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?!

Is your friend always this dense? Or is it just money?

I'm not trying to be cruel but there's something quite pig headed about the way she's stubbornly refusing to listen to you or do even the most basic of research

Personally I wouldn't go because I know I'd be footing the bill and/or scrimping and eating shitty slices of pizza in one of the cuisine crazy countries of the world.

Yes, her research is called "my friend will end up paying for the rest so I should be fine" 😂

@LaDolceVitafor200 do you need to pay for the trains between those cities? Because even on the regional (slow) trains that will cost a fair bit, if not all of the £200. Or are they included in the package?

It just seems like such a waste to travel to a city like Rome and not be able to see the Vatican, at the very least. It’s a basic €17 entry fee, but paying extra for a guided tour is well worth the money.

Or not being able to buy a gelato to wander around the Spanish Steps/Trevi Fountain with.

Or even enjoying a nice dinner with a glass of wine.

What’s the point in going if you actually can’t do anything?

They are included, we have bus and coach vouchers

Then it is utterly unrealistic.

I'm afraid I would consider cutting my losses on this and not going even though that would lose your £399 (was that right?).

The reason I would consider doing that is that I would fear having to sub her far more than I would really have been comfortable with in order to make it a worthwhile trip. That would add up to a lot of money overall and I would end up resenting her.

I'd also worry about what quality of accommodation you would be getting for that price.

You will starve on £200 to including sight seeing You knew all this when you booked, what came over you to do such a silly thing. You will need at least £500, Italy is not cheap. Try to discover where the locals eat, those eateries are generally good value.

You'd need closer to 2K than £200!

Given your whole holiday was only 399 for 9 days and 8 nights and that includes accommodation, flights, and city transfers, it seems you both intend to do this on a tight budget. You can do it and have a good time but you need to do some research on the cities and where you can get really cheap eats and coupons or discounts or other ways of saving money. There are websites of people who travel on a shoestring budget. I did it back in my 20s. If you are in your 20s, it can be a fun time. Bringa little extra cash for a couple slightly nicer dinners or nights out but if that is all she has then you can make it work. Just expect a budget holiday

The posters saying €200 per day - are you not thinking of the spending for your whole family, or at least for a couple . Pretty sure if the friend is happy drinking water and having a cheap main course or takeaway food it won't cost that . It seems a shame for OP if her holiday is spoiled by friend being unable to do things due to finances though .

YANBU.
My worry wouldn't be the 'planning'... that's fine. It's if anything unexpected occurs. I cannot believe people would be this stupid in 2023. Especially with the news awash with travel issues such as disruption, etc. Budget guides all also online, menus are all online, all the prices are online.
If you're on such a tight budget just stay home!

She should at least have access to more money, like a credit card or something.

Can you both discuss what exactly you're going to do and tot it up to demonstrate whether or not 200 euros would be enough??

The posters saying €200 per day - are you not thinking of the spending for your whole family, or at least for a couple .

They need to buy 3 meals a day, drinks and any attractions / excursions. You could easily spend €100 a day per person just on food / drink alone.

Oh phew!

If your B&B is in Verona, I'd stay there rather than travel to Venice. It's a nice place and cheaper.

@LaDolceVitafor200 I'm going to ask again. Does your friend have form for not having enough money and "borrowing" from others (eg on nights out, other trips) and "forgetting" to pay it back? Because if she does, then you know you will be subsidising her trip, and you probably should cut your losses right now; or make it crystal clear that you will not be shelling out a euro for her, and if she starves or gets stuck, then that is on her own stupidity.

Even if she's happy to eat takeaway pizza and drink water 3 times a day for 9 days, that's still going to add up.

But it's not just food. There's also city tax at the hotels. And local transport. And entrance fees. And the occasional coffee or glass of vino. I guess you could survive without some of that, but really, why go to a country famous for its cuisine and lifestyle and just get by on takeaway pizza?

I visit Italy with my husband and our children every summer and we can easily spend €200 on lunch alone.

Even if the friend had a cheap main course with water each night, that would pretty much use up her daily budget.

Isn't the accommodation pre booked?

Venice is magic. It would be a shame to miss it on a trip to that part of Italy. Verona is over an hour away by train and the cost of a ticket would probably cancel out any theoretical savings on accommodation.

Honestly OP, I would back out of the trip. Your friend is beyond unreasonable. Get whatever refunds you can and book something else for yourself within budget.

If you go ahead you will end up spending a fortune on your so called friend as she smugly works her way through your credit card.

Google free things to do and see in each city. A lot of places have a day a week where museums are free or cheap. Churches are free. You can find a lot to see and do for free. Some key attractions or venues charge for entry to certain arts but you can explore free areas as well. I don't know where you various stops are but start planning now so you can maximize your time and money while there. You don't want to end up just sitting in the B and B.

Italy also has happy hours (aperitivo) where if you buy a drink you can eat for free. Find the cheapest drink at the cheapest happy hour and eat! Food is also often cheaper from stands versus sit down places if you can't find a supermarket. Sitting in a cafe in a plaza and people watching can also be fun.

Have a great time!

I don't think her accommodation is in Venice. From her post it seems like it might be in Verona.

Honestly I think you need to have a long think about whether how much you want to sub your friend on this holiday and what you want to get out of the trip.

Italy is one of the most expensive countries and the cities you are going to are very expensive. Venice in particular if you want to eat whilst you’re in the main city you’re probably talking at least about £20-30 for a pizza and a glass of wine and that’s heading into the back streets. To buy 3 meals a day plus travel plus hotel tax plus sightseeing opportunities you’re probably going to need in the region of £100 per day.

On your friends budget you’re going to have to settle for getting supermarket food and making something (without cooking facilities so sandwiches, pot noodles) for most meal. If you’re going for 8 days she’s potentially around £500 short on spending money to have an enjoyable, unrestricted holiday, even if you were happy to do it on a budget (supermarket for breakfast and lunch, no entry fees for sightseeing) then I still think you’d need to sub her a good £200-£250. Are you prepared to do that? Are you happy to go on this holiday and not get to sightsee or eat out, etc?

I’d honestly consider cutting my losses and just lose the £400 then end up paying that out again to sub your friend.

I’d be taking about €500, plus a credit card. You know she’s going to expect you to subsidise her - or you’re having a miserable trip.

She said "Land Rome , 2 nights there, then to Venice Verona and Milan 2 nights each." I understand that to mean 2 nights in each of the 4 cities.

In any case, even if she was staying in a small town in the south, €200 for 9 days would be pushing it. In the touristy cities of the north it's a complete joke.

Thanks everyone, it was seeing the other thread where the OP friend only had 30 quid for a week that got me worried

Messaged my friend earlier and said 200 euros not enough , she said maybe 250, I'm drawing up a rough budget of costs to show what we need

I'm happy to buy a few dinners but not everything and I don't want to be eating a slice of pizza every night and making my own lunch from a supermarket