kenav

dgass - I've gotten through about 1/2 of your travel journal. Great work.

Wondering - You said that you didn't reserve any rooms (except for the first week). Question - Did you have a list of all the towns you wanted to go to? If so, did you stick with this list? And, did you have a list of the B&Bs there? Then, when you got "there" did you just go to a particular place to see if it had rooms available? Or, did you always go to the tourism bureau first? Any problem finding a toursim bureau in every stop, and, if there was a bureau, were they always open when you got there?

Lots of questions, I know. But I'm fascinated by your travel and how you made it happen.

muskoka

We just spent 17 days in Rome, Venice, Florence and Tuscany and including car rental for 4 days + airfare, inclusive, it works out to 705/day CAD.
With the exception of three fabulous dinners, our meals were fairly pedestrian.

I think I need Pepto-Dismal!

bktport

See
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...port&fid=2,

where we asked a similar question on a weekly basis. There are some interesting responses with further consideration.

bktport

OK that did not work, try

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34989364

dgassa

For Kenav:
To answer your questions, for France after the 1 week, we used Alastiar Sawdays book, Special Places to Stay. Sometimes we didn't know where we were going exactly until a couple of days before. We we knew where we were going, we called ahead for reservations. In Colmar we used the tourist office and they just gave us a list of B&B's in the area. It was left up to us to call and find one.

In Germany we use the tourist office everywhere we went. Only one time they couldn't find us a place. (they had availabilty, but the place smelled like cigarettes) That time we found a place in a small village we were passing through but just going up and asking at the door if they had a vacancy. The Bates B&B we found in mailing from the tourist office.

Most everyplace had a tourist office and staff that spoke english. In France they were closed during the lunch hour. We would ususally start looking for a place to stay around 2 or 3 in the afternoon. Hope that answers your questions.

dgassa

For Kenav,

Glad you're enjoying my trip report. It's always nice to get feed back.

http://www.slowtrav.com/tr/tripreport.asp?tripid=1259

daveesl

We are pretty cheap and try to get the most bang for our buck. We spend about $3,500 total on a 10 day trip, for 2. That includes airfare, car rentals, hotel, food and tickets.

So far, for this Christmas, we are returning to Rome, but there are 4 of us this time (giving the kids a college break). Airfare is $2,200 total (1 flying on FF miles), 3 bdrm apt is $1,400. So, we've already gone over our normal $3,500, but then there are 4 of us this time, maybe $4,500 for the 4 of us.

Oh, we don't buy many trinkets, but we take thousands of pictures and hours of video.

dave

daveesl

Oh, I forgot to add, this year it is a 7 day trip, not 10. So the cost/day is much greater, but then there are 4 of us instead of 2.

dave

Katiemay

Be still my heart!!! I think we will
have to cancel our upcoming trip.
We were in Romania and Bulgaria 2yrs
ago for a month. We spend about $125
a day. We used our miles for airfare.
I am going to get a glass a wine.
No, make that a double martini.

Dottee

I travel with a tour group and I estimate on average between two and three hundred a day. But that includes airfare, hotels, group excursions, and at least one meal per day included in the tour price, as well as the meals that are not included and personal shopping. I really think you get a lot more for your money going with a tour group, and I never felt like I was skimping.

Clea

I am currently planning a solo trip to Nice and Paris. Adding up museum passes, Carte orange cards and renting an apartment it looks like the two week trip is going to cost me about $3500 (inc air). Excluding shopping, that is a different budget!
Clea

kenav

dgassa - Where did you get the GPS for the trip? How much was it and was it returnable (didn't need it after you got home)?

Also - Brought your own cellphone?

thanks!

dgassa

Kenav;

We bought a Magellan 760 in the states and still use it today. I think we paid about $800 for it plus the $200 or so cost of accessing the Europe maps. It was a life saver and very accurate. We had some minor problems with it because there is something in the glass in European cars that interfears with reception. I would suggest a external antenna.

We bought a international, rechargable phone card from Costo for $30 and used pay phones. Never had a problem finding a phone and we would call home once a week. You had to dial a lot of numbers and the access number was different for each country, but for 30 bucks, it was a deal.

Idaho_jaane

Our budget for our first vacation in Europe per day is $665.00 or about 493 Euros = $8,000.00 for 12 nights not including airfare and hope we bring some back?

SAnParis

Not really sure how to answer this but I will try. Airfare & accomodations are typically booked & paid for months in advance. If we're lucky (& not using miles) airfare will be in the $1500-$2000 range (for 4). We typically take an apartment for a week so another $1500 or so there...then the stray nights here & there where we'll usually spend $100-$150/night. So for a 12 day trip (average for us) we'd be looking at roughly $3500 for airfare & a place to stay. Throw in another $100/day for everything else (give or take) & you'll be looking at about $5K for the entire trip. That is about typical for us & we always try to intermingle the city w/the countryside. In addition, I like to cook so we eat in quite a lot, particularly when in Europe & I can experiment w/new things. Usually breakfast in, lunch out wherever we are & dinner in - although we will dine out every 3 or 4 nights.

natc143

We often spend $500-700 per day for the hotel. But our last two trips exceeded $800-1300.

I think this last trip air, hotel, food, and touring costs $1200 per day, REAL splurge. We went overboard I guess! But it was an anniversary trip.

Our normal yearly trips are 5000 for 7-9 days all included. We enjoy cruising and its generally more affordable when are meals are included in the rate.

Natalie

dsevig

just back from 20 days in SW France with around $6000 total spend on all - 1600 for 2 airfare, 900 car, 1000+ 2 gites week each and 250 3 days B&B - 1500 for meals, rest for cash for entrancs, groceries etc - we are not big shoppers either but like a nice meal each day and comfortable quarters

I think we did real well on airfare and most meals were good value - surprisingly the 3 worst meals were at restuarants highly rated - maybe just bad luck but give me small town places for value and better meals

remembering when a $ bought a euro - would have saved $500 + on what we spend in europe! oh well, still a darn good way to spend our kids inheritence!!

fishee

natalie,

Which hotels do you stay at for $700/night?

SAnParis

You would have to make a concerted effort to spend $700/night on a hotel. You must be on the Canal in Venice (@ the Danieli) or the Ritz in Paris.

SAnParis

fishee - based on her prior posts she did stay at the Danieli (how good am I) as well as two Relais properties in Tuscany. Although the Danieli IS that expensive, the Relais properties she stayed at were more like $300 euros/night. (Don't know how to make the little euro sign). So I'm unclear as to where the numbers are coming from, unless Natalie stayed in the penthouse every place that she stayed.