Family trip to Italy - doable with a small budget?
Oct 7th, 2012, 07:21 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 379
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Family trip to Italy - doable with a small budget?
I've been wanting to go to Italy for a few years now. We always end up choosing somewhere else. The reason : Italy just seems so expensive! We always travel in the summer July or August- only choice. We have 3 teens. So, before we choose another country, I wanted to check in with u all. Can we do Rome (south Italy appeals to me too), the cirque sounds fun and Florence, somehow on a budget? Should we base ourselves in Rome? Any thoughts?
Oct 7th, 2012, 07:31 PM
#2
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 289
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It might help if you shared your definition of "on a budget". How much per night for rooms? How much per day for food? I might suggest you look at apartments for your family. Also note that transportation between towns will add to the budget as well, so fewer moves between towns would be more budget friendly.
Oct 7th, 2012, 07:34 PM
#3
Rent an apartment in Rome to save money and have more space. a laundry.. Cirque? Do you mean Cinque Terre? Not as a day trip from Rome but very worthwhile since your kids are teens and able to do the hiking.Many affordable options in teh Cinque Terre.
Oct 7th, 2012, 08:34 PM
#4
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 12,011
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
What does small budget mean to you? I find several other countries to be just as expensive as Italy overall and some, like Switzerland, to be more. It does also depend on location, even within the country.
Oct 8th, 2012, 02:25 AM
#6
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 57,890
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Italy is not expensive compared to a lot of other places in europe.
You really need to tell us
1) how much is your budget
2) where will you be coming from
3) how willing are you to live on the cheap? (stay in hostels or modest pensions without AC, eat food from markets rather than restaurants etc
You really need to tell us
1) how much is your budget
2) where will you be coming from
3) how willing are you to live on the cheap? (stay in hostels or modest pensions without AC, eat food from markets rather than restaurants etc
Oct 8th, 2012, 04:32 AM
#7
If I wanted to pull together a 5 person holiday in Italy for as little as possible. I would
Rent an appartment, I would book it early and I would avoid the major attractions. This means
1) avoid Rome in August (just going to be heaving and expensive)
2) Florence, stay in Lucca and take the local train to Florence, Pisa etc
3) For Venice stay in Mestre (in the old town) and take the train in
4) Southern Italy, don't go the place will be packed out with Italian Tourists, but if you muct go, keep away from the coast and stay somewhere like Ostuni and hire a car.
5) if all this fails to attract look at campsites or Agritorismo in places foreign tourists don't go like the Po valley (Ferrara, Bologna, Madova etc)
Rent an appartment, I would book it early and I would avoid the major attractions. This means
1) avoid Rome in August (just going to be heaving and expensive)
2) Florence, stay in Lucca and take the local train to Florence, Pisa etc
3) For Venice stay in Mestre (in the old town) and take the train in
4) Southern Italy, don't go the place will be packed out with Italian Tourists, but if you muct go, keep away from the coast and stay somewhere like Ostuni and hire a car.
5) if all this fails to attract look at campsites or Agritorismo in places foreign tourists don't go like the Po valley (Ferrara, Bologna, Madova etc)
Oct 9th, 2012, 05:54 PM
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 379
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Oops I meant to type cinque!
1- budget $300 a night and apartment is fine but hubby loves his ac.
2-I like the open jaw flights into Venice, take train somewhere Tuscany (lucca?) then last stop Rome. Perhaps 12 day trip? Something reasonable yet not too long that it breaks the bank.
3-we always eat grocery stores.
4-what about amalfi drive as a day trip from Rome? What about Rome with Sicily combo instead? We like history and art but also nature.
5- coming from the states.
We are considering Italy versus morocco (but I wish we could do Italy) :/
1- budget $300 a night and apartment is fine but hubby loves his ac.
2-I like the open jaw flights into Venice, take train somewhere Tuscany (lucca?) then last stop Rome. Perhaps 12 day trip? Something reasonable yet not too long that it breaks the bank.
3-we always eat grocery stores.
4-what about amalfi drive as a day trip from Rome? What about Rome with Sicily combo instead? We like history and art but also nature.
5- coming from the states.
We are considering Italy versus morocco (but I wish we could do Italy) :/
Oct 10th, 2012, 05:14 AM
#9
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 2,672
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Rome and Sicily would be a good combination if you don't mind the heat. Five days in Rome and 7 in Sicily. The only drawback to this itinerary would be the need to rent a car in Sicily. You should do Rome, Florence and the Cinque Terre or a similar itinerary without a car.
I would go as early in July as possible to avoid the most crowded time.
I would go as early in July as possible to avoid the most crowded time.
Oct 10th, 2012, 07:26 AM
#10
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 10,556
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Consider Portugal. I know it is usually off the radar for many travelers, but we just visited Lisbon and surrounding areas and we loved it. I posted a thread entitled "Lisbon: Europe without the attitude or price-tag". Your dollar goes so much further there than Italy.
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-price-tag.cfm
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-price-tag.cfm
Oct 10th, 2012, 08:20 AM
#11
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 7,160
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Everything in your reply was good until you got to #4. The Amalfi coast is too far IMO for a daytrip from Rome. And Sicily is even farther.
You must limit your moves if you want to save money. If you want to stay in rural Tuscany between Venice and Rome, you'll want a car for the countryside. It would probably be cheaper to pick up a car as you leave Venice and drive to Tuscany, then drive to Rome. Train fares for 5 people can add up. I'm not up-to-date with the newest Trenitalia fare structure. They offer a Family ticket with savings but seem to require at least one of the family be under 12. Fodors train experts may be able to help.
A stay in a Tuscan agriturismo (working farm that takes guests), one with a pool, would be a nice break on your trip.
You must limit your moves if you want to save money. If you want to stay in rural Tuscany between Venice and Rome, you'll want a car for the countryside. It would probably be cheaper to pick up a car as you leave Venice and drive to Tuscany, then drive to Rome. Train fares for 5 people can add up. I'm not up-to-date with the newest Trenitalia fare structure. They offer a Family ticket with savings but seem to require at least one of the family be under 12. Fodors train experts may be able to help.
A stay in a Tuscan agriturismo (working farm that takes guests), one with a pool, would be a nice break on your trip.
Oct 10th, 2012, 08:41 AM
#12
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 57,890
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Is $300 per night for the apartment - or is that also supposed to cover food, transit and cost of sights?
And for apartments in Italy with AC you should look as early as possible -since many do not have it. Nor do many agriturismos.
And for apartments in Italy with AC you should look as early as possible -since many do not have it. Nor do many agriturismos.
Oct 12th, 2012, 04:56 AM
#14
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 241
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
http://www.hostel5terre.com/ENG/index.html
The above is a link to the great hostel we stayed in while we were in the Cinque Terre a few years ago. It's in Manarola. It was clean, the staff was friendly, and it has a restaurant with really cheap meals. It won't be the most delicious food you eat in Italy but the price is right.
I do realize hostels are a little rougher around the edges and often more geared toward youth, but if you're traveling on a budget, sometimes you have to think outside the box.
The above is a link to the great hostel we stayed in while we were in the Cinque Terre a few years ago. It's in Manarola. It was clean, the staff was friendly, and it has a restaurant with really cheap meals. It won't be the most delicious food you eat in Italy but the price is right.
I do realize hostels are a little rougher around the edges and often more geared toward youth, but if you're traveling on a budget, sometimes you have to think outside the box.
Oct 12th, 2012, 06:55 AM
#15
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 7,160
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
For apartments in Rome and elsewhere, Sleep in Italy (www.sleepinitaly.com) has been highly recommended on this forum. $300/night should get you something acceptable. You might save if you stay a whole week.
Pay attention to the apartment's location. In fact, get the exact address. You want to be somewhere central, walkable.
Also, when my son was young, we used to leave on vacations in June immediately after school was out. That worked well. Cooler temperatures, smaller crowds, sometimes lower prices.
Pay attention to the apartment's location. In fact, get the exact address. You want to be somewhere central, walkable.
Also, when my son was young, we used to leave on vacations in June immediately after school was out. That worked well. Cooler temperatures, smaller crowds, sometimes lower prices.
