I've started planning my Europe trip, but would love some input as to the cost of things and if the amount I'm bringing will get me by comfortably. I am going to have around 5,500. I have already subtracted the cost of the flight.
Heres my plan:
I will be staying from Aug 8 through Sep 8.
I will be arriving in Ireland, and from there going to Belgium, France, and ending in Italy. The exact amount of days in each country has not been decided, but I will probably be splitting it up evenly.
I'll be staying in cheap hostel and Air B&B's (Hopefully not spending over $20 a night)
Flights between countries seem to be pretty cheap.
What remains is bus fees/food &drinks/misc tours and museums/light shopping. I am not a partyer or a big drinker, so only the occasional drink and the meals are being factored in. I'll be trying to go as cheap as possible with everything.
Do you think the supposed 5,500 will be enough to let me experience these countries comfortably?
On a side note:
I am debating on going the month of August, vs the month of October. These are the two months that I can choose between, and I just don't know enough about Europe to be able to know. Any suggestions? I am a 20 year old female taking this trip on my own.
Posted by
NYC
490 posts
October, hands down. The entire world is on vacation in August and Italy practically closes. October will give you cooler weather but not cold anywhere you are going. Prices may be a bit better as well. As far as your budget, you should add up all the airfare, and hostels, train tickets, then give yourself a daily food budget with US dollar vs. Euro and see what you are left with. If your intra-Europe flights are about $500 this leaves you roughly $166 per day for 30 days. Pack very light you will be happy that you did! I recommend a bra stash, look it up on Amazon, to split your money and credit cards up from your main under pants stash as no one will ever find it if they are looking for it, I also find it easier to reach inside my shirt in a shop for a credit card rather than go into my main stash where my passport is carried. Having two credit or debit cards on a long trip is a must in case something goes wrong. Good luck and have fun!
Posted by
San Francisco
15022 posts
I vote for going in August, never have been in Europe in October. It's a trade-off depends on your priorities.
Posted by
Washington DC
28247 posts
Costs will depend partly on where you go in each country. Not only do the hotels in the capital cities (plus Venice and Florence) tend to cost more than those in smaller towns, but you'll probably want to go to more sights with fees, and entry charges tend to run higher in the most popular cities.
Although I think your overall budget will probably be OK, especially if you stay in a lot of hostels, I'd be very, very surprised if you find anything on Airbnb for $20 a night. And although you can probably find very reasonable non-refundable/non-changeable fares right now for flights in August or October--especially considering that you are not yet locked in to travel on fixed dates--the cheapest fares are being snapped up by others. If you wait too long to buy airline tickets, you may find that the $49 fare is now a $149 fare. The same thing can happen to fares on express trains.
As for the timing of your trip, not only will it be cooler in October (either good or bad depending on your point of view and your luck with the overall weather pattern), it will likely also be wetter.
Unless you happen to bump into a significant holiday or festival, I think you can be sure there will be fewer other tourists around in October, and that's definitely a good thing.
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16895 posts
I'm sure that a budget of $5,500 for a month is plenty, as long as you watch it as you go. But a larger portion of it will go toward lodging than you anticipate. In big cities like Paris, a bed in a youth hostel costs $35.
Posted by
Seattle
4637 posts
August or October? Advantages of August: longer daylight, pleasant (relatively) weather in Ireland and Belgium. Disadvantages: hot in France, very hot in Italy. Crowds everywhere.
Advantages of October: smaller crowds, pleasant weather in Italy and to some degree in France. Disadvantages: shorter daylight, high likelihood of bad weather in Ireland, Belgium. Cold, rainy, windy.
Personally I would go in October mainly because I tolerate cold weather better than heat and also because of crowds.
Posted by
Atlanta, Georgia
451 posts
5500 is plenty as long as you don't crazy with the lodging. Sure a splurge one night might be nice and will not break the bank. As to which month, I cannot advise.
Posted by
Washington DC
28247 posts
Ilja's point about the shorter daylight is potentially significant. I need sunlight, and I really love being able to do outdoor sightseeing until 9 PM or later. My 2015 trip extended to October 12, and (aside from increasing rain) the reduction in sunlight was beginning to get me down by the end of the trip.
Most people would not be bothered by the shorter days and would really appreciate the less-crowded conditions. If you happen to struggle with lethargy in the winter (as I do), I suggest August rather than October.
Posted by
Corvallis OR
7168 posts
I traveled around France for a month in 2012. My total expenses (not including airfare) was about $4000. That included lodging, trains, 2 rental cars for a total of 17 days, gas, tolls, meals, sightseeing. I did not stay in any hostels or airbnb rooms; I stayed in nice 1 or 2 * hotels and small inns and b&b's that averaged around $50-60/night. I think a $5500 budget not including airfare is quite generous. As far as places to sleep for under $20/ night, I find that not realistic at all, especially if you'll be staying in any large cities. Hostel dorm beds will start at about $25-30 and airbnb rooms usually run about the same as a minimum, but I think you can spend around $50-70/night without blowing your budget.