus Tour Packages are more convenient than DIY. Always plan your itinerary
• Take note of the holidays in every city and do not book anything during their local holiday (This was the biggest mistake I made in Rome which ruined my trip)

Food

I didn’t really splurge for food but when I can, I try to eat in decent restaurants and fast foods at least once every city. I tried cooking my food in my hostel in Paris but I was too tired to do it so I just bought bread in nearby bakeries.

Tips:

• Although meals in Europe ranges from 5-20 Euro per meal, these come in big servings. So whenever you have leftovers, don’t throw them right away. Try to reserve it for later.
• Always bring chocolate bars/snacks with you when you travel. These can be your life savers especially when you can’t find and decide where to eat.
• Always bring a water bottle with you. Water in Europe is safe for drinking. You don’t really need to buy one in convenience stores. Water fountains and even tap water is safe for drinking.  
• Below are the restaurants/fast foods I tried.

City	Must-try	Restaurants/Location
Paris	Try all kinds of bakery products	Various Boulangerie & patisserie
	Coffee, chips, snacks	Relay Convenience Store (Disneyland Paris)
	Croissants, sandwiches, coffee	Cafeteria de Versailles (Chateau de Versailles)
	Gelato	Tutti Sensi
	Steaks and Wine	Onze Bar
Amsterdam	Cheese Pasta	Italia Oggi
	Affordable coffee and Bratwurst	Hema
	Kaassoufflé	Febo
	Hot coffee	De Koffieschenkerij
	Gelato	Icebakery Paleis
	Fallafel	De Foodhallen
Barcelona	Seafood & other desserts	La Boqueria Mercat
	Tapas, Torrija Cremada de Sta. Teresa	Cerveceria Catalana
	Churros & Hot chocolate	Xurreria Sagrada Familia
Munich	Pork Knuckle & Munchner Weisse	Hofbrauhaus Muchen
	Bratwurst and Curry wurst
	Pretzels and Apple Juice	Schneider Brahaus Muchen
Prague	Svíčková (braised beef) with dumplings	U Pravaznice
	Kebab	Kebab Star & Pizza
Rome	Carbonara	Famiglia Aperto Tutti I Gioni
	Seafood Pasta	That's Amore
	Gelato	Venchi
	Various (Pasta, Pizza, etc)	Mercato Centrale

Itinerary and breakdown of expenses:

Here’s a rundown of all the expenses I incurred while I was in Europe. Please note that the Shopping and pre-trip expenses may vary. My pre-trip expenses include luggage, outfit and some other things I had to buy before my trip. As for shopping, I just bought chocolates, ref magnets and some shirts as pasalubong for my loved ones. Honestly, if you have P150,000, Europe trip is very doable. By the way, my trip is for a total 15 days where I spent 2-3 days per city. 

Exchange Rate	62.50
	TOTAL	Paris	Amsterdam	Barcelona	Munich	Prague	Rome
Airfare	43,664.50
VISA/Travel Insurance	10,650.00
Sim Card	4,021.00	1,830.00			2,191.00
Hostel Accomodation	23,297.41	8,060.33	5,102.64	1,686.40	2,615.73	1,932.96	3,899.35
Tours/Museum passes	17,381.40	6,117.00	313.00	313.00	3,741.00	250.40	6,647.00
Food	23,597.70	4,669.96	4,219.24	3,526.88	3,499.34	1,985.67	5,696.60
Intercity Transpo	19,238.25	-	1,350.81	4,224.35	6,960.85	1,595.86	5,106.38
Local transportation	5,602.70	1,527.44	726.16	782.50	951.52	112.68	1,502.40
City Tax	1,120.24	220.35	184.04	90.14	-	187.50	438.20
Shopping/Miscellaneous	22,914.66	5,759.20	1,325.92	3,494.56	3,796.06	4,579.32	3,959.60
Laundry	436.95		406.90			30.05
Pre-travel Exp	24,490.75
Others	635.14
TOTAL	197,050.69	28,184.28	13,628.71	14,117.83	23,755.50	10,674.44	27,249.53

Last and definitely not the least tip I can give you is not to travel cheap, just inexpensive. What I actually mean is to never be afraid to splurge a little so you can enjoy the trip. Try local food, go to museums, book a package tour, etc. Experience the culture and get to know people whether they are locals or tourists just like you. If you saved up a little today for food, splurge a little tomorrow for some wine. Enjoy your trip while you can and be very mindful about your money. Also, always put your safety as your top priority and look very carefully after your belongings.

Hope this guide can help you on your next Euro Trip! Make that dream a reality and start saving now! Let me know if you have questions and if you need some help in arranging your itinerary. 😊

Xoxo,

Krish