The trip was to celebrate my 33rd birthday and as usual, was maximized to visit as many places as I can in 10 days. In choosing the actual destinations, I considered those that I haven’t visited yet, those with famous landmarks/sights and those that are quite close by so travel time and cost wouldn’t be much of a concern. Visa applications were swift as I got the one for UK 2 weeks after and the one for Schengen 2 days after through French VFS.
FLIGHTS
Planning started 6 months in
advance and I was lucky to come across a seat sale in Philippine Airlines with
a return flight to London for just 707.60USD or 36,000PHP (MNL to LHR). Next destination was Turkey (Pamukkale in
particular) so with the help of Skyscanner, I
booked a London to Istanbul (LHR to IST) and Istanbul to Denizli (IST to DNZ)
flights for 140.99USD or 7,190PHP, both with Turkish Airlines. Athens, Greece was the next stop so I booked a
separate flight from Denizli to Istanbul (DNZ to IST) with Turkish Airlines for
1,530Php, then Istanbul to Athens (IST to ATH) with Aegean Airlines for
25.99USD or 1,325Php. RyanAir was my
airline choice to the next destination, Santorini, through an Athens to
Santorini (ATH to JTR) flight for 21.59EUR or 1,413Php. Rome in Italy was next and Aegean Airlines
was my choice for both flights from Santorini to Athens (JTR to ATH), then
Athens to Rome (JTR to FCO) for 65.99USD or 3,365Php. My planned quick side trip to Pisa with
Alitalia (FCO to PSA) was worth 101.76EUR or 6,661PHP, then to Barcelona (PSA
to BCN) with Vueling for 35.69EUR or 2,336Php.
And finally, I booked a British Airways flight to London (BCN to LHR)
for 55.10EUR or 3,607Php. For a total of
12 flights, 46 hours up in the air, 5 countries and 7 cities, I spent 1,244USD
or 63,427Php – not bad at all!
AIRLINES REVIEW & TIPS
AIRLINES REVIEW & TIPS
Turkish Airlines – They are really strict with the 8 kgs cabin bag as they had them re-weighed before boarding and if more than that will be checked in for free. I’d say they had the most updated movie selection on-board. Even for a 5-hr flight, they served a hot meal and a hot sandwich for a short 1-hr flight.
RyanAir – I will compare them with Cebu Pacific as flights are really cheap but no add-ons whatsoever (no food, snack on flight). Only, they recently implemented a policy not allowing any wheeled bag, regardless of the weight, be brought inside the cabin unless you purchase a “priority” package”, otherwise, will be left to be checked-in for free
Aegean Airlines – All carriers were tiny two-seater each side, one was with propeller, but they had the warmest and friendliest flight attendants.
Alitalia – They are really strict with the 8 kgs cabin bag and because they have a dedicated terminal in FCO, they will check and weigh them before entering security check. My wheelie initially weighed 9.1 kgs which they demanded to be checked-in but good thing I was able to re-arrange and place some heavy but small items in my drawstring bag (toiletries, souvenir magnets & electronics) so in my next attempt, it just weighed 8.1 kgs. Personnel were not that friendly and accommodating, especially the women.
British Airways & Vueling – They were fine, no further comments.
Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus & Westminster |
Stonehenge |
My second day was when I started
exploring as the I arrived late at night the first day after a grueling 14.5
hours’ direct flight from Manila. It was
a free-and-easy kind of day with just walking around and getting myself
familiar once more with roads, directions and the underground routes. I passed by, and took photos of course, of
Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square, Trafalgar Square, Westminster Abbey and
the Parliament (too bad Big Ben was being renovated). I spent the afternoon having coffee at Café
Nero and finished my LatAm blog. I also
got to try London’s night life which was fun and ended at 3am. Third day was dedicated for the Stonehenge
tour I got from Viator for 66.20USD or 3,376Php. The tour bus
left early in the morning and drove for around 2 hours to reach the site. Although the drive was long, it wasn’t bad at
all as the bus driver had commentaries about important landmarks in London and
the country landscape was very pleasing to the eyes. The Stonehenge visitor center receives all
arriving and departing guests, with an exhibition gallery and cafeteria for
everyone’s convenience. A shuttle bus
took us to the stones plus several meters of walk before seeing the actual
structures. They are massive stones that
one can view a few meters away from different angles, you can literally go
around to take different shots. All you
really need is less than 30 minutes to be able to appreciate its beauty. It was already late in the afternoon when we
arrived back at the city.
Portobello Market | Will's flat from Notting Hill | Abbey Road Crossing |
The fourth day was when I visited
famous sites that don’t require any tours such as the famous Abbey Road
Crossing from the Beatles’ album, Portobello Market and William’s flat from the
movie Notting Hill. In the evening, I
had a wine and cheese (actually with chocolates, ice cream and coffee) buffet
care of the hotel where I’m staying at, Z Hotel Piccadilly for 87.00GBP or 6,303.00PHP a
night.
Buckingham Palace |
London Eye | Parliament |
It was great to have covered the
rest of the sites I haven’t from my last visit and still had time to relax, sit
in coffee shops and even experience the night life this time around.
TIPS
-London’s Tube (underground
subway system) is the best way to go around city, even to and from the
airport. I got an Oyster card and loaded
20GBP or 1449Php with 6GBP or 362Php refundable deposit, which can be reloaded
if needed. I wouldn’t recommend using a
contactless credit card as banks may charge extra fees on top of the fare per
usage.
-Passengers have an option to take the Airport Express train but in my opinion, unless one is really in a hurry, the tube will suffice plus more economical.
-The maps may make London seem complicated to navigate, but it’s really not. Even distance between places are shorter than how I imagined them when looking at the map.
PAMUKKALE, TURKEY
-Passengers have an option to take the Airport Express train but in my opinion, unless one is really in a hurry, the tube will suffice plus more economical.
-The maps may make London seem complicated to navigate, but it’s really not. Even distance between places are shorter than how I imagined them when looking at the map.
PAMUKKALE, TURKEY
View from the hot air balloon |
My plan was just to visit the
Pamukkale travertine but when the tour agency convinced me to get a complete
tour, it became one heck of an experience.
I flew from LHR to IST early in the morning for 4 hrs and 50 mins, then from IST to DNZ for 1 hr and 5 mins where the nearest airport to Pamukkale is located. My pre-booked airport pick-up through PamukkaleTours for 10EUR or 651Php (I wasn’t sure if there is a public transport to my destination, seemed none when I arrived), shared with two other tourists, drove 55 minutes to reach our destination. I just spent the night resting at Venus Suites for an early start the next day.
I flew from LHR to IST early in the morning for 4 hrs and 50 mins, then from IST to DNZ for 1 hr and 5 mins where the nearest airport to Pamukkale is located. My pre-booked airport pick-up through PamukkaleTours for 10EUR or 651Php (I wasn’t sure if there is a public transport to my destination, seemed none when I arrived), shared with two other tourists, drove 55 minutes to reach our destination. I just spent the night resting at Venus Suites for an early start the next day.
Hot Air Balloon |
The hot air balloon tour picked
me up at 7:15am and drove straight to the site where 3 huge balloons were being
warmed up. I must admit that I was
scared since it was my first time and isn’t that adventurous, but became smooth
sailing throughout the flight. The view
was breathtaking and the feeling was surreal I would consider it one of the
best travel experiences I had and a “must do” for every tourist coming to
Pamukkale. After which, I was driven
back to my hotel and had breakfast, immediately followed by my pick-up for the
rest of the tour. The first destination
was Karahayit, a small park where there is a red travertine. Since I really didn’t intend to go beyond the
Pamukkale travertine, I only realized that the next site is actually a
graveyard from the ancient times as soon as our guide started explaining its
history. We entered Necropolis (land of
the dead) which is literally the graveyard in the ancient times, then
Heiaropolis (land of the living) and the two were divided by a Hamam (Roman
bath). What made the walk more
interesting was the historical walkthrough that our tour guide did, I was even
surprised that a lot of biblical events occurred there. Then there was the travertine, the white
rocks formed through calcareous minerals.
What were captured by my lens were equally awesome as the experience
of walking through the travertine. I
literally climbed down the edge of a cliff, stepped on white rocks and flowing
warm water. Finally, I climbed up a hill
to see the Heiaropolis theatre, dubbed as the best Greek-style Roman theatre
which still functions as a concert and events venue according to our guide.
Necropolis & Heiaropolis |
Pamukkale Travertine |
Pamukkale Theatre |
I give this destination two
thumbs up and a dream come true for wanderers like me for its rich history,
breathtaking sites and unbelievable experiences.
TIPS
-Denizli airport is far from the
town and will take almost an hour with no traffic to reach Pamukkale so the
only option is to pre-book an airport pick-up & drop off.
-Try not to get flights that fly in or out during off-hours. My airport drop-off would have been the same price as the pick-up for 10EUR or 651Php, unfortunately, my flight was too early I had to pay 35EUR or 2,279Php.
-You have the option to book the tours through your hotel (of course, inquire ahead of time) that will save a few Euros/Pesos. The first destination, Karahayit, included in most agency tours can be missed.
-The advantage of touring on a winter is the less number of tourists, however, the travertine wouldn’t look as nice as the what internet photos show. They don’t supply water to all travertines at the same time and when I was there, the main ones are empty I had to settle on what had water and were passable at that time.
ATHENS, GREECE
-Try not to get flights that fly in or out during off-hours. My airport drop-off would have been the same price as the pick-up for 10EUR or 651Php, unfortunately, my flight was too early I had to pay 35EUR or 2,279Php.
-You have the option to book the tours through your hotel (of course, inquire ahead of time) that will save a few Euros/Pesos. The first destination, Karahayit, included in most agency tours can be missed.
-The advantage of touring on a winter is the less number of tourists, however, the travertine wouldn’t look as nice as the what internet photos show. They don’t supply water to all travertines at the same time and when I was there, the main ones are empty I had to settle on what had water and were passable at that time.
ATHENS, GREECE
Parthenon |
Ancient Agora | Hadrian's Arch |
Herodeon | Acropolis |
Temple of Athena Nike | Acropolis | Syntagma Square |
Pandrossou |
TIPS
-Although I was able to navigate
through the important sites by just walking, I would now recommend availing a
tour package especially to Acropolis as most street signs are in Greek and can
be quite complicated to navigate.
-Although Pandrossou is known to have souvenir shops, there are other shops across Hadrian’s arch on the way to Acropolis with cheaper prices.
-There is a McDonalds and a coffee shop right across Syntagma Square that is open 24 hours for those with really early or late arrival/departure.
SANTORINI GREECE
-Although Pandrossou is known to have souvenir shops, there are other shops across Hadrian’s arch on the way to Acropolis with cheaper prices.
-There is a McDonalds and a coffee shop right across Syntagma Square that is open 24 hours for those with really early or late arrival/departure.
SANTORINI GREECE
Both ends of Oia, Santorini |
It was a 55 mins Ryanair flight that brought me to Santorini (ATH to JTR), a small 2-seater each side plane. I availed an airport pick-up (and drop off) through Santorini Shuttle for 55EUR or 3,496PHP as I read how complicated locating hotels/properties in Santorini can be due to the lack of street signs. The 30 mins van ride didn’t disappoint as the process was smooth, the view on the way was magnificent and the it brought me straight to the visitor center in Oia for checking in (yes, check-in is done centrally and there’s a 1EUR or 64PHP tourist tax). Since I arrived early for the check-in time, I started exploring key spots in Oia with the tips given by the personnel in the visitor center – Blue domed churches, Oia castle & the wind mills, it was picturesque everywhere I looked. At around noon, I was escorted to my apartment at Residence Suites for 70EUR or 4,419Php a night. It was a standalone loft type apartment with a balcony facing the Aegean Sea – it was heaven. I waited for the sunset before heading, once more, to Oia castle where the best views of both sides of Oia can be seen. It was a really windy evening so I decided to just stay inside and rest.
Blue Domed Churches | Windmills |
Oia Sunset |
Oia streets |
My apartment view |
Aegean Sea view from Oia |
-Winter is not a good time to fully enjoy Santorini as a lot of shops are closed, those open close early, it’s too windy and you won’t be assured of a beautiful sunset.
-I totally recommend booking an accommodation in Oia instead of Fira (considered as the main area/city) as you will most likely get a property facing the famous Aegean Sea view without having to travel. I was told by the guy in the agency that there’s nothing different in Fira except for more shops. There's also a shuttle that goes there from Oia.
-Oia town is small and walkable, just around 1km from end to end, but tracks are uneven and up/downhill so can get quire tiring. With this, if you can drop your wheeled luggage, do so and just use a backpack.
-Lots of stray dogs around but are safe and friendly. Also, don’t be surprised to encounter donkeys as they are the used to transport construction materials. Stop whenever they are passing by as they get irritated easily being tired of working all day. You will also encounter lots of dog and donkey 'poops' around.
ROME, ITALY
Colosseum |
St. Peter's Basilica |
Spanish Steps |
Pantheon |
Trevi Fountain |
I must admit that the walk was long and tiring going from one place to another, but all worth it. In the afternoon, I took the same train back to the airport for my next flight going to Pisa.
TIPS
-For the Leonardo Express train from airport to city center and vice versa, it is cheaper to get tickets from the machines instead of the ticket booths. However, even credit card usage requires a pin so better have it handy in case you don't have cash.
-Get an accommodation near Roma Termini (central terminal), there are quite a few affordable 3-4 star hotels around. The cheapest souvenirs can also be purchased from stores across at the back side, along the same road as McDonalds.
-Each train ride is for 1.50EUR or 96Php regardless of the destination.
-Tourist sites are easy to navigate so no need for a pre-booked tour, plus, a lot of them have their own train stops.
PISA, ITALY
-For the Leonardo Express train from airport to city center and vice versa, it is cheaper to get tickets from the machines instead of the ticket booths. However, even credit card usage requires a pin so better have it handy in case you don't have cash.
-Get an accommodation near Roma Termini (central terminal), there are quite a few affordable 3-4 star hotels around. The cheapest souvenirs can also be purchased from stores across at the back side, along the same road as McDonalds.
-Each train ride is for 1.50EUR or 96Php regardless of the destination.
-Tourist sites are easy to navigate so no need for a pre-booked tour, plus, a lot of them have their own train stops.
PISA, ITALY
Leaning Tower of Pisa |
Square of Miracles |
TIPS:
-Pisa can very well be a half-day tour destination and you have the option to take the train from any other Italian city.
-Bus departure times are strictly followed. I was literally standing behind another person who is talking to the driver when the door closed leaving me behind.
BARCELONA, SPAIN
My Vueling Airlines flight to
Spain (PSA to BCN) was for 1 hr & 40 mins and arrived at Saturday midnight. I took the train from the airport to the city
(L9 south line right outside the arrival area)
for 4.60EUR or 295Php, which usually stops at midnight except for Fridays when
it ends at 2am and runs 24 hours during weekends. Upon arriving at the last station, Zona
Universitaria, I transferred to another line that brought me to the
station (Catalunya) near my hotel.
Casa Mila | Casa Batllo | Catedral de Barcelona | Pont Gothic |
Magic Fountain |
TIPS:
-The metro train ticket machines at the airport don’t take 50EUR bill so make sure you bring some change. Withdrawal in the nearest ATM will incur a 5EUR fee.
-Tour isn’t necessary as all sites I’ve visited have metro train stations exactly at the location or nearby.
-I would only recommend visiting the Magic Fountain area at night when the fountain is working and lit, otherwise, you can skip it.
Overall, I’d say this leg of my European sojourn has been one of the best trips I had given the familiar historical, architectural, biblical and mythological sites, combined free-and-easy and usual fast-paced activities, unique experiences and having met people along the way. Except for the cold weather everywhere I went, I truly enjoyed everything. Euro 4 soon!