I go to Europe in July a lot and enjoy it. I don't like August so much but just because it is too slow for me, no performing arts or much going on. Otherwise, it doesn't matter so much.

July and August are NOT more expensive because prices are at their peak. I have never seen that anywhere I've been in Europe, because food an attractions don't change prices by season, and hotels are actually often cheaper in August in many cities as it is low hotel season due to no business travel. These would be the large cities which have a lot of business visitors. The only places I've seen peak prices in July and August are some resort areas where many Europeans go on vacation in August. I've gotten cheaper hotels at end of July and in August in Paris, London, Prague and Barcelona, to name a few places (cheaper compared to real peak season which is usually Fall and perhaps Spring, depends on business and any special local festivals that draw large crowds).

It's a good time to go to Europe, as you can travel lighter, for one thing, and it stays light later which is nice for getting around and seeing things. July and August are fine for Barcelona, but it will be too hot in some other parts of Spain, the south for sure.

artsnletters: >> My son traveled from London through Scandinavia to Berlin to Amsterdam to Paris to Florence on about $2000 for three months, couchsurfing all the way. He may have stayed places that are a more, shall we say, bohemian than you might care for, but that was his taste - <<

You really need to be fair here -- your DS did more than simply couch surf. As I recall he often roomed w/ squatters and did a fair amount of dumpster diving. He basically traveled on nothing.

But that was while he was in Leiden. No dumpster diving or squatters anywhere else he went.

I can't imagine spending $20-25/day and I do budget traveling too...I can't really imagine surviving hitchhiking and nights outside, but it depends on the person. So the only way she can assess her budget is by making a rough draft of her trip. Decide how much you would be spending based on your interests and then add money or remove places when adjusting your budget.


>>But the same can be said for a lot of countries -- My goodness there is a TON more than London in the UK, and Dublin is about my least favorite part of Ireland, etc.<<

Most first timers aren't that interested in a lot of the UK besides London. I think Ireland is relatively grim. And I'm not the only one - a friend who backpacked there for months discouraged many people from visiting. I haven't been to Italy yet (going this September) but there are so many more interesting, lively, cultural, beautiful places than in Ireland and the UK. The UK is beautiful but London in combination with a few other Northern European cities is great for a first time/potential 1 time trip, Venice, Florence, Rome and Naples are not (also too outlier).

I haven't read this thread other than skimming through but here's a couple of thoughts I'll share about my backpacking in Europe days when I was in my mid 20's. First, it was much cheaper then so I have no advice about your budget. But in looking at your initial itinerary, if it is within your budget to see all those places I think it could be done. Let me give my list of places I saw in two months of traveling in Europe. Amsterdam, Dresden, Hamburg, Copenhagen, Berlin, Krakow, Prague, Munich, Budapest, Zagreb, Vienna, Innsbruck, Interlaken, Salzburg, Vienna, Genoa and places on the Ligurian coast, Mallorca, Barcelona, Seville, Paris, Galway (and just a quick overnight in Dublin). So there's 21 places I visited in two months. It was the best time of my life and looking back I wouldn't change a thing.

Air fairs can be much higher in August and July than during the off-season - peak season peak fares. And for the lower budget traveler IME hotels can be much cheaper in the off-season - like in Florence I always get a B&B near the train station for about 40 euros, unlimited breakfast included - in summer that same room if about 85 euros a sign in the office says.

So yes hotels appealing to business folks may offer discounts when the briefcase bragade ain't there (www.accorhotels.com for example in Paris) but economy hotels are a lot easier to get - or at least economic prices are much easier to find outside of high season.

I'm sorry - but your budget is woefully inadequate for 2 people - even if it doesn't include transatlantic airfare - and I suspect that it does.

So If you have $12,000 - minus $2K for airfare for 2 (a good deal) you have $10K or a total of about 54 euros per day per person. (Note the pound is stronger against the dollar so any time spent there is MORE expensive). That will give you a bed in a shard dorm room in a hostel and meals (careful, no sodas, lots of picnics even though March can be kind of cold and wet for that) and perhaps a little local transit. It will not include sightseeing, transit between cities by train or plane, even student type nightlife or even $1 shopping.

Suggest you look at student/backpacker resources to see what the actual minimum budget will be for what you want to do/see - and do check on the cost of major sights (you can google in a minute each - and will find some are half your daily budget).

>>Note the pound is stronger against the dollar so any time spent there is MORE expensive<<

The exchange rate doesn't really matter. Because the £ = $1.70 and the € = $1.35 does not mean you get 35¢ more 'value' w/ the €.

If that were the case -- then things in Germany would cost the same as in Portugal since they are both on the €. But Portugal is a much cheaper place to visit than Germany. It is the <i>buying power</i> that matters, not the exchange rate.

What the exchange rate does mean - - visiting the UK when the £ is $1.50 is cheaper vs. when it is $1.70. And visiting France is cheaper when the € is $1.20 vs when it is $1.35.

Sorry - it is both the buying power and the exchange rate.

If one if using $ amounts then only the buying power matters.

But if talking in euros then the fact that the $ is even weaker against the pound does matter - since a hostel in London will cost even more than one in Spain or Portugal.

>>since a hostel in London will cost even more than one in Spain or Portugal.<<

nope -- not necessarily - or not because of the exchange rate at least. You can't compare actual costs of $/€ and $/£ based on the exchange rate. By your logic, Switzerland would be really REALLY cheap (which we both know it isn't) since the Swiss Franc is worth less than $1

London, perpetually ranked amongst the world's most expensive cities for visitors, probably should have hostels at a higher price than Spain but that is a hard prediction to make because London also has an intense competition amongst not only HI hostels but private hostels (Earls Court has a ton of them), youth hotels like the Astor groups, university dorms during school holiday periods, etc.

It's competition that often dictates a cheaper price. So yes like janis says currency valuations make little difference on this.

This might help with pricing hostels as an example - they have a great location at London bridge.

http://www.st-christophers.co.uk

London doesn't have to be pricey - you can get sandwiches, soup, burritos etc for take- away for under £7. Museums are mostly free. Depends on what you want to see and where you choose to eat and drink.

Depends on what you want to see and where you choose to eat and drink.>

I eat from supermarkets or food markets and IME British super stores like Tesco are just a tad higher than my local super market here - you can eat healthy and cheaply if you fix your own food - many supermarkets now have extensive take-out delis, sandwiches, etc - and the proverbial park bench can make an appetizing view!

Funny, we find groceries cheaper in London than Vancouver...

We narrowed it down to 5 the nederlands, Italy, Germany, France, And the U.k and were wondering if going there in July and coming back in august would be better?>

If I was you, I’d ask myself what I really want to see. If it’s for example Italy, then Italy has to stay.

But if you think that two places might be interesting, then I’d decide based on two criteria:
-is it close enough to my other destinations and is there no back-tracking
-is it cheap

Cities like Berlin or Prague are cheaper than London, Paris, Amsterdam or Munich. Obviously you can survive on quite little in any of these places but it’s nicer if you can afford sitting down or having more than one drink. So if you shift some time from the more expensive places to the cheaper ones like Berlin or Prague, it’ll be easier with your budget.

Funny, we find groceries cheaper in London than Vancouver..>

Wow Vancouver must be really expensive!