virginiarose

The second time I went England (the 1st time I didn't pay), my entire trip cost $1200.That was back in '02.
$500-Airfare
$300-Hotel/B&B
$400-Travel(tube passes, buses, etc.),Admission,Gifts,etc.

I was sharing a room with a friend, so we tried to spend around $100 for lodging, then to split it evenly.We stayed for 7 days,6 nights.Also, the price included the fact we took a train to Bath and stayed there for 2 nights.I loved it!In fact, I must be a hoarder because the last day, I was in Harrod's buying $20 doggy bowls(bought 2!), because I had so much money left over and didn't want to change my money back.Now I love my dog,Prince William, but normally I would give him bowls that cost $1.
My next trip is Scotland in April.I'll let you know how much that will cost.
Now, I want to hear from you about your spend-savy ways abroad in Europe!

bettyk

Altho we aren't rich by any means, we normally don't scrimp too much on vacation. I try to keep hotel costs reasonable but if there is a special place we want to stay, then we'll splurge. Most of our trips in the last few years have cost between $4500 - $5500 for the 2 of us for 2 weeks. We found the UK to be more expensive than Germany and Austria.

This year we are going to Germany and Switzerland and my hotel costs are about $100 per day and our tickets cost us $1600. I'll probably go ahead and pay the extra $500 plus miles on AA to upgrade to Biz Class going over to Frankfurt to this trip will probably be over $5000.

At our age (57), we aren't so much into cheap as comfortable.

Intrepid1

Back in 1970...6-weeks and it cost way less than $1000 and I literally did it on the $5 A Day. Covered 6 countries, too.

rex

We traveled for eight days in March 2000 to Munich, Austria and Venice (closing the circle) - - our family of four (oldest daughter couldn't go)... plus three of their high school friends. For the kids, who slept in one double and one triple everywhere, the entire cost was $750 and that covered airfare, all lodging and all meals (and some attractions - - didn't really go in many things with a paid admission; Doges' Palace is one exception that comes to mind, and the DeutschesMuseum, I guess). My recollection is that that the airfare (Columbus-Munich roundtrip was in the mid 300's).

I did not ask that they contribute to the cost of the van nor fuel/tolls... our family would have elected to get a car whether they had come along or not.

I came in essentially right on budget, or a few dollars over, at most.

Best wishes,

Rex

SallyCanuck

In January 1976, my 19 year old and I went to London for a week on a package which included air to Gatwick; Novotel Hammersmith including continental breakfast for 6 nights, train to and from Victoria Station to Gatwick, transit pass for 6 days for each of us and 50 pounds each for theatre tickets - total cost was just under $1,000 Canadian.

suze

I am more comfortable with mid-range things (from hotels to restaurants) so my trips are not overly expensive. That said, European travel is such a rare treat it's not the time I choose to scrimp and save. I'd rather do that at home before or after. I never keep a 'budget' for a european adventure so i couldn't really tell you what I spend!

sandykins

Our cheapest was in April 2004 when we spent just under $4000 for 9 days in London for 2 adults and 2 children.

This included an air-and-hotel package bought from Virgin Atlantic for roundtrip air between Washington, DC, and Heathrow and eight nights' lodging and full breakfast buffet (delicious!) at the Novotel Hammersmith (children stay free in the same room).

We ate very well, including afternoon teas at the Ritz, the Lanesborough, the Dorchester, and Fortnum & Mason; a very fine dinner at the Dorchester Grill; and picnics of fish and chips, Cornish pasties, etc.

We did all the sightseeing we wanted: all your usual museums and attractions in London, a side-trip to Kew Gardens; and a side-trip to Oxford (where I confess one of our meals was free, our host being the Vice-Pricipal of my college at Oxford).

I don't know how we came in under $4000! This year we four are going to Paris for spring break, and I think it's going to cost at least $6500 total.

amwosu

This is a fun thread but dang depressing for me as I want to go to Paris in July even though I already have four US trips planned for summer and I've got to kick in some bucks for the kid headed to college in the fall.

I remember when Virgin Airlines had $99 (I think R/T) flights from NYC to London when I was in college in the 80s.

pmgoosed

4800 for 7 and a 1/2 weeks last March to May. Could have done it for less except, well, I decided to change my flight not once but TWICE (once while I was in Prague the other in Paris) to come back to the states resulting in a 650 one way ticket. That, and because I splurged on food...never not splurge on food...food is KING!

Daisy54

WAY back in the 70's, I went to Spain twice on tours through my high school. Both trips cost slightly over $400, which included airfare, hotels, meals, ground transportation (tour buses), admittance to sites we visited, and guides. All we had to bring was our personal spending money (about $100), and pay for our own passports and vaccinations. (Back then you needed a smallpox vaccine to enter the U.S., no matter where you'd traveled.)

In 2003 I went to England on an airfare of $298, roundtrip from L.A. which included taxes & fees. That was a special deal from British Airways. The other expenses weren't cheap however, but I'll never forget that airfare!

mr_go

I once crashed at my sister's place in Dublin for a week. Cost me nothing but airfare, pizza and several rounds of drinks. OK, more than several...but still.

amwosu

I wrote a grant proposal to chase the Tour de France (and Lance) around the country two years ago. I was in France for a month and got a $7500 grant from the Lilly Endowment to cover my expenses. THAT was a cheap European trip! As a thank you to Lilly I take my Prozac every day.

tower

Waiting for the big spenders to chime in here...! You know, the 3-star Michelins, the 5-star hotels, etc etc. C'mon star-gazers, let's hear from you, so everyone else can get some vicarious kicks...

suze

it helps if you have friends who live in europe and let you stay with them for free (well in exchange for light housework, gardening, errands, and keeping the frig stocked with wine)!

fritzrl

Just a cautionary note: those who fondly recall their 'cheap' trips to Europe in the early 70's may have forgotten that in 1970, a good middle class salary in the US was around US$12,000 per year, and a USD would buy around 3.5 Deutsche Marks, 1.75 Pounds Sterling or several hundred Japanese Yen.

Ford was selling a perfectly serviceable compact car at the time for around US$2000. My weekly grocery bill (to feed the ravenous 22 year old I was at the time) was about US$20.

Hyper-inflation in the mid-70's and some international currency maneuvers in the early 1980's pretty much blew away that reality forever.

So, a trip in 1970 that cost US$1000 is equivalent to about a US$9000-$10,000 trip today.

I'd call a US$9000 trip extravagant, myself.

Fritzrl

tripgirl

ok, tower, you got your wish.

Dh and I spend a ton.. we have the $$ and figure why not.

5 star hotels and the best of food for us always!!

Actually I really do admire the budgeters; can't seem to do it all, but then again, we really don't have to.

sandykins

LOL, Tripgirl, you are a trip! I notice that you are also the person looking for recommendations for the "hippest, trendiest" restaurant in Paris currently. Why spend less when you can spend more, right?

amwosu

Funny thing is, we have money, DH makes a bundle, but I STILL love the challenge of cheap trips. That way I can get plastic surgery every summer (I'm on the extremely slow makeover plan) and still travel to my heart's content.

Pegontheroad

My sister/traveling buddy/best friend and I spent $1600 each on a 12 day trip from Spokane, Washington, to Paris, Normandy, the Loire, and the chateau country in 1999 and had a wonderful time.

We rented this little Peugeot (spelling?) that was so cheap that the windows didn't roll down. We laughed until our sides hurt, saw wonderful chateaus, lovely little Norman towns, the D Day beaches, the Bayeux tapestries, ate marvelous food--did all that a quick trip like this one had to offer.

We went to tourist offices and told them how much we wanted to pay for lodging and were rewarded with charming rooms distinctly not punched out with a cookie cutter.

Since then we've spent more money and planned more carefully for the trips we've taken, but we've never had more fun than on that first trip we took together.

JoanneH

Current: Italy 2005 15 days
Airfare 589+102 tax 691 RT from SFO
Hotel Florence thanks to Ira 3 nights 135e-Spent less than 50e total rounded 200e-Rome Balance of time spent about 750e went where ever I wanted Pompeii, Sorrento etc.bus and taxi. Biggest rip Rail Europe - total expense rounded 1200.00+ air fare=1900 rounded up slightly over $125us per day
Best all time: 1966 San Francisco to Southampton on P&O Liner SF-P Canal, some islands back to SF picked up my car and dog back down South American Coast, Santiago, Valparaiso, Buenos Aires over to Dakar Canaries, Lisbon, Le Havre into Southampton all for a whopping $525. dog and car included. In those days I had time to burn <g> now my nose is to the grindstone.