Honeymoon cost estimates
 

I'm putting together a budget for my 16 night honeymoon including Venice, Lake Garda, Florence, Tuscany, Almafi Coast and Rome. Tell me if this estimate appears realistic.

Cost

1 Hotel 12 nights $5,400
Hotel (expensive) 4 nights $2,800
2 Air $1,400
3 Trains $400
4 Taxis $400
5 Excursions $1,700
6 Food $2,800
7 Misc $700
$15,600

Do any of the categories look too low. I'm planning to fly from NYC to Venice, Rome to NYC in May/June 2006. I realize its hard to give advice, but I'm trying to prepare.
Thanks in advance,
Natalie

Your airfare estimate is a best case number (For best case rate, you have to spend some hours working. You have to be prepared and waiting when sales are announced, you don't get the best departure times, etc.)

Since you are picking up and moving six times, your train budget might be light.

You might want a specific budget item for film processing.

I realize that this you honeymoon and you might be used to New York hotel rates, but your hotel budget will allow you to stay in the absolute best of hotels (it is more than adequate).

We typically do well on half of that, but it is your honeymoon.

Well - it will certainly allow you to stay in some gerat places.

But - I think your airfare is too low - you're going to have to work very hard to get that in June - and it may involve stopovers.

Also not sure about the train and taxis - not sure how many trains you're planning on - but I would check on exact costs.

Also - unless you're going to be using public transport to/fro airports and train stations and in the cities your taxi is light. FYI - in Venice the water taxi from the airport to the hotel could be $80 or so - with perhaps not too much less to the train station. If you're planning on using cabs around all these towns I think you might want to up this. If you're doing only walking or public transit in the towns you may be OK.

You can do a great honeymoon for that budget. You might need to add more to the air or taxis etc, but your hotel expenses can be a lot less and still stay in wonderful palces. Therefore for that amount of $, you will be fine. Enjoy the planning and Italy is a great place to go.

Hello again,

Over the past 2-3 years the best air deals for summer travel are listed in Jan and Feb, especially Feb. I assume this is true for travel in the spring. I have gotten $500 direct to Paris from Boston, 750 to Athens and 650 to Italy. You need to look every day at different sites, but the deals are there.