Europe – the holy grail of travel locations (a bit of an exaggeration but it certainly felt that way to me when I was preparing for my trip!) Because of its distance from Southeast Asia, and the perception that it’s extremely expensive (let’s face it, a trip to one of the nearby Southeast Asian countries will always be cheaper) – a Europe trip is usually reserved for special occasions, e.g. graduation trips, honeymoons; and is therefore something most people treasure and look back on with fond memories. To help with that regard, I’ve compiled a list of helpful tips and tricks to consider that’ll hopefully make your Europe adventure one worth remembering (for all the right reasons!)

Note: This blog will NOT be comprehensive, but will hopefully provide a good overview of things to consider before your trip to Europe

Table of contents

• Best time to go
• What to pack
• Getting to Europe
• Travelling within Europe
• Travelling within the country
• Accommodations
• Food
• Sightseeing
• Other tips

Best time to go

I highly suggest you avoid peak season (July to September), as these months are absolutely crazy. Accommodations / Flights / Trains – everything will either be completely booked out or ridiculously expensive + let’s not forget the looong queues at ALL notable tourist sites!

Consider going during the off-season (November to March) or shoulder season (April to June) instead to maximize savings and enjoy Europe at its best!

Also, another thing to consider when timing your trip is festivals – European festivals are AMAZING, from Oktoberfest to Glastonbury to Tomorrowland! I’ve only ever been to Oktoberfest, but boy was it an experience to remember!

 

What to pack

Based on the weather, think of the appropriate attire to pack. For example:

• Summer time (July to August): Pack shorts, sleeveless tops, lots of sunscreen (the sun is KILLER, especially in places like Seville where the temperature can go as high as 40 deg C)
• Spring time / Autumn time: Pack pants, tights, light jackets
• Winter time: Bring out the heavy coats – you’ll need it!

Also, do consider your mode of transport and where your accommodations are located. For example, if you’re traveling via budget airlines – they’re extremely strict on baggage allowance, so if you pack heavy, your fare savings may be decimated by your baggage payments. Likewise, most roads in Europe are made of cobblestones and elevators / escalators aren’t common in residential areas (e.g. if you try AirBnBs) nor in metros, so lugging around multiple bags would be a HUGE pain

My advice? Less is more. Pack only the necessities, then check if your accommodations have washing machines and dryers – you’ll thank me later

Getting to Europe

In the past, flights to Europe would be ridiculously expensive. Lucky for us, budget airlines and regular seat sales have now paved the way for cheaper travel!

Budget airlines: Fly to Dubai via Cebu Pacific (if you’re lucky, you can get flights to Dubai at ~PHP 3-7k), then book a European budget airline from Dubai to Europe (e.g. Turkish Airlines)!

Seat sales: Be on the lookout for seat sales – airlines on my to-watch list include Philippine Airlines (direct flights to London), Singapore Airlines (they typically have a huge sale during their anniversary where flights to Europe can go as low as PHP 36k), and Cathay Pacific

Beyond flights, make sure you have the requisite visas ready as well. Application process can take up to ~8 weeks so be prepared (note that you need to have your flights and hotels booked when you apply – although for accommodations, you can opt to just book fancy hotels to increase legitimacy, print out those reservations, then cancel for free once your visa has been approved). The visa you need to apply for will vary depending on the country you wish to visit

• Schengen visa covers 26 countries (basically the majority of Europe). For more information on which countries are covered and how to apply, see link
• UK visa – unfortunately for us, visiting the UK requires a separate visa. For more information, check out this link

Once you’ve got everything in order, make sure to have photocopies of both your passport information page (the one with your photo) and visas; and place them in your bags / separate from your passport. That way, in case your passports are lost or stolen, you still have existing copies which you can present at your respective country’s embassy

Travelling within Europe (across countries)

There are three ways to do this, each one with its own benefits and disadvantages:

1. Budget airlines

Pros

Cons

■      You can book ~3-4 months in advance and the prices will still be cheaper compared to “normal” airlines

■      The airports budget airlines frequent are usually far from the city center, so you’ll need to factor in additional travel time and cost. If you’re flying in late at night, or really early in the morning; do check if the metro is still running! ■      As with all budget airlines, customer service is horrid, you pay for every additional thing (e.g. baggage allowance), and they’re really strict (when they say you can only bring one bag – they mean it. A laptop bag + a handbag + a plastic bag, no matter how small = equivalent to three bags)

My go-to airlines are Ryanair and Easyjet, but for more info on what other budget airlines are available, check out Euroflights, which is organized by country and city. Simply click on an airport to find out how many budget airline options you’ll have in that place

2. Cross-country trains

Trains can be expensive, but is often the main mode of transport for locals (you’ll see why below)

Pros

Cons

■      Trains are far more spacious compared to airplanes (blessed legroom), and many trains have seats that face each other + a table in the middle – perfect for groups traveling together or for folks who want to make use of the table to work ■      Trains are often on schedule as they are les weather dependent (too on schedule… I’ve missed trains several times because they left on time, not something I’m used to as most planes are typically delayed and you have a ~45-60 mins buffer period) ■      Trains usually bring you to the heart of the city, with stations often just a short walk from all the main attractions – saving you transport cost and travel time ■      Overnight sleeper trains are perfect for saving money and time. No need to pay for a hotel + you go to sleep in one country, then you wake up in a new country raring to go! Having said that, trains are not the best for sleep so this isn’t an option for all

■      Trains can be expensive. If you want to experience cheap train travel, I suggest you book at least ~9-12 months in advance OR you buy a Eurail Pass – which allows you to travel a certain amount of trips for free / for a small fare (~ranging from ~10-70 euros). In my case, I opted for the Eurail Pass as I would be in Europe for >4 months (while on study tour), and didn’t really know where I’d be from one week to the next a year in advance ■    Time. It’s a huge waste of time if you spend ~4-6 hours of perfectly good day time holed up in a train. Sure, the scenery is great, but if you only have ~2 weeks in Europe – you probably don’t want to spend half a day inside a train vs exploring the country

There are three types of Eurail Passes in case you’re interested (note that folks below 26 y.o. can get a discount, and that the value of the Eurail Pass largely depends on how long you’ll be in Europe + your start and end points). More details found on this link:

• Global Pass: allows you to visit 5 or more countries
• Select Pass: allows you to visit 2, 3, or 4 bordering countries (check the map on the link to see which countries border each other!)
• One country pass (self-explanatory!)

Likewise, you’ll also need to select between:

• Continuous pass, which allows you to travel by train every day during the period your pass is valid – perfect if you plan to move between countries every 1-2 days
• Flexi pass, which allows you to travel a specific number of days which can be used any time during a fixed period – perfect if you’ll be in Europe a long stretch of time but won’t be traveling between countries every day

*Note that many cities in Europe have different names in different languages. Example, Prague can be Praha. Just be aware of this, else you miss your train stop because you didn’t realize that was already your stop! When in doubt, just ask

3. Overnight bus

Similar pros as trains above, only con is these buses typically have limited seats since they’re are meant to be spacious, which means seats can run out quickly

For me, I typically take the overnight bus for London to Paris to London, as the train is expensive and I can’t justify paying for a plane since the cities are so near each other!

Overall

On a final note for this section: please don’t underestimate travel time. Yes, European countries are near each other, but NOT that near. You can always manage to cram 7+ cities in two weeks, but just be prepared to spend half of that time in trains/buses/planes – nothing wrong with that, but just be aware

Travelling within the country

Once you’ve reached the country of your choice, congratulations – you’ve made it! For travel within the country itself, European metros are awesome and you should take advantage of them (make sure to check for discounts)

Likewise, Europe is extremely walkable, so pack up good walking shoes and stroll along!

Accommodations

Transportation aside, the next big question is – where to stay? Here, it really depends on your budget and what you’re after

Options	What you’re after	What you’re willing to sacrifice	Where to book
Hotels	■      Convenience ■      Service	■      Money money money	Respective hotel websites. Personally, I like Ibis because their locations are good and prices are decent for a hotel
Hostels	■      Cost savings ■      Meeting new friends	■      Privacy, although you can opt to book a private room	Booking.com; Hostelworld.com
AirBnB	■      Cost savings (especially if you’re traveling with a large group) ■      Living the  “authentic” European life, as you’ll be staying in residential neighborhoods	■      Convenience. AirBnB locations are typically not the best (in terms of proximity to major attraction sites)	AirBnB. Other things to take note of: check the floors (most hotels start with Floor 0), therefore if it says Floor 1, expect to walk up a flight of stairs unless it explicitly states that an elevator is available

Food

Eating out in Europe can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be! Here are some tips to keep in mind

Tourist restaurants can be a blessing and a curse. The good thing is, menus will always have English translations + they typically have set menus (especially in Paris), where for a certain amount, you get an appetizer and a main course. Having said that, food quality is typically not the best

Fast food is often expensive. If you’re going to eat out anyway, are you sure you want to spend your hard-earned cash on fast food? Example: McDonalds in Switzerland cost me the same amount as if I’d had a sit down meal in a nice café

Asian food in Europe SUCKS (except in London Chinatown). Don’t bother, it does not taste at all like the original

European food markets / food parks are awesome!! Check them out please

Buy food in the supermart and cook for yourself in your AirBnB (most hostels also allow you to use the kitchen)! Else, buy sandwich spread or salmon strips and make your own sandwiches for a sumptuous picnic! (I’ve done this several times, it’s perfect for when you’re in a hurry)

Wine and beer are ridiculously cheap (cheaper than water!) So if you’re thirsty, why not grab vino from the supermart instead? Btw, tap water is usually drinkable as well! So bring a water bottle and load up before you leave your accommodation for the day

Timing-wise, most Europeans eat late and savor their meals (with meal times lasting upwards of 2-3 hours). Also note that siestas are real (especially in Spain!), so don’t expect to see any open restaurants in the afternoon – sleep for them > hungry you

 

Sightseeing

Prepare to be overwhelmed and underwhelmed. Some of the tourist sites are AMAZING – e.g. Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia, Rome’s Coliseum; while others are baffling – e.g. Belgium’s Mankeken Pis. Just because it’s famous doesn’t mean you have to do it. My suggestion? Draw up a list of your must-sees, and plan around that

Research research research! Queues at famous tourist attractions can be awful, but there are many ways to skip the queue, e.g. buying online (often at a discount!), or queueing at a certain time. All of these tips can be found online – so research well before you go

Free walking tours are a poor man’s best friend. Essentially, you get to enjoy a walking tour, but you get to decide how much you want to pay by the end of it! Don’t be too cheap though, remember, this is also how they make money! My personal favorite is SANDEMANs, which can be found in most major European cities

Other tips

• Safety: Europe is generally safe but pickpocketing is extremely rampant, especially in countries like Spain and Greece! Always keep your valuables close and don’t let it out of your sight, especially on the subway and around popular tourist attractions. Beware of folks with newspapers and jackets slithering near you, and of people who try to distract you (e.g. asking for help to sign a petition). In our case, my family bought a Pacsafe bag to place all our valuables!
• Public washrooms: Public washrooms in Europe are available but you’d typically need to pay ~o.5 to 2 euros to use them. I absolutely hate paying, so I use the bathrooms whenever I’m at a tourist site, restaurant, or hotel (even if you’re not a guest! Just act like you are)
• Finances: Difficult for me to gauge how much you should bring as this is really dependent on your spending habits. My suggestion: notify your bank that you’ll be away to ensure you can use your debit / credit card in Europe. Make sure to also have some cash with you in case the first few ATMs you try don’t work (especially in places like Budapest!)
• Connectivity: Public wifi isn’t as common in Europe as it is in places like Korea. If you really want to stay connected, either rent a wifi device (e.g. from PAL), or buy a local sim – their internet rates are pretty good! Try your best to get a sim that works in all the countries you’re going to though / will have decent call & text and net rates for all the countries you’re going to

Finally, enjoy!! Explore the city, don’t just go to the famous tourist attractions. Europe is a wonder, with lots of hidden nooks and crannies beyond the beaten path. Many of the big cities like Paris, Barcelona, London deserve at least four nights to really get a good feel; don’t be in a hurry to sample everything they have to offer lest you miss out on the truly good stuff

As a treat, I’m sharing the travel video of our crazy four-months European adventure! My friends and I had an absolute blast – and we’d love to share those moments with you! If pressed, I’d say my favorite cities are: London, Barcelona, Rome + Pisa + Cinque Terre, Vatican, Santorini, Prague, and Budapest!

Likewise, I just finished a 9-day cross-country tour around the United Kingdom – see my blog posts here!

And if you’re headed to Kitzbuhel – then you’re in luck – because I’ve written about that fabulous skiing town too!

As an added bonus, also sharing my list of things to do, by country and city, based on my ~5 months in Europe! Download the pdf file here: Europe adventure

Hopefully, this can serve as a starting point for your planning as well!