how much money do i need for 21 day tour?

Hock!and Emma made a very good point , don't bring a lot of money , bring your ATM debit card and withdraw money as you go.

I agree 100 DOLLARS sound like too much, even when it should be listed on EUROs( bad rs ) , and on the tour I took I did t need more then 20 euros a day for lunch and snacks ( gelatos!)and 30 for dinner ( Venice was the exception for us) . I don't shop for trinkets. And some days I spent much less ,out touring about on my own sometimes just picked up lunch at a bakery etc ,so got by with 10-15 euros that day for a sandwich, drink and ice cream. Dinner s can be had for 15-20 euros if one looks.

A lot depends on you, your choices etc, I think the pretour info is meant to err on side of caution so people aren't caugjtnoff guard, but yes, you can get by on less.

On other hand for some this is a trip they have waited to do all their lives and they want to be anle to relax and spend what they want on what they want.

PS house wine is often very good , and ironically often cheaper then soda, so your wife is saving you money! Smart lady!

If you mean R.S. tour Best of Europe then you pay half of your dinners and all lunches. My estimate was also between 50 to 100 US$ if you don't want to feel like a poor relative. Europe is expensive comparing to USA. Eastern Europe is cheaper but that's not where you are going.

Do plan on doing any optional dinners or experiences your guide offers. My most expensive day was the hiking day in Switzerland. It was 120 Swiss francs for the transportation segments (gondolas and cog rail) plus entry fees. It was hands down my ~Wow~ day!! We have also had a couple of extra dinners at 20-25 € each which were well worth it plus the gondola ride in Venice at 25 €.

Otherwise my food purchases have ranged from about 3 € for drinks one day when lunch and dinner were included to a high of around 40 € yesterday in Paris. I often dont have wine with lunch or dinner and am also vegan so may have less expensive meals. Others in my group wound up spending 70 € for the 2 of them for lunch yesterday...wine and burgers.

I hope you have a wonderful time! This has been a fun tour and I'm sorry to see it end.

70 euro (90 dollar) just for lunch? that sounds crazy!

There are too many variables for anyone to answer that for you. What countries are you going to? Big cities or small towns? Do you picnic with food from the grocery store, do you eat at modest restaurants, or do you splurge? Do you have to have beefsteak at every meal or do you try local specialties?

I travel mostly in Germany and surrounding countries, spend 85% of my time outside of big cities, sometimes grab a sandwich and a drink on the go, but usually eat at least one meal a day in sit-down restaurants, eat like a German (schnitzel, not steak), and enjoy the local beer. Not including breakfasts, which are included with my room, I consistently average 20€/person per day for food, drinks, tips (I give it in euro because that has stayed the same, the amount in dollars varies with the exchange rate.

But I agree with the previous poster. Use the number for budgeting purposes only. Use cash from the ATM. Don't bring US dollars; they will be hard to exchange and the rate won't be very good. Get a few hundred dollars in euro (or whatever currency they use where you are going) from the bank before you leave.

Be sure to notify the card company before you leave or you might find the card "frozen". Know what your daily limit is in the local currency. Once a bank lowered my limit from $500 to $300 between trips. When I tried to take out the equivalent of $500, all the ATM "said" was "call your bank".

" don't want to feel like a poor relative"

Hmm ,I never feel like a " poor relative" sitting on the banks of the Seine munching on a freshly made ham and butter baguette ( 3-5 euros) I usually feel like the richest woman in the world !

Spending more spent always get you more.

I vacation in Europe( always include Paris too!) for a few weeks at least every other year and one reason I can afford to do that is by splurging only occasionally and spending wisely while there. Yes I think everyone should spurge on a fancy coffee at a snooty cafe in a prime spot once in awhile, but never feel like a " poor relative" if you choose to picnic with some lovely goodies you pick up at the market or grocers for ten euros! Its a " rich" experience!!

when i say "fine dining" i just mean a nice dinner. to put it in US terms... i imagine we would eat at a Chili's, Pizza Hut or Local moderate priced restaurant most of the times we are on our own for dinner (on the 21 day tour) and saving a nicer experience for a few of the dinners like in paris, and italy.

so, maybe 3-5 romantic couple fine dining experiences. and the rest regular type of dinner places.

Well 5 fine dining experiences is way out of my budget range.. lol... for 3-4 weeks in Europe we try and swing 2 or 3 max of those types of meals.. We eat many dinners in more casual café /small restaurants type places..

I would not over worry it.. you just bring your cards and if you need more money go and get it.. And if planning a splurge meal ( over 50 euros a head) I would not pay cash but use my credit card..

And yes.. you can eat a nice meal for 30-50 euros a head( with wine even) or you can also easily spend several hundred euros each.. up to you.

hockmasm you can plan on $100 a day, but you don't need to bring that much. Just have enough in your debit account and use the ATMs. Take out the max each time you use an ATM (bancomat) and if you don't spend it all so much the better.

I agree not to bring a lot of cash. Just be sure you have a good credit card or cash in the bank. I prefer using ATMs and paying for everything with cash. The good old money belt works for stashing a cache of cash. I am not a big eater so $50 a day would be more than enough for snacks and meals. Fine dining can cost a lot. There are usually places (your guide can point the way) where you can eat well and not pay a fortune. Sometimes tour members get together and go out for a meal. Do that if it appeals.

I am on Day 21 of my BOE and just added up my expenses. I just used the time frame for the tour so did not count pre tour expenses or what I am doing on my own today. I came out to a total of 30€ a day for food and extras. I skipped dinner a few times and I am vegan so often had salad for lunch. I did not do any fine dining. My most expensive lunch was in Monterosso where I paid 23 € for a couple of appetizers and a drink. My least expensive meal was a sandwich and water to go in Orvieto for 3.5 €. I did do all the optional activities.

I suggest you plan for 50 € each per day which will give you some leeway.

And yes 70 € for the two of them in just a regular Rue Cler cafe.

I agree with the others that you don't BRING any money unless you have some Euro left over from a previous trip. Since I only averaged $94 per day for everything on my last trip, I'm not the one to say how much you will need. Just budget what they suggest so you won't be caught short.

some of you are advising not to bring cash with me but only a debit card to hit an ATM.

will my US bank of america ATM card work in Europe?
Do i get charge extra fees by each bank to take money out?
am I ok to just use my bank of america credit everywhere i go for purchases instead of taking out cash?

how much opportunity do you have to go to a local market and pick up items to eat while you are in a city for Best of Europe tour? I figured you were only in a place for 2-3 days so doing that is not an option unless you just want to pick up a bite to eat for lunch or so. Not pack a picnic to enjoy.

hockmasm look just to the upper right corner on the page you are on and see the link to Travel Tips. Click that and then the link for "Money" and read the tips carefully. You will find answers to your questions about ATMs and credit card usage. It will be better than piecemeal answers. Your debit card should work, if you notify your bank before you go so that they don't think its fraud.

Hockmasm, I use my debit card only to get cash from ATMs. I never use it for purchases in Europe. You will be charged by Bank of America any time you take money out of an ATM. They have some of the highest fees around (European bank-owned ATMs do not charge for their use). I use a credit union debit card (0%) or an online bank debit card (1%). B of A charges 3%, plus a $5 per-use fee unless you find a partner bank.

You only need ten or fifteen minutes to put together a picnic. Small supermarkets and independent places that sell take-away have prepared foods and you can get a panino made to order (or already made), buy fruit, pastry, salads or veggie sides, water, wine or soft drinks all in one stop. Be careful where you set up your picnic - many cities have laws against picnicking on/in/near monuments.

Hockmasm,

Food is the one variable where i usually dont spend alot since im on the go. If im in a museum and its eating time, i will skip until im done or pass by a cafe inside.

So far this trip, i think i had 3 or 5 sit down meals.

You can use your credit card for alot, but whatever you do ALWAYS have some coins for the WC. They charge for them everywhere. There are exceptions tho.

I also carry cash for things like groceries, water, fresh oj or ice cream.

Happy trails

Taxis, newspapers, Turkish baths, gelato, local transportation, coffees, gift-buying, an umbrella, tips that aren't included in tour, lunch at Autogrills during travel days, internet cafes (no longer necessary since I carry my own device), a few dinners out, stops at pasty shops. These are some of the extras I have paid for on tours. I still don't spend a lot. It's so variable, an estimate would be $50-100 a day per person. I spend less than that.

The advice about reading the money section in the Travel Tips page is a good one. It should clear up a lot of your FAQs. Also, they send a guide book when you book your tour? The info is in there as well. Here is what I do: I have a Capital One credit card (it has no transaction fees) that I use for most purchases, a credit union debit card (attached to my checking account) that does not charge withdrawal fees, approximately 100 leftover euro/pound (but have showed up without any local currency in the past with no problem), and $100 in a deep pocket somewhere as a last resort use (haven't had to touch it to date). If you come with no local currency, go to an ATM machine upon arrival at the airport (do not confuse an ATM machine with a money exchange machine) and withdraw. Gauge how much you withdraw based on how long you think you will be in your location and withdrawal fees you may encounter. Inform your credit card company and banking institution that you will be using your card abroad so that they do not put holds on them. Carry with your the non-800 number to call in case you need to reach them while away. Make copies of your cards for easy reference in case of something. Always wear a money belt to carry your valuables (i.e., money and cards). Have fun!

Oh, and how much to have really depends on your style. Do you like to shop, drink coffee, explore additional sites not covered by tour, etc.