14k without airfare is crazy expensive.

For perspective: We spent about 10k (maybe a bit more) on a 2-week trip to Florence, eastern Italian coast, Split, Mostar, Dubrovnik, Munich, and Copenhagan. We have younger kids so we squeezed into one hotel room, but did splurge for some of the AirBnb's/rentals. 10k inclusive of airfare, lodging, excursions.

As for 5 cities in 14 days? Total doable. It just depends on your travel style. I would get bored doing 5 days in one city.

Anonymous wrote:5 stops in 14 days? Way too many stops. Cut it to 3 and it will be a lot more enjoyable.

This! Have you ever traveled to Europe before?

Anonymous wrote:Yes I agree - I have been to all these cities and definitely cut out Zurich. The rest will be doable, much more interesting, and you will have more time. If you have to cut another one, I recommend Milan. It has interesting parts but you will be finished in a day. Switzerland is super expensive so just cutting Zurich will be huge savings to your budget. Enjoy either way!

Yes, I would go with:

1. Budapest or Vienna (pick one).
2. Fly to Milan, rent a car, go to Lake Como
3. Drop car off in central Milan, train to Rome.

4-5 days in each stop.

More than I would spend, but we only stay in airbnbs so not booking 2 hotel rooms everywhere which seems excessive if you are all one family. You'd be looking at around $25k with flights- wayyyy too much for 2 weeks.

I think this trip could be much cheaper and more efficient with some minor tweaks.

Anonymous wrote:Yes apologies - it includes train transport between the cities as well.

My budget was $10k

I haven’t even booked airfare yet and thought I could get tickets for $1k each but they are coming in at $1600 each. When did everything get SO expensive?!

14K without the air tickets 😳 of course it’s very expensive. Are you staying in 5 star hotels all the way? Plan it yourself, as others said reduce the jumping around cities, choose 2-3, find hotels on your own, not so hard in European major cities. It’s about 1000 per day without food and tickets. You should be getting very high end hotels with this budget. Are you?

Yes I agree - I have been to all these cities and definitely cut out Zurich. The rest will be doable, much more interesting, and you will have more time. If you have to cut another one, I recommend Milan. It has interesting parts but you will be finished in a day. Switzerland is super expensive so just cutting Zurich will be huge savings to your budget. Enjoy either way!

I think it’s realistic for what travel costs these days. I would cut Zurich. It’s the most expensive and least interesting of the itinerary.

Anonymous wrote:Yes apologies - it includes train transport between the cities as well.

My budget was $10k

I haven’t even booked airfare yet and thought I could get tickets for $1k each but they are coming in at $1600 each. When did everything get SO expensive?!

No good advice, but we're looking at flights to Europe this summer and they are easily $1600 each. It's nuts.

Anonymous wrote:Yes apologies - it includes train transport between the cities as well.

My budget was $10k

I haven’t even booked airfare yet and thought I could get tickets for $1k each but they are coming in at $1600 each. When did everything get SO expensive?!

I don't love this itinerary at all. I don't recommend visiting so many cities on one trip, especially in so many different countries; it just doesn't make a lot of sense on multiple levels. I would stay firm on the 10k budget, perhaps drop down to 10 days, and change the itinerary. You could do just Italy, including Rome and Milan and add another city (Florence? Venice?). Definitely do Pompeii as a day trip from Rome, and I think a private tour is worth it -- Pompeii is fascinating. Or you could do Vienna with Budapest and add Prague if you are that dead set on doing multiple countries; Vienna and Prague are two of my favorite cities in Europe (and I haven't been to Budapest yet).

But that itinerary you have now is cray cray. You will just end up spending all your time on the darn trains.

Yes apologies - it includes train transport between the cities as well.

My budget was $10k

I haven’t even booked airfare yet and thought I could get tickets for $1k each but they are coming in at $1600 each. When did everything get SO expensive?!

5 stops in 14 days? Way too many stops. Cut it to 3 and it will be a lot more enjoyable.

At first I thought you probably shouldn't need that much, but with two hotel rooms per night, some of them in expensive places like Milan and Vienna, and the need for transportation between locales (are you renting a car? taking trains? what?) I suppose costs will add up. You won't need more than 14k. But if you are using "a travel company for planning" you should be having this conversation with them.

Do you mean they quoted you $14k and asking if it's reasonable, or you set a budget of $14k and asking if that's reasonable?

$14k? Wtf?

I’m trying to plan a trip for five people (2 adults and 3 teens) for 14 days next summer going to Budapest, Vienna, Zurich, Milan’s and Rome and am using a travel company for planning. It will be lower 4 star hotels with breakfast included; two rooms per night; two private tours (one of Rome and one to Pompeii) - airfare NOT included. Is $14k a reasonable amount?

Also, what should I plan for $ wise for daily dinners and lunches?