European Tours II

[mama squeak!]

^I've always used my Citibank so I don't have any points of comparison. Though as much as possible I use cash specially if I was able to buy the Euros at a good rate here in MNL.

[melodymedley]

Credit card- lowest
ATM - good enough
USD to Euro - bad bad - whether in airports or in money changers.

I used my BPI Mastercard. I don't own other CCs tough. Rates were waaaaay better than changing my USDs to Euros. Using my cc was even better than doing the ATM withdrawal - as in Php +1.50 ang difference. Example: Php 58.48 swiped vs. Php 60.20 via ATM - on the same day. These were rates in October 2011. Yeah, adik ako, I checked my cc bills vs my bank billing statements when I got back from my trip. 

But if you can get a good rate here, better bring euros.

[foxymom]

I used my hsbc atm to withdraw and the rates were very good. Just add around 0.50 fro, the days currency exchange

[rockONsaint]

Hello everyone! =)

Finafinalize na namin ng sisters ko yung itin namin for May 2012.  Waaahhh!!!

Balak kasi namin magtrain from Paris to Barcelona so via TVG to.  Gusto kasi namin book na namin in advance yung train tickets kaso sabi ng sis ko parang alang reservation for Philippines.  Ang pagkakaintindi ko, hindi nagshiship ng tickets ang TVG sa Philippines.  Paano kaya yun, mga sis?  Kasama kasi sa itinerary namin ang Giverny so ang tickets din from RER.  If ever hindi kami makabili ng tickets in advance, madali lang ba makabili ng train tickets once we're there?  Mas maganda sana kung nakabook na agad kasi.

Naresearch din namin yung usual temperature sa France, Spain, Italy by May, nag-aaverage ng 18 degrees Celsius.  Parang malamig pa rin ata yun kasi ganon yung temp nung nagpunta kami Beijing nung April 2008, and talagang nangatog kami sa lamig.    OK lang kaya magdress and ankle-high boots during that time?

[lavieenrose]

^ I might be wrong but aren't there online reservations for the trains / TGV, e.g. e-tickets so you don't have to have the tickets delivered by post? (which also costs more)

Went to Giverny late May last year, not so sure about the reservations but it's fairly easy to get tickets.
From Paris, go to Gare St-Lazare (train station). The route is Paris -> Vernon -> Giverny there are brochures and train schedules at the ticketing office. There are daily trains, 5 departures a day to Vernon, and then you take the shuttle to Giverny. The shuttle to Giverny has the same number of daily departures. Entire trip from Paris to Giverny takes a little more than an hour only.

Train Paris - Vernon:
38,40 Eur 1st Class
25,60 Eur 2nd Class

Shuttle Fare Vernon  - Giverny:
4,00 Eur Return

Claude Monet's jardin and waterlily pond are super nice

[mama squeak!]

^^If you are already sure of your itinerary/dates better to buy your TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse) tickets in advance so you get a good price. The farther the travel date the cheaper the tickets. Tickets are open for retail 3 months prior to the departure date. For TGV trains reservations are compulsory while for the slower local/suburban trains no need.

The TGV website has improved in the past year. You can now print your e-ticket. When we bought our tickets way back in 2008 and 2010 they had to mail them to us. Free shipping naman but worry ko lang that time is if the tickets get lost in our infamous postal system. Sa awa ng Diyos I got them complete. I even had to return a couple of tickets kasi nagbago itinerary namin. Still I got the replacement tickets in time.

For your Giverny trip, no need to buy tickets in advance as RER trains are used here. These are suburban trains just like the trains you take from the airport to central Paris or Paris to Versailles. There are a lot of trips so no worries. No need for reservations either.

May is spring time in Paris and Europe in general. Para ka na lang naka-super lamig na aircon. Bring mid-weight wool coats. Better if you have wool or cashmere dress then partner them with tights and boots plus your coat. You're all set na!

[lavieenrose]

^ Hi, wickedlovely! It's return trip na I still have my brochure from last year. Prices applicable from Apr - Nov 2011, so I'm not sure if they have changed for this year.

Also adding Giverny museum fees:
Claude Monet's house and gardens = 8,00 Eur Adults
Musee des Impressionnismes = 6,50 Eur Adults

Hope that helps.

[t_r_i_c_i_a]

Saan ok mag check ng europe tours? And possible cruise options?

[mama squeak!]

^You can check with your preferred travel agent. They can arrange everything for you. Or if you want to combine DIYing and arranged tours you can start with this website:

http://www.thetravelcorporation.com/our-brands

[rockONsaint]

Hi mama squeak! and lavieenrose! 

Thanks for your replies.  I better check the website of TVG again. 

[rockONsaint]

Mga sis, any news about getting a schengen visa in the Italian embassy?

Kasi nagtanong ako sa Reli tours kung pede sila magprocess nun kasi dun kami normally nagbobook ng trips namin kaso they only process sa France.  Although balak kasi namin France ang entry point namin, pero the longest stay would be in Italy kasi ilang cities ang pupuntahan namin dun.

I would appreciate your feedback about the embassy itself and the recommended travel agencies.   

[Cheesecak3]

Nakapagpabook na rin kami ng Europe Tour namin for Nov. 2012. Ano ang weather ng ganong month?

[mama squeak!]

@rockonsaint, you can ask melodymedley about her experience applying for a schengen visa at the Italian embassy. Actually you don't need help from a travel agency to apply for a visa. You can apply on your own. Backread ka lang or visit the Schengen visa thread for our inputs.

@cheesecak3, November is early winter. Daylight hours are shorter, 8 to 9 hours only. Depends where in Europe you go it tends to be wet while average temperature would be from 8C to 12C. If you'll be there towards the end of November, one of the fun places to visit are the different Christmas markets. Lots of food and drinks! Most cities would already put up their Christmas displays and they are picture perfect pretty!

[little_princess]

we're having another european vacation and this time we will be going to -

Berlin, Germany
Dresden, Germany
Prague, Czech Republic
Wroclaw, Poland
Czestochowa, Poland
Warsaw, Poland
Krakow, Poland
Oswiecim, Poland
Wieliczka, Poland
Banska Bystrica, Slovakia
Budapest, Hungary
Bratislava, Slovakia
Vienna, Austria

any tips and must buys? we're on a tour so basically everything is planned.

[lemonade]

^you're such a lucky girl! i've been to over 20 german cities and my two most favorites are berlin and dresden! in berlin, i hope you can stroll along kurfürstendamm (also called ku'damm) -- it's the main thoroughfare similar to paris' champs-élysées. it's lined with all the nice shops, department stores, hotels and restaurants. check out kaufhaus des westens (or KaDeWe), the second biggest department store in europe, next to harrod's in london. the 7th floor is a food haven! i hope you can try berlin's signature street food, the currywurst (sausage with tomato sauce and curry powder). dresden is oozing with old world charm, it's really beautiful. enjoy your trip!

[little_princess]

omg! that sounds so lovely! thanks lemonade! I will for sure try all of those if i can.. what's crappy is that we are going on a group tour so we have to follow where the tour guide takes us.

[Cheesecak3]

@cheesecak3, November is early winter. Daylight hours are shorter, 8 to 9 hours only. Depends where in Europe you go it tends to be wet while average temperature would be from 8C to 12C. If you'll be there towards the end of November, one of the fun places to visit are the different Christmas markets. Lots of food and drinks! Most cities would already put up their Christmas displays and they are picture perfect pretty!

Thanks sis! wow excited na kami ni hubby for our first trip to Europe.

[mama squeak!]

^Enjoy your trip!   

@little_princess, that is the very reason why I DIY all my trips. Gusto ko hawak ko oras ko. It may take a lot of time and patience planning a DIY trip but it is all worth it in the end. Packaged tours may be convenient but tends to be inflexible since they follow a fixed schedule. For some this arrangement may work out but for me di ko talaga type yung "O picture-picture" then sibat na! 

Some must-buys:

Vienna - if you are into crystals, this is the place to be. Swarovsky is from Vienna and they are cheap there compared to the rest of Europe. During my trip there mega-hoard ako! Everybody got Swarovsky for their pasalubongs! 

Dresden - if you're into fine china, then you can find them here. This is where the term Dresden China comes from.

Prague - a friend of mine brought home cheap and gorgeous looking marionettes if you're into that. They have great beer there too.

[little_princess]

^ i know how you feel but my parents are paying for the trip and that's how they want it.. can't say no to free trips

thanks for the tips! i remember we went to innsbruck in austria a few years back and went to this ginormous swarovski stores and we just hoarded and horded

will take note of the china and the marionettes, they would be really good souvenirs! how about food? particularly those stuff that can be bought on the street?

also, fiance and i are planning on our honeymoon and we chose malta with a side trip to sicily, anyone been there?

[^Vain_Chiq^]

^Malta was one of our ports before when I was still working on the ship and Valletta, which is the capital is a nice and small city naman with lots of shops like Mango, Pull and Bear etc. although ang lagi kong pinupuntahan dun is the small shop on the 2nd floor sa me tapat ng puerto mismo which sells cheap but original havaianas and ipanemas. The good thing is you can still ask for a discount kahit isa lang ang bibilhin mo. I also like the buildings which is for me mala-Lord of the Rings.LOL. Hard Rock Cafe is in front of the port lang as well as other restaurants. Napakainit nga lang dun ng summer so prepare your sunblock.