How to Find Cheap Hotels in Milan, Italy

Milan, Italy's most populated city, is famous for its decadent food, the world-class opera house Teatro alla Scala and many beautiful cathedrals and churches. It is widely known as an international fashion capital as well as one of the world's leading financial centers. If you're looking for style and splendor, Milan is where you'll find it.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Passport
• Computer with Internet access

Know Your Destination

1. Change some of your currency into euros, which have been used in Italy since 2002.

2. Appreciate the location of Milan, just an hour south of the beautiful Italian Alps. This is the perfect destination if you love to ski.

3. Surround yourself with culture. Milan is considered the center of music, art, fashion, and business in Italy.

4. Visit the famous Italian cities Venice or Florence during your stay in Italy. Both cities are just a few hours away from Milan by train.

5. Feed your craving for cheap international travel. France, Switzerland, and Austria are all a short train trip from Milan.

Organize Your Transportation

6. Plan to travel on one of Milan's three underground subway trains during your stay. A ticket costs just a few dollars.

7. Take a bus or tram where the subway does not run. These will help you get closer to your accommodations if you're staying in an out-of-the-way area of the city.

8. Rely on taxis for your travel needs while visiting Italy. Taxis are abundant and relatively cheap, averaging under $10 for short trips.

9. Don't rent a car while you are visiting Milan unless you need to. The public transportation system is efficient, and cheap. Driving, on the other hand, can be quite stressful. Some accommodations also lack parking spaces for guests.

Choose Your Lodging

10. Check out the many small, family owned hotels in Milan. These are usually more budget-friendly than larger establishments. To book accommodations in Milan, contact Tourist Office of Milano at 011 ([phone] or visit their Web site (see Resources, below).

11. Reserve your accommodations in advance for cheaper rates. Milan is an expensive city, and if you want to stay in a luxury hotel, plan way ahead.

12. Find accommodations near the "quadrangle of fashion" district near the city's center, and shop at the boutiques of the most famous designers in Milan.

13. Consider planning your trip during a non-peak time. The weather is warm in Milan from June to September.

14. Stay at the center of the city to be close to Sforzesco Castle. This famous castle used to house Leonardo DaVinci, and has spectacular lighting at night.

Tips & Warnings

• All phone numbers include the international prefix "011." When calling internationally but not from the United States or Canada, substitute that "011" with "00." All country codes are within parentheses and begin with a "+" sign.
• Check the dollar-to-euro exchange rate before you go, as it will greatly affect the price of your travel.
• Avoid traveling in September if you are not a fan of rain. Milan experiences high rainfall during this month.