Italy is not the cheapest place in Europe for a holiday, but it does not have to be particularly expensive either. It really depends on where you go and what you want to do.
But wherever you visit, there are ways for you to save some money, and here are some top tips for seeing it on a budget.
Avoid the main tourist season
It’s simple, but it makes perfect sense. When you are planning Italian holidays, if you can visit Italy outside of the summer months, things are going to be cheaper. Italy attracts millions of tourists during the summer, and as a result prices tend to go up.
However, if you go in the autumn or winter, you can not only enjoy better prices on accommodation, eating out and attractions, but you will also enjoy the fact that there are fewer tourists.
Avoid the private beaches
Italy has beaches in every coastal destination, and many of them are famed for their beauty. However, you should know that some of them will require a fee to use because they are private.
This does not mean that you will always have to pay to use the beach. Instead, seek out the public beach, one of which you will usually be able to find in each town, and enjoy this for free instead.
Make use of tourist passes
Tourist passes are a great idea if you intend to see a lot in a short time period in one of the major cities.
For example, you could buy the Roma Pass when you travel to Rome, which will provide you with three days of free access to a selection of museums as well as free public transport and other reductions.
Other passes you may want to purchase include the Venezia Unica in Venice and the Firenzecard in Florence. They cost money to purchase, but the savings can be good if you intend to see many of the main attractions.
Stay outside the cities
Want to see Rome while saving money? Then don’t stay in the expensive centre and instead stay somewhere nearby and travel in on the train. If you book your accommodation in somewhere like Frascati or Ostia, you will easily be able to travel into Rome to do all your sightseeing, and you can make some excellent savings at the same time.
Find an Aparetivo
Eating is one of the best activities in Italy, but there are ways to save money here as well.
To start with, find an Aperitivo bar in the evening. Here you will be able to enjoy a drink and some often substantial snacks that may well be enough to make up for a meal.
If you do want to eat out in a restaurant, eat your main meal at lunchtime. Find a ‘menu del giorno’ or ‘menu turistico’, which are cheaper set-price meals, and you can fill up at midday for less.
Also look out for ‘alimentari’, which is the name for local grocers. As well as selling groceries, they often sell good snacks like paninis, which can be a cheap way to eat on the go.
See Italy for less
There is plenty to see and do in Italy that will not cost you much money. All it takes is a bit of planning on your part, and you can easily make some good savings on your holiday in Italy while still having an amazing time.
