Europe Trip: 20 years old, need answers please :D
 

Hello, I am new to this forum thing, in terms of asking for advice, but I would like to lead off with i appreciate any help whatsoever. This summer (2013) my 2 friends and I are planning to go to Eastern Europe (mostly). we are going for two weeks and our tentative schedule is 3 nights in each place, Berlin, Amsterdam, Prague, (Sweden somewhere), Budapest and maybe switzerland. I realize prices may vary everywhere but a rough estimate is all i seek. We are college kids so eating McDonalds everyday is not an issue, and hostels are priority ;). I was wondering what you all recommend to budget per day? We plan to drink about 7 drinks a day, including ones a a night club (1 per city). Any help on a rough budget is appreciated. Thank you!

If you look online you will find the McDonalds calculator - which shows the price for meals in different countries. This is not that you should be eating Mickey D's - there are many local places that will have better food at similar prices. But the key is the price.

In the US a Big Mac Meal costs about $8. It will be significantly higher in much of europe. In Switz the big Mac meal will cost about $17 and in Scandinavia it will cost about $20. Other foods are similar prices.

As for drinks - not sure what you mean. You should know that local beer or wine are usually less expensive than soft drinks and what is typically drunk by students - and at student pubs and cafes. Hard liquor or mixed drinks are VERY expensive due to very high taxes.

As for soda - in euope they are very small and very expensive - about 3 euros for an 8 oz can. And ice is rare - if you ask fir glass with ice you are likely to get one cube. (You can get tall soft drinks only at american chains - at very high cost).

Much better to drink wine or beer (in moderation) or water. (You can get large bottles of water and carry around during the day - and refill at your hostel at night.)

Strongly suggest you check out prices for everything before heading out - esp for Scandinavia and Switz - so you don;t run out of money before the end of the trip.

As for nightclubs - unless you have unlimited funds I would stay away from them (often huge entry fees as well as high drink cost - $25 per if they're honest and $100 a bottle for rotgut champagne if they're pulling a scam with very pretty and cooperative young ladies) - stick to student pubs and cafes.

I suggest you head for your nearest bookstore (or possibly library) and take a look at the Lonely Planet guides. They have suggested budgets near the front, and one will be for people staying in hostels and eating as cheaply as possible. You might also check out the forums on their website.

What kind of drinks are you talking about? Tap water is safe to drink in Europe and free. If you mean alcohol or Coca Cola you can forget your budget.

Btw, your itinerary does not include Eastern Europe, it's Western and Central.

I've found that in Europe, the cheapest food can be crepe stands, Gyro stands, basically anything that qualifies as "Street Food." It's often cheaper (like 5 Euro) and much tastier than McD's, which in Europe is NOT cheap.

You can also go cheaper if you go into a supermarket and buy picnic items like bread & ham. I've done that (back in my college days), sat down by a river and had a nice lunch.

Oh and drinks are not a problem. Table wine is usually cheaper than bottled water at a restaurant.

In terms of hostels---what is your budget per person for sleeping? You might find "better" deals just pricelining a room. This depends on the City & the hotel of course--some places simply don't allow 3 ppl per room.

I apologize for my uncertain questions, thank you for all the help though! In terms of beverages, i meant alcohol, we may just buy a bottle and drink rather than buy individual drinks. We plan on budgeting 115 dollars per day, strictly on food (water too), alcohol, sleeping, and light recreation. We can walk around the city ( we are very fit) all day so transportation isnt bad, and we just want to relax in pubs and hangout all day, see the city by word of mouth, and do it with a buzz! Sorry for fulfilling the college stereotype but alcohol does infact interest us alot. Sorry maybe i should have just said Europe not "eastern" ;P. So do you think budgeting 115 dollars a day is good for those things? I am sorry if this lacks continuity but i just want to make sure i ask the right questions.

115 dollars per day total for 3 of you, or per person?

If 115 dollar total, that makes it only like $38/per person for sleeping, food & drinks? That sounds not doable to me.

Per person my apologies

$115/per person per day is good actually.

I would start by looking up hostels to get an idea of how much it is per bed/night and how much you're willing to spend.

If you avoid sit-down restaurants and stick with counter "take away" places, etc., I think you can easily get by with say $55-$60/per person per day for 3 "meals". Breakfast is probably bread & coffee, which is cheap

If you drink at a pub, then well that will come out of your food budget won't it ;)

Random note---in Paris (this was 10 years ago), they had a hard time understanding when we wanted "shots" at a club. As in, they serve mixed drinks but not so much shots. It was too expensive anyway, but just as an FYI. They thought we were crazy.

Also, is a Euro Rail pass our best bet? The only time we need a train is traveling from city to city, and the pass is 450 dollars for 5 day unlimited travel. And to clearify, our total budget is 2700 dollars for 14 days, 700 airfare ( already bought) 450 train and 115 per day per person spending.

BTW...you might want to also ask your questions on Lonely Planet. Quite alot of backpackers & hostellers over there too.

MaddieEms i appreciate your insight, it is very helpful, on an honest note, do you think it is plausible to buy a bottle (1.75 ml) and drink it between 3 of us? In order to save money, and then just drink lightly at a pub?

Stann -- I never "pre partied" before going to a pub/club. I honestly don't remember where there was hard alcohol, if any. I've never bought bottles in Europe.

You might do well to buy hard alcohol Duty Free as you're flying out of the States since alot of the Duty Free stores are not open when you land.

If you're planning on seven alcoholic drinks a day per person, why are you even bothering to go anywhere? My interest in your trip just vanished.

No need for attitude, were college kids, 7 drinks gets us buzzed, which is what we want when looking around the cities. I wouldnt judge anyone based on their event planne, nor do i think i should be. We are looking to over budget so we have room for le-way. I say 7 drinks because its a reasonable thing throughout 15 hours of day (saying we sleep for over 8 hours). Thank you for your concern, but please i urge you to help me on the importance of verifying my budget.

I'm curious, is English your first language?

Yes it is. Obviously speaking in correct punctuational terms is mandated with this internet forum. I forgot we cant assist people without them capitalizing correctly, placing semi colones where need be, and double checking "readable" spelling. I honestly thought people would take time to help me review my itinerary, not bash me for posing questions. Thank you though for showing the ignorance of people, and the inherent nature that responding with ill will is inevitable.

Stann, try this site. I think you will find what you are looking for:

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntre...spa?forumID=53

Here is the Europe forum:

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntre...spa?forumID=27

In Italy you can buy drinkable wine in supermarkets for about 5 euro - or US$7.50. A bottle of wine is about 5 standard drinks, so your booze budget looks OK.

I must say I fing it strange that the most carefully budgetted items are a rail pass and seven drinks ...

Something to really be aware of - there is NO tolerance for public drunkenness in many places in Europe, and little tolerance for public drinking.

Coming from America, where there is absolutely 0 tolerance for both public drunkenness and public drinking, we can manage. My questions are not based around the social norms of a place, nor am i trying to break any laws, i will abide by local jurisdiction and drink where is prohibited. I strictly want to know is 115 dollars per day is okay, and if buying a bottle of alcohol to be consumed where prohibited is feasible.

Stann Im not sure that rail pass is worth it. You might do better by buying point to point tickets as you change locations.
A good place to get an idea of rail costs and scheduling is a site called the man in seat 61.
Try www.themaninseat61.com

Someone gave you a good tip to check out lonely planet, there are more young, budget travellers there.
You might get the locations and prices of some good hostels there. It has been so long since I stayed in a hostel I couldn't even guess at the cost.

Yes I think it is feasible to buy a bottle and share it between you in your hostel or budget hotel. That will stretch your party budget further.
The water in Europe is safe to drink so don't waste any of your money on bottled water, in fact take your own water bottle with you to fill up. And as someone else said, don't bother with soft drinks there, very expensive compared to home.
You can make your food budget go further by eating from food stands or getting picnic things from supermarkets.
Take a big bottle of Tylenol with you for all the hangovers... :)
Have a great time, meet some other young people, be safe. You can go back later when you are our age to have a different kind of trip.

Why did you start another thread?

>>>>><i>, i will abide by local jurisdiction and drink where is prohibited.</i>

Where might this be? What local jurisdiction allows you to drink where drinking is prohibited?

>>>>>><i> I strictly want to know is 115 dollars per day is okay, and if buying a bottle of alcohol to be consumed where prohibited is feasible.</i>

Yes, it's feasible. However, you don't want to consume a bottle where it's prohibited. Unless of course you are in that local jurisdiction above that allows that sort of thing ;)


Are you drinking now?

This is one funny thread.

You should have plenty of cash to keep yourselves buzzed 24/7, "StannDarshh."

Is it our Puritanistic American drinking age laws that make 20 the new 13?

115 dollars a day is a pretty good budget, but in places like Switzeralnd could be a bit tight and almost impossible in Sweden.In Hungaruy and the Czech Republic it is a generous budget.
Last time I was in Sweden (about 7 years ago ) a beer was about $10 but last year in the Czech republic a beer was less than $2 and in some places just over $1 (I am useing a rough conversion from the GB£).
I am a regular visitor to Prague and the Czech Republic so can help with info on that area,the other areas though I have visited its been so long any info I have will be pretty useless.
This website will help with Prague and the Czech republic,good section on cheaper accommodation and some discount vouchers as well.
http://www.livingprague.com/

Hope you guys have a good trip, but so far I am not sure what you really want to do or see in Europe besides getting a buzz on before drinking lightly in pubs. Perhaps an all-inclusive resort in Mexico is a better idea. And Lonely Planet might be a better place for your queries.

Never mind old fart on here ( and I am 50 myself, but not an old fart which is not an age but a mindset)

I partied across europe for three months when I was 23, best time of my life,, had so much fun.

I would skip Sweden , its too far out and too expensive and you don't have enough time.

Order house wine, avoid hard liquor and coctails tres $$$ Get a bottle of 6-7 euro wine from grocery store and pre drink before clubs.. clubs can be money drain, better to find pubs and bars.. dance clubs often charge huge admmittance fees with drink miniums, once agian $$$.

If you want a coke, buy a can from a corner store, order it out can be pricey.

Buy bread and meat / cheese and make sandwiches for lunch, picnics are cool .
Some hostels have simple kitchens you can use to heat up food.

Sometimes a triple hotel room can be cheaper then a private room in a hostel, hostels can be cheap if you are ok in the 10-12 person dorms. Hostels charge per head, hotels usually charge per room.


Go and have fun, I spend majority of my visiting time in Europe now in Cathederals, museums and galleries, and love it, but I remember just being young and having fun.. DO however do a bit of research and try to see at least one or two of your own "must sees" in each destination..

You can and will likely go back later for more indepth touring.

PS Watch your money, keep stuff in a moneybelt , all except one days cash , do not access moneybelt in public.Pickpockets love drunken fools.

If you are female , watch your drinks at all times. do not let strangers buy you drinks unless you watch bartender pour it and hand it to you .Do not walk home dead drunk alone late at night, this goes for MALES and females, thats kind of dumb anywhere.

Ps while public drunkeness is an issue, public drinking is not a huge issue in all places, for instance it is absolutely permitted to bring some wine/booze onboard a train with a picnic lunch..

Also forgot to add, skip Switerland too, its gorgoeous but outrageously expensive, even the McDonalds.lol

Plus to keep budget in control its better to move less. I wouldn't use a rail pass myself but prebuy point to point tickets, for 2 weeks I would look at Berlin, Amsterdam and Prague , with maybe Budapest as an extra.. you only have 2 weeks and you seem to forget that each day you travel is minimally a 1/2 day lost to doing anything but sitting on train or in train stations..lol You don't want your holiday to just be a tour of train stations right?

Agree - with 7 drinks per person per day you won;t remember anythng you see anyway. Where did that number come from.

Is this a drink around the world a thon?

Much better to stay home and save the money if you will spend the whole time n a drunken stupor.

Separately, although europe is generally a very safe place - if you leave a pub or club drunk there is a reasonable chance you will find yuourself without your money and your passport.

Really - drunk is no way to go through europe - or life!

Sorry - 7 drinks a day over 16 hours means that you will be drinking starting at breakfast and regularly all througout the day - which means IMHO - that you are all alcoholics. And probably will have no livers left by the time you are 40.

And double that warning - if you walk around "buzzed" all the time, not only will you miss eruope, you will probably run a good chance of being scammed and/or rolled - and you run a good chance of making yourselves obnoxious to all around you.

I am NOT a teetotaler. Not do I have a problem with your age - our DDs were allowed wine with meals from the time they were 15. But we - and they - drink in moderation - not to spend our lives "buzzed" - how boring!

So you're going to blow $2700 apiece just to be drunk all over European train stations? Weirdest vacation idea ever. Why bother? You can be even drunker at home on that budget.

When you say buying a bottle of "alcohol" what do you mean. Wine and beer are cheap. Hard liquor and mixed drinks are expensive - unless you are willing to drink Old Rot Gut - and buying mixers is not cheap either. Soda is expensivein europe - like 3 euros for a tiny (8 oz) can of Coke.

nytraveler, sorry where did you pull that number out, it is not 3 euros for a can of coke at a grocers, you can get a six pack for 3 euros though.

But it's 3 euros or more for a coke at a café. Soft drinks are outrageously expensive.

But op will mostly be drinking before hand , not in bars or cafes.. and I already mentioned to buy coke in a store, many posts ago .
And , coke can easily be 5 euros in a cafe or restaurant.

I guess i should phrase my questioning more tentatively from now on. We are not alcoholics, but we are budgeting accordingly. Since i have posted this i realize that i must narrow down the cities that i travel to. We limit 7 drinks per day, not saying we will drink throughout the day, but rather want to ensure that we budget enough to be able to if we wanted to. After all 7 standard drinks (1.5 oz hard alcohol, 1 beer, or 1 4 oz lass of wine) isnt too hefty for college kids. Our goal is to not spend 2700 dollars to get drunk in Europe, its to spend 2700 while drinking, engaging in new cultures, and exploring a new exciting land. Again, i know i must reduce the span of my travels and the amount of places i wish to go, which can be done, i just want to make sure i have budgeted enough money to have some college-level fun.

Justineparis, thank you for your level headed response, at least some people remember what its like to be a young traveler. i appreciate your response (as well as other too :D)

"We are not alcoholics... After all 7 standard drinks... isnt too hefty for college kids. "

Surely, there are some "college kids" who drink that much or more. But many of those are alcoholics in training. The NIAAA (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism) offers the following research-based thresholds beyond which moderate drinking ends and "at risk" drinking occurs (they have no special category for "college kids"):

"For men:
No more than 4 drinks on any single day AND no more than 14 drinks per week"

You are planning around a weekly drinking schedule that is 3.5 times higher than the NIAA threshold.

"People who are alcoholic often will spend a great deal of their time drinking, making sure they can get alcohol..."

Planning a Europe budget around alcohol is a clue that you should reconsider your self-diagnosis.

Oh for god's sake, what an attitude. Most of us were young travelers at one time (six weeks for me as a college student), or have also sent our young college student children traveling. I have never seen a budget question that from the getgo was concerned with enough money for alchohol consumption. And sorry, 7 drinks a day are a lot of drinks, maybe less so if you are sitting poolside or on a beach, but for a long and busy day of touring, seems excessive. I do remember when one of my daughters had an opportunity to travel to Europe with a soccer team in college. In addition to playing soccer, the coaches arranged touring opps in the cities, and allowed them the freedom to do the cafe thing at night. Her comment to us when she returned was that a few of the girls, having partied hard every night, would sleep in, too hungover to sightsee. She also said that a) in her opinion they 'missed' Europe and b) their parents, who were paying, should be really pissed. .

The thought of you boys chugging a bottle or a six pack to get a cheaper buzz before hitting up a pub or three simply makes me wonder what this trip is about. There are college students all over Europe, and many do ask questions here. I don't think the majority define 'college-level fun' by alchohol consumption. And do pay heed to the comments about losing your shirt, wallet and passport while inebriated. Nothing says 'hey pick-pocket' faster than a group of drunk American kids.