How much would it cost to travel around Europe?

How much does it cost to travel around Europe from the US?

• My boyfriend and I would like to travel to Ireland, UK, France, Germany, and Italy. What is the best place to fly into first? What would be the best places to visit? How much time is enough to actually see Europe...2 weeks, a month, or more? We wouldn't stay in 5 star hotels, but something relatively nice and safe. What is the best time of year to go? Is the Eurail pass the best way to get around?I'm clearly in the beginning stages of my planning, and we don't have a set time that we would like to begin traveling. I have just always wanted to visit there! Any other information will be very appreciated!

• Answer:

  The costs depend on exactly when you visit, where you visit, where you're coming from, how long you stay, how you get around, rather you stay in hotels, hostels or have other arrangements, and what you see/do/eat. The hotels I stay in generally run from 100 to 150 euro per night - you can find cheaper places though if budget is an issue and there are also hostels and monastery/convent stays. As a rule of thumb, you could get by with around $100 per day staying in cheap hostels with hotels it will be somewhat more. Here are some resources that can help you plan and check prices: http://www.kayak.com/ - airfares http://www.skyscanner.it/ - budget flights especially good within Europe. For longer trips, this can be a better option than the trains. http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/index.js%E2%80%A6 - train schedules and prices in Italy. It is almost always cheaper to buy individual tickets for the trains here in Italy rather than trying to use a railpass. From rome, Florence is only 1 hr 35 min on a fast train and there are many other good possibilities for a day trip from the city. http://www.seat61.com/ - trains throughout Europe including much more information on selecting ans using railpasses to get around if they suit your trip. As noted above, it is not always best to use a pass. This site will tell you how to determine whether a pass is worth th money and which pass will best suit you. It also has links to the national train sites where you can find schedules and price individual tickets. Note that a Eurail pass is not valid in the UK. http://www.venere.com/ - hotels - prices for the same hotel can vary hugely depending on the season and what local events are going on. http://www.hostelbookers.com/ - hostels. http://www.monasterystays.com/ - monasterys & convents that offer accommodations http://www.whatsonwhen.com/sisp/index.ht%E2%80%A6 - festivals, exhibitions and events http://www.backpackeurope.com/ - information & advice Check the websites for entrance fees for the museums & galleries you're interested in. I spend anywhere between nothing and 40 euro a day depending on exactly what I go to see when out exploring. I often spend 25 to 50 euro for a meal, but I like to try the local specialties and some of the better restaurants, but you can eat well for less. Here in Italy, a pizza is 8 to 13 euro and a panino or wrap is around 3 to 6.50 euro in many places. You can also shop in the markets and put some meals together for yourselves. The time of year to go depends to some extent on your interests. Personally, I particularly like April - mid June or September-October which isn't so hot an humid in southern Europe and is not as crowded as the peak. There are interesting festivals and events throughout the year though. I've been in Europe for 12 years now and still have only scratched the surface of things to see and do. Take whatever time and budget you have available and fit something reasonable in. Do check distances and travel times and plan to stop in each location you choose to visit long enough to actually see and appreciate things. A lot of questions here have very ambitious plans which if followed through will allow the travelers to see a lot of airports and train stations, but not much else.