This is the first post in the travel series. I usually finish the trip planning before applying for a visa. This way, I can accurately estimate costs and time, and judge the feasibility of the entire journey.

My travel planning is macro-to-micro, general-to-specific: First, select the destination and approximate travel dates, then determine the inbound and outbound transportation. From there, finalize the accommodation locations and durations, and ultimately decide the sightseeing order based on where I’m staying.

Note: Everyone’s travel goals are different, as are their health and energy levels. Adjust the itinerary to your own reality. For instance, if you have high stamina and don’t mind long walks, you can pick a hotel slightly further from the core sites to avoid the price hikes of tourist hotspots.

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Itinerary Overview

City	Country	Duration	Accommodation Area
Rome + Vatican	Italy	3 Days, 2 Nights	Guesthouse near Vatican
Florence	Italy	2 Days, 3 Nights	Near Florence Central Station
Milan	Italy	0.5 Day	N/A
Prague	Czechia	4 Days, 3 Nights	Near Praha 5
Vienna	Austria	1.5 Days, 1 Night	Near Neubau (7th District)
Budapest	Hungary	2 Days, 3 Nights	Near Erzsébetváros (7th District)
Total		14 Days, 13 Nights

(Specific city breakdowns and accommodation details will be in the upcoming posts for each city.)

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Step 1: Confirm Feasibility

When starting a plan, the first thing is to define a general timeframe and decide if it’s a good time to visit. Avoiding the “wrong” season is crucial, otherwise, the experience suffers. Additionally, some landmarks aren’t open year-round. Confirming the status of “must-see” spots ahead of time prevents the frustration of showing up to closed gates.

My Approach: The 2026 Lunar New Year holiday was long, and by taking some extra leave, I could cobble together a decent trip. I settled on early to mid-February. February is the off-season in Europe, meaning cheaper flights/hotels and fewer crowds. Note: when I made this plan, I didn’t realize the Winter Olympics were about to happen in Milan, otherwise I might have adjusted slightly. Also, since I visited Greece during the 2025 holiday, travelling during the same window helped create a consistent record for the visa application.

Step 2: Transportation

Once the dates are set, nail down the inbound and outbound transit. For domestic trips, that’s trains or flights; for international, it’s the long-haul flights. Especially when involving multiple cities or countries, this step is critical. Unless you’re on a road trip, your actual arrival and departure dates are dictated by these logistics.

My Approach: The “must-visit” destinations for this trip were Rome and Florence. I found affordable direct flights to Rome with great timing, so I locked that in as the entry point. Since I had a long holiday, I decided to add a few more Schengen countries. To keep the budget in check, I focused on Eastern Europe where the cost of living is lower. The “Austria-Hungary-Czechia” trio is a classic combo with a distinctly different vibe from Western Europe.

After consulting the map and return flight options, I finalized the route: “Enter from Rome, head north to Florence, fly to Milan for a connection to Prague, head south to Vienna and Budapest, and fly direct from Budapest home.” No backtracking, no loops—the time and cost were reasonable. Within Italy, trains are the way to go (the earlier you buy, the cheaper). For the Prague-Vienna-Budapest leg, ÖBB (Austrian Federal Railways) is incredibly convenient, scenic, and efficient.

Step 3: Accommodation

Once the flights are booked, it’s time to think about where to sleep.

When picking a place, I balance safety, transit accessibility, distance to sights, noise levels, and price. I usually plot my “must-sees” on a map and pick a spot in the middle. This helps build a mental geography of the city during the booking process.

My Approach: Accommodation in Europe is quite different from China. We’re used to affordable chains, but in Europe, cheap chains are rare—instead, the guesthouse (B&B/Apartment) scene is incredibly rich.

• Rome: The Vatican is a circus. To see it before the crowds arrive, I picked a guesthouse nearby. It was affordable and allowed me to be at the gates first thing in the morning.

• Florence: The city is compact. I chose a hotel near the central station for easy train arrivals and departures.

• Prague: Loads of options here, much cheaper than Italy or Vienna. I decided to stay an extra night (4 nights total). I picked a hotel in Praha 5. It was a steal, and even though it was a bit further out, the public transit was so efficient it didn’t matter.

• Vienna: Hotels near the station were overpriced. I ended up in Neubau (the 7th District). This is Vienna’s “hipster” quarter—lots of designer shops, cafés, and a great cultural vibe.

• Budapest: I chose a guesthouse in Erzsébetváros (the 7th District). The location is prime—it’s the most vibrant historic quarter, with ruin bars like Szimpla Kert and the Dohány Street Synagogue within walking distance.

Step 4: Audit the Itinerary

With transit, stays, and sights settled, I do a mental “simulation” of the trip to check for:

• Is the pace too tight? Is the daily walking load realistic?
• Is there public transit when I arrive? If I’m landing at night, are there night buses? If not, a taxi will spike the cost.
• Do I need to pre-book anything for transit transfers?

My Approach:

• Arriving in Rome at 7 AM. Customs and luggage take about two hours. By the time I take the airport express and check in, it’s noon. Quick bite, then sightseeing. Day 1 timing? Perfect.
• Landing in Prague at 8 PM. Public transit is still running normally. No stress.
• Flying home from Budapest at 11 AM. Landing in Beijing at 3 AM. Subways and buses are dead. I need to pre-book a Didi/ride-hail, or I’ll be stuck at the airport until dawn.

Step 5: Prepare Documents

International travel means visas. Follow the embassy requirements to the letter. Also, research the local currency: what do they use? Do you need cash? Are credit cards common?

My Approach:

• Applied for a Schengen visa (Italy as the port of entry). Docs submitted: proof of employment, credit card statements, passport, household register, copies of previous visas, itinerary, transit/hotel bookings.
• Currency: Italy/Austria use the Euro. Czechia uses the Koruna (CZK). Hungary uses the Forint (HUF). Cards and mobile payments are widespread in all these countries, so I only carried a tiny amount of cash just in case.