Is it realistic to expect an average expense of 50 euros a day in Italy during August? Food, transport and hostels included.

Places I mean to visit: Rome, Naples, Bari, Ancona and Venice.

Is it possible to do that? I don't mind at all giving away comfort in exchange of going low budget, but in that case, what kinds of things would I NOT be doing?

Also, I'll be 23 in August and I'm a student.

Hi, Fernando:

I answered another Italy budget question recently; you can see that answer here. In general, I'd say that 50euro a day would be okay as long as you're comfortable going super-budget. In August the accommodation prices can actually drop a bit from July (though they're still higher than in the low season) because August is when Italians all go on vacation. If you're willing to sleep in a big dorm room in a hostel, you can probably find beds for between 20-25euro a night. You can save big if you shop for food at the outdoor markets and do picnic-style meals (and also if your hostel offers free breakfasts). The things you're likely to be sacrificing on a tight budget are museums, galleries, and other attractions where the admission fees are set prices. And, depending on how much of a partyer you are, you might be sacrificing the luxury of drinking copious amounts every night. You might also want to check into the prices on train tickets between the cities you'll be visiting so you know what to expect in that department (and if that's getting expensive, look into bus routes instead).

I'd recommend booking your hostel beds as soon as you've got a schedule set - even though August is when Italians get out of the city, they make a bee-line for the beaches. So you'll be competing with other tourists for beds in Rome, Naples and Venice and competing with Italians for beds in Bari and Ancona.

Hope that helps; sorry it's so vague. Let me know if you have any other questions, though, and I'll do my best to answer them!

That was great actually JessieS. And yeah, after creating this topic I saw others about the exact same subject and regreted not searching through the forum before. You were really helpful, thanks.

While 50 is doable I would say that it will be tight. Expect to spend around 20 Euro/night for hostel dorm beds. Then food can be done cheapish, but in tourist season and in tourist parts of town it is very easy to get ripped off. If you're willing to either hit a grocery store and/or fresh market you'll save a lot, but at least in Florence food prices in general are just high.

The best I ever found for a lunch in Florence was 1,90 for a panino and 70 cents for an espresso and that was with student discount. Remember tell them "da portare via" meaning take-away to save the charge for taking up space there. That same place would have charged an extra 50 cents to eat it there and this was a local's joint not a touristy place.

I would try to get a little more money just so you have some to get into some of the sites because some really are worth it. i.e. Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel and the Accademia and Uffizi Galleries in Florence.

Ohh, and drink is extremely expensive expect to pay ~5 Euros for a pint and ~3 for a shot and more (6-7) for mixed drinks. In Florence the only way to get it cheaper is to become a regular.

Good luck and I hope I don't scare you with some prices. 50 is doable, just tight especially because it is during the summer, but the weather should be gorgeous and Italy in general is a stunningly beautiful and interesting country.

1) Pizza is your friend: filling, and 5-7E for a whole pie. If you come across a pizzeria charging more than 5E for a margherita, there's cheaper elsewhere.

2) Public drinking is your friend: buy a liter of beer or wine (2E) and sit in a beautiful piazza.

3) Regional trains (denoted E, D, R, or IR on the trenitalia site) are your friend: at least 50% cheaper than Eurostars, and to my mind and body, just as comfortable.

Thanks guys, very helpful.