Italy in May - budget help!

You could try this place, which I've used for years:

http://www.hotelsuisserome.com/

I would just choose one other place to stay, or you will spend too much time travelling or recovering from travelling. Another base could be either Sorrento or Siena.

So 10 days total, including days for travel? I would definitely recommend Rome, which is high-energy, fast paced and absolutely full of the most incredible art, architecture, parks and ruins. Then couple your stay with Florence and maybe take a day trip or 2 from there. Try not to over do it with too many cities; but if you decide to anyway, don't forget the travel time and checking in/out of hotels that eat up part of your day.

The way I always start a trip, besides reading lots of threads here and www.slowtrav.com, is to rent travel videos or watch trael shows on the subject. Narrow your choice of cities and general itinerary and come back here for advise. Once you know the cities you'll be staying in, get good guide books and maps of those cities and become familiar with the layout so you can hit the ground running. Also while you are reading about those cities, start making a list of your top 5-10 things you must do/see while in that city. If you click on destinations at the top of this page, you will see suggested itineraries of the most popular places. It might be a good start.

IMHO in 10 days (and is that total or on the ground?) you should do places - no more - or you'll waste toomuch time getting from one place to another.

To give useful recos:

When are you going

Who are "we"??

What are your interests?

Different people mean different things by modest. Are you talking about pleasnat 3* hotels in central locations with private bath - or a B&B with shared? Do you want sit down meals in casuale trattoria or to picnic on a bench?

So...

Hotel 10 nights (or 9?)

Transpo Rome to Florence
Transpo Florence to Capri/Amalfi
Transpo Capri/Amalfi to Rome

Museum and site entry fees
Breakfast, lunch & dinner for 2 people, 10 days
Incidentals water, coffee, gelato

(Just clarifying to better answer)

Withholding specific recs until we get more info (nytraveler had some critical questions).

I also agree with everyone that two home bases (Rome-Tuscany/Florence or Rome/Amalfi Coast) is all you should attempt on this trip.

100 euros a day seems quite a lot for food--much more than comfortable especially if breakfast is included with your accomodatioins. Though I suppose that if you want to have a special dining experience at every meal instead of just a pleasant dining experience, it could cost that much.

Thanks for your responses!

A little more info...My husband and I are traveling (he's Italian-American, and we will be there during his bday). We have 12 days including travel time, so just 10 hotel nights. I would definitely like to mix it up with picnics on park benches and good dinners in out-of the way places.

I was wondering if $4500 or $5000US is enough. And we've been on enough beach vacations that I guess we won't do Amalfi. I think exploring the Tuscan countryside and maybe touring a vineyard would be a great sidetrip from Florence. That means we need to rent a car, right?

I would not discount Amalfi because you think it is "just" a beach destination. It is SO much more than that!!!

I agree with all above who cautioned you to select a maximum of two bases and perhaps do daytrips from there. You should have a car in Tuscany; you do not need one for the Amalfi area. I would advise looking into staying in Amalfi, or even in Maiori or Minori, rather than Positano or Capri, for the sake of your budget.

If you want to base in Florence and just take one daytrip from there, you might get away with not having a car. You certainly will not need one for Florence, or for Rome.

I agree that 100 euro is more than generous for daily food costs, as long as your hotel includes breakfast and as long as you do not need a full lunch and a full dinner. You can eat a very good dinner, even in Rome, with house wine, for 70 euro for two persons.

If you decide on Amalfi, here is a moderately priced hotel that we were delighted with; we spent 5 nights there early last May.


www.hotelfloridiana.it


Here is the report I wrote about that trip; you will find meal prices listed in most cases:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=2&tid=35128776



Here is another one from 2007, about Rome, also with food prices noted:


http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=2&tid=34931625

Hi LV,

In Florence I can highly recommend www.bedinflorence.it

On the AC, I can highly recommend www.lesirene.com in Praiano.

Is there a reason for leaving out Venice?