16 Days Crossing 8 Countries 12 Cities in Europe

Beautiful Church Near St. Moritz Bad

Many Countries in Europe are almost in every human bucket list. Say from the most popular one : France, especially City of love, Paris or the least popular one like St. Moritz-the high altitude city somerwhere in Switzerland.

If I could, I would love to visit all cities in Europe Continent but then my bills and leave allowance hit me so hard to realize the impossibility. Therefore, as best as I could, I made a list the most wanted cities that I will visit. Here are the list:
1. Paris - because every one should go there at least once before die, right?
2. Santorini - result from too much pinterest on my days
3. Salzburg- oh Mozart Birthplace combines with Sound of Music, who can deny it?
4. Prague - They said-it is the jewel of Europe
5. Iceland- not specific only the city tough, but Water Mitty is lost cause.

However, my list is surely stretch from the northest (Iceland) to the southest (Santorini) of Europe Continent. Yet I cannot afford to lost one of those cities in my itinerary therefore me and husband decide to create our own itinerary (that later I will write it in each separated interesting location).

I and my husband shared responsibilites to do the itineraries. I was responsible for deciding which city, point of interest and accomodations that we will visit in 16 Days while my husband will searching how to get there by mean reserve all the transportations moda.

After revise it several times, here are our itineraries and real costs (In IDR) :


Thu,23/3/17

Route	Date Depart	ETD	Date of Arrival	ETA	Fare	Airline	Hotel Name	Price
Jkt - KL	Fri,10/3/17	19:25	Sat, 11/3/17	22:30+	918.147	KLM
KL - Paris	Sat, 11/3/17	1:10	Sat, 11/3/17	12:25	14.577.733	Emirates
Paris - Reykjavik	Mon,13/3/17	11:40	Mon,13/3/17	14:15	4.317.608	WOW Air	airbnb	2.672.732
Reykjavik - Berlin	Wed,15/3/17	6:10	Wed,15/3/17	10:45	2.939.800	WOW Air
Berlin - Praha	Wed,15/3/17	15:04	Wed,15/3/17	19:27	330.217	Regiojet	Charles Bridge Palace	1.570.000
Praha - Salzburg	Fri,17/3/17	7:30	Fri,17/3/17	13:25	824.106	Leo Express + DB	AMEDIA Express Salzburg	1.186.066
Salzburg - Vienna	Sun,19/3/17	8:08	Sun,19/3/17	10:30	631.095	OBB Railjet	Prinz Eugen	732.424
Vienna - Santorini	Mon, 20/3/17	11:20	Mon, 20/3/17	20:45	2.450.075	Aegean Airlines	Genesis Cave House	2.498.437
Santorini - Zurich	Wed,22/3/17	6:40	Wed,22/3/17	10:15	1.643.870	Aegean
Zurich - St Moritz	Wed,22/3/17	12:37	Wed,22/3/17	15:58		Rhb	nolda	2.531.454
St Moritz - Tirano	Wed,22/3/17	14:48	Thu, 23/3/17	17:00	980.041	Bernina
Tirano - Milan	Thu,23/3/17	17:08	Thu,23/3/17	20:40	333.554	Trenitalia	central station hotel	2.354.366
Milan - Como	Fri,24/03/17	6:10	Fri,24/03/17	9:23	139.250	Trenitalia	Best Western Madison Milan
Como - Milan	Fri,24/03/17	18:27	Fri,24/03/17	21:50	139.250	Trenitalia
Milan - Venice	Sat,25/3/17	15:05	Sat,25/3/17	17:40	403.641	Flixbus	Best Western Venice	2.193.969
Venice - Paris	Mon,27/3/17	6:40	Mon,27/3/17	8:25	562.040	Easyjet
Paris - KL	Mon, 27/3/17	11:20	Tue,28/3/17	8:55		Emirates
KL - JKT	Tue,28/3/17	12.55	Tue,28/3/17	13.55	1.776.000	Garuda Indonesia
				Total Transport	32.966.427		total	15.739.448
				Visa	2.500.000
				Rental Mobil	3.179.124
				Total minus consumption / pocket money	54.384.999

Most of our money flying to the transports costs especially flight fare from Jakarta to Paris and connecting to and from Reykjavik. All above transport costs are exclude in town transport costs (subway-water transport-uber), train fare  Zurich Flughafen-St.Moritz bad and hotel in Prague. While our accommodations mostly covered with airbnb or minimum three starred hotels (because we imagine how it will be tiring for us moving milion miles that's why we chose the standard accommodations). Yes, it costly enough especially accomodations, transportations and consumptions in Iceland and Switzerland.

However, we tried to calculate cost and benefit using Eurail pass but unfortunately, it didn't cover all of my destinations, too much wasting on journey time and the hardest part: it is still more costly than our original itinerary.

One City to another, we wore the same jacket :)

Since we move a lot from city to another and there is just few time to transit to other connecting train/ flight, we only bring two cabin baggages. That's why, we only bring one heavy jacket and the rest of clothes and basic survival kit is rolled and tucked inside our baggage (some people won't believe it, but I think my only advantage is how to pack lightly!!)

Speaking of baggage, I strongly recommended chose the lightest weight and hard case to gain more baggage allowance in the cabin. Lojel hardcover 1.8kgs and Antler 2.2kgs are the lightest cabin (and hard case) we ever found! The wheels are light and rolled excellently even when you bring heavy things inside.

Our Baggage for 16 Days. Antler is the blue one, Lojel is the red one

Anyway, even all of those countries (France, Iceland, Germany, Cezch Republic, Austria, Greece, Switzerland, Italy) are covered with Schengen visa but notice that few is non- EU (European Union) member and not using EURO currency just like Iceland, Czech Republic and Switzerland.

The most important part to do DIY-Itinerary is the need to stay online to search google maps. To cover all the cities in my itinerary, we rent a pocket WiFi from here. The price is really competitive and the signal strenght is excellent! 

Each city in my list have their own strength that define uniqueness on its part. While Iceland is below 0 degree celcius in March, Santorini is 22 Degree celcius yet I love every second spend on all of these cities and here are why:


1. Paris 

Seine and Eifel

While Eifel Tower is most popular icon in whole world, it is also premise where many movies take a scene and spread the romantic ideas to most  human (read : woman ) in decades. But to be honest, I am biggest fans of Before Sunrise-Sunset-Midnight movie also Nodame Cantabile which they shot the movie in Paris. That's why I wanted to go there and re-play the movies at my imagination. From Shakespeare & Co, Seine River or  Arc De Triomphe.

Plus, counting how many books have setting in Paris...then it is really city that every one should visit.


2. Reykjavik

Somewhere on the Golden Circle tour

If you want to visit Iceland then you should land to Reykjavik, the northen most capital city in the world. I admit just like Paris, the reason I wanted to go there is just because of the Secret Life of Walter Mitty (yeah nerdieeee!!) and AURORA BOREALIS. In fact, this country is a nature wonder where the water, land and ice are met. I believe that we should spend at least a week to cover the major routes in Iceland. Our two days stay only cover for the downtown and the famous Golden circle tour.


3. Berlin 

Reichstag Building

Actually we should transit to Berlin to connect our journey to Prague yet Berlin isn't lost cause at all. Circling around the city for only 2 good hours, we love Berlin in a second because the city combination between modern and classic city. Moreover, there are lot of historical building which also very iconic.


4. Prague

View from Prague Castle

When people say that Prague is the most beautiful city arround Europe, don't judge him/her overreacting because Prague is yes very-very beautiful medieval city in the world. On the Plus side, most attractions are on walking distance so we can keep our time and money.

5. Salzburg

View from Monschberg Lift

Salzburg are less popular among other destination yet it is my most wanted bucket list. The old city is the place where Salzburg's son- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart born. There are many of point of interest in Salzburg like Salzburg Castle, Mozart Wohnhaus, Mozart Geburthaus, Salzach River, Mirabel Schloss, etc.


6. Vienna

The Parliament House

Having title as Unesco National Heritage, Vienna have spectacular line of Buildings and Museums around the city. Yet too bad when I was there on Sunday, almost all shops are close except restaurants and souvenir shops.

7. Santorini

Aegean Village

 Just blame it on ridiculously photogenic village on the cliff in front of Aegean Sea!




8. St. Moritz

View from Muottas Muragl

Every ski lover definitely set this town in his/her bucket list. But I am no ski player or ever try it but I know this city because of Bernina Express-one of Unesco World Heritage Scenic Railways between Switzerland and Italy. Since it is holiday town which alive in Winter, every thing is also ridiculously expensive.


9. Milan

San Siro stadium

Initially, we pick this city to shop and stay place to go to Cinque Terre. Yet just like Berlin, Milan have its own strikingly beautiful uniqueness.


10. Como

Como Lake from above

Heard that there is beautiful city near Milan have a beautiful lake, we decide to went there due to the weather forecasts in which Cinque Terre will raining.

11. Venice

The Grand Canal

Just like Paris, Venice is very famous among tourist all over the world. The beautiful canal city is literally floating above the water whilst people using only water transport. It is very touristy place where locals earn live from it.

Well, to know the detail of each point of interest, tricks and trip in each city, I will describe it in every separated post. Just follow the link below (I am on progress writing it)!


Next Posts:
Between Architecture and Literature in Prague City
The World War Memento in Berlin
The Country that made you live in there, Iceland
One Full Day in the City of Lights, Paris