Mother and adult daughter to spend 4 days in Rome and tour Tuscany , Cinque Terre, Venice etc. Will have 3 weeks and rental car. We require safety but minimal comforts needed. On very limited budget but MUST do this. Open to any and all suggestions. Thanks!! <BR>

First, get one or two good guide books. Frommer's has good $/day books, Rick Steves and Lonely Planet are also good. Go to a book store and review several and read read read!!! <BR> <BR>Buy food at grocery stores, bakeries etc. and eat in parks, piazzas and other places. In Italy you will have the option of ordering ala carte and a salad and pasta will often be enough. <BR> <BR>As far a safety, I can only say be aware of where you are and what is going on around you. Do not put packages down to give directions and be wary of small children begging/stealing. <BR> <BR>Sandra Gustafson's "Cheap Sleeps in Italy" is also a good guide. Rooms in Rome are expensive, but staying in the center of the city will save on travel costs. You may want to consider monasteries or convents. I recently found a book with many listed: "Bed and Blessings" by June & Anne Walsh (Paulist Press) Good Luck!

Be sure to book the car before you leave through DER, AutoEurope, etc. It is generally cheaper. Plan to do walking tours as recommended in Ricks and Frommers books rather than purchasing tours.

Traveling on a budget: <BR> <BR>1) Gasoline is expensive, so get the smallest car you can get away with (I know, preposition at the end of a sentence, naughty naughty). <BR>2) If you are going to be in Tuscany for an extended period, think about renting a small apartment and then doing day trips (believe me, no better way to feel like you're not in Kansas anymore than trying to figure out how the stove works). You can save on food, because you can eat at home, pack picnic lunches, etc. <BR>3) Avoid those restaurants that cater to American tourists - the prices are higher, and you get a more interesting meal (food and atmosphere) at a restaurant that caters to the locals (think about your own hometown to know what I mean). <BR>4) You'll want souvenirs, of course, so look for things like Christmas cards, calendars, placemats in local stores - inexpensive, lightweight and non-breakable. And, it is Tuscany after all, so you'll NEED to bring back olives and olive oil. Stop at a local farm i/o a souvenir store in the city. <BR> <BR>Safety: <BR> <BR>1) Don't forget to lock your doors. Keep your stuff with you (don't hang your handbag on the back of the chair unless it's against a wall, etc.). <BR>2) Don't volunteer where you're staying or where you're going (keep your voice subdued - like when the teller at your bank asks for your ss# - if you need to give this information to someone). <BR>3) Your luggage tags should have either your busines address or your travel agent's address, or have a cover so no one can glance at the address. <BR>4) When changing money, or using an ATM, one stand facing the street while the other gets money (I do this at home, so it's second nature). Count your money at the window; don't do it on the street. <BR>5) Don't let down your guard because you're on vacation; use your usual precautions and trust your gut (if it feels hinky, it IS hinky). <BR> <BR>Italy isn't anymore dangerous than the U.S. - and is usually safer. A lot of tourists have bad experiences because they stop acting smart and act like dufuses. <BR> <BR>You'll have a wonderful time, and for years one of you will say a key phrase or word, and both of you will collapse in gales of laughter or loud groans.

Kate, All of the suggestions are good <BR>but you may have already blown the big <BR>option. If you had started and ended <BR>your trip in Germany, and perhaps have <BR>included the Lakes and Bavaria in your <BR>itinerary, you could have saved about <BR>$500 on the rental car. Even doing a <BR>loop from Nice would have been big. Is it too late?? If you need more detail <BR>give me a holler directly. I have planned about 4 dozen trips like this <BR>and you have to start with the big criteria first if you are on a budget. <BR>

Kate, I must report that I missed my <BR>estimate--it is actually more like <BR>$1000 difference. That will buy alot of <BR>gelato and salami. Call Auto Europe at <BR>800-223-5555 and get a quote.

Here are some ideas you won't find in guide books. Take along an old pair of work gloves. The older and dirtier and greasier, the better. When you park your car, put those gloves on the car's dashboard or over the steering wheel. No American would be caught doing such a thing. Always buy a local newspaper and leave a copy on the driver's seat when you park your car. NEVER leave any luggage in sight in your car. ALWAYS hide it in the locked trunk. Save big bucks -- and enjoy a better diet -- by picnicking at midday. Wear old, comfortable shoes. If you must eat out at noon, look for the law courts. Lawyers eat cheap and quick. Lots of cheap eateries, therefore, are around the courthouse. Never walk alongside a curb in the same direction the traffic is moving; guys on scooters will snag you purse. Which, of course, is something you should never carry. A shoulder bag is even worse. Leave them at home! Never stop at a street corner and bring out a map to study. Says: greenhorn in big letters. Instead, duck into a doorway or shop to study your map and then stride as if you know where you are going...even if you don't. And leave your valuables in the hotel safe. Take particular care to safeguard your passport.

I second the advice from the last poster. So-called petty car crime is rife in Europe, so make sure you leave NOTHING on show in your car. Put everything away or take it with you. Consider leaving the glove compartment empty and open just so the would-be thief can see that there is absolutely nothing worth nabbing from your vehicle. Try to get a car with an alarm or a crook-lock or immobiliser. Park safely and enjoy!

Of the areas mentioned, Tuscany is the only one where you need a car. Have you considered using trains (so inexpensive in Italy) for most of the trip? You'd be able to see things in a more relaxed and frugal manner that way. We were in Tuscany and the Cinque Terre in May - e-mail if you want any hotel or restaurant recommendations. <BR>Happy Travels! <BR> <BR>

You will need to be careful and watchful, and if you are you should have no problems. We did stay at a hotel where a couple had had their tires sliced as they went onto the autobahn. While they were stopped and two "very" helpful men changed their tires, the men also helped themselves to the wife's purse which had their passports and travelers checks in it. Better to wear one of those mildly uncomfortable money belts and feel more secure. If you have empty hands and empty pockets you won't have any trouble. You'll love Italy. It is wonderful, historic, and no better food or, generally, people any where. Be forewarned to take a good look at what you buy, sometimes it is not all it appears to be. My brother-in-law bought a painting from a man who had a easel set up and pictures drying beside him. They turned out to be copies that could have been purchased cheaper any where. M. Ham

These are not exactly suggestions to cut down on costs, but.... <BR>(1) make copies of your passports, stash the copies in various locations, such as money belt, suitcase, etc. <BR>(2) same for your flight tickets <BR>(3) make copy of your credit card numbers and emergency phone numbers (in case they become lost or stolen). Leave a copy of that list with a friend back home---call him/her if cards are missing---easier for them to call all the numbers in US than you making calls from Europe. <BR>(4) before you sign the paperwork for the car--inspect the car. In Sorrento, the car had a smashed wing mirror--we pointed it out and rented another. Also, many stick shift cars have reverse gear in different places---make sure you know where it is (that knowledge literally saved our lives on the Amalfi Coast). <BR>(5) make a copy of the car key, sure beats calling a locksmith. <BR>(6)