budget for meals
 

the hotels I am considering provide breakfast
daily (Rome, Florence, Venice)The two of us are not HUGE eaters, not in need of 3 full squares per day, but you typically eat a little more on vacation, and I want to include at LEAST my share of gelato, perhaps even more (:. That being said, what should we reasonably budget for meals, not grand 5
course feasts, but not (please!) McD's either! Thanks to all of you as always!

Hi

If you are looking at a free breakfast, light lunch and "full" dinner a rough guesstimate would be 60-100E for two. We are not foodies so meals are simple for us so our budget is more 60E. Pastries and gelato are must haves though!

Ciao

daisy58, funny, my teens insisted on trying McDonald's in Italy,and regretted it...it was NOT very good, and rather expensive!

Prices for meals vary a lot depending on where you go. Rick Steves guidebook has especially tasty and reasonably priced family-run restaurants recommended for Rome. Our favorite meals in Italy were in his guidebooks. Our least favorite meals in Italy were ones we randomly chose on our own...and funny thing was, the bad ones ended up costing MORE than the good ones!

Also got some good recommendations from on-line travellers. Regretted not taking more recommendations along with us!

If you don't bring some guidebooks, and you choose nice-looking places on attractive big piazzas, you will end up in touristy places and could spend 40 euros on one person's dinner. But with good recommendations or Rick Steves guidebook, for example, our #1 favorite was Ristorante der Pallaro in Rome, walking distance to the Pantheon, where in June 2004 an entire 5-course meal (home-cooked) was 20 euros per person including taxes, wine, dessert, everything. This was a great price for Rome and fun authentic atmosphere.

In 2004 we could get some pizza or a sandwich for lunch for under 10 euros...

Gelato was around 2 euros for 2 scoops...

Probably somebody else here has been to Italy in 2005?

Hi daisy,

You needn't have bkfst at the hotel. They will give you a reduction if you don't. Don't let them tell you that bkfst is included. It is a separate charge.

Cornetto and coffee for bkfst 2E
Panino or pizza with a beverage 8E
Dinner (pasta and salad and wine) 15E

Of course, dinner could be 40E pp.

Enjoy your visit.

((I))

If you don't need full meals at lunch and dinner, you can easily get by on 40 euro a day for 2 people. Pizza, sandwiches, cicchetti, or buying prepared dishes at the grocery stores.

Ira- thank you for reminding me about pastries and coffee at breakfast..3 years ago my son and I were in Paris, and we stopped every morning at the pattiserie around the corner, it was a great way to start the day, and we felt more "immersed" than if we had stayed at the hotel.

"included. It is a separate charge.

Cornetto and coffee for bkfst 2E
Panino or pizza with a beverage 8E
Dinner (pasta and salad and wine) 15E"

If you plan to eat like this on a vacation, you might as well stay home. The person who said 60-100E was in the ballpark. A real sit-down restaurant meal with two courses is never going to be under 5060E for 2 people. Meals do not come with sides, so the tab adds up quickly. You pay 3-4E just for the bread and 2-3E for a bottle of water, so you've spent 6E or so just to sit down.

For the day your on the Vatican side of the river. "The Goose" directly across from St. Petiro Station under the rail bridge, a short walk up from where the bus's to St. Peters stop. hard to spend 15e including wine, small family run locals place.
Simple menu pizza, pasta, soups etc.

Since I live in a large city, I budget for Europe similar to if I was eating all my meals at home out in shops, cafes, restaurants.

this all sounds about what I was planning, roughly 50 USD per person per day, assuming breakfast included at hotel, a light lunch (pizza taglio, sandwiches, salad, or picnic ) and a 2
course dinner with wine. give or take 10
USD p/p p/day. Sans gelato, of course,
that goes under the "entertainment and enlightenment" heading..;)

I'll disagree a bit about the cost of a sit-down restaurant meal.

There are plenty of restaurants in Rome and Florence at least where you can get a good, sit-down, 2-course meal for 40 euro or less. Venice would be a bit more difficult, but there are a few places there as well.

You'll be eating more pasta dishes than beef or wild boar, but still good food in pleasant surroundings.