Italy or Germany?

I find the cost to be the inverse, Germany is more expensive than Italy for me. But I think that's partly because I know my way around Italy very well, and have only been to Germany once so far.

Are you kidding? The food! The wine! The beauty! The art! The history! You cannot beat Italy. Once you come here you will.l return again and again. We can manage on €180 per day for food and lodging, average. Add train fares (cheap) and entrances, we can do a MONTH in Italy for $8000 not including air. I don't really know what 3 star means anymore. A clean room, well-located, preferably with breakfast and a private bath is all we need.
Where are you flying in from?

I've been to Germany once and enjoyed it but it doesn't come close to Italy IMO. Venice is still my favorite place in Europe after 11 trips.. And my first trip to Tuscany literally brought me to tears - it was so beautiful. To make it more affordable, I always rent apartments. You have more room to spread out, can have simple meals in the apartment and is usually significantly less expensive than hotels. But you are definitely correct that Italy is more expensive. If you've never been, I encourage you to find ways to save a little or 'suck it up' and go for it.

Hi,

This is from one who has never traveled into Italy further south than Bozen/Bolzano, but we've done 9 trips to Germany, Austria and the Italian Dolomites (Sud Tirol) haven't tired of them yet. Depends on what you think is worth the extra $$. We also did one trip to Switzerland, which we loved, but the cost has pretty much kept us from returning, as we can travel cheaper and stay longer in Germany and Austria, plus we love visiting both Germany and Austria in general.

V&K-we spent seven rights in Italy last year, 4 Florence and 3 Vernazza, and we cannot wait to go again and see the rest of it. There was a quality to our time there that was special, not sure how else to say it, it's just fabulous. I have not been to Germany yet, but you have, and for that reason alone my vote for you is Italy. Florence, to us, felt like Paris "light".
In Florence we stayed here, with quite a view:
http://www.soggiornobattistero.it

Hi, Vince and Katelyn,
If you have not been to Italy, you should go. I think you can do it for less money than you think if you are careful about your hotel choices. We have been to both, as well as to Prague, and I can tell you that Italy is just so different from anywhere else. Germany is wonderful, and we absolutely loved it--the great weather and beautiful countryside, the incredible history in Berlin, and the overall friendliness of the German people (as well as the Rhine and Mosel wines!). We have been twice and had great experiences both times. Italy's people are wonderfully friendly, the food is fantastic, and like in Germany/Prague you don't need to spend a lot of money to eat well. There is something about Italy that seeps into your blood, though, and you will long to return in ways that are far different than your longing to return to Germany. Italy is like Prague in that there is so much romantic beauty in the architecture and the lifestyle. Italians have a passion for life that is evident in every aspect of their culture. Renaissance art. Rolling beautiful Tuscan hillsides. Venetian canals. Roman ruins. The lakes of the north. I honestly have loved every country I have visited, but there is a warmth to Italy that I have found in no other place. It calls to you.

One more thing--I don't know what you mean by 3-star experience. We have only stayed in RS-type hotels and B&Bs, and we always have an ensuite bath and almost always have had a/c. If it is safe, clean, well-located and recommended, then that's good enough. We save our money for entrance fees, museums, restaurants, transit, and those odd things you do on trips that make the whole experience memorable--mostly food-related, now that I think about it. Somewhere RS says something about the more money you spend, the further you distance yourself from the country you have come so far to see. I truly believe that and don't worry about fluffy towels or American breakfasts.

Enjoy your travels, wherever you go...I'm sure I don't need to tell you that you and your wife are making memories for life. :)

Debbie

I've been trotting around Europe for the past 15 years, and I just can't get enough of Italy! I liked Spain - went three times - enjoyed London and the English countryside, Really, really, liked Paris and Northern France, but Italy!! At least 6 trips I can count, and will return every single opportunity I can get!

My latest love is Sicily. Spent a total of four weeks, and will go back there too!

Give Italy a chance! While lodgings may be slightly higher, we find it the least expensive country to eat in. Mostly because of pizzas, which we never tire of, and is so much more delicious due to the wood burning ovens! The pastas, paninis, gelatos, are also lovely and inexpensive as well.

Go to Germany. Definitely. Because if you go to Italy, you may never go anywhere else!!

Seriously, if you have a choice of time of year, Italy in winter is very mild, hotels cost much less and there are a lot less tourists. I've been twice in February and had a wonderful time.

Thank you all for the comments! It sounds like we may have overestimated the cost of Italy and getting a little more creative on dates and lodging will help us make a great trip within our budget. Appreciate all the feedback.

V&K

Yes, Italy can be expensive. Particularly in places like Venice and Rome. That is why in my second trip this coming October I am traveling mainly to smaller, less expensive, locations. I'll also be buying train tickets well in advance to get the super saver prices (as low as 9 euros), and taking advantage of things like the Florence card and the campania artecard which gets you thru the lines at museums quickly, often include public transportation, and saves a bit of money. Oh, and travel off season can also help you save money, plus avoid the crowds and heat! If you don't mind the heat, go in august when the Europeans flee the big cities and rooms there are cheaper.

Ultimately, you will never know unless you make the trip to Italy. But I have been to Italy significantly more than any other European country and I keep going back! I love it to much to stay away. If you decide to go to Italy, come back to the forums! I am sure people can give you some cost saving tips.

Also, how much were you estimating for a trip to Germany? Sure, 7,000 is expensive relative to not going anywhere. But I can't imagine it is that much more expensive than Germany.

20 years ago we decided to go back to Europe. We had been once before, going to Germany and Switzerland. We were undecided to go to Italy or France. Travel agent said go to Italy, it is much more interesting. Now the score is Italy 10 France 0. We are addicted to Italy and will probably never make it to France. I don't think the cost would be much different between the 2 countries. We just love the country, food, wine and the people.

Here's a slightly different take - If you loved Germany so much, you might not like Italy, esp. the farther away you get from the north. It can be very chaotic compared to the much more organized and structured Germany. There's a lot of graffiti, which can freak some people out. If you can embrace chaos when it happens, then you might enjoy Italy. If not.....

And for the record, we're planning our fifth trip to Italy now, so you now where I fall on that spectrum. :-)