Europe: Schengen Area and Balkans Itinerary & Expenses

When I first went to Europe, I only traveled within the Schengen area because I only had a single-entry visa. Then I tried going to Greece and the Balkans in 2018, but the Greek Embassy unfortunately denied my visa application. Thankfully, I got a multiple entry visa last September 2019, so I pushed through with The Balkans but skipped Greece.

As a Philippine passport holder, it is very important that you secure a Multiple Entry Schengen visa if you want to enter The Balkans (e.g. Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina).

Paris

Valletta

Dubrovnik

Kotor

Mostar

Venice

Bled

Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Zaanse Schans

Schengen and Balkans Itinerary

The following itinerary was tricky because there were several factors involved:

• I traveled with my friend, Riz, for the first 2 weeks then I was on my own for the other 2 weeks.
• We tried to avoid countries/cities that:
  • I’ve been to;
  • She’s been to;
  • We’ve both been to.
• I departed from Manila and Riz departed from KL where she’s based. We had to somehow sync our flights, so that we would arrive at the same airport and terminal at the same time. We chose Paris (CDG) via Qatar Air as our starting point because it was the ‘cheapest’ (for full service airlines) European city from Southeast Asia at the time.

After factoring in the above considerations, we tried to visit as many places as we can in the short amount of time she was available. Our route looked like this:

Map provided by Wanderlog, a road trip planner

Transportation Costs

Flights

With the exception of our roundtrip flights to/from Europe, we booked the rest of the flights when we were already there. Also note that we traveled in autumn so all our flights need baggage allowance. You can save a lot on flights if you only have carry-on bags.

Manila to Paris via Qatar Air: USD 762.34 (fare automatically includes Philippine Travel Tax of Php1,620.00)

Paris to Valletta via Air Malta: EUR173.35 – we went with the Go Flex fare which is fully refundable (less admin fees), includes 23kg baggage allowance, and free seat selection and/or flight change, but we’re disappointed that they do not serve meals even though they’re a flag carrier!

Valletta to Rome via Ryanair: EUR112.82 with 20kg checked baggage, priority check-in plus 2 cabin bags

Rome to Dubrovnik via Vuelling: EUR120 with 25kg checked baggage

For flights within the Schengen area, we didn’t have to go through immigration. The only time we did was for our flight from Rome to Dubrovnik since Croatia is not part of Schengen.

Land Transfers

• We were supposed to take an overnight bus from Dubrovnik to Ljubljana, but there were no more direct trips. We had to take a night bus from Dubrovnik to Zagreb via Flixbus (EUR23) then Zagreb to Ljubljana via Eurolines (EUR10.50). Eurolines is horrible. You have to print the ticket because they don’t have QR codes like Flixbus. The ticket doesn’t say the bus number or the stop/lane where the bus is parked. We kept looking for the bus in Zagreb’s station, and when we finally found it, the body of the bus doesn’t even say Eurolines, and the paper sign posted on the windshield says Zagreb to Munich with a tiny print ‘via Ljubljana’. They also charged us an additional EUR2 per luggage.
• From Zagreb to Ljubljana, we had to get off the border to have our passports checked since we’re entering the Schengen zone.
• Ljubljana to Venice Mestre via Flixbus: EUR19

We parted ways in Venice then I continued on my journey by Flixbus as follows:

• Venice -> Munich: EUR40 – the German border police is very strict. They got on our bus and checked every passenger’s document. Unfortunately, there’s an African guy that got questioned. I thought they were just being racist, but he didn’t have the proper documents when he was asked for it. He was escorted off the bus, and we left without him.
• Munich -> Nuremberg: EUR6
• Nuremberg -> Heidelberg: EUR12
• Heidelberg -> Strasbourg: EUR10
• Strasbourg -> Brussels: EUR40 – I was so scared I wouldn’t make it in time to catch the bus to Brussels, so I booked an Uber to the station. I paid EUR17 for an 8-minute ride only to wait for half an hour because Flixbus was friggin’ late!
• Brussels -> Amsterdam: EUR10

Accommodations

We booked private rooms for the first 2 weeks since we split the cost, but I stayed at dorms when I traveled by myself for the remaining 2 weeks (Munich to Amsterdam).

• Paris: Boronali Hotel Montmartre
• Sliema, Malta: The Seafront Tower
• Valletta, Malta: Palais le Brun
• Rome: Pascucci al Porticciolo Hotel
• Dubrovnik: Major Apartments
• Ljubljana: Kva Hostel
• Venice: a&o Venezia Mestre
• Munich: The 4You Hostel & Hotel
• Nuremberg: Five Reasons Hostel & Hotel
• Heidelberg: Steffi’s Hostel
• Strasbourg: Ciarus
• Brussels: Jacques Brel Youth Hostel
• Brussels: 2GO4 Quality Hostel Brussels City Center
• Amsterdam: Hostelle – female-only Hostel

Food

I find that a budget of EUR30/day for meals work best for me. I managed to survive with this budget even when we stayed for 5 days within Dubrovnik’s city walls where everything is freaking expensive!

Tours

Our tours were mostly DIY since we want control of our time. However, we joined some organized tours because it’s either impossible or difficult to do on our own.

• Game of Thrones Tour – HRK150/EUR20
• Dubrovnik City Walls (DIY) – HRK200/EUR26
• We took day trips to Mostar and Kotor from Dubrovnik. I think Pharaoh Adriatic is the name of the agency we booked with and we paid HRK300/EUR40 per person per tour. Meals and entrance fees to Kravice Waterfalls, Kotor City Walls, and the Fortress are not included.
• In Ljubljana, we used the Ljubljana Card which gave us access to a number of attractions and activities in the city
• Day trip to Lake Bled, Bled Castle, Predjama Castle & Postojna Caves in Slovenia with Roundabout Travel – EUR114 (inclusive of entrance fees to Predjama & Postojna but exclusive of entrance fee to Bled Castle: EUR13, pletna boat ride: EUR15, entrance to Assumption of Mary Church: EUR6, and meals). Yes, it’s pretty expensive but the cave experience alone was so worth it!
• We DIY-ed Venice, but got a 1-day ACTV pass for unlimited vaporetto rides including those to the islands of Murano, Burano, and Torcello which are far from the main island of Venice.
• In Munich, I joined a ‘free’ walking tour and only gave a tip.
• From Nuremberg, I did a day trip to Rothenburg ob der Tauber using a day pass, but I can’t remember how much it costs. I’m guessing EUR20? I could’ve used it to go to Bamberg too, but I didn’t have enough time.
• In Heidelberg, I went to Heidelberg Castle and paid EUR8 entrance fee which includes the roundtrip funicular ride.
• From Brussels, I did day trips to Bruges and Gent by train
• From Amsterdam, I joined the hostel’s tour to Zaanse Schans. There is no entrance fee, but I think we got a Day Return ticket for EUR11.

Miscellaneous

If you’ve been to Europe before, you know that you have to pay to use the WC/toilet, so always keep those loose change handy.

Laundry prices also vary. It can range from EUR5 (flat rate) to HRK100/EUR13 (for every 2 kilos). Dubrovnik is so expensive, I tell you!

I also recommend getting a Pay As You Go 30-day UK/Europe SIM card with 12GB data and unlimited calls and texts within Europe. I bought mine from Pinoy Traveler’s Unlimited Data SIM Card for Php1,600. With the exception of Mostar in Bosnia & Herzegovina and Kotor in Montenegro, it worked everywhere.