We have all our hotels and train secured for at two week journey starting in Germany venturing towards Elba. I am interested in finding out what figure we should use as a factor in figuring eating/misc. expenses (No big splurges). I usually use 100.00 per day as a spending money plan. What do you think? as I said.. we are planning to take advantage of low or no cost opportunities to sightsee for the most part. Thanks for any opinion you may have on this topic.

I never try to figure what I'm going to spend because I never know what will come up. I usually put about $3,000. in my checking account and use the ATMs. I bring two ATM cards in case I have a problem. I bank at a large bank and have never had a problem. When I return I put almost all of the money back.

I figure, in Italy, either 0 or $3/person for breakfast (depending of course whether hotel provides); $5 to $8/person for lunch; $12-$18/person for dinner (based on past spending; we might have a house wine with dinner, maybe not; we don't have all courses, just usually a pasta or meat dish and vegetable). I factor in $10-$15 per day for admission prices, knowing some will cost and some won't, adn it balances out. Gelato is another line item for us.

pam, those are helpful numbers. Do you have to go to special effort to get restaurants at that price level?

Applejax We've used the $100 day estimate on trips in the past and are using it again on our trip in a few weeks. Althought we may stray from it on a few days splurging for nice dinners, etc., most days we easily make it so it all seems to balance out in the end.

I'd like to know where the $3 - $18 meal are in Italy. Breakfast for 4 ran us about $60, lunch about $120, and dinner ran about $200. I could never do Italy on $100 a day, and that's not including transportation costs, museum costs, and things to buy.

100 a day? each? easily! We had awesome picnics throughout ITaly for about 6 euro including the bottle of wine! Lunch at a cafe is maybe 8-10 euro, dinner optiosn go from 8-80!

Let me clarify my post, that's $100per person a day for food. It doesn't count purchases! However, I'm always booking hotels which include breakfast-I'm not a huge breakfast eater so the rolls, cold cuts, cheese and juice are plenty for me.

Our numbers were similar to Pam's, except we tally costs in euro, and possibly we came in on the high end of her food estimates. In Italy, it has been rare that a hotel has offered us breakfast as an option - it is always 'included/complimentary' (read: mandatory). As for the other two meals, we usually eat in cafes or tavern type or even the ever-popular 'tavola calda' establishments for the main meal, and either picnic or grab a slice of pizza or a sandwich for the second, minor meal. If you enjoy more 'main line' restaurants, this budget must be revised considerably upward. But € 50 - 70 for two for 2 meals a day is doable.

Applejaxs, my suggestion is not to scimp on the admission fees unless you really hate museums, etc. Also, if you are traveling by car, don't forget to consider toll fees for the highways.

It's a bit confusing for me to break down costs this way because normally I factor all food in under 'room and board' while everything else is combined under, well, 'everything else.' And there is much variation between locations. But for non-food and room costs, another € 50 to 70 for 2 has covered the rest, including car rental or train.

I tend to be a budget traveler when it comes to hotels but consider myself a mid-range traveler for food and a free-spender for sightseeing. My Italy experience is limited to Venice, Rome, and Florence. All prices are for two people. I think about $5-$7 is very adequate for breakfast, but normally I dine on pastries, breads, and such for breakfast when traveling. For lunch, $15-$20 is about right, especially if you are normally eating pizza, sandwiches, etc. For a two to three course dinner, we were usually spending $40-$60. Sightseeing should average out to about $20 per day for transportation and entry costs. Throw in another $10-$15 for snacks and other miscellaneous things. So in total, I think you can easily have a great trip on $90-$130 per day, depending on your tastes.

Hi applejax,

$100 pp/day is an ample budget. However, you should always consider the amount of your bar bill.

Holy cow! We've never spent even $100 a day for two people for food anywhere while travelling--Italy, London, Tokyo, Seoul, San Fran, New York, Paris, Germany. And we always eat well. Even in Venice we ate well and the most we ever had to spend even on a purposeful anniversery splurge dinner was $120 for the two of us.

Locals in Italy with families go out to eat too, and they don't spend any $200 per meal--they just don't eat in the tourist areas or the most exclusive restaurant in town every night.

Just get away from the tourist areas and you can have excellent meals at reasonable prices--anywhere. Oh, keep in mind, that if you ask a hotel clerk or local where to go for dinner, many of them will, for a variety of reasons, recommend the most exclusive and expensive restaurants.

I agree with Rufus. We've never spent $100 a day for two people either. We have gone to great restaurants but never in the touristy center. The best are outside. Not only do you get better food for less money, you usually get the waiters that are more personable and not fed up with the tourists. We have breakfast for two for 6 or 7 Euro. Panini for lunch, some gelato and a light dinner. Well under $100 for two people.

See my " Budget for Italy" article under the planning section of slowtrav.com--it has 3 examples based on various tastes.

Willtravel,
No trouble at all finding great meals in those price ranges. We have b'fast at hotel if it is included; if not at a neighborhood bar: cornetti, caffe', juice for my son. Lunch is perhaps a half portion of pasta each or pannini. Dinner at a nice neighborhood restaurant. I think the most expensive meal I've had in Italy included bistecca al' Fiorentina for two adults, plus pizza or pasta for my son; maybe $70, maybe.

Thanks pam, very helpful!

As Bob suggested, it really depends on your tastes. Some days I spend $60 on dinner, and others closer to $25-30. My own spending tends to be closer to $90 a day on average (thus, my comments in the other post), but it varies. You can realistically get by on way under $100 a day, depending on your own goals and budget. One good thing is that most sights will be free.

Thanks to all who answered! Sounds like we will do fine on $200.per day since so many of our hotels are providing a light breakfast. We are using the train so no tolls for us!