Young Couple traveling to Italy and Spain - 2 weeks
 

I was looking for some feedback on an itinerary/budget for an Italy and Spain 2 week trip. The itinerary is:
-Fly in to Venice (2 nights)
-Take train to Florence (1 night)
-Take train to Rome (4 nights)
-Take ferry to Barcelona (4 nights)
-Take train to Madrid (2 nights)
-Fly home

The budget I have come up with is not for plane tickets, ferries, or trains. It is for hotels, food/drinks, sight seeing, light shopping and getting around within the cities. We're looking for 2 star hotels for around 125 USD a night (is this reasonable?), we don't expect to eat luxuriously, and we want to see a moderate amount of sights. Altogether we would be looking to bring about 4200 USD total for the above expenses.

The breakdown:
- $600 or $40 per day per person for food
- $930 or $61 per day per person for hotels
- $560 or $37 per day per person for the other expenses

Crazy to mix those 2 countries---just stay in Italy.
How long does the ferry take?

It takes 20 hours but it includes a pool, bar, nightclub, and shops. Pretty much everything a cruise ship offers. Do you think it's just too much moving around for two weeks?

<<Altogether we would be looking to bring about 4200 USD total for the above expenses.>>

Instead of bringing US dollars that are not accepted in Italy and Spain, I suggest using credit cards and getting euro from ATM's. Notify your bank and cc companies a few days prior to leaving home about your trip. Otherwise, they may block your card for security reasons.

Will do...thanks!

your 1 night Florence nets you less than a day for the city. 2 nights in Venice will give you 1.5 days and your arrival day will probably be a jet lagged fog. 4 nights in Rome = 3.5 days free in the city. See a pattern?

I'd skip Spain. But if Spain is a 'must' -- fly. The ferry eats a full day or night you could be spending in Barcelona.

But there we are again - 2 nights in Madrid will give you about 1.5 days.

People can travel at all sorts of budget points. If you want to have a lot of picnics and then have a slice and soda/water for dinner you can keep to a very modest budget.

Assuming your breakfast is included in the hotel you can get a modest but pleasant lunch (not a slice and a soda) for $20 each and I would figure $40 per person for a dinner with house wine if you are careful and not big eaters. (We figure $100 per person per day for lunch and dinner - but do a splurge dinner 0f perhaps $300 for 2 - in each city.) All of this asumes house wine and no liquor/mixed drinks (which are VERY expensive in europe).

We also figure $10 per days for misc - a gelato or a beverage in a cafe/bar. And we assume about $50 - $60 per day for entries and getting around town. Any shopping would be extra.

Go to one country or the other. Besides the actual travel time, there is a great deal wasted of packing, checking in and out, and getting to and from the primary transportation.

One of our favorite things we do is have a backpack and buy food as you are walking about the town, cheese, bread, wine, chocolate, even meats and then feast back at the hotel. Really keeps the cost down. If you checking in luggage put knives, forks, spoons, and cork screws in your luggage.

Also not moving around will also save on all sorts of incidential travel expenses.

You all have some really good suggestions. I think I will take the advice to pick one country and use the days planned from the other country to stay longer in the cities there (and maybe make a couple day trips as well). Thanks everyone!

On my last trip to Spain, breakfasts were not included in the price of the hotel. The buffet breakfast usually cost $15 to $17.

I agree that you're trying to squeeze too much travel into your time. Assume that you'll be back--and if you're like the rest of us Fodorites, you will---many times. One nice thing about saying in just one country is that you can figure a side trip or two so that you're not just in the big cities.

I like Adu's suggestion about keeping the cost down. Even if you're not checking your luggage, you can bring plastic utensils. I am just not up to eating three meals a day in restaurants when I travel, so I often buy bread, cheese, and fruit for my evening meal.

In Spain, most local restaurants will serve up a three course lunch with drinks included for some 8-12€ ($12-18). Do as the Spanish and make this your main meal (between 1.30 and 4pm), and go for some lighter tapas or raciones (portions) in the evening. Sharing a bottle of wine and a couple of raciones in some of the great taverns in central Madrid will not set you back more than some $30 in total. Breakfast are much more fun and a lot cheaper in a local bar than in hotels. A mixed sandwich, fresh orange juice and a cup of cofee would be some $5-6.

This will mean a food budget in total of some $80 pr.day in Madrid or Barcelona.

For example, in Madrid you can have a solid traditional three course lunch with drinks included in popular Casa Marta close to the opera and the Royal Palace for some 13€. Several other places with even lower price lunch offerings almost everywhere, try to find a place with mostly local people and you could be in for a real treat: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...ta-Madrid.html

Taberna de Antonio Sánchez from 1830 would be a great option later in the evening. Several local specialities, stews, raciones etc and very affordable. I love the small, traditional casserole dishes (cazuelitas). Five to chose among and only 3€. The jar of the great house wine from the barrel costs almost nothing. The two of you could easily have a nice night out here for some $30/20€. Photos/videos: http://11870.com/pro/taberna-antonio-sanchez

Or share a grilled chicken with salad and a bottle of Cider in the bar at famous Casa Mingo for a total of $22/15€.
http://11870.com/pro/casa-mingo

Perhaps have some affordable Chinese food at excellent Rey de los Tallarines: http://www.reydetallarines.com/
Photos/video: http://11870.com/pro/rey-tallarines

Breakfast places on every corner. Restaurante Valdemeso is one of my favourites, great breakfast offerings like the one mentioned above, ham and cheese sandwich, freshly squezed orange juice and cofee for 3.25€. http://11870.com/pro/valdemeso

And remember, not much beats a picnic in the beautiful Retiro park in central Madrid. Buy some pan, jamón and queso and you can't have it any better: http://www.aviewoncities.com/madrid/parquedelretiro.htm

The Madrid speciality, the huge Bocadillo de Calamares (deep-fried squid sandwich), can be had anytime and everywhere, costs some 2-4€. http://gospain.about.com/od/madrid/ss/lavapies_8.htm

Lots of inexpensive hostals in central Madrid. My brother recently stayed in super central Perla Asturiana next door to Plaza Mayor and did not complain. Basic, but private bathroom and good value. In short walking distance to all the places I've mentioned (except Casa Mingo, some 20-25 mins walking). $85/58€ for a double. http://www.perlaasturiana.com/

Close by Hotel Santander is even more affordable: http://www.hotelsantandermadrid.com/

Basic hotel in the best location, and eating out for both breakfast, lunch and in the evening/night could easily be done for a total of some $180/€120 pr. day.

That would leave you with an extra of some $60 pr. day for other expences.

In Barcelona, I've been perfectly happy staying in basic but great location Hostal Orleans: http://www.hostalorleans.com/index.php?lang=en

The Hostal is in the Born area: http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.c...s/el-born.html

Some cheap eats in Barcelona: http://www.eurocheapo.com/blog/barce...-under-e6.html

Prepare for a picnic at the Boquería a food market, one of the best in Europe: http://www.boqueria.info/

eurocheapo.com/rome

eurocheapo.com/venice

eurocheapo.com/florence

eurocheapo.com/naples

all I would do in 2 weeks not enough time for Spain

for me... if I did any spain would fly Vueling booked

in advance skyscanner.net ferries out of Rome are not great

boring not cheap and you are short on time,

Happy Travels!

seat61.com/italy just did this regional trains very cheap

from 2 euros per hour just hop on what I did for the most

part... except for my wife who rarely insists we shoot around

on the fast trains great but more costly.

The ferry is a ferry, not a cruise ship even though it has amenities. They all cost extra and are not included in your ticket, nor is food on board. Cabins are extra as is most everything on board. It's not all-inclusive like a cruise.

Your budget is low for hotels in major cities ($125 = €73 at current exchange rates). I would drop some of the travel (Spain) as the more you move around, the more it costs. Add the saving to your hotel budget. You really don't have time for two countries.

You can find some hostels at €73 (some have private rooms) and a few convents at that price.

>>from 2 euros per hour just hop on what I did for the most<<<
There are no trains in Italy priced hourly.

To clarify: you weren't thinking of actually BRINGING US dollars to use in Europe, were you? That's nuts.

When are you going? If not immediately, do the following because it will cut your costs by 3% or more, which is about $126 based on your budget:

(1) Open a savings account with a credit union or Capital One that charges NO foreign exchange fees. Using your ATM overseas will then get you the international exchange rate, not the international exchange rate plus a commission for the bank.

(2) Get a Capital One Venture Card or Citibank AAdvantage Card or Chase Continental Airlines card or similar to get travel bonuses - depending upon when you go, you may be able to swing enough points/miles to receive an economy-class ticket for only the cost of the taxes and fees. My wife and I traveled to Tokyo for less than $200 in business class (plus miles) and traveled with our son to London for $330 plus 90K miles in economy. Instead of the ticket price, we paid only fees and taxes.

If you do this, do NOT fly British Airways because they segregate a fuel surcharge from the ticket price and call it a fee - it's a method to recoup money from rewards travelers and comply with the UK's global emissions taxes.

(3) Get a Capital One credit card or credit union credit card that charges no foreign exchange fees. Again, you save money and you won't have to carry so much cash.

I would NOT go to Napoli - too many traps for the unwary there. If all you have is two weeks, go to Venice, Florence and Rome with side trips like Siena, Verona, Pisa (if you must, everyone seems to want to see the tower), etc.

Finally, <b>Kybourbon has no clue as to what the current exchange rate is and even at its worst level, the dollar has NEVER dropped so low that $125 = 73E.</b> Geez, $125 will get you more than 73 GBP right now.

Right now, it costs $1.37 to buy a euro, so the $125 per night lodging budget, although not large, is a little over 91 Euro. Go to xe.com or oanda.com to check the exchange rates.

If you are only going to pick one country, then consider Spain as the more budget conscious choice. We love Italy, it is our favorite country, but we were pleasantly surprised by how much cheaper Spain was (went last year) compared to other European countries in which we have traveled. It was definitely our cheapest trip per day and we don't necessarily look for super-budget accommodations. We did not, however, go to Barcelona on this trip so not sure if it is a more expensive city, relatively speaking. But we loved Madrid, Sevilla, Segovia & Granada and wish we had seen Cordoba or Toledo as well - lots to do, very friendly people, good food, cheap wine!

>>>Finally, Kybourbon has no clue as to what the current exchange rate is and even at its worst level, the dollar has NEVER dropped so low that $125 = 73E. Geez, $125 will get you more than 73 GBP right now<<<

Actually, I do have a clue. Just returned from Italy (go every year), but obviously hit the wrong currency on the converter when I posted. It's around 90€ which still won't get you much more than a convent in season (especially in major cities the OP listed). Off season, you could do a bit better.

Thank you to the new posters...I didn't imagine this much help when I started this thread. You all have blown my mind.

To BigRuss...no I wasn't planning on bringing USD. Just was using it as my standard of comparison. Although, when I went to Mexico with some people from my Spanish class in high school, they happily accepted them down there! And I'll be looking in to the credit cards and whatnot. I'm not planning to travel until May so I have plenty of time.

Does anyone know when flights to Europe start to raise the prices? If I were to buy plane tickets in January, would they be the same price as if I tried to buy them now?

I guess my next step is just to choose between the two. Such an easy choice, right?

Airlines often discount in January for flight dates up to Easter. After that, they look 90 days out for load factors.

Thank you to the new posters...I didn't imagine this much help when I started this thread. You all have blown my mind.

Use what is left and enjoy your trip.