Tracy

I think maybe, just maybe, what I have gathered from this forum is to appreciate what is one your doorstep. I read Americans eulogise about Greece - to us its just well Greece - in our backyard and not so glam - you all probably think the same of the Bahamas or Florida - I think when places are out of reach they suddenly become that bit more attractive.

markrosy, you are probably right. We all want what we don't have. I haven't been to Florida in years and have absolutely no desire to visit, and I'm not really a "beachy" person so same goes for the Bahamas. My husband and I are thinking about heading over to Portland, Seattle and Vancouver this fall, so there are many places in the US that I would love to visit...it's just that my crave for international travel and experiencing new cultures that gets the best of me!

WillTravel, you make an excellent point. Everyone talks about how cheap Buenos Aires or Thailand is, but the air fare to those places from where I live (Charlotte) is even more than Europe. Bangkok, for instance, was over $1300 when I priced it last night. Even if it is significantly cheaper when I get there, if I'm paying double the airfare it won't make much different anyhow. For me airfare is the deciding factor, as I can budget properly for Europe despite the exchange rate. It's just that both together equal a very expensive trip!

Tracy

julies,

I agree, although I loved our trips, I found Venice and Rome really expensive and probably won't go there again for a while. I had to tell my kids to stop ordering bottled water or soda with meals. At 6 euros for a mini-coke it felt criminal. I did see people in Rome sharing the audio which I think I would do next time.

Paris was not so bad and my kids got free museum entrance there which I really, really loved and appreciated. It did add up in savings after a few days.

Shopping is just not fun in Europe right now as it just usually doesn't make good financial sense to buy anything. Fortunately, I'm not a big shopper, but Christmas shopping in Switzerland this year was rather de-moralizing as we get paid in USD. Ouch! when the dollar fell again against the swiss franc in November.

I told my husband to skip the gifts and send me somewhere on a trip. He's a gem and I'm going to Ravenna in March instead of wearing new clothes or getting a piece of jewelry.

The ex-pat Americans I know here bring a huge empty suitcase home and fill it with things from the US at a fraction of their cost here - especially clothes and electronics...

One thing I really miss as a reader is books. Definite sticker shock in the English bookstore.

We are going to visit Spain in the spring as I hear it's a little less expensive.

I think right now you have to really want to travel in Europe for reasons other than having a "vacation" which to me used to include a nice hotel and dining out. I refuse to pay the crazy cost of breakfast in hotels anywhere - US or Europe. After all, how much can you really fit in your stomach at 8 am anyway?

I'm trying to think of my travel more as an educational experience which means I focus more on absorbing the culture and I avoid the shopping districts and high-end restaurants and hotels. It requires more research to eat and sleep well for less money, but that is why I love coming to the experts here on Fodors.

Hey tcreath --

Greetings from a fellow Charlottean!

Flying out of CLT is cheaper now than it used to be. I've found that flying out of here is only marginally more expensive than a straight shot out of, say, ATL. So the few extra dollars (or euro >:-) ) it costs is worth not having to make the major schlep to ATL or IAD.

tdyls, hello! It's good to see a fellow Charlottean because there doesn't seem to be too many of us!

You are right...I have been pricing flights from Raleigh and Atlanta and even DC and the savings haven't been that significant. Actually in some cases changing the airport to ATL actually made the ticket prices go up. Germany (FRA and MUC) seems to be fairly inexpensive from CLT...or at least inexpensive compared to flying into any other city in Europe!

Tracy

Tracy

- you're not really beachy people -

you live dow the road from what has to be some of the best coastline in the world - go enjoy!

LOL markrosy! I will admit that since moving to Charlotte last year (from the midwest) I have started warming up to the beach. The NC and SC coastline is beautiful. But I usually head to the coast to visit Charleston or Savannah instead, and may spend a few hours at the beach if I feel up to the crowds and the heat. I'm more of a mountain girl (love to hike) so I appreciate being only a few hours from the mountains more!

Tracy

Greeting from another Charlotean (by way of NYC!) We are heading to Paris in May but love the beaches here. WE do 2 weeks on a SC beach and then a week in the OBX.

Tracy

Once rented kayaks near Fripp and saw dolphins chase bass up the mud flats until they were beached - they then had to wriggle off the flats to get in the water - go back to original theory - you don't see that in Europe!

Markrosy, we vacation on Harbor Island. Is that where you were too?

Can't remember nearly 40 and getting senile - was 4 years back and near Beaufort, SC would have to dig the map up to jog my memory. Will go back soon. Drove 4500 in two weeks that time - all became a bit of a blur.

4500 miles that was - must drink less whilst pooooosting.

"Until the dollar strengthens" is pretty vague. I wouldn't count on paying .80 US for a Euro again for a long time - if ever. That was a surreal market, not to be taken as typical. (It could also be a challenge to compare historical prices pre-2000, given that the Euro wasn't a 'real marketplace' currency until 2000.)

You are also forgetting to allow for inflation. (This is one reason why I wish people would quote prices in Euro, not US$, as to do so would make the effect of inflation clear.)
Prices haven't exactly remained stable in either Europe OR the US since 2001-2, when the US$ was at such stratospheric highs against the Euro.

Given that the CPI (consumer price index) in the US has jumped nastily over the last year in particular, you may find that vacationing in the US isn't as cheap as hoped, either, especially with the effect of high oil prices on both transportation and food costs. Inflation makes people a lot poorer as a rule than currency fluctuations.

Making a true cost comparison is also complicated by people here not necessarily paying 'fair market value' for their purchases. One person might bag a 'special' on a hotel, another might book the same hotel during convention time and not even be aware of it, but just put it down to 'oh, XYZ place is expensive.' All of this variation tends to distort what a true price index of a given place might be, and makes comparisons difficult.

One thing is certain. Howsoever weak is the currency of one's home country, one's own body is not going to get stronger with age.

I guess it depends on where you go and when. For Italy I would go to Puglia rather than Milan. Hungary rather than Germany, Switzerland I only visit with my Millionaire Swiss B in Law. France well villages not cities. Greece I would avoid and go to Syria etc etc

We have been had - 139 posts to discuss the increasing costs of trips to Europe - sorry dear - just read your trip report - I could have saved about $8000 of your US $ with a little bit of self restraint.
$1000 on water taxis and 2 coffees with a cake E70 - maybe next time if you lived a little less like money was going out of fashion - you wouldn't need to bleat about the the rising costs of Europe.

I think the trip report makes a mockery of your OP above!

markrosy--

Check out the definition of satire in your dictionary. Some of us like to have a bit of fun now and then.

If that report was a send up - you lot are more fruitcakes than I thought. God! - at this rate it looks like you probably fruitcakey enough to all vote Uncle George in again.

God help us all.

What the heck?????

markrosy--

We're in agreement on one thing. I didn't vote for the man in either 200 or 2004, so PLEASE don't put me in that category.

Looked like another whimper to me.

#1. You are complaining about a $50 dinner for two in Italy - that's a problem in and of itself.

#2. You chose to eat chinese in Italy - this is a problem (I don't care hungry you are... you just don't do this - oh and you can only find sandwiches for dinner available in America or severely touristy areas).

#3. Don't go to Europe with a cheap mentality. $50 for dinner for two (with wine and a primi, come on!) is CHEAP!!! Even compared to Olive Garden, which I'm sure is where you frequent.

Hey Neverfull:

Your first post and you pick out a 10 month old post to make a oomment?? Any reason?

...and a nasty comment at that...

NeverFull, Yours is a very strange 1st post on a very old subject. Why in the world did you top a thread from January? How did you even find it?

Well, the dollar got a lot worse since that original post but did strengthen since its lowest point.
Life is too short to worry about the exchange rates. At least its too short too always worry and obsess about it. A little obsession is allowed though. When I was in Europe this past summer, I was in one of the most expensive cities. I was surprised at the prices in Dublin but having said that, I still managed without spending too much. I am planning a trip to Portugal for a week in April. Yes, I will always check the exchange rate but I wont let it get me down should the dollar continue to decrease in value. I just want to go and enjoy myself.

t all;

I responded to Julies OP back in January...and just came across this today....postings are full of "same old,same old..."

We did Portugal and UK (London and Cotswolds)in May of this year. € Ex.Rates were 1.56 in Portugal, and £ was at 2-1 in UK. We researched, studied, shopped for the best deals (lodgings and food), still spent a bunch more than usual for our twice annual trips (to Europe, Asia, SA)..but as I've stated sevral times on similar subjects..a few months after you get home...the differences fade out...you're no richer or poorer...but you had a great trip, beautiful pics and fond memories...and you begin to look forward to the next one anyway!

Ira hit it on the head in another post when an OP mentioned that he/she would not tolerate the € at
any more than 1.55.
"So that means that if the € weakens to 1.54 you'll continue trips to Europe?!" Well put, Ira, I'd say.

stu

Well as Stu Tower knows I so agree with his comments.

People while at home can spend so much money on eating out a restaurants, buying "stuff", driving a very expensive vehicle that has to be the newest model etc., and yet cringe about what a trip will cost them.

In my opinion the most beautiful memories I have is all the trips my late husband and I took, and usually with our daughter until she was an adult. And since being on my own my trips also hold special memories for me.

I do not believe in taking trips if one cannot afford them. But I don't believe in not taking trips just because one thinks the euro is to strong or airfaire is too high..again assuming one can afford to take the trip.

Hi LoveItaly:

Thanks for the kind words...I knew you would agree with this cavalier philosophy.

Remember my motto..."travel 'til you unravel"..none of us knows how many more trips we'll be taking overseas...so grab the passport and go and enjoy.

Knowing how much Julie and her family love to travel...I'll bet she'll be heading east from the Mpls. airport by next spring, since her post was written 10 months ago.
She is a fine, contributing veteran of this forum All of her points above should be well taken without rancor. She has spoken her mind and spoken well.

JS: You just won't be able to stay away. ..no matter the exchange rate...none of us will..and we all know it! (Our flights to Russia, Belarus and Ukraine leave in two weeks)

Happy travels everyone, and especially JS. Please let the thread end with these words.

stu

I'd just like to echo some other posters on countries in western Europe that are cheaper than Italy: from experience, Portugal, Austria (Tirol, Carinthia at least), Slovenia and Germany. Berlin especially, perhaps surprisingly, is a great bargain even in German terms. I live in Barcelona and certainly those places offer great value compared with here, so hope the person who thinks Spain will be cheaper won't be disappointed! Northern Spain (the "green coast" is also more reasonable and the larger portions of food are a noticeable difference.)
As others have said re Italy, the problem with cost of meals there is that there is always a quite hefty charge for bread (ie cover charge) and a charge for vegetables as extra. In Germany you quite often have a salad included in the price and will ALWAYS have vegetables served with the food. In Spain vegetables rarely included and no option to pay for them as an extra either, apart from salad!
Another expense, the cost of entrances to museums etc, tends to be lower in Germany too.

As to traveling to Europe if the euro costs $1.54 vs. not traveling to Europe if it costs $1.55--most people do not have unlimited funds, so there will be some point where that penny makes the difference.

For one person it might be $1.55, for someone else it was probably $1.25, and for someone else it could be $5.55. But there is some point where it would become too expensive for most of us.

Keep in mind that the person for whom $1.55 is the limit might already have stretched their budget and cut back on expenses as much as they possibly could to make it at $1.54.

Hi rtf,

>most people do not have unlimited funds, so there will be some point where that penny makes the difference.<

I suggest that you rethink that.

It's one thinkg to have a budget that can tolerate $1.40/E but not $1.56. That could make a difference of $900.

But a difference of $0.01 is only $100 for two-three weeks on a $10,000 budget.

Don't get 2 Bellinis at Harry's Bar.

Go to a fancy restaurant for lunch instead of dinner.

Buy fewer souvenirs.

etc

((I))

Ira--then there is never a limit? You can always go one more penny no matter how high the euro gets?

No, at some point most of us have to say "Not one more cent." Many people could never afford even 1 Bellini at Harry's to start with; many already don't go to a fancy restaurant for any meal, let alone just lunch; many already don't buy souvenirs because they couldn't afford them in the first place. There is a limit for most of us--and that limit will be one cent more than being below the limit.

Julies, The prices you quote are the dollar estimate...what were they in Euro as i think you got good prices for meals compared to Dublin. I could not eat 2 starters, 1 main and 1/2 of wine for the equivalent of 50 dollars in Dublin. I guess it all comes back to where we live and the price comparisons. Some places in the mid west are much cheaper than NY which at times is on par with europe prices.

Agree with Rufus. Everyone has a breaking point -- fiscal or emotional. If yours is $1.55, and it affects how you feel about the trip, find somewhere else to go. Nothing's worse than traveling and spending your time thinking about how you're getting gouged.

I mean, if you take the "it's only a few cents" approach, then why not raise the limit to $2/euro? Or $3/euro? The point is, no one can question another's limit.

The good news is Harry's in Venice is offering people with US passports a 20% discount on food , if you want to show it;-)

http://articles.latimes.com/2008/jun...rld/fg-harrys1

That means that the 37 euro burger is now only 30 euros.

These days when in Europe I have to think in Euros and put dollars out of mind. If I don't I find I am thinking about money too much when I should be enjoying vacation. It's payback for the great years.

Never did the Chinese restuarant in Italy. Seems to me I could find a pizzeria that would be more satisifying and cheaper. A pizza still costs about 6 euro - $9, a good deal considering my local supermarket is getting $20 for mozzarealla di bufala from New Jersey and the local pizza place is getting $20 for a large pie full of Sysco ingredients - I'd have to say in the good ol USA if we go out we get an incredibly lousy meal these days for about $60 - and we do not drink. In Italy you may spend $50 - but it should be good.

I guess we are fortunate in our part of the USA, we can get excellent meals for $60 a couple (with a glass of wine), or less for that matter. Can't imagine paying as much as $20 for any pizza--good or bad! Glad I'm not in NJ.

We pay 20 bucks for a good pizza here in FL. Bad ones can be had for less but they frankly aren't worth the calories:)

I'm leaving for Italy in a few days so glad I found this reminder.

But I tend to be able to find so many free things that charm, excite, seduce and entertain me each trip that I think I'll be OK. It has helped me tremendously that I learned the language, so that is nothing else I can always find a great conversation on any street corner, park bench, or espresso bar!

It's not just the lousy exchange rate, but the prices for restaurant food have increased quite a bit since my last trip. Basic pastas are about 9€, contorni anywhere from 4-9€ and main courses usually 12€ and up. I also found grocery prices quite a bit higher than in the states.