Ok I know I can't do it on $5/day, but what's a reasonable amount to budget for ground travel in Italy. Have hotels and rental car taken care of. Need idea for gas, meals, etc. We'll (2 adults, 1 child) be traveling for 3 1/2 weeks in Tuscany/Umbria via car and then 5 days in Roma. Grazie.

We just returned from a 3 week trip through Italy and France. We went to Venice, Assisi, Pompei, Positano, Rome, Pisa, Chamonic, Alsace, and Paris. Paris was by far our biggest expense because of the cost of the rooms. We spent about $6,500 for 2 adults and 2 children. We had 2 plane tickets free through miles, and we leased a car for 19 days through Renault Eurodrive for about $900 complete(It was the best I could find). The above includes all food, gas, tolls, sightseeing, hotels, airfare, car rental, gelato, gelato, but not souvnirs. In Italy, we had on one hotel that was over $65-70 a night for all 4.

PS four days in Paris with no car cost over $1000.00.

Just returned 2 weeks ago from a 16 day visit. We had 2 adults and 2 teenage girls. We probably spent around $100 - $110 a day on food. I was pleasantly surprised at how reasonable it was. Gas was a different story. $5.00+ per gallon, seems like it was $50 every time I filled up. Lots of good buys on gold, leather, and pottery. Just planned a return trip today for early October. Plan on doing my Christmas shopping then.

I haven't been to Italy for years, but my general rule of thumb is to take the current cost mentioned in Frommer's " xxx on $xx dollars per day" and double it. That has always worked for me for all expenses except airfare over

<BR>Leslie - gas is VERY expensive, and of course there will be tolls on the autostrada. A hint for eating cheap: skip the "ristorantes" and look for "pizzerias" - much cheaper. Or find little stores or deli's and buy things for a picnic, or to take back to the hotel. Also, your hotels should have excellent buffet breakfasts so be sure to take advantage of that even if you're not big on breakfast. I don't eat much at home for breakfast but in Italy I looooove what they have, and find it holds me over til the afternoon (or at least til my first gellato stop!)

Why not try staying at youth hostels? I spent far less than $50USD a day in Italy, sleeping at youth hostels, eating from grocery stores and outdoor markets. You'll have lots of fun that way, and meet more local people.

Thanks for all the input-we have our housing all set to jet. I know to eat picnics & at trattorias. But how much should I figure per person per day? $50 $100, $150? We're usually frugal in spending, but I do want to enjoy myself. No fancy places, just good local stuff. Also we'll be doing alot of driving.

Thanks for all the input. We have our housing all set & know to do picnics and trattorias. We prefer to eat good local food instead of fancy places. What I need to know is how much per person per day should we figure for gas & food. We'll be doing alot of driving. $50, $100, $150.

Thanks for all the input-we have our housing all set to jet. I know to eat picnics & at trattorias. But how much should I figure per person per day? $50 $100, $150? We're usually frugal in spending, but I do want to enjoy myself. No fancy places, just good local stuff. Also we'll be doing alot of driving.

Leslie, <BR>Recently got back from Italy. On our other trips that we have gone to I was able to stay within my budget well and didn't really worry each day how much I spent and always came home, called the bank and I had spent what I had budgeted or had underspent my budget. Well in Italy I came home, with the same budget that I had used for other trips just like you not adding lodging just day to day, and I over spent, by a lot!! We didn't go to fancy restaurants, except for the last night nor did I buy a lot of things, mostly oils and wine but I would say that for 2 people plan on $200 a day. It sounds like a lot but everything you buy adds up, from museum admissions to the boat rides. We ate in trattorias for our meals. I hope that this helps!

We spent about $60 per day for food for four (15yr and 11 year old girls)&gt; That included our daily gelato alotment. We ate a light breakfast-hotels roll, market fruit,or pastry and drink. Then, we ate our lunch meal at a small local restaurant, usually less than $25 for all. 3:00 gelato. Then, pizza stop or such for dinner-the Ciao restaurants at the autostrada's had cheap good sandwiches. Usually less than $20 ANd then snack, junk food, water, was the remainder. Museum admission costs varied greatly from free to over $20 a person. And we would purchase guided tours at the sites. Pompeii's were very high, not worth it, but books weren't adquate. Enjoy Rome tours were reasonable, entertaining, and educational. Need a little money for buses in room. Bring lots of film and extra batteries with you. Also, bring a throwaway type panoramic for great photos of buildings.