My husband and I will be in Italy for about 12 days. All of our hotels are booked, tickets to museums and tours are purchased and all train tickets are purchased as well. Any suggestions as to how much spending money would be appropriate for food? We don't really drink and eat average meals. All of our hotels provide ample breakfast, so lunch, dinner and snacks in between. Your suggestions are appreciated!
are you asking to make a budget? Or to figure out what money to bring with you.
The former is a moving target -depending on what types of places you go into, how many course you eat (portions are smaller than the US) and how many gelato of beverage stops you take during the day. One thing to note is NOT to buy soft drinks in restaurants of cafes. They are expensive and come in minute cans. Much better to drink wine or water.
For the later it;s least expensive to buy as much as you can with your credit cards and pull walking around money from your checking account at any bank ATM. Find out how much your bank charges for this (local banks don't) and take more money fewer times to reduce the % cost of your bank fee. We usually pull about 300 euros each and when we get down to 100 get 300 more.
But some restaurants want cash - and you should assume you will pay cash for anything less than $20 or so - gelato, drink in a cafe, local transit, misc expenses.
The former is a moving target -depending on what types of places you go into, how many course you eat (portions are smaller than the US) and how many gelato of beverage stops you take during the day. One thing to note is NOT to buy soft drinks in restaurants of cafes. They are expensive and come in minute cans. Much better to drink wine or water.
For the later it;s least expensive to buy as much as you can with your credit cards and pull walking around money from your checking account at any bank ATM. Find out how much your bank charges for this (local banks don't) and take more money fewer times to reduce the % cost of your bank fee. We usually pull about 300 euros each and when we get down to 100 get 300 more.
But some restaurants want cash - and you should assume you will pay cash for anything less than $20 or so - gelato, drink in a cafe, local transit, misc expenses.
You may not drink alcohol but perhaps you do drink coffee/ tea/ hot chocolate or buy gelato or other snacks. That adds up and needs to be included in your food budget. If you buy soft drinks they are often more money than wine or beer.
Meal prices vary according to cities and small towns. You don't say where you'll be going. Cities are more expensive.
The cheapest prices are standing up at a bar, next is sitting inside, the most expensive is eating/drinking outside.
I'd say budget E150 per day for 2 people.
Meal prices vary according to cities and small towns. You don't say where you'll be going. Cities are more expensive.
The cheapest prices are standing up at a bar, next is sitting inside, the most expensive is eating/drinking outside.
I'd say budget E150 per day for 2 people.
You can actually spend 15$ to 20$ per day or even less if you shop at the market for yourself.
Thank you for all of your suggestions, much appreciated. Perhaps I should have clarified in my original posting that I am thinking of how to budget our spending money. After reading several blogs and forums about travel in Italy, many suggested that withdrawing money from ATMs was the way to go. Our bank card does not charge us international ATM fees or an international transaction fee. As of right now, I was planning about 250 euros per day, and wanted to ask around and see if that was reasonable given that hotels, museums, train tickets were already paid for in advance.
That amount will allow you to eat in very pleasant (but not *) restaurants with enough for for snacks or a drink in the afternoon - as well as local transit.
The only thing that might be an issue is if you plan on doing any shopping - which coud bow the budget all to hell if you want anything substantial.
The only thing that might be an issue is if you plan on doing any shopping - which coud bow the budget all to hell if you want anything substantial.
Thank you nytraveler. Honestly, we don't plan on doing much shopping. Maybe a few souvenirs, and if we go over our budget one or two days, it's not a big issue as we'll have a credit card with us in the event we run out of money...ha. We've paid for the entire trip thus far without credit cards and would like to keep it that way if we can. =)
I still think E150 per day is fine. If your budget allows E250 per day then you can have a few splurges. Venice will be the most expensive location.
For lunch, you can get sandwiches, tartines, etc. at bars very reasonably.
The only way to get cash is to use an ATM machine. You'll get the best exchange rates that way.
For lunch, you can get sandwiches, tartines, etc. at bars very reasonably.
The only way to get cash is to use an ATM machine. You'll get the best exchange rates that way.
€250 per day is a very reasonable budget, if everything else is paid for and you don't order wine and go to expensive restaurants.
Lunch for two should be around €30/40, leaving a couple of hundred or so for incidentals like a coffee or soft drinks and then dinner. Even then, you should have the ability to get a more up market dinner than the norm.
Lunch for two should be around €30/40, leaving a couple of hundred or so for incidentals like a coffee or soft drinks and then dinner. Even then, you should have the ability to get a more up market dinner than the norm.
