Realistic budget per day for My Way: Italy in 13 days

For starters I used something from Rick's book for my budget per day and modified it since I love Vino. I have several glasses a day when I'm in Italy and buy some bottles to take back so that is my biggest expense. I do my trip budgets of per day items:
Dinner - 30 euro
Lunch - 10 euro
Sights - 25 euro
Wine - 40 euro
Transportation - 10 euro
Splurge/Soueviners - 15 euro
For me that is 130 euro a day. Some might say that is high, you can always adapt it to your own style.

Also I have an idea of what sights I want to see and can determine the costs ahead of time. If I see my sights might only come to say 300 euro and I have 500 budget, I have some extra money to use for my trip the following year.

That budget is a good start. It's not hard to sit down and spend more than €10 on lunch, but if you have a quick sandwich or picnic, it works. As you prepare using the Italy guidebook that comes with the tour, you can start a tally of museum/sightseeing fees. For instance in Venice, the main section of St. Mark's Basilica is free. Doge's Palace/Correr combo ticket costs €16, or a Museum Pass covers those and other museums for €24.

If you're trying to estimate the budget and exchange dollars for euros before leaving home, don't. You get a better exchange rate and flexibility by withdrawing cash from ATMs as you travel, and using credit cards for some fancier restaurants.

diane,

The budget provided by Robert will give you an approximate idea, however keep in mind that everyone has different touring and dining styles, so the actual cost will vary to some extent. A few thoughts......

• Touring - the first step will be to determine which sights you might want to see in each location visited on the tour. For example, in Rome you may want to see the Colosseum / Forum / Palatine Hill, Pantheon and the Borghese Gallery. Using information from the Guidebook, you should be able to work out a fairly accurate cost estimate for the admission charges. Be sure to also factor in any local Passes you might want to buy for sightseeing such as the Roma Pass.
• Transportation in cities - again, you should be able to get a fairly close idea of costs. For example, if you were to buy a B.I.G. ticket in Rome (€6) which covers all modes of transportation in central Rome for one day (expires at midnight each day), or a B.T.I. ticket (€16.50) which provides three days of transportation, that allows a close estimate of the costs. Using the Guidebook, research transportation in each location you'll be visiting.
• Meals - a "modest - lunch & dinner" varies somewhat by individual, but I'd suggest allowing about €10-15 for lunches and €20-25 (or so) for dinners. You may be under those amounts some days and over on other days, but it should balance out. I like to allow a bit extra for dinner to have some Vino with the meal and perhaps a small dessert, as that's part of the enjoyment of the holiday too. As you may be aware, Italian meals are typically arranged in "courses" - anti-pasti, primi, secondi, insalata, contorni and dolci. If you order the "full meal deal", your costs will be substantial. I typically just order the primi and maybe a small salad (along with wine of course). You'll also have to budget a bit extra for bottled water at meals, as in my experience it's difficult to get tap water. After a hot day of touring, I can often go through a 750 mL bottle without too much trouble! You'll also have to choose between still water or sparkling.
• Incidentals - I typically don't spend much on incidentals, but YMMV.

Estimating costs is somewhat more challenging for a My Way tour, but you should be able to get a fairly good idea. Be sure to allow some funds for "unexpected contingencies", The Tour Escort will be able to advise on the most cost effective transportation and good restaurants in each location you visit.

Buon Viaggio!

I was on the My Way Tour last fall, and had a great time. I did spend a couple extra days in Venice at the beginning, and in Rome at the end though. The tour time in those cities is really short. I think Robert's suggested budget is a pretty good one, although I doubt most people would spend anywhere near 40 euros per person per day on wine, unless they were drinking bottles of select wines. I would guess 10 to 15 euros per day for wine, beer, and bottled water, on average. My own weakness was probably 5 to 6 euros per day for gelato, and worth every penny, or whatever those little part-euro coins are called. The splurge/souvenir category could vary extremely, from almost nothing to very expensive experiences and purchases. Almost a separate budget. I think one big variable is how you choose to visit sites. Many are free. Some carry modest prices of a few euros. Very few sites are more than 12 or 15 euros per entry. However, if you choose to join an organized tour with a professional tour guide or company, you can spend considerably more. I did this in both Rome and Venice, and often found I saw and learned much more than I could have on my own, often in less time. Good guides know the high points to share, can answer all your questions, and can move you around without ever getting lost, as I did often when on my own. If you spend anywhere from 40 to 80 euros or even more for a half-day or full-day organized tour or day trip, that would certainly raise your budget.