Europe Part II: Itinerary and Budget Breakdown

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Please click this link for the itinerary and budget of my Europe Part I adventure.


Planning was much easier for this trip. I knew which countries I wanted I go. I knew which cities I’d like to explore. I didn’t overthink some details. The table below is the itinerary I presented in my visa application. I just added additional columns for the contact details of the hostels. 


DAY
CITY/COUNTRY
ACTIVITY
ACCOMMODATION
Day 1
Philippines
Depart Manila, NAIA Terminal 1
N/A
Day 2
Czech Republic
AM - Arrival in Prague. Explore Old Town Square, Charles Square and Wenceslas Square
Miss Sophie's Prague, Melounouva 3
Day 3
Czech Republic
Prague Castle. Watched music concert.
Prague Food Festival outside Prague Castle
Miss Sophie's Prague, Melounouva 3
Day 4
Czech Republic
Petrin Hill and Jewish Quarters.
Old Town Again. Souvenir Shopping. Fred and Ginger Dancing House.
Miss Sophie's Prague, Melounouva 3
Day 5
Prague, Czech Republic
Athens, Greece
AM - Flight to Athens, Greece.
PM - Dinner in Athens
Athens Backpackers and Studios, across Acropolis
Day 6
Athens, Greece
AM - Joined Athens Backpackers Group Tour.
PM - Roman Forum, Parthenon,
Sunset at Acropolis
Athens Backpackers and Studios, across Acropolis
Day 7
Athens, Greece
Walk to Syntagma Square. Watch Changing of the guards. Explore Agora
Athens Backpackers and Studios, across Acropolis
Day 8
Athens, Greece,
Santorini, Greece
AM - Fly from Athens to Santorini.
PM - Trek from Oia to Fira (reverse path than the usual)
Caveland Hostel, Karterados
Day 9
Santorini, Greece
Explored Fira Town.Perissa Beach
Caveland Hostel, Karterados
Day 10
Santorini, Greece
Sunday Church Mass. Explore Oia. Bar Night.
Caveland Hostel, Karterados
Day 11
Santorini Greece,
Athens, Greece
AM -Oia, souvenir shopping.
PM - flight to Athens
Athens Backpackers and Studios, across Acropolis
Day 12
Athens, Greece
Bacelona, Spain
AM - Athens souvenir shopping. Athens National Museum
PM - flight to Barcelona
Primavera Hostel, Mallorca, Eixample
Day 13
Bacelona, Spain
Picasso Museum.  Sagrada Familia, Plaza Catalunya
Primavera Hostel, Mallorca, Eixample
Day 14
Bacelona, Spain
Parc Güell, Montjuic. La Rambla Walking Street. Casa Batllo.
Souvenir shopping Barcelona.
Primavera Hostel, Mallorca, Eixample
Day 15
Barcelona, Spain
Madrid, Spain
Train from Barcelona to Madrid
PM: Puerta del sol, Plaza Mayor, Gran Via
U Hostels, Calle Sagasta
Day 16
Toledo, Spain
Madrid, Spain
Day trip in Toledo.
Afternoon: Reina Sofia
U Hostels, Calle Sagasta
Day 17
Madrid, Spain
Avenida Islas de Filipinas. Jose Rizal Monument. Museo del Prado.
U Hostels, Calle Sagasta
Day 18
Toledo, Spain
Madrid, Spai
Palacio Real Madrid (Royal Palace of Madrid)
Souvenir shopping in Madrid
U Hostels, Calle Sagasta
Day 19
Madrid, Spain
Granda, Spain
Train from Madrid to Granada
Granada Cathedral.
Walk around Granada.
Granada Inn Backpackers
Day 20
Granda, Spain
Alhambra.
Plaza Nueva, Plaza de los Tristes.
Alhambra at night.
Granada Inn Backpackers
Day 21
Granda, Spain
Seville, Spain
Train from Granada to Seville
Walk Around Seville
Hostel Trotamundos
Day 22
Seville, Spain
Walking tour of Seville
Seville Cathedral
Flamenco Show at night
Hostel Trotamundos
Day 23
Seville, Spain
Lisbon, Portugal
Alcaraz. Plaza Espanya.
Souvenir Shopping. Rest.
Night bus to Lisbon
Hostel Trotamundos
Day 24
Lisbon, Portugal
AM - Arrival in Lisbon.
Morning Walking Tour in Lisbon. Barrio Alto
Good Morning Hostel Lisbon
Day 25
Lisbon, Portugal
Daytrip to Sintra
Good Morning Hostel Lisbon
Day 26
Lisbon, Portugal
Barrio Alto
Torre de Belem
Good Morning Hostel Lisbon
Day 27
Lisbon, Portugal
Check out, Fly out of Lisbon Airport
N/A
Day 28
Philippines
Arrive in Manila, NAIA Terminal 1











































































EU II Budget Breakdown:

This entire trip cost me around USD 4,675/ EUR 3,655. Please refer to the pie chart below for the breakdown.
Forex rates:
USD to PHP: Php 43.00
EUR to PHP: Php 55.00





The story of each slice:

No Pre-Europe Shopping costs this time. I used the same luggage that I brought home from my EU I trip. Didn’t purchase new clothes for spring season. I figured I’ll just shop in wherever I will need to shop.  

Visa Related Fees – Visa fee, VFS Processing Fee, SMS Alert, Photo, Travel Insurance, Bank certificate fee

Shopping – for myself and for pasalubong

Travel Tax - Terminal Fee for international flights, Travel Tax, Terminal fee

Airfare - I flew via KLM this time. Used the multiple-destination booking. I flew in to Prague, and flew out of Lisbon. Airfare is more expensive this time at $1,386.22 / Php 58,555.93. This includes the Php 1,620 travel tax and excludes Php 550 terminal fee.

Accommodation - Booking fees, downpayment and payment of balance for hostels,

Tours – tickets, reservation fees, tips

Food – meals, various snack items

Others – toilet fees, laundry, towel rental fees

Transportation – intra-Europe airfare, trains, city trams/buses, city transporation passes. I already booked the intra-Europe flights before the visa application. I bought the Spain train tickets and Sevile-Lisbon bus ticket after I got my Schengen Visa.

Provider
Route
EUR
PHP
Aegean Air
Flight from Prague to Athens
         63.98
   3,499.47
Aegean Air
Rountrip flights from ATH-JTR
       130.64
   7,180.30
Vueling
Flight from ATH-BCN
         95.99
   5,254.29
Alsa Bus Company
Seville to Lisbon Bus ticket
         40.00
   2,195.17
Renfe
Train from Madrid to Granada
         20.50
   1,126.38
Renfe
Tran from Granada to Seville
         29.00
   1,593.68
Renfe
Madrid to Barcelona
         49.10
   2,697.40


Timing of spending: 


Before – payments via cash and credit card settled before my departure date. This includes Flights, minimal reservation fees, Visa-related expenses and Alhambra tickets.

During – cash-based transactions during the trip. I brought euros, I did not bring any dollars. Euros were bought from Czarina Foreign Exchange. Call their main office to reserve euros: indicate the quantity, date of pick-up, branch of pick-up and contact details. The forex rate used will be the rate at the day you pick up the euros from the Czarina branch.

After – credit card bill. Not a lot this time. I paid in cash when I went shopping.

Hope you'll find this helpful in your planning!


Comments

  1. Mariane BallesterosJanuary 22, 2014 at 9:48 PM

    That is one awesome trip! :) Would it be more cheaper to fly when transferring one place to another rather than by train (budget and geographically wise?)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Adventure AccountantJanuary 22, 2014 at 10:21 PM

    Hey Mariane! It was AWESOME!
    Plane vs. train. It would depend on your itinerary. My chosen cities for this trip are not near each other so it is optimal to fly. Also, budget airlines offer cheaper airfare than trains! Trains are more convenient because you don't have to be at the station 2 hours before departure, and there are no baggage check-in, security checks and those inconveniences.

    ReplyDelete
  3. UnknownJanuary 23, 2014 at 9:47 PM

    Here I am again, referring to your trip report for my own planning. :) How did you find Spain? Would it be a good idea to stay there for a month compared to just a week and then moving on to another European country?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Adventure AccountantJanuary 25, 2014 at 3:15 PM

    Spain was superb! I stayed in Spain for 13 days. Some of my roommates have been traipsing around Spain for a month or more. Spain has lot of other cities aside from Madrid and Barcelona. I did Granada and Seville and enjoyed both immensely (cheaper too!).

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousFebruary 20, 2014 at 9:20 PM

    hi, is there a particular website where you did your bookings, hotels and flights?
    thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Adventure AccountantFebruary 22, 2014 at 9:16 PM

    Hello! I did not use a one website in booking all of them. I went to the website of each airline, each hostel, and each train/bus company to book the tickets. For the hostels, I read and sifted through the review of Tripadvisor and Hostelbookers, made my choice, and booked the hostel's own website. I think I used Booking.com in one of the hostels because it was offering a cheaper rate there.

    ReplyDelete

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