How to Travel to Italy Cheap
Italy is a country rich in beauty, history and culture. One of the most popular European travel destinations, there is never a shortage of things to do in Italy. Though traveling to Italy can be expensive, there are ways to save money and extend your vacation.
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Instructions
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Prepare for Travel
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Choose the cities you want to visit.
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Build a general itinerary of the sites you want to see and the length of time you plan to spend in each city.
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Obtain a passport. To enter Italy, you must have a valid passport. If you do not have a current passport, obtaining one may take as long as 2-6 weeks, so plan accordingly. Also, if you plan on staying longer than 90 days, you will need to obtain a special permit from the Italian government.
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Book accommodations. A good way to travel Italy cheap is to stay in a hostel. Hostels are much like dormitories where guests can purchase a bed for a period of time. In many hostels, the bathroom is shared by everyone staying in the building. Hostels in Italy can be everything from villas to apartments to old castles. Some hostels offer private rooms, so booking early can be useful. Also, most Italian hostels are privately owned and family run, so arrival times may be strict.
Another way to stay cheaply in Italy is a campsite accommodation. According to hostels.com, "Many Italian cities offer campsite accommodation as an alternative to staying in a hostel. These tend to be luxury camping villages and often have their own bars, restaurants and swimming pools. Accommodation on the campsites consists of cabins, bungalows or caravans and bedlinen is provided."
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Schedule a flight. The cheapest days to schedule your departure are Tuesdays through Thursdays. Weekends will be the most expensive. Also, schedule your departure for earlier in the day rather than later. You may have to get up earlier, but you can potentially save hundreds of dollars. Since many flights to Italy will take you to another major city first, booking a red eye flight will save you money.
Sites such as Expedia.com and Priceline.com also offer deals on flights, so check these sites often.
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Pack only essentials. Flights will charge extra for heavy baggage and for multiple bags, so only pack the necessary items. Packing as much as possible into a carry-on bag will also save money as that bag is not checked and therefore will not cost you extra.
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Tips & Warnings
If you travel to a major city, such as Rome, Venice or Florence, try to stay in a location outside of the city and take a bus or train into town. This will save money in the long run.
Summer is a popular vacation time in Italy, so travel is usually much cheaper during the Fall and Spring.
Be flexible with your destination in Italy. Flying into another airport before heading to a major city will save you money.
Deals on plane tickets usually occur four to five months before the departure date, so booking early can save you hundreds.
References
- Photo Credit Venice, Italy image by jobetim from Fotolia.com
