Vatican – The Wknd Travel

A Dream Come True Part 2: 24 DAYS Around FRANCE, ITALY & SPAIN For Less Than ₱170,000 ALL IN – Airfare, Accommodation, Food, Museum Tickets & Transportation Included

I flew to Europe alone in 2019 and explored 4 countries – The Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic and Denmark – for 19 days and spent a little over ₱117,000 for everything. The total expense included return flights via Singapore Airlines, hostel accommodations, visa application fees, travel insurance and daily expenses. Cheap-o, right? I honestly cannot believe I did it that time. I hope you can check out all the details of this life-changing EU solo trip here – Going Solo in Europe category.

Fast forward to 2022 when prices of everything went up, I did not think I will be able to do it again. In early to mid-2022, my friends and I talked about flying to Europe for a few weeks towards the end of the year. After months and weeks of planning and visa applications, we finally flew to Europe in November 2022 for holiday. I, with some friends, went around France, Italy and Spain for 24 days.

Guess what? I spent a little over ₱167,000 ALL IN for this 3.5-week trip! Curious how I made it happen? Let me share the breakdown of travel expenses below.

Air Tickets

Back in 2020, I booked a ticket with Emirates from Hong Kong to Munich and back from Budapest to Hong Kong for only HK$4,039 or ₱27,072.73 for October 2020. The pandemic happened; I was not able to use that ticket.

Luckily, Emirates offered the most flexible option for tickets booked that year. They offered to keep the ticket and extended its validity for 3 years. They allowed passengers to book their tickets when they are ready to fly. On top of that, they also allowed the passengers to change the airports of origin and destination as long as the airports are within the same Emirates region. Emirates also waived all fare difference, rebooking and change fees.

After securing my tourist visa last October 2022, I called Emirates and advised them my preferred dates and flight schedules. I got my new ticket in less than a minute after I ended the call. I wrote about my Emirates flight experiences last year under the Flight Reports category – EK 335 Manila to Dubai, EK 073 Dubai to Paris CDG, EK 256 Barcelona to Dubai and EK 332 Dubai to Manila. I hope you can check them out.

My friends and I also booked our inter-country tickets before flying to Europe. We flew with Air France from Paris, France to Rome Italy and paid ₱6,854.74 for a one-way ticket. After Milan, my friends all flew back to Manila while I continued my journey to Barcelona. I flew with Vueling from Milan, Italy to Barcelona, Spain. I got my ticket 2 months before the trip and paid ₱3,442.29 for this one-way ticket.

On top of these flights, I also paid the Philippine Travel Tax of ₱1,620 before leaving Manila. This travel tax is required for all Filipinos going out of the country for holiday or vacation.

Accommodation

I mentioned in my 2019 Euro trip summary that accommodations in the continent are expensive. After the pandemic, I noticed that accommodation rates got more expensive in general. I still cannot afford staying in these hotels and private rooms so I opted in staying with hostels again! I am happy I found a travel buddy / friend who is also keen on staying in hostels to save some cash. Just like before, I stayed in popular and high-rated hostels found in central and well-recommended locations.

I stayed with Le Village Montmartre by Hiphophostels for 4 nights in Paris (€147 paid during check-in), The Romehello for 5 nights in Rome (€89,26 paid through Agoda days before check-in), YellowSquare Florence for 4 nights in Florence (€95,60 paid during check-in), YellowSquare Milan for 4 nights in Milan (€109,24 paid during check-in) and YEAH Hostel Barcelona for 4 nights in Barcelona (₱5,589.42 paid through Agoda in Philippine Peso).

Travel Insurance

Schengen tourist visa applications require a travel insurance with up to €30,000 medical coverage for the duration of the trip, some even up to 15 to 30 days after the trip.

I got my travel insurance from Oona Insurance (previously known as Mapfre Insurance) and paid ₱1,969.43 (€34.95) for a 35-day coverage.

Schengen Tourist Visa

I applied for my own tourist visa with the Italian Embassy in the Philippines’ Visa Center – VIA Italy. I paid ₱4,494 (€80) for the visa fee and ₱1,350 for the visa handling fee including the courier fee / service. I opted for the passport pick-up to make sure I get the visa in time for my trip. I previously shared in this website how I got my Schengen tourist visa from VIA Italy without the help of any tour agency. Check out that Tuesday Tip post here.

Internet Sim Card

Travelling around Europe is a lot easier when you are connected to the internet throughout the trip. I did not want to get lost during the trip so I ordered a 3UK internet sim card from Travel Sim PH Shopee Store (not sponsored). I got the sim card that has 12GB data allocation valid for 1 month after activation. I paid ₱1,521 for this sim card including shipping fee and had it delivered at home weeks before the trip.

Pre-Booked Tickets & Tours

Weeks before our trip, my friend and I booked several tickets that we will use for the trip. We booked our bus tickets from Rome to Florence, Florence to Milan and the return bus tickets to Serravalle Designer Outlet. We also booked entry tickets to museums like the Vatican Museums in Vatican, Galleria dell’Accademia in Florence and the Last Supper in Milan. We also booked day trips to the Colosseum in Rome, Tuscany countryside in Florence and Lake Como in Milan.

All these tickets were booked using our credit cards and cost us ₱20,206.70 each.

Daily Expenses

I tried to set a daily budget for the trip but I noticed I have been spending more than the allotted amount. I decided to just let things go with the flow. Most of the day-to-day expenses came from food and transportation. I brought some euros to Europe and used my credit card for other purchases.

POCKET MONEY

Before leaving for Europe, I managed to change some cash to Euros to serve as my pocket. I changed ₱29,980 worth of Philippine pesos to €500. Towards the end of my stay in Italy, I also withdrew some cash from the ATM. The withdrawal cost me ₱9,435.93 including the international withdrawal charges.

I used the cash for day-to-day expenses like transportation and food. I also used the money to get my Navigo card and Paris Museum Pass in Paris.

TRAVEL EXPENSES CHARGED TO CREDIT CARD

Credit cards are widely accepted in Europe. In fact, it is the preferred mode of payment of some establishments. I used my credit cards a lot of times during the trip – mostly for food and transportation.

FOOD

I tapped my card in a lot of restaurants, fast food chains, hostel buffets and supermarkets during the trip. For instance, I used my card in paying for all the hostel breakfast buffets I availed at The RomeHello and YEAH Hostel Barcelona. I also used it in various restaurants in Florence, Milan and Barcelona. I even used my credit card in getting food from different fast-food chains and supermarkets.

In total, I charged ₱20,424.28 to my BPI Credit Card (not sponsored) only for food.

TRANSPORTATION

I also used my credit card in paying for transportation costs like airport trains, subways, buses and ride-hailing applications such as Uber, Bolt and FreeNow. In total, I charged ₱6,865.51 to my BPI Credit Card (not sponsored) for all transportation-related expenses.

Summary of Expenses

Here is the summary of all the expenses mentioned above.

The total amount spent for this 24-day trip around France, Italy and Spain is ₱167,752.45. This total cost includes flight tickets, accommodation bookings, visa application fees, travel insurance, entry tickets, food and transportation costs.

Please do not get me wrong, ₱167,752.45 is a big amount of money. At the same time, it was everything I spent for a 24-day trip to Europe from the Philippines. It may be a little over 40% higher than my 2019 Euro trip but it is still cheap given all the places I have been to in this trip.

Blog List

Here is the list of blog posts that are related to this 2022 trip to Europe.

FLIGHT REPORTS ✈️

Flight Report: EMIRATES EK 335 – Manila to Dubai – Overnight Long-Haul Flight with the Middle Eastern Global Carrier [November 2022]
Flight Report: EMIRATES EK 073 – Dubai to Paris CDG – Excellent Airbus A380 Superjumbo Flight to the Famous French Capital [November 2022]
Flight Report: AIR FRANCE AF 1304 – Paris CDG to Rome – Short Inter-European Hop to Italy’s Capital City [November 2022]
Flight Report: VUELING VY 6333 – Milan Malpensa to Barcelona – Superb Flying Experience with a Spanish Low-Cost Airline [December 2022]
Flight Report: EMIRATES EK 256 – Barcelona to Dubai – Impressive Intercontinental Flight on a Rare Long-Range Aircraft [December 2022]
Flight Report: EMIRATES EK 332 – Dubai to Manila – Underwhelming Inflight Meals on a Busy & Full Flight Back to Manila [December 2022]

HOSTEL FEATURES 🏨

Hostel of the Day: LE VILLAGE MONTMARTRE BY HIPHOPHOSTELS – Authentic & Affordable Parisian Property in the Artist District
Hostel of the Day: THE ROMEHELLO – Affordable, Hospitable & High-Rated Accommodation That Felt Like Home
Hostel of the Day: YELLOWSQUARE FLORENCE – Lively & Social Hostel Outside (But Near) Florence City Center
Hostel of the Day: YELLOWSQUARE MILAN – Hidden Hostel Gem in Milan’s Porta Romana District
Hostel of the Day: YEAH HOSTEL BARCELONA – 4 Fun & Solid Nights in One of the World’s Best Hostels

VISA APPLICATION ✍️

Tuesday Tips for Philippine Passport Holders: Do-It-Yourself SCHENGEN TOURIST VISA Application with VIA ITALY

PARIS 🇫🇷

N9 Friends in Europe: PARIS – 5 Days Around the Postcard-Perfect French Capital [Days 1 & 2]
N9 Friends in Europe: PARIS – 5 Days Around the Postcard-Perfect French Capital [Days 3, 4 & 5]
N9 Friends in Europe: CHÂTEAU DE VERSAILLES Day Trip Photoblog
PARIS MUSEUM PASS Review – Is It Worth It?

ROME 🇮🇹

N9 Friends in Europe: ROME – 6 Days Around the Italian Eternal City – Arrival, Colosseum Tour & Trastevere Food Tour [Part 1 of 3]
N9 Friends in Europe: ROME – 6 Days Around the Italian Eternal City – Vatican City, Necropolis Tour & Papal Audience [Part 2 of 3]
N9 Friends in Europe: ROME – 6 Days Around the Italian Eternal City – Rome at Night, City Walking Tour & Departure [Part 3 of 3]

FLORENCE 🇮🇹

N9 in Europe: FLORENCE – The Cradle of Renaissance | 4 Wonderful Days Around the Historic Italian City
N9 in Europe: TUSCANY EXPERIENCE CLASSIC TOUR Photoblog – A Day Trip to Pisa, San Gimignano & Siena
P’s List: 7 Food Places to Check Out in Florence

MILAN 🇮🇹

N9 in Europe: MILAN – 4 Beautiful Days Around the Italian Business, Shopping & Fashion Capital
N9 in Europe: LUGANO & LAKE COMO DAY TRIP FROM MILAN Photoblog – Exploring 3 Places in 2 Countries in 1 Day

BARCELONA 🇪🇸

N9 in Europe: BARCELONA – 4 Lazy Days Around the Bustling Spanish City

Do you have any questions about anything mentioned above? Is there anything you want to ask how I planned the trip in general? Or maybe how I made it happen? Feel free to post your questions in the comments section below. You can also send it via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thank you for joining me in summarizing my 2022 trip to Europe. I may be months behind in posting everything about this trip but I hope it is never too late to share these details. I would like to thank my N9 friends for joining me in this life-changing and memorable trip to Europe. I cannot wait to go back to the continent in the future!

Feel free to follow me on my social media channels for more information on cheap fares, thrift hacks & fun itineraries – Facebook & Instagram. I will end this post with this statement. I DID IT AGAIN – 24 DAYS AROUND FRANCE, ITALY & SPAIN FOR LESS THAN ₱170,000 ALL IN AND I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT TOO!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

N9 Friends in Europe: ROME – 6 Days Around the Italian Eternal City – Vatican City, Necropolis Tour & Papal Audience [Part 2 of 3]

A visit to Rome is not complete without a visit to Vatican City. Out of our 6 days in Rome, my friend and I decided to spend at least 1.5 days in Vatican. Let me share with you what we did during our time in Vatican – Days 3 Part 2 and Day 4 in Rome.

In case you missed it, I already shared our Rome Days 1 to 3 Part 1 in a previous blog post. You can check it out here.

Vatican City

Vatican City is a small and independent city-state that is located inside the beautiful city of Rome. It is the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church; it is where the Pope, the Bishop of Rome, resides. The city-state is known for famous places such as the Saint Peter’s Square, Saint Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museums.

To & From Vatican City

Vatican City is accessible to public transportation. People can take the bus and get off in the stops near the border gates. They can also take the Metro Line A, get off at Ottaviano Station and walk for about 1 kilometer to Saint Peter’s Square. The most convenient option to and from Vatican City is to take an Uber or FreeNow from your hotel or hostel.

Necropolis Tour & Saint Peter’s Basilica

My friend and I had one of the most unique experiences in Vatican during the Necropolis Tour. The tour took us down to the Tomb of Saint Peter under the Vatican Basilica. It also took us to the beautiful Clementine Chapel – a chapel dedicated to sepulcher of Saint Peter. The Excavations Office gave us the Tuesday 3:30pm tour schedule – perfect timing after our Trastevere Food Tour.

The necropolis tour is only available by request to the Fabric of Saint Peter (Italian: Fabbrica di San Pietro) – the institution in-charge of the conservation and maintenance of the Saint Peter’s Basilica. Visits to the necropolis and the necropolis tour schedule are set by the Excavations Office (Italian: Ufficio Scavi).

The Necropolis Tour costs €13 per person and takes around 1.5 to 2 hours. Tours are only limited to small groups – up to 12 per schedule and up to 250 people per day as per the website. Also, photos and videos are not allowed during the whole tour.

The tour ends inside the Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican (Italian: Basilica Papale di San Pietro in Vaticano). Saint Peter’s Basilica is a Renaissance-style church built in the middle of Vatican City. The church is said to be one of the holiest shrines around the world and is built right above the Tomb of Saint Peter – the Catholic Church’ first pope.

Necropolis tour requests can be sent via e-mail to uff.scavi@fabricsp.va or scavi@fsp.va. Please check the Excavations Office website for the required details for these tour requests.

Papal Audience

The Papal Audience is held on Wednesdays when the Pope is in Rome. Pilgrims and visitors from all over the world get the chance to see and receive blessings from the Pope himself. The audience starts at 9:00am and takes about 1.5 to 2 hours.

Papal audience tickets are free of charge and can be requested from the Prefecture of the Papal Household as early as possible. These tickets, when granted, must be redeemed at the Bronze Door of the Apostolic Palace from 3:00pm to 7:00pm the day before the Papal audience schedule or from 7:00am during the day of the event.

My friends and I joined a scheduled Papal audience during our visit to Rome. We saw Pope Francis up-close & got blessed by His Holiness during the Papal audience.

About 1.5 months before our visit, I sent an e-mail to the Prefecture of the Papal Household and requested for tickets. I received the ticket confirmation 2 weeks after I sent the e-mail and claimed these tickets before our Necropolis Tour.

Papal Audience tickets can be requested via e-mail to ordinanze@pontificalisdomus.va. Please do not forget to mention where you are from, how many people are in the party, when is your preferred schedule and how you can be contacted.

Saint Peter’s Square

Saint Peter’s Square (Italian: Piazza San Pietro) is a large plaza found in front of Saint Peter’s Basilica. It is the place where several events, like the Papal Audience, are held. The square has the Obelisk of the Saint Peter’s Square found in the center. It is also surrounded by hundreds of columns and pilasters. Above these columns are statues of saints and popes created back in the 1600s.

Vatican Museums

The Vatican Museums (Italian: Musei Vaticani) are museums that house collections of the Catholic Church and the papacy throughout centuries. These collections include tens and thousands of sculptures, artifacts, artworks, and paintings made by notable people from the Renaissance period to the contemporary times. It also includes items (up to popemobiles) that were used by the previous popes.

The Disputation of the Sacrament by Raphael

Some of the notable artworks found in these series of museums are the Sistine Chapel (Italian: Cappella Sistina) – which has The Creation of Adam and The Last Judgement by Michelangelo (where photos and videos were not allowed), the Raphael Rooms (Italian: Le Stanze di Raffaello) – which has The Disputation of the Holy Sacrament and The School of Athens, and the Pieta by Vincent Van Gogh.

We got our tickets directly from the Vatican Museums for €17 per person; we also availed of the audio guide for additional €7 and paid a pre-sales fee of €4 per person. The pre-booked ticket and audio guide cost us €28 each in total. We stayed inside the Vatican Museums for 4 hours and we still have not seen all of it. We recommend allotting one whole day only for the Vatican Museums.

Where We Ate During Our Vatican Visit

After the papal audience, we walked to Trecaffè–Prati near the Vatican Museums entrance for late breakfast. We again had pistachio croissant and maritozzo paired with cappuccino. After this, we walked around Ottaviano area while we waited for our Vatican Museum entry schedule.

Before going into the museum, we decided to have lunch at Jollibee Roma – a taste of home! I ordered burger steak rice meal with drink for around €7. It was a bit expensive compared to Philippine prices. Taste-wise, I still prefer the ones we have here.

This ends our visit to the beautiful Vatican City.

Have you been to the Vatican City? Which was your favorite part of the city-state? Did you get the pope? Feel free to share your experiences about & previous travels to Vatican in the comments section below. Do you have questions about anything mentioned above? Do not hesitate to post them in the comments below. Alternatively, you may also send them to me via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thanks for joining me relieve the memories we had during our visit to Vatican City. In case you missed it, I also wrote about our flight from Paris to Rome with Air France, the hostel we stayed with during our time in Rome and our visit to the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, Roman Forum and Trastevere. Watch out for the third & final installment of this 6-day trip around Rome.

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PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.