Steve Remington

As part of the ongoing planning (particularly the money side) of next year's
holiday to Italy and France I would like some feedback from the group on
their thoughts on how much I should allow in budget for daily spending. We
are specifically travelling to Paris and Florence. This daily amount only
need to include food (breakfast, lunch and dinner), public transport fares,
miscellaneous spending for visiting tourist attractions, etc. As far as
quality of food goes we are not looking for 5 star just something middle of
the road.

Thanks in advance to all who reply.

Regards,
Steve
---------------------------------------
Steve Remington
Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia
[email protected]
---------------------------------------
Great spirits have always encountered
violent opposition from mediocre minds.
Albert Einstein
---------------------------------------

Go Fig

In article <[email protected]>,
"Steve Remington" <[email protected]> wrote:

    > As part of the ongoing planning (particularly the money side) of next year's
    > holiday to Italy and France I would like some feedback from the group on
    > their thoughts on how much I should allow in budget for daily spending. We
    > are specifically travelling to Paris and Florence. This daily amount only
    > need to include food (breakfast, lunch and dinner), public transport fares,
    > miscellaneous spending for visiting tourist attractions, etc. As far as
    > quality of food goes we are not looking for 5 star just something middle of
    > the road.

I'd think about 60-70 Euro/day at a minimum for the above.

jay
Sun, Aug 10, 2003
mailto:[email protected]


    >
    > Thanks in advance to all who reply.
    >
    > Regards,
    > Steve
    > ---------------------------------------
    > Steve Remington
    > Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia
    > [email protected]
    > ---------------------------------------
    > Great spirits have always encountered
    > violent opposition from mediocre minds.
    > Albert Einstein
    > ---------------------------------------
    >

--

Legend insists that as he finished his abject...
Galileo muttered under his breath: "Nevertheless, it does move."

?Ystein

Go Fig <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>.. .
    > In article <[email protected]>,
    > "Steve Remington" <[email protected]> wrote:
    >
    > > As part of the ongoing planning (particularly the money side) of next year's
    > > holiday to Italy and France I would like some feedback from the group on
    > > their thoughts on how much I should allow in budget for daily spending. We
    > > are specifically travelling to Paris and Florence. This daily amount only
    > > need to include food (breakfast, lunch and dinner), public transport fares,
    > > miscellaneous spending for visiting tourist attractions, etc. As far as
    > > quality of food goes we are not looking for 5 star just something middle of
    > > the road.

Lonely Planet or The Rough Guide will give you a range of alternative
accomandation in your area and pricerange. It will also give you the
information you need on prices in general.

Though I have never been in either Italy or France I know there are
significant differences between northern and southern Italy when it
comes to the standard of living. Because of that I would guess this
would influence the pricelevels too. Check it out.

Øystein

Judith Umbria

"Steve Remington" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > As part of the ongoing planning (particularly the money side) of next
year's
    > holiday to Italy and France I would like some feedback from the group on
    > their thoughts on how much I should allow in budget for daily spending.
We
    > are specifically travelling to Paris and Florence. This daily amount only
    > need to include food (breakfast, lunch and dinner), public transport
fares,
    > miscellaneous spending for visiting tourist attractions, etc. As far as
    > quality of food goes we are not looking for 5 star just something middle
of
    > the road.

Two expensive cities. Breakfast would ordinarily, but not always, come with
the room in Italy. If you stay in apartments, then it will be on you, of
course, but you can fix your own. Have you considered self-catering
accomodations?
Breakfast in a bar, consisting of coffee and a pastry, typically Italian,
would be maybe Euro 3 each, depending on the coffee and how much you want.
Lunch is often the major meal here. If you select from midrange restaurants
you could expect to pay about Euro 20 including wine and water.
The non-major meal can be a panino or a pizza, etc., and range from Euro 4
to Euro 10, depending on what you drink.
Add for frequent beverage stops, a gelato here and there.
As to admissions, how thoroughly are you "doing Florence?" Those prices are
online at the museum sites, I'm sure.
Transport will be mostly on foot since the city is quite small and compact.
Otherwise buy bus passes, as there is no metro. Then you can get anywhere.
I find more non-touristy restaurants in the Oltr'Arno Pitti Palace side of
the Arno, off the main streets. There is some mightily bad food available
in Florence in the big tourist areas, and some very pricey ordinary food as
well..
Mario's and ZaZa are two places I felt well-served that are near the
centro -- both near to San Lorenzo market. I can't remember any others, but
there are some.

Judith Umbria

"Øystein" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Lonely Planet or The Rough Guide will give you a range of alternative
    > accomandation in your area and pricerange. It will also give you the
    > information you need on prices in general.
    > Though I have never been in either Italy or France I know there are
    > significant differences between northern and southern Italy when it
    > comes to the standard of living. Because of that I would guess this
    > would influence the pricelevels too. Check it out.
    > Øystein

I disagree when it comes to tourism. Lifestyle for travelers doesn't alter
that much. Prices in major cities are of course much higher than in smaller
places. Milan would beat Florence for high prices.

The minute a place gets into those guides I feel the price/quality index
goes off for the user. Anyplace included in the guides is not likely to be
a fave with the local citizens any more. That's just my personal
experience.

Gerald

I agree with the €60-70, but think that to be per person. Food is
higher in Paris, but a single museum pass gets one in all.

Most of the sites in Florence require a separate admission fee of over
€5 pp. You do not need public trasnport in Florence.



On Mon, 11 Aug 2003 01:48:09 GMT, "Steve Remington"
<[email protected]> wrote:

    >As part of the ongoing planning (particularly the money side) of next year's
    >holiday to Italy and France I would like some feedback from the group on
    >their thoughts on how much I should allow in budget for daily spending. We
    >are specifically travelling to Paris and Florence. This daily amount only
    >need to include food (breakfast, lunch and dinner), public transport fares,
    >miscellaneous spending for visiting tourist attractions, etc. As far as
    >quality of food goes we are not looking for 5 star just something middle of
    >the road.
    >Thanks in advance to all who reply.
    >Regards,
    >Steve
    >---------------------------------------
    >Steve Remington
    >Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia
    >[email protected]
    >---------------------------------------
    >Great spirits have always encountered
    >violent opposition from mediocre minds.
    >Albert Einstein
    >---------------------------------------

Barbara Vaughan

Steve Remington wrote:
    >
    > As part of the ongoing planning (particularly the money side) of next year's
    > holiday to Italy and France I would like some feedback from the group on
    > their thoughts on how much I should allow in budget for daily spending. We
    > are specifically travelling to Paris and Florence. This daily amount only
    > need to include food (breakfast, lunch and dinner), public transport fares,
    > miscellaneous spending for visiting tourist attractions, etc. As far as
    > quality of food goes we are not looking for 5 star just something middle of
    > the road.

In Florence, I would suggest 25-30 euro a day for food per person. If
your hotel is in the center, you may not need very much for
transportation, as Florence is very walkable. I don't know the cost of a
bus ride, but I would imagine it's not much more than an euro. I would
guess about 7-10 euro a day for admissions.

Barbara

Bob Fusillo

Last October a week in Paris ran us about 100 euros a day after hotel. We
live in Venice several months a year, in a flat, and do our own breakfasts
and many other meals. What with moderate priced restaurants a few times a
week, lots of gelato, and modest gifts for friends, we cut back from
October's 100 to an average of 80 euros a day for 5 weeks in June/July this
year. Florence would be comparable.
rjf

"Steve Remington" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > As part of the ongoing planning (particularly the money side) of next
year's
    > holiday to Italy and France I would like some feedback from the group on
    > their thoughts on how much I should allow in budget for daily spending.
We
    > are specifically travelling to Paris and Florence. This daily amount only
    > need to include food (breakfast, lunch and dinner), public transport
fares,
    > miscellaneous spending for visiting tourist attractions, etc. As far as
    > quality of food goes we are not looking for 5 star just something middle
of
    > the road.
    > Thanks in advance to all who reply.
    > Regards,
    > Steve
    > ---------------------------------------
    > Steve Remington
    > Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia
    > [email protected]
    > ---------------------------------------
    > Great spirits have always encountered
    > violent opposition from mediocre minds.
    > Albert Einstein
    > ---------------------------------------

Judith Umbria

"Barbara Vaughan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Steve Remington wrote:
    > >
    > > As part of the ongoing planning (particularly the money side) of next
year's
    > > holiday to Italy and France I would like some feedback from the group on
    > > their thoughts on how much I should allow in budget for daily spending.
    > In Florence, I would suggest 25-30 euro a day for food per person. If
    > your hotel is in the center, you may not need very much for
    > transportation, as Florence is very walkable. I don't know the cost of a
    > bus ride, but I would imagine it's not much more than an euro. I would
    > guess about 7-10 euro a day for admissions.
    > Barbara

Barbara, where do you eat for that? I can't do it without living on pastry
and panini, and I have to have my veg! Are you leaving off beverages?
Including those walking around beverages?

Randee

Although it seems to be mainly a northern Italy chain, there is a Brek's
in Firenzi, as well as Roma.

Judith Umbria wrote:
    > > In Florence, I would suggest 25-30 euro a day for food per person. If

    > > Barbara
    >
    > Barbara, where do you eat for that? I can't do it without living on pastry
    > and panini, and I have to have my veg! Are you leaving off beverages?
    > Including those walking around beverages?

--
wf.
Wayne Flowers
Randee Greenwald
[email protected]

L

For a meal at Spizzico or Brek (both are chains), it may cost 5.5
euro or more.

Also check Pastarito (another chain). Their huge portion pasta
costs 4 to 10 euro, plus water and 10% service charge if you eat
inside of the ristorante. My wife and I prefer this one to the previous
two.

All these chains have their own websites. Check them out
before you leave.

A 24 hour (downtown) bus pass costs around 5 euro in most Italy cities.

    > > > In Florence, I would suggest 25-30 euro a day for food per person. If
    > > > Barbara
    > >
    > > Barbara, where do you eat for that? I can't do it without living on
pastry
    > > and panini, and I have to have my veg! Are you leaving off beverages?
    > > Including those walking around beverages?
    > --
    > wf.
    > Wayne Flowers
    > Randee Greenwald
    > [email protected]

Judith Umbria

"L" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
    > For a meal at Spizzico or Brek (both are chains), it may cost 5.5
    > euro or more.
    > Also check Pastarito (another chain). Their huge portion pasta
    > costs 4 to 10 euro, plus water and 10% service charge if you eat
    > inside of the ristorante. My wife and I prefer this one to the previous
    > two.

I just wouldn't. The couple of times there was nowhere else open to eat, I
found the food distinctly inferior, and in Italy, the food is part of the
experience, no?

Barbara Vaughan

Judith Umbria wrote:
    >
    > "Barbara Vaughan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    > >
    > >
    > > Steve Remington wrote:
    > > >
    > > > As part of the ongoing planning (particularly the money side) of next
    > year's
    > > > holiday to Italy and France I would like some feedback from the group on
    > > > their thoughts on how much I should allow in budget for daily spending.
    > > In Florence, I would suggest 25-30 euro a day for food per person. If
    > > your hotel is in the center, you may not need very much for
    > > transportation, as Florence is very walkable. I don't know the cost of a
    > > bus ride, but I would imagine it's not much more than an euro. I would
    > > guess about 7-10 euro a day for admissions.
    >
    > Barbara, where do you eat for that? I can't do it without living on pastry
    > and panini, and I have to have my veg! Are you leaving off beverages?
    > Including those walking around beverages?

I based my estimate on what we spent (my sister, brother-in-law, nephew,
and I) in Rome two weeks ago. The original poster said he wasn't
interested in gourmet dining.
We spent about 12-15 euro apiece for our main meal, and about 8-10 euro
apiece for our lighter meal. For the main meal, we usually got one first
course apiece and split a second course among two of us. For the lighter
meal, we had only one course. Breakfast was included with our hotel, but
I would guess about 2 euro for a croissant and cappuccino. That leaves a
bit over for water and gelato. We ate pretty well at those prices. There
was an Irish pub near our hotel that had a daily menu (Italian, not
Irish) at lunchtime for 6 euro. It included a first course, a very light
second course (caprese salad, for example) and a beverage. Some days we
just had a panino for lunch and a more abundant dinner in the evening.
We came in well under the budget I offered, but I added some since none
of us is a big eater and it was so hot we didn't have much appetite
anyway.

Maybe Florence is more expensive.

Barbara

Judith Umbria

"Barbara Vaughan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Maybe Florence is more expensive.
    > Barbara

I think there are just more choices in Rome because it is big and busy. The
restaurants in centro at Florence can be just horrible. I had a pizza
supper recently with some friends that ended up Euro 12 each including wine,
water and some sad salads, and the pizza was worse than frozen US pizzas.
I found for Euro 20 I had passable food at a full dinner. That's why I
wander off into dim and distant neighborhoods. I don't mind paying, but I
want the food to be good. A simple pasta course here might be 4.50 to 6.00,
but in Florence it can be a lot more and still not be good.
2 euros won't buy you a croissant and a capuccino here in Umbria,
unfortunately. A regular caffe is 80 cents and up, anything done to it
costs you something. If, like me, you want several cups of "American"
diluted coffee in the morning, it will add up. While I would opt out of any
pay as you go breakfasts at 7 Euros and up, if it is included, I think it's
worth 5 to me, because I must have my coffee.
Self catering is a great option, so you only eat out when and as you like.

Luca Logi

randee <[email protected]> wrote:

    > Although it seems to be mainly a northern Italy chain, there is a Brek's
    > in Firenzi

Is there a Brek restaurant in Florence? As long as I know, there is one
at the "I Gigli" shopping mall, that is about 15 km. distant from the
centre. I sometimes have dinner there when I go shopping, but it would
be extremely unconvenient for a tourist.

--
Luca Logi - Firenze - Italy e-mail: [email protected]