How to travel low cost in Italy?

How to travel low cost in Italy?

Traveling on a low budget is excellent, but many people do not know how this “spending little” can actually be “reflected in their pockets”. Let’s always remember that spending little is not losing quality, it means knowing HOW and WHERE to spend your money! Let’s make a short list to help you with your finances and make your trip low cost, fun and unforgettable! Are you curious to know how to travel low cost in Italy? So read our post and learn all about saving on your trip 😉  Here at Your Travel to Italy with Ana Patricia you make the trip of your dreams!!! ALSO: see our “Accommodation in Italy – Tips for your holidays!”

1) How to travel low cost in Italy? PURCHASING YOUR FLIGHT TICKET!

Flight ticket! Be sure to NOT buy your tickets at the last minute! And the golden tip here is to research, BEFORE, waaaaaay before traveling! The travel period can also greatly influence the price of the ticket: if you choose to travel in the Italian high season, between June and the end of August, the price can double! There are several ticket purchase websites and all of them offer different promotions throughout the year. Find out here How to buy cheaper airline tickets to Italy?

2) How to travel low cost in Italy? TRAVEL INSURANCE IS REQUIRED FOR MANY COUNTRIES!

Travel Insurance IS REQUIRED! It is one of the most difficult services to hire and, even though it doesn’t have such a high cost, it ends up being complicated to make the right choice. I suggest you to make your quotation and compare the values carefully! Remember to pay attention to the coverage they offer you! Some of them have the luggage coverage as well, which might be really important in case your bag gets lost! Read: The travel insurance to go to Italy?

PS: Check before your travel if it is required for your country.

3) How to travel low cost in Italy? BOOK THE HOTEL IN ADVANCE!

Another precious tip is to book the hotel in advance. For two reasons: PRICE AND AVAILABILITY! At some periods of the year it is almost impossible to find a hotel “in loco”: either due to the natural flow of tourists, such as in summer, for example, or if your trip coincides with an important event at your destination city. To avoid headaches and to save money, book your hotel before you travel. Read more about it in the following link: Accommodation in Italy

Booking.com

An excellent web-site for finding your ideal accommodation is Booking.com!

There you will find the best offers and, if you need to cancel your trip, the amount of the reservation is not charged (check the conditions at the time of booking!). The website offers innumerous options for several Italian cities, it is highly regarded, reliable and its entire digital platform is encrypted, that means that you are in a safe website! There are great offers every day!

If you have no experience booking hotels in Italy, then learn with our special posts everything about it: “How to book a hotel in Italy?”  and “Difference between hotel categories in Italy!”

4) How to travel low cost in Italy? ONLINE TRAIN TICKET!

Buying train tickets online saves you a lot! Many people think the best thing to do is to buy a train ticket directly at the box office in Italy! It’s not, guys! Trust me! Buying tickets through the Trenitalia website, up to two months in advance, can save you 300 Euros (considering 3 or 4 routes)! That’s right, you did not misread! It is soooo economical and soooo worth it! Don’t know how to do it? Click here to learn more about my consulting service! and also read our post “Traveling by Train in Italy!”

5) How to travel low cost in Italy? BUYING EARLY TICKETS TO EVERYTHING YOU CAN!

Buy tickets in advance. The biggest advantage is to escape the lines! In this item the biggest savings is, without a doubt, time! Some monuments have long lines that will make you wait more than two hours just to buy the ticket, plus, another hour to be able to enter, while buying online, in some cases, it is even possible to schedule the time of the visit and skip the line! Read our special “How to buy tickets to the main monuments in Italy?”

6) How to travel low cost in Italy? BECOME AN EXPERT ABOUT FOOD IN ITALY!

Let’s talk about food! In Italy you eat very well, everyone knows, but if you want to save A LOT with food, choose to have quick snacks for lunch! Almost all cities have great options for snack bars where you can eat kebabs (a delicious Arabic sandwich that is worth a meal!), other bars that offer panini (quick sandwiches!), tramezzini (cold sandwiches!) and we cannot forget from pizzerie a taglio, which serve pizza slices directly on the counter. Each of these meals costs, on average, 4 to 6 Euros, depending on the city and location you’d be, of course! Also read “How to eat well in Rome for a low price?” and “How to save on food while traveling?” – if you want learn more about it, visit our Food in Italy section!

7) How to travel low cost in Italy economically? TAKE YOUR OWN WATER BOTTLE!

Take a bottle of water everywhere! Depending on the season and where you are, a bottle of water can cost up to 5 Euros! What only a few people know is that the Italian drinking water system serves ALL cities: cities, from north to south, are filled with sources of drinking water! So: take your bottle and fill it in drinking fountains available in the cities! It’s pretty easy to find them; usually you will see some people around them waiting for their turn! You will save a lot with this simple attitude, in addition you’ll be helping the environment! 😉

8) How to travel low cost in Italy? TAKE A GPS OR USE MAPS APPS!

Did you rent a car? Forget the GPS of the rental store! One of the most expensive car rental services, amazingly, is the GPS. Some car rental companies charge up to 10 euros PER DAY to offer the service. One option is to use the cell phone’s GPS or take a GPS with the software updated with the map of Italy. You will save A LOT, especially if your car trip lasts more than a week. I recommend reading the posts in the category: Driving in Italy!

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Traveling by car in Italy

How about if I give you a rental car option? Are you ready for it? If you are renting a car be sure to read our posts in the section Driving in Italy on the blog Your Travel to Italy. In addition to car itinerary tips, we have everything about signage, tolls, roads and many more tips.

Don’t know where to rent the car?

We have a partner that can help you: Rent Cars! Have you ever thought about renting a car in Italy, without leaving your home? Click on the banner below to learn more! Search, compare and choose!

Important

• If you are driving in Italy, you need the International Driving Permit (if you’re not European Citizen). If you don’t have them, don’t drive, if you are stopped by the Italian police you may have a lot of problems! To learn more about it read this post: DO I NEED AN IDL TO DRIVE IN ITALY?

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9) How to travel low cost in Italy? CHECK THE BEST OPTIONS FOR YOUR MOBILE PHONE!

Do not use your cell phone with an international number in Italy! “Ah, but my plan has options for international roaming!” – If your number has UNLIMITED INTERNATIONAL service (roaming) for a fixed amount: great! Otherwise: it is very expensive and you will receive a terrible surprise on your bill when you come back home. Italy has several operators that sell prepaid chips and the internet mobile services in the country are exceptional! Some chips do not allow making or receiving calls, however, currently, with WhatsApp and other communication applications, making and receiving calls through the operator become irrelevant. Also take advantage of the extensive and efficient Italian Wi-Fi network!

10) How to travel low cost in Italy? SAVING IN SOUVENIRS!

Buying souvenirs! Oh… this is amazing! A fridge magnet can cost up to 15 Euros! (Trust me! You’re reading this from someone who has already paid this outrageous price for being in a hurry and not being able to look for options! Ah, I was in Civitavecchia!). So the tip is: ESCAPE the big tourist centers! In some much less busy alleys, it is possible to find several options for souvenirs and for reasonable prices! An alternative to save on souvenirs is to choose homemade cookies, jellies, homemade pasta and more. The cities offer several choices, but all outside the tourist circuit! Take a look around and search for prices and options, you will save a good amount of money and everyone will get a treat when you return from your trip!

11) How to travel low cost in Italy? CREDIT CARD!

Avoid using your credit card! It is easier, we know, but try to take cash with you, especially for everyday purchases (Respecting the limit of values for entering and leaving the country, of course!)! Use the credit card only for emergencies! Most of banks charge a fee for each operation, in the end of all: it gets really expensive! So, leave the credit card only for bigger expenses like paying the hotel or the car rental company.

12) How to travel low cost in Italy? USE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION!

Use public transportation! Most Italian cities offer quality public transport at very fair prices: use them without any fear! Of course, just like tourists, the locals also use them, so don’t think that you will find an empty train in Rome on a Monday at 5 pm, but remember that you have no hurry; they are going/coming back to work, so… be reasonable! Avoid using taxis, as well as being ‘rare’, they are expensive and they usually go around unnecessarily with tourists on board – especially if you don’t speak Italian and don’t know the city very well. Also read “Transport in Italy”.

13) How to travel low cost in Italy? ENJOY FREE ATTRACTIONS!

Enjoy free attractions! How? Several monuments offer free admission on the first or last Sunday of each month. Check your travel calendar and see if it coincides with one of these dates. Learn more about it: Free Attractions in Italy.

A special advice

Allow yourself! As we said at the beginning of the text, a low cost trip does not necessarily mean a trip with no quality. If you saw that piece or that ‘special deal’ you’ve always wanted: don’t deprive yourself! Remember that traveling is an investment and you have programmed a lot to make this dream come true, right? So, ALLOW YOURSELF! Read also: What is worth buying in Italy?

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Conclusion

How to travel low cost in Italy? Did I answer your question on how to travel low cost in Italy? It is not difficult to make a low cost trip with quality and lots of fun! Just get organized before reaching your final destination and: have a nice trip!

If you feel insecure or have no time, and need help to organize your trip, do not hesitate to look for me! I will love to help you make your dream trip to Italy. And how can I do that? Continue reading this post until the end and you will understand how can we make your life and journey easier 

Did my post help you? If yes, make sure to leave your comment below, but if you still have questions, just leave them as a comment below and I will reply, O.K.?

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