Comments on: Europe on a budget: Should we add Italy to our trip?

By: Karen

Karen — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 00:27:18 +0000

Thanks for all of your ideas!

Kacie – It is possible for us to make the trip in one day. We’d probably try to get there in one day, and maybe stop in a hotel on the way home depending on how we’re feeling. In the past, we’ve used AAA and other discounts to get a hotel room right on the highway for about $60. So that cost was included in our travel costs.

Susan – We are definitely taking the amount of time we have to see the city into consideration. I agree with you that 2 days doesn’t seem like enough time to really experience the city.

Margot – You’re absolutely right. I would LOVE to be able to take a family vacation to Europe. We probably wouldn’t try to make the trip with small children or babies, though. I’ve seen what my sisters go through just taking a day trip to grandma’s house. I can’t imagine caring for babies or small children in another country! But yes, we’re definitely hoping to take our children to Europe someday when they’re old enough (10-12).

By: Margot

Margot — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 18:25:43 +0000

It sounds like you can’t make a bad decision – leisurely travel is nice without feeling like you’re racing around to cram things in, but seeing Italy would obviously be amazing. My primary comment is to consider reevaluating your overall perspective and long-term goals regarding international travel. There’s no reason why you shouldn’t expect to return to Paris again (or wherever) in the next 1-2 decades! (Unless you decide you don’t want to.) Even if life is busy with work, kids, tight budgets, etc, you can still always find some time for international travel if you choose to do so. As you know, it need not be expensive. And travel with kids is totally feasible and need not change the budget significantly. I’ve found that a week in Europe can be just as easy and low-budget as a week of vacation in the U.S., especially with good airfare sales.

By: jj

jj — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:01:02 +0000

Can you fly from Paris to Florence, or to Pisa or another city close to Florence? You would save a lot of time and there are tons of cheap inter-europe flights (ryanair).

I am partial to Italy (have been there a bunch of times) but Paris was nice too.

By: susan

susan — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 18:53:00 +0000

i say no. we’ve talked before and as you know i am a HUGE fan of paris. it’s THE place i would visit in europe if i could go to one. I love italy and have been there a bunch, but i would bet by the time you get there you’re going to be so exhausted you’re not going to hit the ground running like you would if it didn’t happen on the tail end of the trip. the first time i went to paris, i did a combined paris and florence trip. florence was like eh. compared to paris that is. but i’ve been back to florence since, and loved it. the pace and feel is so different between anywhere in italy and paris. plus, i feel like to really get to know any place, you need to be there for a few days. 2 days is SUCH a whirlwind. and finally, i am one of those people who needs lots of time to recoop after a trip, so the drive alone would kill me. but i admire your planning and committment! and of course, the consideration of the doggy :)

By: carla

carla — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 18:09:20 +0000

it's worth the inconvenience, imo. since i know that if i ever make it to europe, it will literally be a once in a lifetime thing. i would want to see everything i had my heart set on, even if it did mean a little inconvenience. carla’s last blog post..Birthday Recap

By: Kzeh

Kzeh — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 17:33:15 +0000

Absolutely, go to Florence! Unlike Paris and London, it’s a walkable city (you can do the entire thing in two days) with some of the beset food you can imagine. Seeing the David and visiting the Uffizi are completely worth your time.

By: Kacie

Kacie — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 16:45:46 +0000

How smart of you to look for another airport to fly out of! You'll save money there plus being able to have your dog with you and maybe even a free ride to the airport. You'll probably have to stay the night halfway both times, right? What might that cost? This is a trip of a lifetime for sure. But, you don't want to overdo it and be exhausted by the end of it. You don't want to feel like you have to go go go just because you're there and you don't know when you'll be back. I hope you can come up with an itinerary that's a good pace for you. Kacie’s last blog post..What do you do with unspent budgeted money?

By: anne

anne — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 16:37:53 +0000

I traveled on a sleeper car a few times. It was very comfortable. The convenience of waking up in your new destination is well worth it. I’ve never been to Italy but a lot of my friends have… they all say they can’t wait to go back!