15 Days in Italy - Cost breakdown & notes
Oct 12th, 2015, 09:10 AM
#22
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cadd - the downstairs of the NAM is full of the most wonderful marble sculptures [so good that even I, who is not much of a fan of such things was impressed] ; the upstairs is where the Pompeii artefacts are. There are other parts too but those are the main areas.
did you not see both?
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Yeah, we saw the statues, but the audio guide tour didn't have any information on most of them which was disappointing (the audio guide had very little information on a lot of the statues which was frustrating). I thought they were nice sculptures but we were most looking forward to the Pompeii stuff and were sadly disappointed with what we saw. Also, for the price of this museum compared to the other museums, we thought we would have seen more.
did you not see both?
---
Yeah, we saw the statues, but the audio guide tour didn't have any information on most of them which was disappointing (the audio guide had very little information on a lot of the statues which was frustrating). I thought they were nice sculptures but we were most looking forward to the Pompeii stuff and were sadly disappointed with what we saw. Also, for the price of this museum compared to the other museums, we thought we would have seen more.
Oct 12th, 2015, 09:18 AM
#23
cadd - I can only say that I am sorry that you were disappointed. I seem to recall that there was a lot of info on the boards next to the sculptures, in italian and english; as I don't like audio guides that was my main source of information.
as well as the Pompeii rooms and mosaics upstairs, there is of course the notorious Gabinetto secretto [where all the pronographic works are], whether one chooses to enter is of course a matter of personal taste.
as well as the Pompeii rooms and mosaics upstairs, there is of course the notorious Gabinetto secretto [where all the pronographic works are], whether one chooses to enter is of course a matter of personal taste.
Oct 13th, 2015, 06:38 AM
#25
Thanks so much for this trip report, just the kind of practical information that's so useful, but hard to come by. I will be bookmarking it for future reference.
I just got back from three weeks in Provence and am in the process of breaking down our expenditures, although much less detailed than yours. I'm always looking for a better way to synthesize all the details.
We took a real hit this year with our Canadian exchange so lousy, I need to add 54% onto each €. Ouch!
Love what you've done, thanks!
I just got back from three weeks in Provence and am in the process of breaking down our expenditures, although much less detailed than yours. I'm always looking for a better way to synthesize all the details.
We took a real hit this year with our Canadian exchange so lousy, I need to add 54% onto each €. Ouch!
Love what you've done, thanks!
Oct 13th, 2015, 11:17 AM
#26
I just got back from three weeks in Provence and am in the process of breaking down our expenditures, although much less detailed than yours. I'm always looking for a better way to synthesize all the details.>>
sugarmaple - have you tried excel? types of expenditure across the top, dates down the side. you can then add across for daily Xs or down to see how much each category cost you.
so easy even I can do it. [you only need to be able to use the add function]
sugarmaple - have you tried excel? types of expenditure across the top, dates down the side. you can then add across for daily Xs or down to see how much each category cost you.
so easy even I can do it. [you only need to be able to use the add function]
Oct 13th, 2015, 11:31 AM
#27
Annhig, yes, I use excel and I love it! I actually use it for my household expenses. Add, subtract, running totals. For someone to whom organization doesn't come naturally, it's wonderfully satisfying 
Oct 14th, 2015, 04:54 AM
#28
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The way I categorized my expenses was the use of the SUMPRODUCT function (http://www.exceluser.com/excel_help/...sumproduct.htm)
Where you can input the details of each transaction, the cost and then the overarching category it belongs to:
i.e.
Train Ticket to Florence | €50 | Transportation
Dinner in Florence | €30 | Food & Drink
Coffee in Florence | €5 | Food & Drink
You can then input the formula and it will automatically tabulate the totals for each category you noted.
Where you can input the details of each transaction, the cost and then the overarching category it belongs to:
i.e.
Train Ticket to Florence | €50 | Transportation
Dinner in Florence | €30 | Food & Drink
Coffee in Florence | €5 | Food & Drink
You can then input the formula and it will automatically tabulate the totals for each category you noted.
Oct 15th, 2015, 05:50 AM
#31
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I wish you had written prior to us leaving home! (currently in Firenze) I was really concerned that €200 a day (ex all other expenses like travel accommodation and entrance fees and car hire in Sicily) would be insufficient. It's a breeze and we have eaten very well and completed some shopping. To date after 14 days with 22 to go we are well well under budget. Which I may well blow in the last week in Roma! But very comfortably averaging €85 a day for two. We are staying in apartments and really only capable of eating one biggish meal a day. Certainly not starving or going without. Grazie.
Oct 15th, 2015, 06:06 AM
#32
KymMac,
glad that you are able to have such a good time on a budget. please tell us that you didn't bring all the cash with you, and that you are just taking it out of ATMs as and when you need it.
glad that you are able to have such a good time on a budget. please tell us that you didn't bring all the cash with you, and that you are just taking it out of ATMs as and when you need it.
Oct 15th, 2015, 07:26 AM
#33
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We are visiting 3 of the 4 places you've covered (Rome, Venice and Amalfi Coast/Sorrento) this December for our 10 day Honeymoon. And your post helps us ease into the itinerary we've made for ourselves.
We've planned a trip with 4000 Euros of which we've already spent about 2600 for flights, trains, hotels and the car we are renting in Amalfi Coast. We've accounted about 500 Euros for food (we're both vegetarians, so I'm guessing this should be fine). Your post gives us confidence that we did pretty good on our budgeting, and should be able to have a good trip well within our budget.
Looking forward to your Rome Itinerary.
We've planned a trip with 4000 Euros of which we've already spent about 2600 for flights, trains, hotels and the car we are renting in Amalfi Coast. We've accounted about 500 Euros for food (we're both vegetarians, so I'm guessing this should be fine). Your post gives us confidence that we did pretty good on our budgeting, and should be able to have a good trip well within our budget
.Looking forward to your Rome Itinerary.
Oct 18th, 2015, 11:22 AM
#36
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We spent 15 nights in Italy.....September 7-23.
Itinery
2 nights in Venice
2 nights in Rome
4 nights in Possitano
3 nights in Radda, Chianti Region
1 night in Florence
2 nights in Lake Como
1 night in Milan.
Stayed in nice hotels. Split between 3-4 stars.
Cost approx $ 3600.
Food and wine approx $1600, breakfast was included in all hotels.
Trains, bus, ferry, Approx cost $700
Car rental split with another couple $ 135.00
Misc cost $300.
$ 6200 without airfare....$1500. Almost $ 7,850. I had thought it would be more but food and wine were very inexpensive.
Some on Fodors thought we planned too much in a short period of time, but it was great....had we had more time I would have added another night in Florence.
Itinery
2 nights in Venice
2 nights in Rome
4 nights in Possitano
3 nights in Radda, Chianti Region
1 night in Florence
2 nights in Lake Como
1 night in Milan.
Stayed in nice hotels. Split between 3-4 stars.
Cost approx $ 3600.
Food and wine approx $1600, breakfast was included in all hotels.
Trains, bus, ferry, Approx cost $700
Car rental split with another couple $ 135.00
Misc cost $300.
$ 6200 without airfare....$1500. Almost $ 7,850. I had thought it would be more but food and wine were very inexpensive.
Some on Fodors thought we planned too much in a short period of time, but it was great....had we had more time I would have added another night in Florence.
Oct 20th, 2015, 07:31 PM
#37
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Just home from two months (two weeks in France, six in Italy). Excluding hotels, air fares, travel insurance and trains, we spent about 100 euro a day between the two of us.
Paid cash for just about everything, rather than putting charges onto a credit card - our bank account does not charge fees for ATM withdrawals and gives a decent exchange rate.
Paid cash for just about everything, rather than putting charges onto a credit card - our bank account does not charge fees for ATM withdrawals and gives a decent exchange rate.
Oct 21st, 2015, 07:25 AM
#38
we spent about 100 euro a day between the two of us.>>
I think that we usually end up spending more than this, but I do think that the longer you stay, the cheaper it gets overall, as you tend to do more everyday things, interspersed amongst the touristy stuff, which makes life cheaper.
I think that we usually end up spending more than this, but I do think that the longer you stay, the cheaper it gets overall, as you tend to do more everyday things, interspersed amongst the touristy stuff, which makes life cheaper.
Oct 21st, 2015, 04:31 PM
#39
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Ann, true, and this trip we did not go into any churches or museums, so that saves a bit. Mainly we did Arts Biennale things, which are mostly free.
I'm planning a return trip in September '16 for the Architecture Biennale, which I think will excite me a lot more than the Arts Biennale. Probably two and a bit weeks, and I'm tossing up between a B&B or AirBnB, as I will be travelling solo.
Might be costly - Lou will have a shopping list for me. Cosmetics, essential oils, perfume, fabrics.....
I'm planning a return trip in September '16 for the Architecture Biennale, which I think will excite me a lot more than the Arts Biennale. Probably two and a bit weeks, and I'm tossing up between a B&B or AirBnB, as I will be travelling solo.
Might be costly - Lou will have a shopping list for me. Cosmetics, essential oils, perfume, fabrics.....
Oct 22nd, 2015, 01:17 AM
#40
E100 a day for 2, I suspect we come under that a fair bit, maybe E80 but it depends how much moving we do, also Mrs B seems to find us in town on Museum day (when museums are free to EU nationals), ah you can't take Yorkshire out of the lass.
