Summer per diem Italy or Germany
 

We are in the "dreaming" stage right now.
It's been 6 years since our last trip to Europe
and we are really out of touch with the cost of things. I did try to do a search here before asking this question. Hubby is turning 50 so
we're thinking of a trip this summer to celebrate. The Rhine, castles and wine tasting sound fun or the Cinque Terra and lakes in Italy. What would you budget (approx per day) for decent hotels,
transport (probably car, maybe train), plenty of wine, beer and good food! I'm curious because I also have my eye on a Baltic cruise
which I know is the lazy way out but I guess I'm getting old! Thanks for your help!

<< What would you budget (approx per day) for decent hotels,
transport (probably car, maybe train), plenty of wine, beer and good food! >>

100 to 5000 euro per day, depending on <i><b><u>your</u></b></i> budget.

How much would you spend in the country where you presently live?

Best wishes,

Rex

Reluctantly we have gotten &quot;used&quot; to spending $150-ish on an okay hotel and $70-ish on an okay dinner.

And would that be in New York or San Francisco? by using Priceline? or do you mean in Lexington, Kentucky? or Chapel Hill, North Carolina?

40-50% of the rooms in Rome can be had for $150 a night (i.e., essentially none in &quot;the better half&quot; as measured by location, features or amenities). Dining is (in all five of the cities mentioned) not really a bell-shaped curve. 80% of the meals in America are less than $70 for two. About 5% of the meals are over $140 for two. About the same in both Germany and Italy. A difference is in the the $25-30 meal for two in America (say Bob Evans, Applebee's if you try hard to economize, and most pizza places, whether big chain or mom'n'pop's) - - I think that your options for $30 meals for two in Germany and Italy are much more limited, and similar &quot;fill you up&quot; might cost 50% more (though it can be argued that the ambience will be better, and you can have a very good bottel of wine for no more than a &quot;pitcher of Coke&quot; in America).

I am not sure what percentile you can get in the Cinque Terre for $150 (never been there; two-thirds of the rooms are under this?) and there is a considerable spectrum of room rates aroud the three major lakes in Italy. At Lake Garda, I think that $150 might start to get you into the upper-one-third of hotels in shoulder season, and upper half in peak.

If your budget is $150 for room and $70 for dinner (I suspect you will want variety in your dinners, and you will be happy with two $30 dinners for every one that costs $110) - - then add another $100-$150 per day (per couple) for intra-Europe transport, other meals and attractions .

A lot of couples in their 50s <i>might</i> choose to spend a thousand dollars or more on shopping, in the course of a 8-15 day trip to Europe. That's an additional 15-25% if you're allocating $300 per day per couple.

We've successfully and very happily used Priceline for 3-4 star hotels in big cities. We are not shoppers. We prefer smaller, hole the wall atmospheric restaurants. Sounds like budgeting $300 per day would more than cover us. Thanks for the help!

Hi love,

&gt;Sounds like budgeting $300 per day would more than cover us.&lt;

More than likely.

A car in Italy will be about $50-60/day.
Germany will be about $40-50.

((I))

In most of Germany outside the centers of the big tourist cities, you can readily find very pleasant accomodations (private bath, pleasant surroundings, free parking, breakfast included) in the 65-85 euro range, double. These would usually not be big hotels with conference rooms, elaborate lobbies, swimming pools, and fitness centers.

Living in Munich at the current exchange rate is less expensive than in most US cities, what will be relativly &quot;expensive&quot; is energy (gas, electricity...) Food and restaurants are rather inexpensive and usually of better quality than the US chains. &quot;Low cost supermarkets&quot; like Aldi or Lidl, where many/most people shop sell far below standard US prices. A rental car, fully insured , 100km/day starts at 15&euro;/day, standad transmission.