adeben

At a charity shop today, I bought an original copy of "Italy in 1951', by Fodor's Modern Travel Guides, and edited by Eugene Fodor. It is hard-covered, and coloured light-blue.
The first section is entitled 'Going To', and suggests that if you go by ship it will take ten or eleven days from New York to Naples or Genoa. Fares range from $400 First Class through $300 Cabin Class to $200 Tourist Class. Alternatively, you could fly in craft that 'are airconditioned and sound-proofed, and the cabin pressure is regulated so that air-sickness is virtually eliminated. On some planes the lower deck includes a comfortable bar and lounge, and there are compartments equipped for card-playing, as well as sleeping berths similar to Pullmans.' The flight from New York to Rome took about twenty-four hours, and cost $831.30 for the round trip. A room with one bed in a first-class hotel in Rome would set you back between $3.50 and $6 per night.
So far, the book has proved an excellent find. It is in very good order, still has the Road Map of Italy stuck inside the front cover, and well-worth the $1 I paid for it!

icithecat

That's a keeper.

alya

I bet you are laughing away while reading the guide

"A room with one bed in a first-class hotel in Rome would set you back between $3.50 and $6 per night." You wish!

adeben

The Editor also reports on Page 20 that 'A special train was run for a trip to (the island of) Ischia from Rome via Naples, and return. Including the sea journey and meals on route, it cost a little more than $4'.
Any starters?

logos999

So what's so funny about those figures? They are just old. Maybe today you could add a few zeros, but else?

adeben

Do you also want to add a few zeros to the fare prices?

logos999

Well, airfares have gone down in price considerably since then and now are just a fraction. But that's not news.

chicagolori

I happen to find this very interesting - i suggest that if you do not find it interesting logos, read another thread.

I like the part about "compartments equipped for card playing..."

logos999

Nah, it's always interesting when people find it funny that prices over 50 years ago are nominally lower than today. Just wait and read the 2008 edition in 2010. Big fun guaranteed.

ira

Hi A,

Thanks for sharing.

The US CPI in 1951 was about 78. Today it is about 615. The ratio is about 8.

1 cl airfare for NYC/FCO today ranges from $3700 to $7100, for nonstop or 1 stop.

A crossing on the QM2 today (6 days to Southampton) ranges from $1200 to $3500.

Travel is somewhat cheaper.

I don't think that one can find a 1 cl hotel room for 35E or less.

PalenQ

Eugene Fodor, a Hungarian native i believe, allegedly was also a CIA agent during the postwar. a nice cover.