15/03/2022
First time in Europe…
It is one of the most beautiful and amazing regions you can visit. There is no denying the popularity of these countries for travel. This was a once-in-a-lifetime trip and experience that I and my friend just couldn't pass up.
My 10 days vacation in Europe, with 4 countries: SPAIN, FRANCE, ITALY & GREECE.
It might seem impossible to travel to these 4 countries in 10 days, but if we wanted to, we could always make things happen. Our trip included visits to Barcelona, Madrid, Paris, Rome, and Santorini. While the journey was exhausting, it was also priceless in many ways. It was a pleasure to taste the food in each country, to see most of the tourist attractions, and to shop in Paris! Here's my itinerary.
Day 1/ Dubai –> Abu Dhabi -> Barcelona
Etihad Airways offers the best rates this time, I traveled from Dubai to Abu Dhabi on their Coach Etihad Service. It was an easy, quick, and seamless process. It took me 10 hours and 55 minutes from DXB - AUH - BCN.
I arrived at 1:55 PM and met up with my friend at Barcelona Airport. We took a taxi from the airport to our first hostel the Lumine Luxury Suites. The room was clean and comfortable. You must have an internet connection while checking in as the hostel has a virtual check-in and key system. That was the main issue that we encountered, and no one was able to help us to open the door. We waited for more than 2 hours and luckily someone opened the door, and we were able to get inside. We freshened up, walked on the street, ate dinner, and of course tasted SANGRIA! However, in the morning, one of the lighting fixtures had stopped working. Fortunately, we found the light bulb in the toilet to still be working 😊. Despite the check-in struggles (since we do not have an Internet connection), it was still a good experience.
If you are unfamiliar with public transit or if your schedule is tight, like ours, it is recommended that you book a taxi/Uber in advance from the airport to the hostel. It is much cheaper than getting it at the airport. Public transportation in Barcelona is not complicated. It is easy to understand, and you can always explore it. You can also purchase the Hola Barcelona Travel Card. For more information click here: https://www.holabarcelona.com/tickets/hola-bcn-barcelona-travel-card
Similarly, booking the Hop-on Hop-off tour online is beneficial since you can get a better price. Here is the link: https://city-sightseeing.com/en/17/barcelona you can also find good offers on different eCommerce platforms like http://www.tiqets.com/en/
Day 2/ Barcelona -> Madrid, Spain
On our second day in Barcelona, we started the morning with coffee and croissants. Then we'll head to Barcelona Sants station, where we can store our luggage (since we cannot leave it in that hostel (it's not a convenient place at all, so for me, it's not recommended). Our city tour began at 10:00 AM and ended around 4:00 PM. Here are a few tourist attractions worth checking out.
• Sagrada Familia
• Plaza Espanya
• Camp Nou Stadium (FC Barcelona)
• L’ Exixample District
For the video click here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYotnTrXgXM&t=9s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAcAkFpcFhM
We left at 4:00 PM for Barcelona Sant station to catch the 5:25 PM train to Madrid Atocha. We arrived at 7:55 PM and went directly to our hostel. We stayed at Fuencarral Adeco, which is near Gran Via. I loved the location, full of shopping malls, street shops, bars, restaurants, and even casinos! I liked the cleanliness of the hostel and that it had 24-hour reception. The staff is helpful and friendly. It couldn't be better. We dined and had a few drinks in Madrid and did not miss visiting the Casino (my friend's favorite place to go).
It is advisable to book your train ticket in advance as the price is always changing and the closer the date the more expensive is the ticket. You may visit this website: https://www.thetrainline.com/
Day 3/ Madrid, Spain -> Paris, France
Our third day in Madrid began with a Starbucks coffee and croissant. From there, we took the Madrid Big Bus tour. We started the tour at 10:00 AM and finished it at 2:00 PM so we could catch the flight to Paris at 4:40 PM (BCN - ORY).
These are some of the tourist attractions that you shouldn't miss in Madrid, Spain.
• Royal Palace
• Gran Via
• Prado Museum
• Santiago Bernabeu Stadium (Real Madrid) – Sad to say was not able to see it as we missed the big bus tour, and we were running out of time. Maybe next time.
• Spanish National Research Councils – this was the Royal Mint replica where the Money Heist (Netflix series) was filmed.
For the video click here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMdTGLtuj6s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qceTRwRaIwU
We arrived in Paris at 6:45 PM. We booked an Uber to our hotel. We stayed at Hotel Riviera Elysees. The hotel was clean, and the staff was helpful and friendly. We freshen up and head out.
You shouldn't miss seeing the Eiffel tower at night in Paris. In those moments, you will be enchanted by the view and the sparkling lights. If you arrive before 10:00 PM, you still have a chance to get inside and conquer the Eiffel Tower. Unfortunately, it was closed when we arrived. We have a good reason to go back to Paris one day. 😊
You must try the food in Paris, including the salad, the cheese, the wine, and the meat! They are all delicious.
Day 4/ Paris, France -> Milan, Linate Lay-over
The 4th day was spent in Paris, which was an interesting experience! Our luggage was left at the hotel reception at 9:00 AM and picked up at 5:00 PM. Our day began with a smile on our faces since we are in the City of Romance, Shopping, and Everything Else! After drinking a cup of coffee and eating a bagel, we're ready to explore!
The city bus tour began at 10:00 AM and ended at 3:00 PM. We visited Galeries Lafayette Haussmann and Printemps, which offered many designers and luxury brands. We couldn't resist the delicious food and pastries at Galleries Lafayette Gourmet. Here, food and pastries are heavens on earth. We also explored the Champs Elysees area, where there are many luxury shops, and couldn't resist visiting Louis Vuitton. There is always a queue at the LV boutique, even when the store floor is not crowded. When it comes to buying a high-end bag, Paris is the place to be!
While it would have been nice to shop more, we must catch our flight to Rome at 8:20 PM. These are the must-see attractions.
Eiffel Tower
Seine River
Arc de Triomphe
Louvre Museum
You can buy your big bus tour ticket here: https://www.bigbustours.com/en/paris/paris-bus-tours/
For the video click here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WhUnrN6tHw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2ykryruoMw
Our flight to Rome is not the initial plan. As the airfare was rising and there were no other flights that fit our schedule, we couldn't afford a direct flight. As a result, we flew from Paris to Milan Linate with a 9-hour layover. After arriving at Linate Airport at 9:45 PM, we stayed at the Moxy Milan Linate Airport as we had to catch our flight to Rome the next morning at 7:00 AM.
The Moxy Hotel is just a few minutes away from Linate Airport. It was supposed to be Linate Airport, but it was too small and very quiet, and they closed at midnight, I believe. Therefore, we decided to stay in the hotel so that we could rest. LOL This wasn't the cleverest idea.
Pre-booking can help you save some money. It can really make a difference. It was not possible for us to book everything in advance since we cannot guarantee that everything would go according to plan. Prior to traveling back then, I had to undergo a PCR test. All budget fares are non-refundable.
Day 5/ Milan Linate -> Rome, Italy
On the morning of Day 5, we were awake at 5:00 AM and prepared for our flight to Rome at 7:00 AM. We landed in Rome at 8:10 AM. Our hostel was in Vatican City, so we hired an Uber there. The hostel's name was Vatican Heart. We were surprised to find the check-in reception in another building, a 12-minute walk from the hostel. We arrived earlier than usual, so the hotel cannot accommodate us, and we must wait until the room becomes available between 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM. We had a delicious breakfast in the area and put our luggage in a secure storage facility. From there, we explored the City of Rome.
Since you need more time to explore Vatican City, we were not able to book a ticket to enter it. As a result, we decided to explore outside, which is also impeccable, and took a bus tour. Our big bus tour ends around 4:00 PM because we have to check-in and pick up our luggage at 5:00 PM.
Rome's must-see tourist attractions are listed below.
Colosseum
Vatican City
Spanish Steps (Piazza di Spagna)
Pizza Navona
Pantheon
Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore
Trevi Fountain of Rome
And more.
Here you buy the big bus tour tickets: https://www.bigbustours.com/en/rome/rome-bus-tours/
For the video click here:
https://youtu.be/Hpu1Quefy2Y
The receptionist showed us the way to our room after we arrived at the check-in location. It is about a 15-minute walk from the check-in area to the room! You must walk around the area. The hotel gave us a different room than what we had booked online. Still, it was a clean room to see. However, be cautious when making a reservation in Rome. We found bedbugs in the morning when we woke up, which could be more unpleasant than our experience.
There are a lot of Filipinos in Rome. If you want to buy some souvenirs, try to find a Filipino shop. It is just around the corner from Vatican City. There is also a salesman who will be around the street and will invite you to visit their shop. Sorry, I forgot the name of the shop, but you won't miss it. They have a variety of selections of T-shirts, rosaries, statues of saints & more.
Day 6/ Rome, Italy -> Santorini, Greece via Athens
Finally, we are on Day 6, after a super hectic and exploring these beautiful cities in Europe, it is time to cool down.
From Rome, we took the flight to Athens at 10:30 AM via Aegean Airlines (FCO-ATH-JTR) with 3 hours and a 25-minute layover in Athens. We arrived at Thira Airport (Santorini) at 05:45 PM. We requested an airport transfer from Thira Airport to the Villa. We stayed at Millos Villa. Santorini is a small island that has the most scenic view that everyone would love especially in the summer season. The villa was nice, the receptionist was very accommodating and helpful. They have two cats that are adorable. We did not face any issues upon checking in. We take time to rest in our room and after some time, head out for dinner. You must try the seafood and meat courses. If you are a hard drinker, try their traditional liquor “Ouzo”. They said it is good with Seafood. We tried it but we couldn’t bear the taste of the liquor. LOL. It’s too strong for us. We stick to the wine though.
Make sure that the heater in your room is working if you are visiting Santorini in cold weather. The season in Santorini is from May to October. We visited in February. Most places in Oia are closed for renovation as they are preparing for the season. Make sure you request an airport transfer from the place you will be staying for convenience. However, Santorini is a place where you can drive easily. Just make sure to have your GPS and International Driver’s License.
Day 7/ Santorini, Greece
The breeze of the sea in Santorini will make your morning a very peaceful and relaxing day. We started our day with a delicious Greek breakfast in the villa and we decided to rent a car to explore the island. It is the more convenient way to avoid walking around in cold weather. A map of the island was given to us by the rental car company. However, are not good at reading maps, so we just drive wherever the wheels take us. We end up in Fira and the beautiful Oia. It is a village that has whitewashed houses carved into the rugged clifftops and overlooks a vast caldera filled with water. It is literally the same as what you saw on the postcard. So, breathtaking!
We had lunch at Blue Sky Restaurant, Oia with mixed grill meat and salad to fulfill our promise to try both meals (seafood and meat). It was mouth-watering.
We finished our road trip at 3:00 PM as we needed to catch the flight at 06:15 PM back to Barcelona. We arrived at the JTR airport about 2 hours before the flight. As a result of bad weather conditions, our flight got delayed until 7:00 PM and was subsequently canceled. So, we must stay the night in Santorini. Our airline was Aegean Airlines, and they provided a 5 Star hotel for the night and a nice dinner. It was a good service, and we were attended properly. Since we have a connecting flight from Athens to Barcelona via Vueling Airlines. Luckily, we were able to change our flight free of charge the next day. We had a long day and ended up with a good night's sleep at Del Sol Hotel.
For the video click here:
https://youtu.be/psYjYqm4GbI
Day 8/ Santorini -> Barcelona
We took the first flight back to Athens with Aegean Airlines at 11:30 AM. We arrived at Athens International Airport (ATH) at 12:20 PM. We have 3 hours lay-over for our next flight. It would be enough to have lunch and shop at the airport. We departed from Athens to Barcelona at 03:05 PM and landed at 5:15 PM at BCN Airport. We booked our Uber in advance in Barcelona to pay less. Since my friend needed a PCR test to return to the USA, we headed to Schbelta Clinic, Centro Medico for her PCR test. We also checked in to the Ecozentric Hostel in Balmes to stay the night. This hostel is amazing. You can immediately locate it. You will see signs at the main entrance and in the elevator indicating which floor you should go to until you reach the reception area. It’s a pleasant place to stay. The location is perfect compared to the first hostel that we stayed in Barcelona. I recommended this place.
Day 9/ Barcelona – it’s time to wrap up everything and go back to reality!
This is the day that we need to part ways. I am heading back to Dubai and my friend is heading back to Florida. I did not expect that we would do it all. During the 9 days and 8 nights that I and my friend were together, it was a blessing that we managed to stay together. AHAHAHAHAHA
We get tired, we get upset, we keep quiet, we argue and then we laugh. That’s what you call a strong true friendship that you must treasure for the rest of your life.
Let's plan our next adventure soon, my friend!
Day 10/ Dubai
Finally, I'm back in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and back to reality. Get a one-day rest at home before working hard again and reward yourself later.
Have a blessed life and always be grateful no matter what comes your way.
