We are 3 people planning trip to Italy?

Question

We 3 friends are planning a holiday trip to Italy in month of August, 2008 for 7 to 8 days.

We wish that our total expense during this time on hotel rooms, food, travelling within Italy, tickets of places, and bars not to exceed USD 3,500/=. Meaning that we will like our daily average expense ( for all 3 people) to be about USD 375 to USD 400. Please advise that is it sufficient or not ?

Our interest is to visit historical places, art musems, and clubbing. In nut-shell we will like to have a feel of all things. I think that during this 7 to 8 days trip, we should concentrate on few selected cities. Is Rome, Florence and Venice correct choice of cities ?

Inter-city travel should be done on trains or airplanes ? Advantage of train would be that we get view of country-side.

Any other recommendations or advise will be highly appreciated.

Thanks all of you.

Answer 1

I have no idea what the exchange rate is these days, but I do have to tell you that August is the most expensive time to go to Italy since most Europeans are on vacation then and all the hotels are at a premium. A lot of the museums are expensive - up to $25 a pop. But there are a lot of things that are free and wonderful and just walking around and going into churches you see a lot of great artwork.

I found that a lot of restaurants have "tourista" menus, with a fixed price and can be quite good and much less expensive than ording a la carte off the regular menu.

Plus there is travel between cities, by rail, probably.

If you are smart and book cheaper hotels way ahead of time, limit yourself to a few good meals you might be able to do it  but it will be really tight especially in August.

Answer 2

The money is somehow short also considering the exchange value of about 1.45 dollar per Euro.

The sites chosen are the best, but many of the things to visit there have a cost of entry sometime not indifferent for the budget mentioned.

Traveling by train is the best: less expensive and reaching to the town's central areas.

For reducing costs book as from now the "Ostelli della gioventù" (see specific sites) or "Youth's hotels" that are less expensive that classic hotels (very expensive for the budget mentioned).

If you like to have nights out clubbing consider the costs of tickets that are somehow variable, but that can be important for the short supply of money.

Answer 3

Personally, I would concentrate on Rome and Florence because I absolutely hated Venice!  You could easily take the train between Rome and Florence.  

Your budget seems a bit tight to me, but if you are willing to share one room, you should be able to manage.  Economize by getting a pastry for breakfast from one of the many bakeries on the streets, and you can get lunch from one of the carts set up all over Rome.  Chicken paninis were good at every cart I stopped at!  

If you have enough money, you could take a day trip from Rome to Pompeii and one from Florence to Pisa.

Answer 4

You should be able to make it. Consider also Italy off the beaten path. Give Le Marche region a try!

Answer 5

I suggest you save Venice for another trip because it is too far away from Florence & Rome if you only have 7-8 days you will waste 2 days on the train. And the train is best way to travel. You should think about buying a train pass while you are still in the USA- check with AAA, or a travel agent as there are many choices and they can help explain the differences. You will save money this way.

One very important thing- Most Italians go on vacation during the month of August, so some businesses will be closed.

As for art museums: Keep in mind you must make reservations to get into any major museum and they are often times booked up weeks ahead of time. Try looking/booking via internet, but you may have to call.

Answer 6

Alas, for three people 400 USD are not that much; your first goal should be looking for cheaps hotels: you have to do as soon as possible, I suggest you no later than February, if you want to be sure to still find hotels that are at the same time good and cheap. You may look here   http://en.venere.com/italy/

or looking for an hostel (youth hotel) if you don't care about that movie :)

A good hotel with bathroom may cost from 100 € (145 USD, today), total for three people.

Trains are always the best for travel inside Italy on short/medium routes. Look here http://www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html

I suggest you fly to Rome, then Florence (less than two hours by train) then Venice.