Cost of Italy
Feb 27th, 2006, 05:55 AM
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Cost of Italy
Hello all -
My fiance & I are planning our honeymoon to Italy for two weeks at the beginning of June & are wondering if you can give us some tips on the cost of things as we are trying to arrange a budget. I haven't been to Italy in almost 10 years & prices with the Euro now have changed a lot. We don't have a definite itinerary yet, but for sure are heading to Rome for a few days, Florence & Tuscany, possibly the Amalfi Coast, and/or Cinque Terre.
We definitely don't want to stay in hostels as it is our honeymoon, but prefer modest, clean accomodations. What are the typical prices we will be paying? And also how expensive is food? We are planning on renting a car also - do you know the average price for this and what the price of gas is in Italy now?
I was thinking that total spending costs (not including flight) would be around $3000 per person - is this realistic?
Thanks for your help!!
My fiance & I are planning our honeymoon to Italy for two weeks at the beginning of June & are wondering if you can give us some tips on the cost of things as we are trying to arrange a budget. I haven't been to Italy in almost 10 years & prices with the Euro now have changed a lot. We don't have a definite itinerary yet, but for sure are heading to Rome for a few days, Florence & Tuscany, possibly the Amalfi Coast, and/or Cinque Terre.
We definitely don't want to stay in hostels as it is our honeymoon, but prefer modest, clean accomodations. What are the typical prices we will be paying? And also how expensive is food? We are planning on renting a car also - do you know the average price for this and what the price of gas is in Italy now?
I was thinking that total spending costs (not including flight) would be around $3000 per person - is this realistic?
Thanks for your help!!
Feb 27th, 2006, 06:38 AM
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My fiance and I also spent a 2-week honeymoon in Italy last June- well, actually, almost 2 weeks, and then a weekend in Paris. We went to Florence for 4 days and Tuscany for a week, so I can only speak to those places.
I believe our total costs (including airfare) were in the range of about $4,000. However, we were intentionally staying on the budget side of things, and did not rent a car.
In Florence, our hotel was 90E per night. The place was called Hotel Il Bargellino. It was very nice, clean and comfortable, though it didn't have A/C (did have a fan though). There was a lovely terrace (for all guests) which was nice for relaxing. However, if you have a bit more to spend, maybe 110-120E, I would recommend someplace a little bit closer to the center of things. Florence is a very walkable city, but our hotel was about 10-15 minutes from the major sights. Also, we were there at the same time as you, and June can get pretty hot in Florence. Judge for yourself whether you'll be comfortable without A/C.
In Tuscany, we decided to rent an apartment for a week. In addition to this being a great budget saver (ours was 450E all week), it was really nice to have a place of our own as a home base. A few nights, we decided to just buy supplies for dinner and eat in the comforts of "our home," enjoying each other's company in private. It was great for a honeymoon in that regard! We stayed in Montepulciano, at Politian apartments (www.politian.com) and it was perfect.
In Tuscany particularly, we didn't go out for too many "fancy" dinners, as we quickly learned the rustic family places had THE best food! I would say that our meals averaged $30 tops in restaurants/trattorias.
If you choose to eat breakfast standing up at the bar, you can get cappuccino and a pastry for 3-4E each. You can often save money on lunch by just picking up a panini or pizza at a local store. This is often a nice break from sightseeing and from the mid-day heat (think 2:00).
We decided to skip the major museums in Florence, as we didn't feel we had time to do them justice. But be aware that entrance fees to museums and attractions add up quickly. We did opt to pay for climbing the Duomo, which was completely worth it! Stunning views.
One "secret" I will share with you: if you are in Florence before June 15, you MUST visit the community rose garden. It is located off the steps leading up to Piazzale Michelangelo, and is a perfect little slice of heaven only open 6 weeks per year. It has beautiful views, and is much calmer than the Piazzale. Once you're there, look for signs leading to the "giardino segreto" (secret garden). There you will follow a small path to a small, private garden- consisting basically of just a bench. From this perch, you will discover the most absolutely stunning views you'll find in Florence, and better yet, you'll be alone. My new husband and I found this on the first day of our honeymoon, and it felt like we had Florence all to ourselves! Later we returned there for a sunset picnic. I truly believe this small area competes as one of my favorite places on earth.
Enjoy, and congratulations!
I believe our total costs (including airfare) were in the range of about $4,000. However, we were intentionally staying on the budget side of things, and did not rent a car.
In Florence, our hotel was 90E per night. The place was called Hotel Il Bargellino. It was very nice, clean and comfortable, though it didn't have A/C (did have a fan though). There was a lovely terrace (for all guests) which was nice for relaxing. However, if you have a bit more to spend, maybe 110-120E, I would recommend someplace a little bit closer to the center of things. Florence is a very walkable city, but our hotel was about 10-15 minutes from the major sights. Also, we were there at the same time as you, and June can get pretty hot in Florence. Judge for yourself whether you'll be comfortable without A/C.
In Tuscany, we decided to rent an apartment for a week. In addition to this being a great budget saver (ours was 450E all week), it was really nice to have a place of our own as a home base. A few nights, we decided to just buy supplies for dinner and eat in the comforts of "our home," enjoying each other's company in private. It was great for a honeymoon in that regard! We stayed in Montepulciano, at Politian apartments (www.politian.com) and it was perfect.
In Tuscany particularly, we didn't go out for too many "fancy" dinners, as we quickly learned the rustic family places had THE best food! I would say that our meals averaged $30 tops in restaurants/trattorias.
If you choose to eat breakfast standing up at the bar, you can get cappuccino and a pastry for 3-4E each. You can often save money on lunch by just picking up a panini or pizza at a local store. This is often a nice break from sightseeing and from the mid-day heat (think 2:00).
We decided to skip the major museums in Florence, as we didn't feel we had time to do them justice. But be aware that entrance fees to museums and attractions add up quickly. We did opt to pay for climbing the Duomo, which was completely worth it! Stunning views.
One "secret" I will share with you: if you are in Florence before June 15, you MUST visit the community rose garden. It is located off the steps leading up to Piazzale Michelangelo, and is a perfect little slice of heaven only open 6 weeks per year. It has beautiful views, and is much calmer than the Piazzale. Once you're there, look for signs leading to the "giardino segreto" (secret garden). There you will follow a small path to a small, private garden- consisting basically of just a bench. From this perch, you will discover the most absolutely stunning views you'll find in Florence, and better yet, you'll be alone. My new husband and I found this on the first day of our honeymoon, and it felt like we had Florence all to ourselves! Later we returned there for a sunset picnic. I truly believe this small area competes as one of my favorite places on earth.
Enjoy, and congratulations!
Feb 27th, 2006, 06:57 AM
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TarheelsInNj:
Thanks for your info!! We are also thinking of possibly spending a weekend in Paris. I'm wondering - how did you arrange your flights with this? And also how was Tuscany without having a car - were you staying within walking distance to cities & how did you get around?
When you say $30 for a meal, do you mean total cost, or per person?
I will definitely check out the rose garden too - it sounds amazing!!
Thanks for your info!! We are also thinking of possibly spending a weekend in Paris. I'm wondering - how did you arrange your flights with this? And also how was Tuscany without having a car - were you staying within walking distance to cities & how did you get around?
When you say $30 for a meal, do you mean total cost, or per person?
I will definitely check out the rose garden too - it sounds amazing!!
Feb 27th, 2006, 07:07 AM
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Hi Angela! I meant $30 per person- sorry for not being specific about that! That's a very generous estimate as well. However, important to note is that I'm not a big meat eater, so our meals generally consisted of wine, an appetizer each, a pasta course, and sometimes a small second course for my husband (he liked the Tuscan sausage particularly). No steak at our table!
Flying through Paris was very easy. Originally it began as a budget decision- flights from NYC to Paris were much cheaper than to Florence. But we decided to take advantage of it and have a "long layover." We flew from Paris to Pisa, and then took a 1-hour bus over to Florence.
There are several budget airlines that fly from Paris to Italy. With your travel plans, you might consider flying from Paris to Rome, and then from Pisa to Paris (or vice versa). Check out www.whichbudget.com for specifics.
Against the advice of many on this board, we decided to spend our week in Tuscany without a car. However, it's important to distinguish that our goal was NOT to be able to get around. If we had intended to daytrip to lots of Tuscan towns, we would have needed a car. Instead, we intentionally chose to take it slow, and it was the best choice we could have made.
I had no idea how exhausted I would be after the wedding chaos, and the minute I walked into Montepulciano I knew I was desperate to slow down and relax! Our week was spent absorbing the flavor of Tuscan life, and relishing in the leisurely pace that afforded us. We explored every inch of Montepulciano, ate in most restaurants, had leisurely meals, visited all of the wineries and shops, etc. etc. etc. Mostly we just kicked back and enjoyed each other's company, in the midst of the most beautiful surroundings you can ask for!
It is possible to take a bus to neighboring towns if you want to, as Montepulciano is a bit of a "hub." One day we hiked to nearby Pienza (about 4-5 hours), and then took a bus home. I wouldn't rely on this for every day touring, but for one or two adventures it worked great. We would have liked to bus to Montalcino, but just didn't quite get around to it!
Flying through Paris was very easy. Originally it began as a budget decision- flights from NYC to Paris were much cheaper than to Florence. But we decided to take advantage of it and have a "long layover." We flew from Paris to Pisa, and then took a 1-hour bus over to Florence.
There are several budget airlines that fly from Paris to Italy. With your travel plans, you might consider flying from Paris to Rome, and then from Pisa to Paris (or vice versa). Check out www.whichbudget.com for specifics.
Against the advice of many on this board, we decided to spend our week in Tuscany without a car. However, it's important to distinguish that our goal was NOT to be able to get around. If we had intended to daytrip to lots of Tuscan towns, we would have needed a car. Instead, we intentionally chose to take it slow, and it was the best choice we could have made.
I had no idea how exhausted I would be after the wedding chaos, and the minute I walked into Montepulciano I knew I was desperate to slow down and relax! Our week was spent absorbing the flavor of Tuscan life, and relishing in the leisurely pace that afforded us. We explored every inch of Montepulciano, ate in most restaurants, had leisurely meals, visited all of the wineries and shops, etc. etc. etc. Mostly we just kicked back and enjoyed each other's company, in the midst of the most beautiful surroundings you can ask for!
It is possible to take a bus to neighboring towns if you want to, as Montepulciano is a bit of a "hub." One day we hiked to nearby Pienza (about 4-5 hours), and then took a bus home. I wouldn't rely on this for every day touring, but for one or two adventures it worked great. We would have liked to bus to Montalcino, but just didn't quite get around to it!
Feb 27th, 2006, 07:22 AM
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That rose garden does sound amazing. Thanks for spilling the secret.
To me, $3000 looks like you will have to plan carefully and look for bargains for both food and accommodationsm especially if you spring for the cost of renting a car. Bargains can be had, but you'll need to invest time tracking them down.
My main advice is don't fail to spend what you need to spend to fulfill your reason for choosing these places. That is, if you are going to Rome and Firenze to see the great art treasures and monuments, make you sure you pay for those first, and compromise on meals and accommodations.
If you are going to Italy to enjoy a different relaxed life and you love Italian food, find a nice place to rent with good cheap restaurants, and skip the museums.
If you have chosen Italy because you dream of Amalfi, go to Amalfi, even though it is pricey, and skip CT for sure and perhaps cut back on Rome or Tuscany.
In short, focus on what you want most, spend to get it, and skimp on the rest.
Unless your dream is to spend a lot of time in the Tuscan countryside, I would suggest foregoing a car. Every place else on your itinerary is reachable by public transportation, although in the Amalfi, it is a hassle, and the simplest (but most expensive) option is to hire a driver to get you to your hotel. But again, if the Amalfi is your dream, the money is worth it. Just find a cheap place to perch and eat skip the fancy restaurants (which are 30 euro per person, without wine, and up).
To me, $3000 looks like you will have to plan carefully and look for bargains for both food and accommodationsm especially if you spring for the cost of renting a car. Bargains can be had, but you'll need to invest time tracking them down.
My main advice is don't fail to spend what you need to spend to fulfill your reason for choosing these places. That is, if you are going to Rome and Firenze to see the great art treasures and monuments, make you sure you pay for those first, and compromise on meals and accommodations.
If you are going to Italy to enjoy a different relaxed life and you love Italian food, find a nice place to rent with good cheap restaurants, and skip the museums.
If you have chosen Italy because you dream of Amalfi, go to Amalfi, even though it is pricey, and skip CT for sure and perhaps cut back on Rome or Tuscany.
In short, focus on what you want most, spend to get it, and skimp on the rest.
Unless your dream is to spend a lot of time in the Tuscan countryside, I would suggest foregoing a car. Every place else on your itinerary is reachable by public transportation, although in the Amalfi, it is a hassle, and the simplest (but most expensive) option is to hire a driver to get you to your hotel. But again, if the Amalfi is your dream, the money is worth it. Just find a cheap place to perch and eat skip the fancy restaurants (which are 30 euro per person, without wine, and up).
Feb 27th, 2006, 07:37 AM
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Angela, yes- we reserved our NYC-Paris tickets on their own (probably Expedia or something), and then booked directly through EasyJet for our Paris-Pisa tickets. This method gave us the most flexibility in making our plans.
Whether you rent a car or not is up to you and how you envision your trip. For us, we felt it would be much more stressful overall. We were also concerned that we would feel obligated to go places since we had paid all of the money for a car- and therefore wouldn't be able to indulge in the luxury of doing nothing if we wanted! In addition, we don't drive stick shift, so the added cost of an automatic made it prohibitive for us.
Important to keep in mind when planning is that you can't possibly do everything- and you will go back if it's important to you! You can easily get overwhelmed with all of the options, and it's tempting to try to pack in as much as possible. But you will have a much more enjoyable, relaxing, and memorable time if you focus on a few parts of the country. The above poster makes an excellent point about figuring out what's really important to you and devoting your time/money to those things.
Whether you rent a car or not is up to you and how you envision your trip. For us, we felt it would be much more stressful overall. We were also concerned that we would feel obligated to go places since we had paid all of the money for a car- and therefore wouldn't be able to indulge in the luxury of doing nothing if we wanted! In addition, we don't drive stick shift, so the added cost of an automatic made it prohibitive for us.
Important to keep in mind when planning is that you can't possibly do everything- and you will go back if it's important to you! You can easily get overwhelmed with all of the options, and it's tempting to try to pack in as much as possible. But you will have a much more enjoyable, relaxing, and memorable time if you focus on a few parts of the country. The above poster makes an excellent point about figuring out what's really important to you and devoting your time/money to those things.
Feb 27th, 2006, 08:06 AM
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If enjoying Tuscany is at the heart of your trip, I think spending to rent a car makes sense, even though some days it might sit idle. With a car, you can dramtically reduce the cost of your Italian accommodations by booking a weekly rental on a farm or in a small town. Also, if you have a place with kitchen or at least a refrigerator, you can reduce your food bill by planning to eat some simple meals at home and picnicking.
I enjoy driving in the countryside in Italy, although I always spring for the cost of an automatic, which is an extravagance on top of a luxury. Most tourists drive manuals, and enjoy it just the same. If you think driving would stress you out, don't do it. But if you enjoy back road exploring and are think of hopping to a variety of towns, you might find the feeling of freedom a car gives you a lot of fun.
I enjoy driving in the countryside in Italy, although I always spring for the cost of an automatic, which is an extravagance on top of a luxury. Most tourists drive manuals, and enjoy it just the same. If you think driving would stress you out, don't do it. But if you enjoy back road exploring and are think of hopping to a variety of towns, you might find the feeling of freedom a car gives you a lot of fun.
Feb 27th, 2006, 08:14 AM
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The issue with the budget is the airfare. We are all experiencing horrendous airfares for the summer. We are going to Ireland in May, and Italy from June 3-21st and the we ended up using air miles because the air was running around $1400-$1600 each. You can control the costs on the ground, such as B&B's, nice trattorias and such, but the air is what might kill your budget. Can you do airmiles? Or find some creative routing and it might help. For instance, we have already booked our flights in/out of Italy but noticed Delta has some specials into Dusseldorf for around $900, but we decided not to go that route because by the time we added train, etc. to get from there to Rome, Milan, Venice, etc., we would be back up to an $1100 quote that US Air has going on right now.
Have a wonderful honeymoon! We'll be in Italy at the same time!
We are starting in Rome, working up through Tuscany and Umbria then Venice, then heading either to Lake Como or Cinque Terre to end the trip before flying out Milano.
This board has lots of ideas, and be sure and read the wonderful trip report by Tiff, You'll see it under the Europe Forum, "Enchanted April..." it has a million wonderful tips for once you are on the ground. This will be my 6th trip to Italy, and I am still learning things from wonderful Fodorites!
Have a wonderful honeymoon! We'll be in Italy at the same time!
We are starting in Rome, working up through Tuscany and Umbria then Venice, then heading either to Lake Como or Cinque Terre to end the trip before flying out Milano.
This board has lots of ideas, and be sure and read the wonderful trip report by Tiff, You'll see it under the Europe Forum, "Enchanted April..." it has a million wonderful tips for once you are on the ground. This will be my 6th trip to Italy, and I am still learning things from wonderful Fodorites!
Feb 27th, 2006, 08:21 AM
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You might check out kayak.com for airfares, looking at all sorts of combinations, including open-jaw ticketing. We did Paris (3 nights) and Italy (2 weeks) last summer, although likely at a higher cost than you're planning. I think $3,000 per person plus airfare is certainly achievable.
KC
KC
Feb 27th, 2006, 11:33 AM
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Well - you won;t be staying in 5* hotels or eating in 3* restaurants - but you should have no trouble finding pleasant places to stay and even doing a couple of splurge dinners among the more modest ones.
You won;t have to watch every single penny.
You won;t have to watch every single penny.
Feb 27th, 2006, 01:12 PM
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Hi A,
I f you really want to finish off your honeymoon with a few days in Paris (I recommend against it - Paris is worth at least a week) you buy an Open Jaw ticket - into a city in Italy and out of Paris.
It should be almost the same as a RT.
I f you really want to finish off your honeymoon with a few days in Paris (I recommend against it - Paris is worth at least a week) you buy an Open Jaw ticket - into a city in Italy and out of Paris.
It should be almost the same as a RT.
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