How much do you spend on food PER DAY while vacationing in Italy?
Sep 14th, 2010, 04:56 PM
#1
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How much do you spend on food PER DAY while vacationing in Italy?
My husband loved eating good food while traveling in Italy but three out to eat meals per day for 2 weeks busted our budget. $100 a day per person. Is this typical? A nice dinner alone was about $50. Were we overspending?.
Sep 14th, 2010, 05:01 PM
#2
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Well we usually eat breakfast in the hotel - so it doens;t count in the food budget. We usually have a casulae lunch and it generally isn;t more than $25 per person.. We generally do a nicish dinner - with one really good dinner in each city. For a regular dinner we usually don;t go much over $50 per person - but a special dinner is usually $250 to $300 for two. (IMHO this is similar to going out to dinner at home.)
I think your spending is perfectly reasonable - unless you had planned to spend a lot less. (You can spend less - there are a lot of ways to do so - iif you're willing too simplify).
I think your spending is perfectly reasonable - unless you had planned to spend a lot less. (You can spend less - there are a lot of ways to do so - iif you're willing too simplify).
Sep 14th, 2010, 05:21 PM
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I try to find the little mom & pop places away from the madding crowd. As an example, across the street from San Clemente is a small pizza place called Pizza Rustica. It is run by a wonderful Egyptian man and his wife. They make the best and by far biggest kabobs in Rome, and it costs about $8 (USD).
dave
dave
Sep 14th, 2010, 06:14 PM
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Sure it's typical unless you speak the language or do a lot of research and can really scout out bargains or have local friends who can steer you to bargains. It would be typical in most any European country, maybe even less than most would spend for three meals a day.
But since you won't be traveling together again in the future, you can cut that amount in half, at least.
But since you won't be traveling together again in the future, you can cut that amount in half, at least.
Sep 15th, 2010, 12:19 AM
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If you're spending $50 per person for dinner that means you're spending that much for lunch as well. Unless you're having a full meal with wine for lunch as well as dinner you are overspending at lunch. I have no idea what is typical but I certainly don't spend $50 for lunch.
Sep 15th, 2010, 02:19 AM
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We spent about $15 on breakfast. $25 on lunch, $50 for dinner and about $15 on snacks, drinks, and treats during the day per person. About $1000 for airfare and $140 a night hotel in bed and breakfasts. Some of my friends spend a lot more on their hotel because they hated bed and breakfasts the same way I did. As the typical "Ugly American" during our two week trip to Italy by the end I was so tired of eating out and the hassle of slow food and haughty wait staff. I would have died to have a nice $9 meal at Cracker Barrel and stay at a nice American style Courtyard by Marriott with a high quality mattress we got through a $70 successful "name your own price" bid on Priceline!
I loved Italy but some parts of it were overly expensive, tiring and very uncomfortable!
I loved Italy but some parts of it were overly expensive, tiring and very uncomfortable!
Sep 15th, 2010, 02:36 AM
#12
If you were staying in B&Bs (the second B is for breakfast) why were you spending $15 on breakfasts? There is absolutely no need to spend $25 on lunch unless you want to - you can get a nice sandwich for about a tenth of that and the tap water in Italy is fine to drink.
Sep 15th, 2010, 03:04 AM
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Again, it would be helpful if you told us where you stayed at where you ate. Is there some reason that you are so reluctant to do so?
What parts of Italy did you visit? What didi you love and what did you dislike?
What restaurants were so bad?
Why all the negatives without naming one specific name of a hotel or restaurant?
What parts of Italy did you visit? What didi you love and what did you dislike?
What restaurants were so bad?
Why all the negatives without naming one specific name of a hotel or restaurant?
Sep 15th, 2010, 03:17 AM
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I don't think you're meant to travel to Europe as there seems to be a trend of displeasure for you. Perhaps you should limit your travel to the US.
I also don't understand why you spent an additional $15 for breakfast when you stayed in Bed & Breakfast lodgings and even if you were in hotels the breakfasts in Italy are normally included.
For lunch you could have stopped into any bar and eaten a tartine or panini quickly, especially if you stand at the bar to eat. There are even trucks that serve paninis. No need to linger if you don't want to. You can eat quickly at dinner as well.
I think the waiters in Italy are great and some of them are gorgeous so I don't mind lingering for the eye candy! LOL
I also don't understand why you spent an additional $15 for breakfast when you stayed in Bed & Breakfast lodgings and even if you were in hotels the breakfasts in Italy are normally included.
For lunch you could have stopped into any bar and eaten a tartine or panini quickly, especially if you stand at the bar to eat. There are even trucks that serve paninis. No need to linger if you don't want to. You can eat quickly at dinner as well.
I think the waiters in Italy are great and some of them are gorgeous so I don't mind lingering for the eye candy! LOL
Sep 15th, 2010, 03:45 AM
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>> My husband loved eating good food while traveling in Italy but three out to eat meals per day for 2 weeks busted our budget. $100 a day per person. Is this typical? A nice dinner alone was about $50. Were we overspending?.
"overspending" depends on the individual's lifestyle, taste, and experience in traveling.
I spend about 25-50 euros a day on food in Italy (to be specific, let's say Florence).
I don't eat at hotel restaurants.
I like to book accommodation with a small kitchen or fridge and then go to the local groceries shop to buy ingredients and cook my own food.
I eat small meals and usually I don't eat lunch.
>> As the typical "Ugly American" during our two week trip to Italy by the end I was so tired of eating out and the hassle of slow food and haughty wait staff. I would have died to have a nice $9 meal at Cracker Barrel and stay at a nice American style Courtyard by Marriott with a high quality mattress we got through a $70 successful "name your own price" bid on Priceline!
Yes you are certainly thinking like an Ugly American. I'm sorry that you had such a terrible experience in such a beautiful place. Better to stay home.
FYI, the US is only about 4.5% of the world population.
And that means, more than 90% of the world do not think, live, eat, or travel the way Americans do. Remove your typical American expectations and you'll enjoy traveling so much more.
"overspending" depends on the individual's lifestyle, taste, and experience in traveling.
I spend about 25-50 euros a day on food in Italy (to be specific, let's say Florence).
I don't eat at hotel restaurants.
I like to book accommodation with a small kitchen or fridge and then go to the local groceries shop to buy ingredients and cook my own food.
I eat small meals and usually I don't eat lunch.
>> As the typical "Ugly American" during our two week trip to Italy by the end I was so tired of eating out and the hassle of slow food and haughty wait staff. I would have died to have a nice $9 meal at Cracker Barrel and stay at a nice American style Courtyard by Marriott with a high quality mattress we got through a $70 successful "name your own price" bid on Priceline!
Yes you are certainly thinking like an Ugly American. I'm sorry that you had such a terrible experience in such a beautiful place. Better to stay home.
FYI, the US is only about 4.5% of the world population.
And that means, more than 90% of the world do not think, live, eat, or travel the way Americans do. Remove your typical American expectations and you'll enjoy traveling so much more.
Sep 15th, 2010, 03:54 AM
#19
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No troll here. Just a couple of very honest travelers. Yes we stayed at any bed and breakfasts but the breakfasts wer poor and we had to add to the food on our own about 10 AM when we got hungry.
Being an American means we are use to the creature comforts of a nice American style hotel. Big TV, ice machines, soft comfortable king sized beds, etc. That does not mean we can't complain about accomdations and food in Italy. WE loved the country otherwise!
Being an American means we are use to the creature comforts of a nice American style hotel. Big TV, ice machines, soft comfortable king sized beds, etc. That does not mean we can't complain about accomdations and food in Italy. WE loved the country otherwise!
