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?!

If it hasn't been said already, have a look at the Rough Guide. There was info about a two day pass for Rome ( Ancient sites, forum/colosseum etc) which was cheaper than paying for it separately and it would be a shame to miss it.
FYI Breakfast and lunches are easier to save money on. and buying cold drinks from supermarkets in a cold bag, is certainly cheaper. But in the evenings many of the cheaper alternatives may not be open.

Book an all inclusive or forgo the holiday and save more for when you can.

If the OP’s friend genuinely has no more than €200 to take on the trip, cancelling the holiday is probably the only option because it’s simply not going to happen on €200.

Yes and it’s about 25 euros to even visit the colleseum.

No way on earth is this going to be enough money. You don't even get breakfast in the B&B?! This was a very cheap holiday for a reason. By the time you've spent money just getting into the cities and back out again each day, and paying for breakfast plus airport transfers, you'll have spent as much or more than if you'd booked a more expensive holiday.

I'd say with two or three meals a day, drinks, transport, entrance fees to various things, you'll be needing 100 quid a day. Cities are expensive.

Has she perhaps only done beach type holidays in places like Kos or the Spanish Costas.

Italy is not a cheap beach holiday place.

On city tax, TBF, tbat is the least of your worries - it should only be a couple of euros per person per night at most. You do often have to pay it directly to the hotel in cash though so you will need to budget for that. I tend to pay it when we arrive so it is done and out of the way.

The holiday is cheap because nothing is included.

No food or transport to & from the airport no taxes & tour guide, she'll be skint after a few days. Cities in Italy are not cheap, 200 euros is a joke, hope you have a lovely time.

It'll be a bit miserable staying outside of the places you want to visit - the outskirts of some cities and towns can be quite run-down and unpleasant there and you'll have the utter faff of having to get in and out.

Agreed. When I went last that was about what I needed per day.

Prices have gone up there as well as here

Yes, thinking back to backpacking days, you're going to have to be prepared to walk for miles each day, sit on park benches eating bits picked up from the local bakery and splashing out on the occasional beer or coffee. Top tip, don't sit down in a cafe for a coffee in a city centre in Italy, they charge more if you sit down. Stand at the bar and it's cheaper. You don't say how old you are, OP, but you need plenty of stamina when you're doing things on a shoestring and you'll need to pack light.

The B+Bs in the burbs situation is seriously depressing. Italian trains are good and cheap but are the B+Bs within walking distance of bus stops and trains? I once stayed at an agriturismo (B+B type set-up) north of Lucca and we used trains to get around and saw some very pretty villages and towns. But what ruined it for me was the 1.5 mile walk back to our accommodation every night, after a day's sightseeing. The thought of lugging a suitcase around on public transport every couple of days would drive me bonkers. The whole point of a coach tour is that the coach delivers you and your luggage to your hotel and then collects you and your luggage and takes you to the next hotel.

Can you dump the accommodation and book cheap hotels or even hostels in the centre of each of the cities? It might end up cheaper than trains and buses and taxis in the long run.

I would be very careful about subsidising your friend. It could run into hundreds, and she's the one who got you into this situation. In your shoes I'd cancel. Or take the flights and the coach from city to city, but book cheap city-centre accommodation for myself.

I went in a 7 day holiday, we took €200 each. It was more than we needed but:

a) we didn't have to pay for breakfast
b) we only paid for two evening meals
c) our transfers were already paid for

I think she'll struggle for 9 days with everything that needs to be paid for

How was your friend expecting to eat?

I am honestly baffled by these posts and feel like it's 1995 again where holiday options in Southern Europe were cheap.

Things have moved on. People need to travel much further afield if they want 200e lasting much more than a day.

It's utter ignorance for someone to travel to Italy and declare they are spending no more than 200e.

Italy isn't some cheap backwater country and even asking shows your ignorance OP. Seriously, do people not research where they are going!?

I have travelled all over Italy pretty much. YANBU to tell your friend she needs more cash, much more if you want to have a good time.

If your friend is only bringing 200 Euros then I suggest she packs her suitcase full of pot noodle and cereal bars as that is no way near enough!

Most cities have a supermarket in the centre with sensible prices, so you can always locate a supermarket and make yourself pack up lunches then buy some food for later.

I did this when visiting Geneva as the restaurants and cafes were so expensive, so I just bought supermarket rolls, ham etc... then make my own sandwiches!

Also she does realise it is not 1992 yes?

£200 would not go far for 9 days of lunch dinner and travel in the UK, so why the hell would she think it will be enough in Italy?

if you only have about 200 euros each for everything, dont bother going

Which European country??

Ask your friend what she is going to do if the money runs out before end of the holiday? Is she going to bring some food from home , or has she already done a budget? If not, sit down, look at the costs online. Hope you both got travel insurance and ghic card!

If you need to use your travel insurance you'll probably need to pay the excess before being treated so you might want to put that to one side

We were there about a month ago and similar to you stayed in a few different places. Didn’t go over board with fancy food, just pizza/pasta type for dinner and a snack for lunch (breakfast was included in hotel). Maybe one or two drinks for dinner.

I would say we were about €15 each for lunch and €40 each for dinner, more if there was more alcohol plus tips

Trains between cities were more expensive than I remember and then depending where you are you will have buses/teams, entry to places, ice cream, water etc etc

Easily €100 a day just to have a basic but good holiday

You would have been better off just spending a long weekend in one city in Italy, rather than trying to do this sort of trip on such an extreme, if not impossible, budget.

Is there anyway you can amend the holiday, because I don’t know what else your friend can do but cancel. She simply cannot do this trip with €200.

Nope I would probably budget 1000€ and that would not be luxury.

tour is self guided what does this mean?

I'd back out if I were you, even on a budget you'd be looking at 100€ a day. 200€ for the whole thing is not doable.

As others have said you're looking at €5-6 for breakfast and about €15 for lunch, unless you do a supermarket shop and make it yourself. Dinner is going to be around €20-30. Remember that in Italy they charge for everything and there is a service charge.

Attractions are not free, most places are between €8-€20 entry. I think the colosseum was around €20, and a lot of places you either have to book online (the colosseum caught us out ) or it's cheaper to. There are some combi tickets - for example you can get one that covers the main attractions in Rome which is cheaper.

When you then add on taxes and transport, you can easily spend 100€ a day even being frugal. Also how are you getting between cities?

I don’t understand all these posts where people are going on holiday without any/enough spending money. Maybe it’s because I don’t go away now, but when I used to holiday, we’d make sure we had enough each day to cover food, transport, admission entry and souvenirs. The only people I knew who went away without much cash were those expecting to work there.

I don’t see much of a holiday if you can’t eat out and visit places.

No it is definitely not enough, it’s WAY short and you are going to be in for a really rough time if you don’t grasp the nettle and say this to her before you go. Be very clear and write it all down and don’t let her ignore you. It’s your holiday too.

Do you have holiday insurance?

Looking forward to the updates.