Budget for eating out in Italy, France and Berlin?
Mar 30th, 2015, 06:10 PM
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Budget for eating out in Italy, France and Berlin?
Please help me figure out a general budget for eating while on our 32 day trip. Doesn't have to be really close, I just need an idea in some ballpark. You can tell me in Euros or Canadian or American Dollars.
On the trip, It's me, mom, and 3 teens that are average amount eaters, not a lot of snacking or desserts or pop/soda. We will be 15 days in Nice, Paris and Provence, 15 days in Rome, Tuscany, Positano and Venice and 2 days in Berlin this July.
We'll have groceries for about half the breakfasts and eat out the rest of the breakfasts. For about 1/3 of the lunches and dinners, we'll eat in fairly nice ( but not extremely expensive/5 star ) restaurants with some wine and or beer, another 1/3 will be grab and go pizza, sandwiches etc. and the last 1/3 we'll eat in as we'll have kitchen facilities a lot of the time.
I broke it down by location and number of days/meals out and would like to hear what others have spent per day per person on similar trips. Is $65 CDN/ €46 / $80 USD day per person 'in the ballpark'?
On the trip, It's me, mom, and 3 teens that are average amount eaters, not a lot of snacking or desserts or pop/soda. We will be 15 days in Nice, Paris and Provence, 15 days in Rome, Tuscany, Positano and Venice and 2 days in Berlin this July.
We'll have groceries for about half the breakfasts and eat out the rest of the breakfasts. For about 1/3 of the lunches and dinners, we'll eat in fairly nice ( but not extremely expensive/5 star ) restaurants with some wine and or beer, another 1/3 will be grab and go pizza, sandwiches etc. and the last 1/3 we'll eat in as we'll have kitchen facilities a lot of the time.
I broke it down by location and number of days/meals out and would like to hear what others have spent per day per person on similar trips. Is $65 CDN/ €46 / $80 USD day per person 'in the ballpark'?
Mar 30th, 2015, 07:17 PM
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I think you are in the ballpark. In 2009, when the exchange rate was much worse, my husband and I averaged $100 per day for the two of us, for a three month trip. We did mostly picnics, grab and go and cooking in our apartment, but also eating out occasionally at moderate restaurants, nothing 5 star either.
The extra $30 per person per day you have allowed on top of our total should help cover the restaurant portion for the 1/3 of the lunches and dinners, especially since the exchange rate is considerably better than when we went.
The extra $30 per person per day you have allowed on top of our total should help cover the restaurant portion for the 1/3 of the lunches and dinners, especially since the exchange rate is considerably better than when we went.
Mar 30th, 2015, 11:17 PM
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Can't speak for anyplace but Italy, but you'll be okay with that figure. In July, gelato is just about irresistible, that will nick your budget. Remember that pizza is generally an evening meal in Italy, and you'll find it at its best in Rome and Positano. Venice is a notoriously expensive, and not an easy place to shop for food. These two articles might help you out.
http://www.theguardian.com/travel/20...ice-food-italy
http://www.theguardian.com/travel/20...s-cicheti-wine
Another tip for Italy is that while open air markets are usually only open in the morning, most all other food shops are open in the afternoon, between 4 and 7pm, so after a day of sightseeing, you can usually pick up food on the way back to the apartment. Depending on where you are, you should be able to find food shops with prepared food, including roasted chickens. But in summertime, evening meals of tomatoes, cheese, sliced meats, fruits can be easier than cooking.
Generally speaking, the Italian norm is a big lunch and a lighter dinner. In Tuscany you might find it better to plan eating this way if you are out visiting small towns, where just about everything except restaurants close in the midday.
http://www.theguardian.com/travel/20...ice-food-italy
http://www.theguardian.com/travel/20...s-cicheti-wine
Another tip for Italy is that while open air markets are usually only open in the morning, most all other food shops are open in the afternoon, between 4 and 7pm, so after a day of sightseeing, you can usually pick up food on the way back to the apartment. Depending on where you are, you should be able to find food shops with prepared food, including roasted chickens. But in summertime, evening meals of tomatoes, cheese, sliced meats, fruits can be easier than cooking.
Generally speaking, the Italian norm is a big lunch and a lighter dinner. In Tuscany you might find it better to plan eating this way if you are out visiting small towns, where just about everything except restaurants close in the midday.
Mar 31st, 2015, 01:27 AM
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My husband and I spend less than that in Italy. We're not big eaters, drink mostly water, and usually share at least one of the courses (the meat course). In the evening, we eat very light meals, maybe a main dish salad.
We find prices in France similar to those in Italy. Two years ago, we spent two weeks in France, split between Paris and Nîmes, and your budget would have more than sufficient for us in both places.
Like Sandralist, we find Venice expensive, and there are lots of mediocre and overpriced restaurants, maybe because the tourists greatly outnumber the residents. I'm sure there are some good restaurants that are priced reasonably, but we've never done any research on the matter. We tend to want to eat where we find ourselves when we get hungry. You might want to consider having gelato for supper in Venice.
We find prices in France similar to those in Italy. Two years ago, we spent two weeks in France, split between Paris and Nîmes, and your budget would have more than sufficient for us in both places.
Like Sandralist, we find Venice expensive, and there are lots of mediocre and overpriced restaurants, maybe because the tourists greatly outnumber the residents. I'm sure there are some good restaurants that are priced reasonably, but we've never done any research on the matter. We tend to want to eat where we find ourselves when we get hungry. You might want to consider having gelato for supper in Venice.
Mar 31st, 2015, 05:09 AM
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$80 per day should be fine UNLESS you want to head to any upscale restaurants. For nice neighborhood places you should be OK - keeping in mind that portions are smaller than in the US and there fore people might eat more courses for dinner.
For perspective - we usually have one special dinner in each city and allow about $350 per couple for the dinner plus wine. But for other days - assuming sit down lighter lunch and sit down pleasant dinner we allow about US $100 per day per person - plus snacks and drinks.
For perspective - we usually have one special dinner in each city and allow about $350 per couple for the dinner plus wine. But for other days - assuming sit down lighter lunch and sit down pleasant dinner we allow about US $100 per day per person - plus snacks and drinks.
Mar 31st, 2015, 09:43 AM
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Hi michele_d. Thanks for the info and confirmation that we are in the ballpark! Hopefully the exchange rate doesn't get worse for us but c'est la vie! Now I can't wait to try authentic gelato!
Mar 31st, 2015, 09:57 AM
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Hey Sandralist, hi again! I am so impressed with how much time you have spent helping me out. Thank you! Thanks for the Venice articles and tips. Something I haven't found out anywhere is if teens can go into bars or what age they have to be to order a beer. I will take to heart ( and stomach ) your suggestion to eat pizza in Rome and Positano and not in Venice. I love the idea of picking up something light on the way home after a day of sightseeing and I actually like to have a bigger lunch than dinner. The tip about when markets are open vs. when food shops are helps. We will have a car in Tuscany so it will be easy to eat well in a nice restaurant at lunch and bring something back to our Agriturismo for dinner. Grazie!
Mar 31st, 2015, 10:04 AM
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Bvlenci-hello again as well! Another person who has helped me along the way more than once-thank you! I am so relieved to hear that you think our budget is a healthy one. While my teens will not share a meal, they are not huge eaters, are healthy eaters so I feel based on what you've told me I can make it work. Also, it's so good to know that you think prices and Italy and France are quite similar. Thanks again!
Mar 31st, 2015, 10:27 AM
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Nytraveler-Again, another person who has helped me before, so thanks so much. I love the idea of one special meal per place. I think I will strive for that as it may make my planning a little easier. Your dollar amount per extra 'fancy' meal and lighter, regular restaurant meals sure help, as does the fact they are not wine drinkers so $350 for a very nice dinner for two may go down noticeably. One thing I've learned is that feeding kids is expensive no matter where we are. I think I will for sure bring a mini blender for their daily protein shakes that they love and that may help a bit. Thank you again!
