Italy Travel Guide

[m_lim]

from Brussels to Venice, anong transpo options?

sa E-dreams.net, Treviso or Marco Polo airport ang arrival. alin ba sa dalawa pipiliin ko? iba pa ba yung FCO?

[mama squeak!]

^There are two airports that service Venice. The nearest one is Venice Marco Polo airport (VCE). This airport is about 7-8 km from Venice. To get to Venice you can either take the train or the ferry.

While the other airport located inland and is about 20 km from Venice is the Treviso airport (TSF).

Aeroporto di Fiumicino or the Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino airport (FCO) is the airport that services Rome.

 

[m_lim]

^thanks again, mama squeak! btw, we got our visa na pala. yey, tuloy na talaga!

[melodymedley]

Great to hear that sis m_lim! Have a blast in Europe! Take loads and lots of pictures. Don't forget to charge your batteries and make sure you always have enough space in the memory card. Will be waiting for your stories when you come back. Eat, drink and be very very merry!

[m_lim]

^Grazie! haha.

btw, i'm reading your blog again.

[papemelroti]

I read from miss melodies blog that you can just call to reserve tickets for the academia and uffizi in florence. The problem is that they don't really answer your calls. I have racketed up 20 mins worth of long distance calls from calling at 3 different timescheds.
Called @3pm italian time
@3:30 pm italian time
@430pm italian time

Since it wasn't working.. i tried booking the tickets at the official musei website and it doesn't have our country listed as a possible location when you register before buying tix.

needless to say,the website rejected my credit card twice. hsbc called up to say that the website possibly doesn't accept credit cards from the Phil

[m_lim]

girls, i need help!

Alitalia ba sinasakyan from Brussels to Venice?

nakakalito yung choices ng airfare. yung Promo mas mahal sa Easy Fare?

hindi ba dapat mas mura yung Promo is bawal refund eh. while sa Easy Fare, pwede refund ng 50%.

[lavieenrose]

^^ Hi, papemelroti. Was able to reserve Uffizi tickets online using my BPI credit card

[mom_G]

@papemelroti, if your are staying in a hotel in florence, they usually have booking services to the museums.  prior to our trip,  i emailed the hotel and they were able to make reservations for us.  we did not have to pay right away. they just gave us a confirmation number and an appointment time.  we did not need to line up and we got our tickets onsite.

[m_lim]

pano pumunta ng Rome from Venice?

Eurostar Fast-- wala naman akong makitang route online. why??

Trenitalia- is this recommended?

[sydneybristow]

@m_lim

sis trenitalia has regular trips to venice, you can buy ticket sa station n mismo.

[m_lim]

^thanks a lot sis!

[chinita8]

does anyone know how i can get a tax rebate or refund for the stuff that i shopped for? do i ask for some kind of a form at the stores or is it at the airport? need help on this ... thanks!

[mama squeak!]

 ^You get the form from the store. It has to be signed by the store before giving it to you. Be sure you have your passport with you at all times. No passport, no rebate form.

On your last EU state before you leave for home, process the rebate with the customs officials at the airport. They may or may not inspect the goods so better have them on you (not in your checked-in bag). You can opt to have the tax refund in cash or credit. I prefer credit since medyo higher ng konti yung rebate plus I don't have to fall in line again at the accredited bank where refunds are given.

 

[papemelroti]

@papemelroti, if your are staying in a hotel in florence, they usually have booking services to the museums.  prior to our trip,  i emailed the hotel and they were able to make reservations for us.  we did not have to pay right away. they just gave us a confirmation number and an appointment time.  we did not need to line up and we got our tickets onsite.

i humbly asked through email if they can reserve for me and they did!
sheesh... shouldn't have used long distance calls and just request nga using good ol fashioned email

[chinita8]

thanks so much mama squeak! btw, if i choose to have the tax refund credited back to my cc, even those that i paid in cash ba i can choose to have it credited back to my cc or dapat cash din ang refund? i dont want to line up sa bank na for the refunds sana, but some of my shopping will be paid in cash are these accredited banks located inside the airport or do i have to go out of the airport pa for this? paano yun? also, how much is the refund? what items are applicable for refunds? shoes and bags ba included?    thanks!

[chianti]

Hi sis chinita8, if I may just chime in, most of the items naman pwede i-refund. The refund is dependent on the store's rules. Sometimes may minimum amount to be qualified for a refund, minsan naman wala. There are also shops that are not accredited by the refund orgs so they don't issue tax refund forms at all.

Pwede sa card lahat ng refund mo even if you buy it in cash. Do take note lang na possible na mas mababa ang amount na ma-credit sa card mo kasi magkaiba yung exchange rate during the purchase date. And yes, usually nasa loob ng airport ang mga banks, just before the check-in counters.

[mama squeak!]

^^When the store gives you the form they will ask you what form of refund you prefer, cash or credit. So even if you pay in cash you can still apply for credit. I once did a combination cash and credit purchase at Galeries Lafayette and I opted to get my refund all via credit.

Depends on the airport where you will be leaving from, the accredited banks can be located either inside the terminal (after check-in/customs/immig) or immediately within the vicinity of the check-in counters. From what airport will you be leaving from?

The refund will depend on the country or the brand of the item. For example in Paris, normally the tax refund is 12% but if you buy Chanel the rebate is a bit higher, 13 or 14% I think. Mind you though you don't get the full amount since they will also be charging you a service fee pero minimal lang naman. You will still feel the  savings!

To apply for the tax refund, depending on the country the minimum amount you should spend per store/per day is EUR175. If in Paris and you plan to buy LV in the department store (not their flagship store), separate tax refund sya. It can not be grouped with your other purchase at that department store. You can avail of tax refund for almost anything except food, service and accommodation.

[chinita8]

^^,^ thanks @chianti @mamasqueak! all your inputs are so helpful.  i will be leaving from Milan Airport back to Manila. Will be touring Italy only. Do you think refund will be 12% too, just like that in Paris? Good to know that I can choose whether credit or cash. Was thinking of getting it in cash sana but a bit worried of the line in the banks. Mahaba ba usually? Also, will outlet stores give refunds too? Plan to pass by the Prada outlet.  Btw, just a thought, are the prices in the price tags already include tax or hindi pa? TIA 

[mama squeak!]

^sis, hindi naman masyado nagkakalayo mga tax rebates in Europe. So expect mo around that figure yung makukuhang mong savings.

I still prefer credit compared to cash kasi na-experience ko na rin na pumila sa bangko. Muntik-muntikan na akong maiwan ng flight ko sa Amsterdam kasi ang haba ng pila. So from then on I didn't want to take my chances na. Mas convenient yung dropbox/mailbox. Yun nga lang medyo mag-antay ka na i-credit yung rebates mo. My longest wait was a month and a half.

The outlet shops give rebates too. Just make sure you bring your passport with you at all times. No passport, no rebates. The tag price will be less tax pa. I am also looking forward to visiting the outlet shops outside Florence on our next visit. Yikes! Super ipon mode