How to obtain a Schengen visa
The door to Europe often opens for the most determined travelers. A well-known blogger notes that securing a long-term Schengen visa is the toughest part of planning a European trip.
The blogger believes the best Schengen multiple-entry visas generally come from France, Italy, and Spain. He mentions Greece as another option, mostly tied to specific travel dates. To increase the chances of a longer visa from Greece, he suggests booking for a longer period. Theoretically, up to 90 days might be possible, but in practice it is often closer to two months. France is seen as the strongest option, with long-term visas occasionally issued, though not common. With a solid visa history, a holder might expect a visa valid for three to twelve months.
The main hurdle is the submission process itself. With fewer consulates and limited appointment slots, obtaining an entry can be challenging. Bots and visa consultants are known to monitor slots and update visa-center pages overnight to secure appointments.
Travel experts indicate that obtaining a Schengen visa today remains difficult, and long-term visas are rarer. Italy, Spain, Greece, and Cyprus are frequently issued with travel-date visas. Applicants should expect a typical waiting period of about two weeks after documents are submitted. In rare cases, a six-month visa may be granted if the passport is filled with Schengen stamps. When booking a package tour, the agency can handle the visa application, but long-term visas are still not guaranteed, usually being tied to travel dates. A well-known travel entrepreneur warns that visa processing times can extend up to forty-five days due to backlogs in consulates and visa centers.
Several consulates currently issue visas with varying ease. Italy, Spain, and Greece are reasonably accessible, Croatia shows more limitations, and Cyprus has become more complicated with no electronic visas in some cases. However, an open Schengen visa still permits European travel if other conditions are met. A travel professional notes that there remain several passport-friendly routes to a European vacation.
How to reach Europe
Direct flights from Russia to Europe without transfers are currently uncommon. A travel advisor recommends routing through Armenia, Turkey, or Georgia as practical options.
There are affordable flights from Kutaisi, and a round-trip ticket from Russia to a European city can be found for roughly 37,000 rubles. A blogger suggests using Armenia as a hub because many routes exist from Russia to Yerevan, from which low-cost options like Wizz Air can connect travelers to Italy or Cyprus for around 2,000–3,000 rubles one-way.
When using flight aggregators, it can be more effective to search for Russia–Armenia or Russia–Georgia first, then continue to Europe from there. Flights from Russia to Georgia mostly head to Tbilisi, while low-cost carriers frequently operate from Kutaisi to Europe. The easiest route to Europe is often via Turkey, especially with the low-cost Turkish carrier Pegasus. Another option is a transit through Finland, but this approach usually only works for reaching a country outside the Schengen area with a short stay in Finland being insufficient for entry into Schengen states like Italy, Spain, or France.
A tour operator can help find suitable flight options, including itineraries through Istanbul, Abu Dhabi, or Belgrade for those aiming to visit Greece. Daily flights from Istanbul to Spain and Italy are common, and to reach Cyprus a sensible routing through other hubs is advised. These strategies help travelers assemble a practical path to the mainland and islands of Europe.
How to book accommodation
Independent travelers often worry about where to book hotels when popular payment cards from Russia are not widely accepted. A prominent blogger suggests that opening an account with a foreign bank can ease the process. A remote card service can be issued and delivered to a Russian address, and such cards can be used across Europe without relying on Western payment networks. This approach can simplify transactions for accommodations and other services during travel.
For those who prefer not to set up another country’s card, carrying cash and using a pay-on-arrival option on booking platforms is another possibility. Some accommodations accept this method, though choices may be limited. Creating a backup plan, such as a mapped budget strategy, is advised by the blogger.
A fellow travel expert notes there are no significant barriers to booking hotels abroad with ruble-based cards from Russia. An example given is securing a week-long hotel stay for two people through a tour operator at about 9,500 rubles, without including a flight to Greece.
What the budget looks like
Industry professionals say a purely economical European holiday is unlikely this summer. A package tour can reduce costs, and examples include a 10-day itinerary with Greece on a 3-star hotel with breakfast at around 126–130 thousand rubles, Croatia at about 230 thousand rubles, Italy near 300 thousand rubles, and Cyprus around 134 thousand rubles. In recent years, more travelers choose packaged trips due to convenience and cost controls, while operators continually seek options to optimize connections and overall pricing as direct flights remain limited.
Expect a typical week in Europe to cost roughly 400–500 euros per person, though some travelers manage with about 150 euros a week, especially when accommodation is affordable and local meals are thrifty. Currency fluctuations also affect budgets, with the ruble-to-euro rate currently presenting another factor to consider. Price levels in European coffee shops and urban centers have risen compared with earlier years, influencing daily expenses during a trip. Overall, Europe remains accessible for varied tastes and budgets, from inexpensive hostels to higher-end hotels, depending on preference and season.