Italy tour ..we don't have enough cash?

[LaDolceVitafor200]

Afternoon!

I have been reading alot of holiday threads here recently which has prompted my own dilemma

Me and friend booked a very cheap Italy tour for 9 days 8 nights leaving next week. It's staying in 4 different Italian cities in basic B and B accommodation, local taxes and breakfast not included. B and B are all outside main towns we are visiting so an hour's travel.

We also have to pay for transport from airport each way , tour is self guided and just includes flights, coach transfers between 4 different cities and B and B

My friend is taking 200 euros and says she won't spend more, I'm getting worried this won't be enough, we also have to pay B and B local taxes etc

AIBU to tell her we both will need more cash , or has anyone been to Italy and found it cheap?!

Uhh ok. The same concept exists in Italy hence why I posted.

So your friend has seen sense. That's great OP.

Italy is a country of indulgence. Shame to be there for 9 days and continuously worried about money.

I doubt the 200€ will even cover the taxes, breakfast and airport transfers, let alone the fact that you will need to eat lunch and dinner every day too.

I fear you are likely to have a miserable time travelling with this friend.

Also, are you planning to visit any museums, galleries or tourist attractions? Because most of those won't be free...

@Oceanrudeness but the menu del dia in Spain is a bit more of a specific thing. Many restaurants across Europe (including the UK) may offer fixed lunch deals (we love the ones fancier places in France do - you can sometimes get Michellin star quality food for about 30 - 40 euros a head) but the menu de dia was introduced by Franco as affordable food for the working man (and latterly tourists).

Until 2010 it was legally mandated and had to consist of specific elements. So it is much more emdedded in the restaurant culture there (although I understand it is becoming less common now).

I'm sure everyone else knew exactly what you meant

I agree she needs to take more money but would be reluctant to take it in cash....look on MSE, there are several bank accounts that don't charge any fees/commission for spending abroad, I'd take one of them so you've got money as a back up but if you don't spend it no need to faff around getting money converted back to pounds and being charged twice.

I have Chase which is one of the recommended ones. It's app only so if you/she opened it today it would be done instantly, you should get the debit card in time and if not can add it to a phone wallet instantly so can still use it to pay for food etc. You also get 1% cashback on all spending (don't work for them honest, and there are other options!)

Just to give you an idea, Venice, Museo Carrer's entrance is 30 euros ( 15 euros you are a student, under 26 ). If you intend to go to museums it is not enough.
Please, check the costs of airport taxis - Florence airport to centre is 20 euros. I have had to battle several times.
Also, do not take cash or take little: your cashless card should work and by law it must be accepted everywhere ( although a lot of shops will tell you that it isn't working as connection isn't good). Cash may be stolen.

Sorry but that’s nowhere near enough! We had car hire and hotels paid for before we left and for 3 of us, in 11 days, we spent £1350 on food and drinks, car parking, etc.

You haven’t said where you are going, but I’ve just come back from Rome and spent four days and spent 500… and we did that in the cheap

That's interesting thank you, could you share roughly what that was in? Lunches dinners entrance fees ?

You might find that local osterias in the areas you are staying are a lot cheaper for dinner than the big cities so that could work in your favour. Also, if the bnb's might offer cheap dinner options. Your budget does seem like it is going to mean watching every penny though. In particular your late arrival and taxi to your accommodation will probably be more than 1 days budget and you aren't really going to have any other option.
I would make sure you let them know your arrival time at the accommodation too as often there are expected hours that aren't after midnight!

I am in Italy at this moment, admittedly in an expensive area (Sorrento). Yesterday we paid €38 euros for two toasties, an orange juice and a coffee. Today, 2 small cans of Coke Zero were €4 each. I have been all over Italy, from Venice to Sicily, and while you can do it on the cheap with takeaway sandwiches, pizza slices and the like, with your city taxes, transport and admission costs you will likely have only a couple of Euros left over for food each day, which won’t even get you a bag of crisps at the supermarket. You will literally be starving on €200 for the whole trip. I imagine you will be going to the bigger hotspots where prices are much higher than say, a small town in Sicily. Yes, stand at the bar or take out rather than sitting down outside, or find a cheap enoteca where a bottle of wine can be had for €15. But what a bloody miserable time you will have.

Yep- it's not difficult to look up average costs for visit different countries. How can the friend not know that Italy ain't cheap?

We've just been to Lake Garda and Venice and stayed in Mestre. It's 10 minutes on the train into Venice and cost 20 euros for 2 adults and 5 kids return.

Your friend is a bloody crackpot.

I wouldn't bother . I would just stay at Desenzano for the final two days - it is right on the shore of Lake Garda .

Agree, wouldn't bother with Milan but spend the day chilling by lake Garda.

I mean, it is easy enough to get the train from Desenzano into Milan if you want to , but I don't think it's the nicest city - spending time on Lake Garda would be a much nicer ending to your trip .

Thanks everyone, really appreciate all the travel tips!

Won't go mad but have upped our budget considerably

We went to desenzano del Garda for our honeymoon. Beautiful place and we loved it. However one thing I’d say is taxis are extortionate in Italy! My dad warned me but we ignored it. The airport to hotel taxi was approx 95 euros! So on return we got the train instead which was only 15 euros for us both

have an amazing time!

Just watch out for the pickpockets. Last thing you want to happen is lose some of that cash to a thieving . Happened to us even though we thought we were being careful and street smart but they are just so quick, especially on trains/trams/buses

Everybody is telling you €200 is not enough. So now you have to decide what you are going to do about your friend. To me the answer is obvious, do your research, work out a reasonable budget for the week, itemise everything and sit down with your friend and explain it to her. If she doesn’t have any more cash and can’t use credit, then she has to decide what she will do. The answer maybe that she can’t go. Where does that leave you? Think about what you will do if she pulls out. If you are not prepared to lend her money or subsidise her, you must make this clear. Good luck I hope you can go and I hope you enjoy it

Have a look at https://www.youtube.com/c/DramaticallyExpatic
she has loads of cheap travel tips including Venice on 20e a day including food abd sights. Pretty sure she does other big Italian cities too.

on the plus side it sounds like you will be having at least one long travel day from Rome to Venice, at least that will keep the cost down. You could also try grabbing a few too good to go surprise bags, they definitely have them in Venice.

If she runs out it’s her problem she should exit to be more unless she’s planning to eat bread & water every meal; I’m guessing you’ll need at least £500 each