Europe – Page 5 – The Wknd Travel

Hostel of the Day: LE VILLAGE MONTMARTRE BY HIPHOPHOSTELS – Authentic & Affordable Parisian Property in the Artist District

A few months ago, my friends & I flew to Europe for a 3.5-week holiday. Our first stop was the beautiful French capital – Paris. We explored Paris for 5 days & 4 nights & decided to stay in an authentic Parisian & affordable hostel. The hostel where we stayed at – Le Village Montmartre by Hiphophostels – will be today’s Hostel of the Day feature. Read on below to know more about why you should stay in this hostel on your next visit to Paris.

Le Village Montmartre

Le Village Montmartre is an authentic Parisian hostel found in Montmartre – the city’s artist district. The hostel is situated in a 5-storey (including ground floor) old building along Rue d’Orsel just a few meters away from the famous Sacré-Coeur Basilica.

Le Village Montmartre is part of the Hiphophostels Group – a chain of affordable Parisian hostels & hotels. The 30-year-old hostel group has about 20 properties around Paris. Their hostels & hotels, including Le Village, are located in the city’s most famous & important areas like Montmartre, Latin Quarter & Belleville. The group also offers affordable rates for as low as €15 per night. Check out the hostel group’s website to know more.

In case you don’t know, I’ve featured the hostels I’ve been to since 2017. I already wrote about hostels from Asia, Australia & Europe. Check out all these hostel of the day features here.

Location & Access

Le Village Montmartre is located at 20 Rue d’Orsel in the 18th arrondissement (Montmartre area) of Paris, France. The hostel doors are about 400 meters away (or 7 to 10 minutes by foot) from the famous La Basilique du Sacré Cœur de Montmartre or The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris.

The hostel has a good location. It is 2-3 minutes by foot to Anvers Station on the Blue Line / Metro Line 2. It is 1-2 stations away from Gare du Nord – one of Paris’ main train stations. It is less than 30 seconds away to 2 supermarkets – G20 (our favorite) & Franpix. It is also near to a lot of restaurants, cafes & souvenir shops.

Le Village is about an hour away by train from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. It is about 40 minutes away from the airport by private transportation, Uber or FreeNow. Its location is an easy 10 out of 10; it made going around Paris by train easy.

Room Options

Le Village Montmartre has rooms for all travelers. The hostel has private rooms for those who want their own space during trips. It also has dormitory rooms for those who are traveling on a budget. Their private rooms have the following arrangements – double room with a double bed, twin room with 2 single beds, triple room with a single bed & a bunk bed & quadruple room with 2 bunk beds. All these rooms have air conditioning & heating systems. These also have private bathrooms & toilets with hair dryers. Bath towels are provided in these private rooms.

On the other hand, the dormitory rooms have the following configurations – 4-bed mixed dormitory room with 2 bunk beds, 4-bed female dormitory room with 2 bunk beds & 12-bed dormitory room with 6 bunk beds. All these dormitory rooms have in-room toilets & showers; these are also equipped with air conditioning & heating systems. Dormitory room guests are assigned lockers where they can store their valuables. Please note that guests need to bring their own padlocks & bath towels. Those who don’t have bath towels can rent them from reception.

Room & dormitory bed rates vary depending on season. We stayed in a 4-bed mixed dormitory room & paid €132 each (including city tax) for 4 nights – that’s €33 per night. My bank charged me a little over ₱8,100 (including foreign transaction conversion fees) for these 4 nights – roughly ₱2,025 per night. Note that we booked our stay 5 months before our intended trip. This is already cheap considering how expensive Paris is in general. Believe it or not, this property was one of the cheapest at the time of booking.

Each dormitory bed has a pillow, bed cover & a thin blanket. It also has a personal reading light & power socket. The dormitory room we got has a good amount of space to move around & has a window overlooking the communal terrace. It also has a shower (with hot water) & toilet, a small table & chair & lockers for 4 people.

Guest Perks, Facilities & Amenities

Like any other hostel, Le Village Montmartre by Hiphophostels has a long list of facilities & amenities which guests can enjoy during their stay.

Free Wi-Fi Access – All guests can access the hostel’s complimentary & stable Wi-Fi.

Breakfast Service – The property offers daily breakfast service to those who availed of this option at the time of booking. The big breakfast is available for purchase on the day itself or upon check-in for €9. It is also offered at a discounted rate of €6 if you confirm you’ll get it days before check-in. Breakfast is available daily from 7:00am to 10:00am.

Private Showers & Toilets – All private & dormitory rooms have their own toilet & shower areas. Please take note that bath towels are not included in dormitory rooms. Guests can rent one from reception for €2,5.

Air Conditioning & Heating Systems – All rooms are equipped with an air conditioner & a heater which guests can use depending on the season.

Shared Kitchen & Dining Area – The hostel also has a shared kitchen & dining area for those who want to prepare meals & eat these meals during their stay.

Communal Lounge Area – Guests can relax & chill in the hostel’s communal lounge area. There are seats & tables near reception that are available for all.

Communal Outdoor Terrace – The hostel has a communal outdoor terrace on the 1^st floor. This area is open from 6:00am to 10:00pm.

Luggage Storage – Incoming & outgoing guests don’t need to worry where they’ll leave their bags before check-in or after check-out. Le Village Montmartre offers luggage storage for all guests.

Free Lockers – It also has free lockers for valuables which guests can’t leave inside the dormitory & private rooms. Please reach out to reception in case you want to use these lockers.

Hair Dryer & Ironing Facilities – The toilets have built-in hair dryers which guests can use when they need it. Ironing facilities are also available upon request from reception.

Computer Access – Need to book a flight ticket or research your itinerary? Le Village Montmartre has a computer which guests can use. Don’t hesitate to use the computer near the locker area.

Printing Services – The hostel also offers printing services for those who need it. Reach out to the person assigned in reception to know the latest rate.

Tour Desk & Ticket Service – Le Village Montmartre has an inhouse tour desk & ticket service. They offer airport transfers for a fee; they also offer Parisian Boat Cruise tickets for a discounted price. Make sure to check with reception which specific tours & tickets they offer.

24-Hour Reception – Guests arriving early in the morning or late at night don’t need to worry whether they can go inside the hostel or not. Reception is open 24 hours daily. Check-in starts at 3:00pm & check-out is until 11:00am.

Multi-Lingual Staff – The hostel’s staff speak many languages – French, Spanish, English & a few more. Guests who don’t speak French or English can still communicate with & ask questions to the staff at any time.

Daily Housekeeping – The hostel housekeeping checks & cleans the rooms & toilets daily. They make sure that the hostel facilities & rooms are kept clean & tidy.

Secured Hostel Access – The hostels doors are secured. Guests need to ring the doorbell so they can enter the hostel premises. Room access is limited to guests via their respective keycards.

The hostel doors. It is always locked & can only be unlocked by the person at reception. Secured!!

Lift Access – Le Village Montmartre has a small lift for guests who have big & heavy luggage & bags.

Hostel Experience

We had a nice stay at Le Village Montmartre. We won’t consider it eventful because we were out most of the time & we were only there to rest & sleep at night.

The hostel’s winning points are the price, the location & the excellent pre-booked breakfast. The hostel’s price for my 4-night stay was definitely the winner. It was the cheapest we got at the time, plus it even included the best possible cancellation terms. It was very cheap for an expensive city like Paris, France.

The hostel’s location was also a good selling point. It may be outside the main city & far from the other touristic place, but it is very accessible. It’s a few minutes away from Sacré-Coeur & Anvers Station of the Metro Line 2. It is also located in the lively & artistic district of Montmartre. Lastly, the pre-booked €6 breakfast was superb. It included croissant, pain au chocolat, baguette, butter, cheese, jam, yogurt, a cup of coffee (or tea) & a glass of juice. It was worth the price.

On the flipside, we wish the hostel had periodic activities which guests could join during their stay. We were there for 4 nights & we didn’t see anything happening. It doesn’t have to be a loud & chaotic party, but it can be something like a community dinner or games night where guests can join & meet other travelers. We’re sure many guests will be up for these activities.

Will I recommend Le Village Montmartre? Definitely! Will I go back & stay with them in the future? It’s a yes. You can never go wrong with this authentic & affordable hostel while in Paris. What are you waiting for? Go ahead & book directly with the hostel to enjoy the best rates!

Do you have any questions about Le Village Montmartre by Hiphophostels? Feel free to reach out to them on the following platforms:

Le Village Montmartre by Hiphophostels
Address: 20 Rue d’Orsel, Paris, France
Phone Number: +33 1 42 64 22 02
E-mail Address: contact@villagehostel.fr
Website: www.villagehostel.fr
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LeVillageMontmartre

Have you stayed at Le Village Montmartre in the past? How was your experience? Share your experiences in the comments section below. By any chance, are you planning to book your stay with Le Village? Do you have any questions about the property? Feel free to post them in the comment section. You may also send those questions via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thanks for joining me in today’s Hostel of the Day feature. Please also take time to check out my previous HOTD features by clicking this. Before you go, can you visit my social media pages –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? Thank you & see you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Flight Report: EMIRATES EK 073 – Dubai to Paris CDG – Excellent Airbus A380 Superjumbo Flight to the Famous French Capital [November 2022]

A few weeks ago, I shared with you my first ever flight experience with Emirates on their Manila to Dubai sector. I had a nice & smooth flight even though I didn’t sleep well on that overnight long-haul flight. Today, I will share with you my connecting Emirates flight from Dubai (DXB) to Paris (CDG) Charles de Gaulle on the Airbus A380 superjumbo. Join me in today’s flight report as we go into details on why this flight was an excellent one.

EMIRATES

Emirates commenced operations in 1985 from its home hub in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. 37 years after, the airline is now one of the world’s biggest airlines. The airline is a subsidiary of the state-owned The Emirates Group. Most, if not all, of its flights depart & arrive from the massive Dubai International Airport Terminal 3.

In case you missed it, I post reviews & features of my flights since June 2019. I’ve covered airlines such as EVA Air, Indonesia Air Asia, Singapore Airlines & Cebu Pacific Air. All posts about these flights are found under the Flight Reports category.

The airline flies to over 80 countries & 150 destinations in the 6 habitable continents. It has a fleet of over 250 wide body aircraft with 200 more on order. The airline currently operates only Boeing 777 & Airbus A380 aircraft in their fleet; it is also the largest operator of both aircraft types. It makes use of Dubai’s strategic location in connecting people from all over the world.

Apart from its commercial division, the airline also has its cargo & corporate subsidiaries. Its cargo division is called Emirates SkyCargo, while its corporate & private subsidiary is called Emirates Executive. Emirates’ frequent flyer program is called Emirates Skywards. The airline is not part of an airline alliance but has codeshare & partnership agreements with airlines like flydubai, Qantas, United, Air Canada & a lot more.

Emirates is a full-service airline. This means that the airline offers services & amenities such as inflight meals & snacks & personal entertainment screens on every flight. All Emirates tickets also include check-in baggage allowance depending on the booking / ticket class where the passengers are booked.

Do you want to know the difference between a full-service & a low-cost airline? Check out my previous post detailing the differences of these 2 types of airlines.

Airfare

I booked my Emirates ticket in January 2020 before all borders closed due to the pandemic. Back then, my ticket was from Hong Kong to Munich, Germany via Dubai & back to Hong Kong via Dubai from Budapest, Hungary. I wasn’t able to use this 2020 ticket, but I was so pleased that Emirates offered the most flexible airline ticket option.

Basically, they extended the ticket validity for 3 years & allowed passengers to rebook the ticket when they are ready to fly as long as there are seats available. The flights tickets should be used within the validity period. On top of this, they also allowed the passengers to change the airports of origin & destination as long as the airports are within the same Emirates region. Emirates also waived all fare difference, rebooking & change fees.

Fast forward to 2022, my friends & I decided to fly to Europe for a 3.5-week holiday. After getting my tourist visa from the Embassy of Italy, I called the Emirates hotline & requested for my ticket to be issued. I changed the airport of origin from Hong Kong to Manila (both in the Far East) & the airport of destination from Munich to Paris (both in Europe). My return flights were also changed from Budapest to Barcelona (both in Europe) & then back to Manila. I got my new ticket in less than 2 minutes after the Emirates agent confirmed my preferred flight schedules & details. The best thing was this new ticket didn’t cost me anything – no additional fees, change fees or airport taxes or whatever. It even included a 20-25 kilograms check-in baggage allowance from previously 15 kilograms.

Believe it or not, I only paid HK$4,039 or ₱27,072.73 for this return ticket. This ticket includes inflight meals, personal entertainment screens & even baggage allowance both ways. Compared to the usual tickets to Europe, this one didn’t cost much. Thank you, Emirates, for this flexible ticket. I know I’ve booked tons of cheap tickets in the past, but I believe this was probably the best-valued to date.

Travel Requirements

Last August 2022, France removed all pandemic-related restrictions & Covid-19-related entry requirements. This means that visitors only need to provide the usual entry requirements such as passport & visa (if needed).

Before the Flight

Emirates sent an e-mail & mobile application check-in reminder 48 hours before my scheduled flight to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The airline offers free standard seat selection during web or mobile check-in.

I already had my seats pre-booked at the time of booking this ticket so I didn’t bother checking or changing them during web check-in. I checked in for the flights to Paris immediately I received the check-in reminder. Take note that you will need your passport information & other necessary details to complete this early check-in.

Aircraft & Flight Information

This Dubai to Paris Emirates flight was operated by a 1-year-old (at the time of the flight) Airbus A380-800 aircraft. The aircraft, delivered to Emirates in December 2021, is equipped with 14 First Class seats on a 1-2-1 configuration, 76 Business Class seats on a 1-2-1 layout, 56 Premium Economy Class seats on a 2-4-2 configuration & 338 Economy Class seats on a 3-4-3 layout. The First & Business Class sections are located in the A380 upper deck, while the Premium Economy & Economy Class sections are found in the A380 lower deck.

This EK 073 flight to Paris departed Dubai International Airport on-time & landed at CDG Airport 15 minutes ahead of schedule. This smooth & non-turbulent flight only took 6 hours & 42 minutes.

Ground & Airport Experience

I already checked-in for my flight in Manila so I was at Dubai International Airport only for a good 3-hour layover.

DUBAI TRANSIT

Transiting in Dubai is easy. The airport is full of signs pointing passengers to where they should head next. After getting off the plane, I immediately went to the Connections area & looked for my next boarding gate. I cleared security & took the train from Terminal Concourse C to Terminal 3 Concourse A, where my flight to Paris will depart from.

DXB TERMINAL 3 CONCOURSE A MARHABA LOUNGE EXPERIENCE

My recently-acquired Security Bank Platinum Mastercard credit card (not sponsored) comes with 2 complimentary airport lounge access per year at any LoungeKey-affiliated lounge around the world. This is on top of the unlimited Marhaba Lounge access I have in NAIA Terminals 1 & 3 here in the Philippines. I used a complimentary pass & checked out the Marhaba Lounge at DXB Terminal 3 Concourse A.

Terminal 3 Concourse A’s Marhaba Lounge has plenty of seating & has complete food options – salads, sandwiches, breads, desserts & even fruits. Guests can also have coffee, tea, milk, juice & basic alcoholic drinks. The lounge toilets were clean & well-maintained. I arrived at the lounge during off peak hours so I enjoyed some quiet & relaxing time in it.

PRE-DEPARTURE

While at the lounge, Emirates notified me via the mobile application of the assigned boarding gate for my flight to Paris. The notification also included what time boarding will start & what time the doors will close. A few minutes, I got another notification advising that boarding was about to commence soon at our assigned gate. I finished my food, packed my stuff, left the lounge & walked to Gate A16.

The friendly Emirates ground staff welcomed me to the gate, even poked a joke that the flight I am about to take is going back to the Philippines & not France. They advised me to wait for our boarding group to be called & wished me a pleasant journey to Paris.

BOARDING

Boarding process commenced on time at 7:10am. First Class, Business Class & Skywards status holders were asked to board at their own convenience. Premium Economy Class passengers were asked to board the A380 lower deck first. Economy class passengers seated at the back went in the plane next. Passengers assigned at the front economy cabin boarded the plane last.

The boarding process took about 40 minutes & finished exactly at the flight’s scheduled departure time of 7:50am. The flight was almost full, so I won’t blame Emirates if the whole process took some time.

Inflight Hard & Soft Product

SEAT FEATURES

This flight from Dubai to Paris was operated by Emirates’ flagship Airbus A380-800 aircraft. This plane has 4 passenger classes – First Class, Business Class, Premium Economy Class & Economy Class. First class passengers have access to their own enclosed suite with a wide seat convertible to a lie-flat bed. According to SeatGuru, first class seats on Emirates have a seat pitch of 86 inches & a seat width of 23 inches. Business class passengers are seated in the upper deck business class cabin. Each business class seat can be converted into a lie-flat bed. This seat has a seat pitch of 48 inches & a seat width of 18.5 inches. All first & business class seats on the Airbus A380 have a 1-2-1 configuration; with all seats having aisle access.

Premium economy seats on the Emirates Airbus A380 have a 2-4-2 industry standard layout. Each seat has 40 inches of legroom & 19.5 inches (an inch bigger) of seat width. The premium economy seats also offer a generous recline. These premium economy seats are found in the forward lower deck cabin. Economy class passengers on the A380 have access to a spacious 32 to 34 inches of legroom & a seat width of 18 inches. Economy seats have a 3-4-3 configuration & are located in the middle to rear part of the lower deck.

Economy class seats feature a touch-screen personal entertainment screen, a big tray table, a cup holder, a coat hook, a USB charging port, a seat pocket with Duty Free magazines & aircraft safety card, a shared universal power outlet (2 in a row of 3 seats), a pillow, a blanket, a pair of headphones & an adjustable headrest. Every economy class passenger also has access to spacious overhead cabins, individual reading lights & air vents.

I got window seat 57K for this flight; I was seated in the forward economy class cabin. The economy seats on the Emirates A380 are by far the most comfortable economy seat I’ve experienced in my years of flying. It offers spacious leg space & a comfortable seating experience.

ONBOARD BAR & SHOWER SPA

Emirates first class & business class passengers have access to an onboard bar & lounge area found at the rear upper deck of the plane. Here, the passengers can enjoy a glass of their premium drink of choice while having some canapes & chatting with their co-passengers or crew.

First class passengers also have access to an onboard shower spa. They can freshen up or even take a shower before they arrive at their destination. Please note that these facilities are only available to passengers flying in the premium classes & only on the Airbus A380 aircraft.

INFLIGHT MEALS

Emirates provides complimentary meals on all their flights. Passengers can access the inflight menu from the airline’s website as early as a week before the flight. They also have the option for passengers to request for or book special meals up to 24 hours before the scheduled flight. The airline doesn’t provide physical menus; instead, they ask passengers to access & browse the menus through their on-board portal.

Emirates offered 2 meals for this flight. 40 minutes after take-off, the crew went around & gave away continental breakfast to all passengers. They first served passengers who requested special meals, then distributed breakfast meals to the rest of the cabin. The continental breakfast meal has a fruit yoghurt, a breakfast cupcake, a cup of water & a choice between a blueberry Danish pastry or egg & cheese sandwich. It also comes with a drink of choice. Drink choices include fruit juices, tea, soda, wine, coffee or water.

Throughout the flight, the crew went around the cabin a few times to offer pretzels as snacks & water or juice as refreshments. Passengers can also request a snack or drink at any time.

2 hours before landing, the crew commenced lunch service. They distributed the special meals first, then followed by the regular meals. They offered 2 options for lunch – chicken in creamy mushroom sauce pasta & beef goulash. These meal options come with a roasted beetroot & couscous salad served with humous, an apple crumble with vanilla sauce for dessert, a bread roll, cheese & crackers, a cup of water, a granola bar & an Emirates-branded chocolate. It also came with a drink of choice – juice, tea, coffee, soda, beer, wine & other alcoholic drinks.

The meal offerings on this flight to Paris were tasty & of good quality. Also, the portions were big enough to fill the passengers’ tummies. These meals were one of the many highlights of this excellent flight.

INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

Emirates’ personal entertainment system, ICE, offers a wide selection of options to choose from. It has thousands of options to choose from; it has movies, television shows, documentaries, music albums & even games which you can play together with your seat neighbor. It even has region-specific movies & television shows. ICE also offers live television coverage of news channels like BBC World News, CNN International, Sports 24 & Sky News Arabia.

ICE also offers access to 3 aircraft cameras installed in the front, under & on the tail of the superjumbo aircraft. It also shows the complete flight & aircraft details & even has 2 kinds of moving flight maps. The airline indeed offers the best entertainment system in the skies – a system every airline in the world should copy.

The entertainment system on this A380 aircraft is probably Emirates’ latest. The entertainment screens are also equipped with Bluetooth connectivity. Passengers with Bluetooth headsets & earphones can connect their audio to the screens & listen from their own devices.

The entertainment screen on seat 57K was fast & responsive. I also noticed that the ICE on this plane offered more options compared to their 777 one I rode with to Dubai.

INFLIGHT CONNECTIVITY

Emirates offers paid inflight wi-fi connectivity on their flights. Rates range from $4.99 – $16.99 depending on the type of use the passengers need. The cheapest onboard internet plan costs $3.99 & is only limited to messaging applications such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, etc.

I didn’t try this service during this flight; I don’t need to use the internet during this overnight flight. I think it would be nice if the airline offered complimentary but limited connectivity / data allowance at least for Emirates Skywards members like how Singapore Airlines offers to their Krisflyer members.

LAVATORY

The lavatories on the Emirates A380 were probably the most spacious I’ve seen in my years of flying. The lavatories had the usual amenities like tissue, hand lotion & perfume. The lavatory in the middle economy class section were kept clean & tidy throughout the flight.

CABIN CREW SERVICE

The cabin crew service on this flight was exceptional. The crew greeted me with their best smile upon entering the flight. One even helped me put my bag in the overhead compartment even if I didn’t need the help. The crew were friendly during the breakfast & lunch service; they also attended to the passengers needs one after the other. They also continuously offered snacks & drinks throughout the flight. Before deplaning, the same crew who welcomed me said thanks, bid goodbye & wished me a pleasant stay in Paris.

Disembarkation & Baggage Claim

The disembarkation process at Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport was quick, in order & efficient. Premium economy passengers deplaned first. Economy class passengers disembarked next. Immigration queues were fast.

Baggage claim took 20-30 minutes after I cleared immigration. This was due to the big volume of passengers & luggage onboard this superjumbo flight. On top of that, we arrived at the same time as another large Qatar Airways flight.

Final Thoughts

As the title says, it was an excellent flight with Emirates on their flagship Airbus A380 aircraft. Everything fell into place for this flight – from the time I entered the boarding gate, to the time I stepped into the aircraft & until disembarkation. I said this on my Manila to Dubai flight & I will say it again here. Emirates flight experience in economy class is worth the hype.

I have a long list of ‘likes’ for this flight. First, the ticket price was out of this world. Imagine flying 4 sectors to the other side of the world with baggage, meals & entertainment system included & in a modern & comfortable economy class cabin for only a little over ₱27,000 – it was definitely a steal! Second, the airline made sure that passengers in Dubai were informed of the real-time updates of the flight. They sent mobile application notifications where the assigned boarding gate is & when the flight is about to start boarding.

Third, Emirates offered world-class & modern economy class cabin on this Airbus A380 aircraft. The cabin was well-designed & even included wooden finishes from the lavatories to the tray tables. The seats were spacious & comfortable; it provided enough legroom & generous recline even with the 4-3-4 configuration. Fourth, the Airbus A380’s entertainment system had plenty of options to choose from. It was modern & very responsive; it even had Bluetooth technology for those who wanted to use their own audio pieces.

Fifth, the quality of food onboard this Emirates flight to Paris was exceptional. I know I raved about the beef tapa offered on my Manila to Dubai flight, but I seriously think the beef goulash & houmous served on this flight was on another level. The meals on this flight, particularly the lunch service, were delicious & full of flavors. The food portions were also bigger than the usual airplane food servings. So far, Emirates’ onboard food is worth raving about. Also, the meal service pace was just right – not too rushed & not too slow.

Sixth, the lavatories were clean & well-maintained throughout this 6-ish hour flight. The wooden finishes add to the class & premium feel of these lavatories. Seventh, the Emirates ground & cabin crew made a difference in my passenger experience from the time I arrived at the boarding gate up to the time I left the plane. They were all friendly, hospitable & very customer-oriented. Hats off to the crew on this EK 073 flight to Paris last 16 November 2022!

I know I’ve described this as an excellent flight, but I think Emirates still can improve on some aspects. First, I don’t know if it was just me, but my seat kept on going back to the normal upright position every time I moved towards the screen. I didn’t know how to keep it reclined for a long time. Second, it would’ve been nicer if the lavatories had additional amenities like toothbrush & toothpaste. Lastly, I hope the airline provides limited Wi-Fi access at least to Skywards members. The limited access could be something like 1 hour of free messaging or a consumable complimentary data allocation which passengers can use.

Overall, it was a fun first flight with Emirates’ Airbus A380 aircraft. I don’t mind flying the A380 every time; I hope that’s even possible. Thank you, Emirates, for this memorable flight! I already miss it & I can’t wait to fly with the airline again in the future.

Allow me to share the technical details of this flight to you:

Airline: Emirates
Flight Date: 16 November 2022
Flight Number: EK 073
Route: Dubai, United Arab Emirates (DXB) to Paris, France (CDG)
Duration: 6 hours & 42 minutes
Seat Number: 57K (window)
Aircraft: Airbus A380-800
Aircraft Registration: A6-EVR
Engines: 4 x Rolls Royce Trent 972
Age (at the time of the flight): 1 year old
Delivered: December 2021

Have you ever flown with Emirates on their Airbus A380 aircraft? How was your experience? I enjoyed my first ever flight with the superjumbo but I also want to hear about your experiences. Feel free to share them in the comments section below. Do you have any questions about this flight or the experience? You may also send your questions via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thank you for joining me in today’s Emirates flight report from Dubai, United Arab Emirates to Paris, France. I hope you had an excellent time reading just like the flying experience I had with the global airline. This is just the start of our journey around Europe. Watch out for the upcoming posts regarding France, Italy & Spain. Before you go, can you visit my social media channels –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? Thank you & see you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Flight Report: EMIRATES EK 335 – Manila to Dubai – Overnight Long-Haul Flight with the Middle Eastern Global Carrier [November 2022]

Late last year, my friends & I flew to Europe for a 3.5-week holiday. I shared in my 2022 Recap post that we went to France, Italy & Spain. Before I share the details of our visit to each city, allow me to share with you the first leg of my trip to Europe. I took Emirates on their long-haul service from Manila, Philippines (MNL) to Dubai, United Arab Emirates (DXB) on their flight EK 335. This long-haul flight will be the subject of today’s flight report. Join me as I run you through this overnight flight to the Middle East.

Emirates

Do you want to know the difference between a full-service & a low-cost airline? Check out my previous post detailing the differences of these 2 types of airlines.

Airfare

I shared in my No Travel 2020 recap that I booked a ticket to Europe with Emirates back in January 2020. My previous Emirates ticket had flights from Hong Kong to Munich, Germany via Dubai & back to Hong Kong from Budapest, Hungary via Dubai. Because of the pandemic & the closed borders back in 2020, Emirates gave us the option to keep our ticket & made it valid for 3 years. Also, they allowed us to change destinations as long as the new destination is within the same Emirates region for free. This ticket can be booked anytime as long as there are seats available & as long as the trip is finished before the ticket expiry – in my case, before 3 February 2023. This was probably the best possible airline ticket option in the whole world. Emirates’ competitors didn’t have this flexible ticket option.

Fast forward to 2022, my college friends & I planned to fly to Europe for 3.5 weeks. Borders have been opened & pandemic-related requirements have been removed; traveling to another country has become easier compared to how it was in 2020 & early 2021. After getting my visa from the Italian Embassy, I called the Emirates hotline & requested for my ticket to be issued. I changed the airport of origin from Hong Kong to Manila (both in the Far East) & the airport of destination from Munich to Paris (both in Europe). My return flights were changed from Budapest to Barcelona (both in Europe) & then back to Manila. The ticket got issued in less than 2 minutes after the Emirates agent confirmed my preferred flight schedules & details. The best thing was this new ticket didn’t cost me anything – no additional fees, change fees or airport taxes or whatever. It even included a 20-25 kilograms check-in baggage allowance from previously 15 kilograms.

You will not believe me when I tell you how much this ticket cost me back in 2020. Believe it or not, this ticket only cost me HK$4,039 or ₱27,072.73. Cheap-o, right? This ticket was definitely a steal. Thank you, Emirates, for this once-in-a-lifetime deal back in January 2020!

Travel Requirements

All pandemic-related entry / travel requirements to both France (my final destination) & United Arab Emirates (transit airport) have been removed. France removed these restrictions back in August 2022 while United Arab Emirates phased these out last November 2022.

Please take note that these entry protocols may change anytime. Best to always check with the airline you’re flying to days before your flight.

Before The Flight

Aircraft & Flight Information

This Manila to Dubai Emirates flight was operated by a 12-year-old (at the time of the flight) Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. The aircraft, delivered to Emirates back in 2010, has 2 cabin classes. The business class section has 42 angle lie-flat seats in a 2-3-2 configuration. The economy class section has 386 standard seats in a 3-4-3 configuration.

This EK 335 flight departed Ninoy Aquino International Airport a few minutes before 12 midnight & arrived Dubai International Airport at 4:17am local time. The flight only took 8 hours & 29 minutes in contrast to its 9 hours & 15 minutes flying schedule.

Ground & Airport Experience

All Emirates flights depart from & arrive at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.

CHECK-IN

Emirates check-in counters in Manila Airport open at least 4 hours before the scheduled flight. I arrived at the check-in area at 7:52 & noticed 8-10 queues. First class & business class passengers have 2 dedicated counters. Passengers traveling with kids, senior citizens & persons with disabilities have 1 dedicated check-in counter. Passengers who have already checked in online have 2 counters while the rest of the passengers have access to 3 check-in counters. Those traveling in groups have a dedicated group check-in counter.

I already checked in online so I proceeded to the mobile / web check-in queue. The ground staff allowed some passengers (including myself) to check-in using the first & business class check-in counters. The queue took some time, but the counter check-in process took less than 5 minutes. The whole process only took me 20 minutes.

Tip: Check-in online before the flight to have a faster check-in experience. I heard the regular check-in line took almost an hour to finish.

PRE-DEPARTURE EXPERIENCE AT MARHABA LOUNGE

My newly-acquired Security Bank Platinum Mastercard credit card (not sponsored) gives me unlimited complimentary access to the Marhaba Lounge in NAIA Terminals 1 & 3. After passing through immigration & security, I immediately went to the Marhaba Lounge in Terminal 3.

The lounge is separated into 2 sections – one section is reserved for Emirates passengers flying First Class & Business Class & the other section that’s open to everyone. The small lounge has plenty of seats. The food options were limited but tasty. They also have an extensive drink option – they also offer alcoholic beverages at no extra charge. The lounge also has a fast Wi-Fi connection.

I stayed in the lounge for 3 hours & noticed that it got busier past 10:00pm. Around 10:44pm, the lounge staff announced that boarding was about to commence for our Emirates flight to Dubai. Please note that they only make this announcement for Emirates-operated flights.

BOARDING

Upon hearing the announcement, I left the lounge & went to the crowded Gate 111. Boarding commenced at 10:54pm. First class, business class & Emirates Skywards status holders boarded the plane first. Economy class passengers boarded the plane by zone / row. Those seated at the back went in first, while those seated in the forward economy section (including myself) boarded the plane last.

The boarding process only took 30 minutes for such a big 400-seater full plane. The crew closed the cabin doors exactly at 11:25pm.

Inflight Hard & Soft Product

SEAT FEATURES

This Manila to Dubai Emirates flight was operated by a 2-class Boeing 777-300ER. It has 42 business class seats & 386 economy class seats. According to SeatGuru, each business class seat has a seat pitch of 60 inches & a seat width of 20.5 inches. On the other hand, every economy class seat has a seat pitch of 33 to 34 inches & a standard seat width of 17 inches.

Economy class seats feature a touch-screen personal entertainment screen with remote, a foldable table, a cup holder, a coat hook, a USB charging port, a seat pocket with Duty Free magazines & aircraft safety card, a shared universal power outlet (2 in a row of 3 seats), a pillow, a blanket, a pair of headphones & an adjustable headrest. Every economy class passenger also has access to spacious overhead cabins, individual reading lights & air vents.

Emirates provides everything a passenger needs for a long-haul flight like this.

INFLIGHT MEALS

Emirates offered 2 meals on this flight from Manila to Dubai. The light meal was served 30 minutes after take-off. This meal service only had 1 option – braised rice noodles with stir-fried chicken & vegetables. It came with chocolate mousse as dessert, a cup of water & a drink of choice. I went for whiskey & cola to help me sleep on this overnight flight.

3 hours before landing, the cabin crew started distributing the breakfast meal. They served the special meals first & then gave out meals to the rest of the economy class cabin. Passengers had 2 options for breakfast – scrambled eggs with chicken chipolatas, baked beans & creamy spinach & beef tapa with garlic fried rice & scrambled eggs. These options come with fresh fruit slices, yoghurt, bread roll, a fruit muffin, an energy bar, a cup of water & drink of choice. This time, I opted for the apple juice.

Both meals were tasty & filling. Personally, I enjoyed the breakfast service more than the light meal. The beef tapa was really good.

INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

Emirates is known for its excellent inflight entertainment system called ICE. The entertainment system offers thousands of options ranging from movies, television shows & series, documentaries, songs & even games which you can play together with your seat neighbor. It even has region-specific movies & television shows. ICE also offers live television coverage of news channels like BBC World News, CNN International, Sports 24 & Sky News Arabia.

ICE also offers access to 2 aircraft cameras installed in the front of & under this Boeing aircraft. It also shows the complete flight & aircraft details & even has 2 kinds of moving flight maps. The airline indeed offers the best entertainment system in the skies – a system every airline in the world should copy.

I encountered a minor issue with the personal entertainment screen at Seat 18H. I found the screen not that responsive, but I will give the airline a pass considering how old the aircraft is.

INFLIGHT CONNECTIVITY

Emirates offers paid inflight wi-fi connectivity on their flights. Rates range from $2.99 – $19.99 depending on the type of use the passengers need. The cheapest onboard internet plan costs $3.99 & is only limited to messaging applications such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, etc.

LAVATORY

The lavatory on the middle economy class section was kept clean throughout the flight. It has hand lotion & perfume available for use. I didn’t see any toothbrush or toothpaste kept in the drawers – it would be nice to have them for such a long-haul flight. I like the wooden interiors added by the airline in their lavatories.

Cabin Crew Service

The cabin crew service on this flight was alright; it’s not something you will remember. They made sure all passengers had an enjoyable flight. The crew assigned to our area was helpful & friendly. She helped passengers put bags in the overhead cabin, answered questions by the passengers & engaged in small chitchats during the meal service.

Disembarkation

Upon arrival at Dubai International Airport, our aircraft taxied to Gate F25 for disembarkation. Business class passengers deplaned first. Forward economy class passengers, including myself, came next & those seated at the rear section followed.

I went to the Connections area & immediately checked the gate for my next flight to Paris, France.

Final Thoughts

This Emirates EK 335 flight from Manila to Dubai was definitely one for the books. It was my first ever flight with Emirates & I can definitely say that their product is worth raving about. I won’t say it’s a perfect flight, but I say it’s still a good flight.

Let’s talk about the great things about this flight. First, the fare was the best part of the experience. Imagine flying to & from Europe for around ₱27,000 – it’s a no-brainer. Second, Emirates is known for serving good food onboard & they delivered. The meals had sizable potions. The beef tapa was the best! Third, their inflight entertainment system, ICE, is just excellent. It has thousands of options from movies, to television shows, music, games & even life news shows. There’s no way that passengers with get bored given the available options. The access to the plane cameras also made the system exciting for aviation geeks like myself.

Fourth, the lavatories were kept clean & tidy throughout the flight. I also liked the wooden finishes used in the lavatory interiors. These details added class to the lavatories. Lastly, the seats have everything a passenger needs for a long-haul flight like this.

The flight also had some misses. First, the personal entertainment screen is no longer that responsive. It worked well using the remote but not while using the touch screen option. The screen is already outdated. Second, the lavatory had incomplete amenities. It only had hand lotion & perfume. I wish it also had toothbrush & toothpaste for passengers to use. Lastly, both meal service on this flight felt rushed. After giving out meals, to all passengers, the crew started to collect meal trays from those they gave out first.

Overall, it was still an enjoyable & memorable first flight with Emirates. I hope they offer the same deal I got for this flight so I can fly with them again in the future. Thank you, Emirates, for such a wonderful flight!

Allow me to share with you the geeky details of this flight:

Airline: Emirates
Flight Date: 15 November 2022
Flight Number: EK 335
Route: Manila, Philippines (MNL) to Dubai, United Arab Emirates (DXB)
Duration: 8 hours & 29 minutes
Seat Number: 18H (aisle)
Aircraft: Boeing 777-300ER
Aircraft Registration: A6-ECY
Engines: 2 x GE GE90-115B
Age (at the time of the flight): 12 years old
Delivered: January 2010

This ends my flight report on Emirates’ EK 335 service from Manila to Dubai last 15 November 2022. Have you flown Emirates in the past? How was your experience? Will you fly Emirates soon & have questions? Feel free to share your experiences or post your questions in the comments section below. You may also send them via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thanks for joining me in today’s flight report. I hope I gave you some insights on how it is to fly with Emirates. Make sure to catch the next flight report on another Emirates flight, but this time to Paris, France! Before you go, can you visit my social media channels –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? Thank you & see you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Tuesday Tips for Filipinos / Philippine Passport Holders: Do-It-Yourself SCHENGEN TOURIST VISA Application with VIA ITALY [now VFS]

Hey, long time no Tuesday tips! Yes, it’s back! I shared in my 2022 wrap-up that my friends & I flew to Europe for 3.5 weeks & explored Paris in France, Rome, Florence & Milan in Italy & Barcelona in Spain. We stayed longer in Italy so we applied for our visas from the Italian Embassy here in the Philippines. Today’s Tuesday Tips post will discuss how to apply for a Schengen Tourist Visa by yourself with VIA Center Italy. [2024 UPDATE – The Italian Embassy in the Philippines has changed their visa processing provider to VFS Philippines. More details below.]

In case you missed it, I’ve been to Europe in 2019 for an 18-day DIY trip & spent less than ₱120,00 all in. Crazy, right? I got my 1^st ever Schengen Tourist Visa from the Dutch Embassy through VFS & I did the whole application & submission process by myself. Check out this Tuesday Tips post to know more about the previous tourist visa application.

As someone who wants to avoid ridiculous travel agency handling fees, I always try to apply for tourist visas by myself. Applying for a tourist visa can be both exciting & daunting. I take these visa application procedures as a challenge to my backpacker self & I find it rewarding when I get a favorable application result. This Schengen visa application wasn’t any different. I prepared the required documents, itinerary, accommodation bookings, etc. for weeks; I’m glad I got my visa granted.

A quick reminder – you must apply for a Schengen tourist visa to the embassy of the country you’re first entering to if the number of days of stay in all countries to visit are the same (example – 4 days in Netherlands, 4 days in Belgium, 4 days in France & 4 days in Italy) or to the embassy of the country where you’re staying the longest (example – this trip where we stayed in Italy for 13 days, 5 days in France & 5 days in Spain) during the trip. Now you might be wondering how I did it; here’s how.

[2024 UPDATE – The Italian Embassy in Manila has changed their visa processing provider to VFS as of late last year. In fact, in December 2023, the embassy opened their visa processing center at Ground Floor, One Campus Place, Building A, McKinley Town Center, McKinly Hill, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, Metro Manila. The embassy also opened visa application centers in Cebu (Unit 1001C & 1004B, 10th Floor, Kepwealth Center, Samar Loop, cor Cardinal Rosales Ave, Cebu City, 6000 Cebu), Batangas (Unit F01, Block J, Ground Floor, The Outlets at Lipa, LIMA Technology Center, Barangay Bugtong na Pulo, JP Laurel Highway, Lipa City, Batangas 4217), and Davao (FES 07, Second Floor, Alfresco Area, Felcris Centrale, Brgy., 40-D Quimpo Blvd, Davao City, 8000).]

Step 1 – Set an Appointment

[2024 UPDATE – Appointments are now made online via the VFS portal. First, you need to create an account at the VFS Portal. After that, please choose your preferred appointment schedule and time. If I remember it right and am not sure if it has changed, VFS opens visa appointment slots at least a month before.]

The Embassy of Italy in the Philippines has authorized VIA Center to act as the middleman in all visa-related services for the country. All Schengen visa applications & document requirements are submitted to & released by VIA Center for the embassy. Unlike VFS, the VIA Center in Makati City & Cebu City only accept visa appointment schedules via phone call. Here are the contact numbers of the said offices:

VIA Center Makati –Landline: +632 8572 0235 / +632 8572 0238 | Globe: +63 917 576 3103 | Smart: +63 999 889 6021

VIA Center Cebu – Landline: +6332 412 7447 | Globe: +63 945 394 1606

The hotlines are open on regular working days from 8:00am to 4:30pm. These hotlines are busy throughout the day. Please do not give up on your first try. Also, please get ready with the following details which will be asked by the agent when setting the appointment: Full Name of the Applicant, Passport Number, Contact Number & E-mail Address.

After setting the appointment, the customer service agent you spoke to will send a confirmation e-mail including the appointment details, appointment reference number, application form, list of necessary documents to submit & all other details needed for the application.

TIP: Schengen tourist visa applications are accepted as early as 6 months before the intended trip dates. To be safe, I suggest that you schedule your visa application with VIA Center at least 2-3 months before your planned departure date.

Step 2 – Book Necessary Accommodations & Travel Insurance

Schengen visa applications need confirmed accommodation bookings. They ask for the details of your accommodation (name of hotel or hostel, address & contact details) during your stay in Europe. Make sure to book accommodation right before you start with the application form.

TIP: Book your accommodation with Agoda & Booking.com & choose those with free cancellation options. You can always cancel these bookings after & choose your accommodation of choice once you get your visa. I booked all my accommodation with these 2 websites & I didn’t have any trouble during the application process.

Tourist visa applications also require travel insurance coverage for all people travelling to Europe. Applicants must secure travel insurance that will cover the trip (+15 days of allowance beyond travel period specific to Italy Visa applications only), that can cover up to €30,000 in expenses valid within the Schengen zone & that allows cashless settlement of claims. The center includes the list of accredited insurance companies in the visa appointment e-mail confirmation.

I got my travel insurance for this trip from Mapfre Insurance Philippines. I got their Schengen Completo Plan that covers claims up to €35,000. I paid ₱1,969.43 for the whole trip coverage & including the additional 15-day allowance required by the Italian Embassy.

ANOTHER TIP: You can easily purchase this travel insurance from Mapfre Insurance’ official website. Let me know if you want to avail this through an agent. I can share with you the name of the agent I dealt with; I initially got errors when I tried to purchase it online.

Step 3 – Prepare the Required Documents

After booking your trip accommodation & buying your travel insurance, the next step is to complete the list of requirements needed for the application. Here is the list of the documents I submitted. Please take note that these documents need to be in A4 or long size paper & need to be photocopied.

Accomplished Application Form – I will discuss this in the next step.

Photo – The colored photo can either be 2×2 inch or passport-sized. Also, the photo must be taken within the last 6 months & must have a white background.

Current Passport – Your passport must be valid for more than 6 months at the time of travel. It must also have at least 2 blank pages.

Old & Expired Passports – They ask for the old & expired passports of the applicant.

Photocopy of Passport Bio Page – One copy is enough.

Photocopy of All Passport Stamps & Visas – I submitted a copy of all my passport stamps & visas from both my current & previous passports. Please also include the bio & last pages of previous passports.

Bank Certificate & Statement – I submitted both my bank certificate & bank statement for the last six months. These bank documents must be original.

Credit Card Statements – I submitted only a month statement of all my credit cards. This is just a supplementary document.

Proof of Social Security Contributions – I copied & printed the recorded contributions from my online SSS account.

Certificate of Employment & Certificate of No Objection – I submitted my certificate of employment detailing my position, length of employment & my salary. Our company HR officer also gave me a certificate of no objection where it stated that my employer knows this trip & they are not objecting against the trip. It also stated when I am on leave from work & when they expect me to report back to work.

Income Tax Return – I submitted a copy of my 2021 BIR-stamped income tax return.

Proof of Airline Reservation – The Embassy requires proof of airline reservation for the application. Unlike my 2019 Schengen Visa application, I only provided a proof of reservation & booked my ticket with Emirates after I got my tourist visa. I got my proof of airline reservation from GVCA Travel & Tours. Feel free to message them to ask for their services.

Proof of Accommodation – I submitted all the accommodation bookings I had for the trip. Make sure that all details (including the dates) are consistent with that from the application form.

Cover Letter – A cover letter is not required but is highly encouraged. I still submitted a cover letter detailing the purpose of my trip as well as how long I will in the Schengen territory.

Detailed Day-To-Day Itinerary – I submitted a dummy day-to-day itinerary for my trip. It should include where you’ll stay on the specific date & the contact details of these accommodations. Make sure that the details are the same & consistent with that from the application form.

NSO Birth Certificate – The Embassy requires each applicant to submit a PSA-certified birth certificate.

Travel Insurance – I submitted a copy of the travel insurance I got from Mapfre Insurance Philippines.

NOTE: Certain types of applicants such as minors, those invited by relatives, business owners, self-employed individuals & foreigners may have additional requirements. Feel free to reach out to VIA Center to know more about these additional requirements.

TIP: Arrange these documents according to the order mentioned in the confirmation e-mail. The person who will check your documents may or may not get the photocopies. In my case, they got the old & current passports, the original copies of the following: application form, current passport bio page, bank certificates & the certificate of employment, plus the photocopies of the other documents. On the other hand, my friend told me that the visa center agent got all the original copies of the documents & gave back all the photocopies.

ANOTHER TIP: You can submit as many financial documents as you can so show your strong ties here in the Philippines. In my case, I submitted statements of all my 4 credit cards, copies of my 2 life insurance policies & 2 certificates of my current stock investment accounts. The agents won’t prohibit you from submitting all these documents.

ANOTHER TIP v2: Make sure your transfers between countries are either booked or indicated in the daily itineraries. I submitted my flight tickets from Paris to Rome & Milan to Barcelona. I also indicated in the itinerary that I will take the bus between cities

Step 4 – Accomplish the Application Form

Fill out the application electronically & print it on an A4-sized paper. You can also print the application form & fill it out manually. The second option is prone to errors, so best to go with the first one. Make sure that all details in your requirements & itinerary are consistent with the one in the application form.

TIP: Fill out each question or option slowly & surely to avoid errors.

Step 5 – Go to VIA Center on Your Scheduled Appointment

[2024 UPDATE – The Italian Embassy in Manila has opened four visa application centers in the country. Here are the updated locations:

VFS Visa Application Center – Taguig
Ground Floor, One Campus Place, Building A
McKinley Town Center, McKinley Hill
Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City
Metro Manila 1634

VFS VFS Visa Application Center – Cebu
Unit 1001C & 1004B, 10th Floor, Kepwealth Center
Samar Loop, corner Cardinal Rosales Ave
Cebu City, Cebu 6000

VFS Visa Application Center – Batangas
Unit F01, Block J, Ground Floor, The Outlets at Lipa
LIMA Technology Center, Barangay Bugtong na Pulo
JP Laurel Highway, Lipa City, Batangas 4217

VFS Visa Application Center – Davao
FES 07, Second Floor, Alfresco Area
Felcris Centrale, Barangay 40-D, Quimpo Blvd
Davao City 8000

Please make sure to choose the visa center near you.]

Head to the VIA Center on your scheduled appointment date. The VIA Center Makati City & Cebu City addresses are as follows:

VIA Center Makati
3rd Floor Allegro Center, 2284 Chino Roces Ave
Brgy Magallanes, Makati City, Metro Manila
Philippines 2284

VIA Center Cebu
1004, Keppel Bldg, Cardinal Rosales Ave
Cor Samar Loop, Cebu City
Cebu, Philippines 6000

I arrived at VIA Center Makati a few minutes past 9:00am & the guard had already allowed me to go inside. All applicants fall in line outside the visa center. The guards only allow 2 people at a time. Upon entering the VIA Center premises, someone checked my appointment schedule & documents. After checking, I was given a queue number & was asked to go inside the document submission room.

TIP: You may arrive at the visa center even before your scheduled appointment. The guard may allow you to queue early if there are not a lot of applicants.

Step 6 – Submit Your Documents & Biometrics

Head to the designated counter or desk once your number is called. The agent will check your application form, documents & all other details. Once done, he/she will ask you to seat down & wait for your turn in the biometrics section.

TIP: The agent might ask questions relating to your application or your trip. He/she will also confirm your departure date & confirm the mode of claiming the passport – whether by pick-up or courier delivery. Please answer them truthfully.

ANOTHER TIP: Bring a pen with you because he/she might ask you to sign or write something.

ANOTHER TIP v2: Make sure your documents are organized in the order that the confirmation e-mail indicates. This helps the agent check your documents faster. In my case, the agent assigned to me was happy & impressed with my documents. She gladly accepted all the papers & made sure everything went smoothly.

Proceed to the biometrics section once your name is called. The agent will ask for all of your fingerprints. He/she will give you a slip which you will then use when paying for the visa fee.

Step 7 – Pay the Visa Fee

[2024 UPDATE – The Embassy has changed providers to VFS Philippines. Here are the updated fees as of 23 January 2024: visa fee costs ₱4,821 (€80) & VFS handling fee costs ₱1,688.]

After your turn in the biometrics section, you may now proceed to counter 17 to pay for the visa fees. At the time of the application, the visa fees cost ₱5,844. The visa application fee costs ₱4,494 (€80) while the visa handling fee costs ₱1,350 per applicant. The fees already include the courier service fee for those who opted to get their passport results via courier. Once done, you may now leave VIA Center.

TIP: VIA Center only accepts payments in cash. Pay in exact amount for faster transaction.

ANOTHER TIP: Visa application fees change every quarter. Please refer to your appointment confirmation e-mail for the updated visa fees.

Step 8 – Claim Your Passport / Wait for Passport Delivery

[2024 UPDATE – Notifications are now sent by VFS via email. You may also receive a text message if your passport is now ready to be claimed. Applications can now check the status of their application here by putting their reference number and last name.]

The waiting game begins. The Embassy of Italy here in the Philippines’ standard visa processing time is 15-30 days. Those who opted to claim their passports will get a text message from VIA Center once your passports are ready for pick-up. Those who availed the courier service will get a notification from the courier once the passports are out for delivery.

The visa assessment timeframe per applicant varies. I got a text message from VIA Center 16 days after I submitted my application. My friends took nearly a month before they got their passports back. I asked my sister to pick-up my passport (complete with the necessary authorization letter & IDs) & voila, I was told that I was granted a multiple entry visa valid for 25 days.

Do you have any questions about the visa requirements or the process with VIA Center? Feel free to contact them in the details below:

VIA Center Makati –Landline: +632 8572 0235 / +632 8572 0238 | Globe: +63 917 576 3103 | Smart: +63 999 889 6021

VIA Center Cebu – Landline: +6332 412 7447 | Globe: +63 945 394 1606

E-mail Address for both offices: ita_inquiry@via.ph

[2024 UPDATE – The Embassy of Italy has changed their visa processing provider to VFS as of last December 2023. Here are the updated contact numbers of the new visa processing center.

Contact Number: +632 8528 2520

Email Address: info.italyph@vfsglobal.com

These hotlines are open Mondays to Fridays from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.]

I got super happy & excited when I found out that I was given another Schengen visa. I got a favorable result & everything paid off in the end. I don’t mind doing it again in the future.

Have you applied for a Schengen visa on your own? Which embassy / application center did you go to? How was the application process? Are you applying for a visa soon? Do you have any questions about the application process or requirements? Feel free to post them in the comments section below. I will try to answer them as soon as I can. If you’re shy, feel free to send your questions & clarifications via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thanks for reading today’s Tuesday Tips post. Watch out for my Europe 2022 blog posts coming soon! Before you go, can you visit my social media channels –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? Thank you & see you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Tuesday Tips: 10 Things To Know Before Traveling To Europe

Flying to Europe has long been a dream for me. After 7 years, this dream came true. Last October to November 2019 when I flew to & went around Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic & Denmark for 19 days spending less than ₱120,000 all in. Not bad, right?

People close to me know that I enjoy staying longer in places but at the same time, I don’t plan my itineraries. I do very little research about the places I visit & I always go for spontaneous plans. I enjoy how each destination surprise me with their good & bad sides. The 2019 solo trip to Europe I mentioned above was not an exception. I flew to Europe alone with no plans at all; I only had hostel & flight bookings. I didn’t even know how to go to Amsterdam Centraal from Schipol Airport or how to go to my hostel from the airport. I had the same level of spontaneity throughout the trip & I’m glad I survived!

In case you missed it, I shared 11 Europe thrift hacks that worked for me during the trip. Check out the list & know ways on how to save some cash & unexpected expenses during the trip.

Having close to no research about travelling around Europe, some things surprised me when I was there. I want to share these 10 things you should know so you’ll be ready for your own Euro trip.

Sparking Water is a thing!

Yes, it’s not just water in Europe. It’s either sparkling water or still water & they love the first one more. I am not a fan of sparkling water but guess what? I kept getting it. I went to an Albert Heijn supermarket in Amsterdam on my first day & accidentally brought 2 big bottles of sparkling water. It took me days to finish these 2 bottles. I can’t just throw the water away because it was damn expensive. It took me 9 days to finally check every single bottled water I buy – to make sure it’s still water.

Beer is cheaper than water in Czech Republic!

Yes, you read that right! Beer in Czech Republic is cheaper than still or sparkling water in terms of cost per liter. It’s not a secret that Czechs love beer. In fact, they consume more beers per capita than any other country in the world! They’ve been record holders in this category for years! All the 0.5L of beers I bought in Czech Republic range from 28 Kč to 37 Kč while a 0.3L bottle of water costs 30 Kč to 35 Kč. Well, I always went for the beer when I was there. 😂

Bring Small Euro Bills

Many shops & establishments in the Netherlands & Belgium don’t accept Euro bills higher than €50; some even accept only up to €20. First, it’s hard to give change for high-value notes like €100 & €200. Second, these high-value Euro notes were associated to crimes in the past. Third, it’s also risky to bring these big notes while walking around on a daily basis. I had trouble using my €100 notes in supermarkets & restaurants in Amsterdam & Brussels. They won’t accept it. To be sure, just bring Euro notes up to €20 when flying to Euro-accepting countries.

Money Changers Charge High Convenience Fees

Money changers in Europe, particularly Euro-accepting countries, charge high convenience fees. I tried to change my €100 note in Amsterdam & only got about €94 back. I read somewhere that they charge around 5.5% for every transaction. It’s a complete opposite here in the Philippines where money changes don’t charge any other transaction fees. Don’t worry, most money changers in Czech Republic don’t charge these fees. It pays to always ask the money changer for their fee before transacting with them. It’s also best to research online for the money changer that gives the best exchange rate in the city where you are visiting.

Bring Credit & Debit Cards

Don’t forget to bring a credit card & a debit card when going for a Euro trip. While most places still accept cash, there are some that prefer card payments. Most establishments in Copenhagen, including hotdog stands & street food carts, prefer payments using credit & debit cards. Copenhagen metro stations don’t have ticket booths; they have ticket vending machines that only accept cards for payment. The ticket vending machine in Brussel-Central doesn’t accept cash & credit cards, only debit cards. Most restaurants, supermarkets & convenience stores all accept credit cards as payment.

Alternatively, you can pre-book your train tickets online directly through the train company’s website or through Trainline, Europe’s biggest train and coach travel company.

Avoid EuroNet ATMs

EuroNet ATMs are found everywhere in Europe & in the world. Please avoid using these ‘worldwide ATMs’ no matter how conveniently located they are. This ATM charges high usage fees & conversion rates. It’s always best to go for the local banks when getting cash. Don’t forget to call your bank to inform them of your trip, also to avoid denied transactions abroad.

It’s always useful to have at least one credit card & one debit card when going around Europe – just don’t use these cards on unnecessary purchases.

Always Pay in Local Currency

You always get the best value of your purchase or meal if you pay using the local currency. Shops, banks & establishments usually have a higher on-the-spot exchange rate if you’re paying on your own currency. Always opt for the local currency when the staff asks you which to charge to your card.

Toilet Use Comes With A Fee

Say goodbye to free use of toilets when you’re in Europe. Restaurants, cafes & even fast food outlets like McDonalds charge people for using their toilets. Toilet use costs 50-cents – around ₱30 in Philippine peso equivalent to a sundae from McDonalds Philippines. Expensive, right? Some cafes & restaurants have their toilet door codes in the bottom parts of the receipt. People have no choice but to buy something from the establishment. You want to get rid of these toilet fees? Join SANDEMANs New Europe walking tours. Each walking tour has a 15 to 20 minutes break in a cafe or restaurant. The use of toilets during these breaks are free-of-charge.

Cross Borders Like Domestic Destinations

Crossing borders from one Schengen state to the other is like going / flying to a domestic destination. Inter-Schengen flights only ask for your identification cards or passports during check-in. Bus drivers only ask for your bus tickets & not your passports. People don’t need to clear immigration when going from one Schengen state to the other. I only went through immigration upon arrival in Amsterdam Schipol Airport in Netherlands & before flying to Singapore from Copenhagen Airport. There are literally no border controls within the Schengen zone.

Plan But Don’t Aim To See Everything

Europe is a big continent – it has many countries with big cities & small towns. It is impossible to go & see everything a city or country has to offer in a 4-day visit. I already spent 4-5 days each in Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic & Denmark & mind you, I haven’t seen everything. Yes, I took day trips outside the main cities but I heard there are a more beautiful unknown places that can be visited.

My tip for you is to plan out the places you want to see in every city you’re planning to visit but don’t aim to see everything. It’s also better to stay longer in a country or city than staying just for a day or two (like how travel agencies plan out itineraries) not to rush things but to enjoy & see more of every place.

Every city or country is different & it’s cool. As tourists / travelers, it’s always good to know something about the places / countries you’re visiting. It helps in conditioning your mind & wallet on what to expect. To be honest, I was shocked by the money changer convenience fees & pay-per-use scheme of toilets but at the same time I was happy with the cheap Czech beer.

I hope the list above helps you in your planned trip to Europe in the future. Do you have any questions or clarifications on anything mentioned above? Please don’t hesitate to post them in the comments section below. You may also send these questions via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com. I’ll get to them as soon as I can.

Thanks for joining me in today’s set of Tuesday tips! Don’t forget to check out the individual posts about Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic & Denmark under the Going Solo in Europe category. This post officially marks the end of the 2019 Europe trip content in this website. I had fun sharing them to all of you; I hope the posts help you in one way or another. Until the next Tuesday Tips post!

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.