| How much spending money you need to budget in | | | | food and travel expenses. Tours in Rome normally |
| Rome is a hard question to answer as it depends on | | | | start at about 20 or so Euros, so as much as I |
| the lifestyle of the traveler, and what kinds of things | | | | advocate the added value of having a tour guide to |
| are non-negotiable while touring. | | | | fulfill your sightseeing wishes we'd better leave the |
| Back in college, I went backpacking with my best | | | | tour guides out of the agenda for now as well. As |
| friend. At the time we managed to get by on about | | | | realistically if you are looking at shoestring budget a |
| 30 US dollars per day to sleep, eat, and sight-see. My | | | | tour guide no matter how good and informative is |
| friend managed to do this while still buying at least | | | | considered a bit of an extravagance! |
| three cans of coke (at about 3 dollars each) per day, | | | | So here is how to make the most of your budget. |
| normally from an obvious tourist trap of a snack | | | | Most hotels, hostels, and B&B's offer |
| mobile parked about ten feet in front of the Eiffel | | | | complimentary breakfast. Be sure to eat up and |
| Tower. | | | | maybe if you can try take some fruit 'to go' this will |
| While such a budget would now be totally impossible | | | | do as snack through out the day, just be sure to |
| (Yikes, how many years HAS it been?!), my tastes | | | | leave some for the other guests!! If you carry a |
| are no longer those of a young carefree backpacker, | | | | water bottle around with you, just refill it at the |
| and so I'll write about what it would now take to | | | | many water fountains around the city instead of |
| keep a city slicker such as myself fed, entertained | | | | buying a new one all the time. Save money at lunch |
| and bused around Rome today. | | | | time by having "pizza a taglio" (pizza by the slice) and |
| As accommodation in Rome can vary so much for | | | | a drink. If you get hungry mid afternoon, 1.50 Euro |
| price and quality, it will really throw off a daily budget, | | | | will buy you a heavenly cone of gelato which will |
| So I won't include it in my daily tally. Let it suffice to | | | | keep your bellies pleasantly full for a few hours. Just |
| say that a bed in a shared dormitory goes for about | | | | make sure to stay away from the tourist trap vans, |
| 23 Euro, and a Room at the five star Hotel Hassler | | | | they always charge over the odds for goods that |
| sells for about 600 Euro per night. Somewhere in that | | | | you can get in a shop near by. |
| range, a bed to suit your needs and your wallet | | | | Save the real meal, your precious Euros, and your |
| awaits you in Rome.!! | | | | appetite, for dinner. A nice dinner in a typical Roman |
| I would budget a minimum of 50 Euro per day to | | | | restaurant (Trattoria) can be had for about 20-30 |
| cover your basic needs, such as travel and food | | | | Euro per person including wine. Share a starter |
| (shopping not included) and Rome sightseeing agenda. | | | | between a few of you and fill up on the bread if |
| If you calculate that you are likely to spend around | | | | needs be. Again staying away from the usual tourist |
| 10 -15 Euro per day in entry fees to monuments like | | | | areas will ensure you get a decent meal at a |
| the Vatican Museum or to see the ancient city, etc, | | | | reasonable price. |
| that will leave you 40 Euro or so per day for all your | | | | |