ITALY On the cheap
Museums, monuments, views for days. It’s all within reach with a little know-how...
It’s easy to have an Instagram-worthy holiday when money is no object. Fancy hotels, picturesque pools and impossible-to-getinto restaurants make ideal photographic fodder after all. But if you’re not an influencer, WAG or celebrity, you probably need to make your coin stretch a little further. That’s where I come in, having spent two months visiting some of Italy’s most picturesque spots, without needing to take out a second mortgage! Here are my best tips...
TIP#1 BUY THE SANDWICH
Sure the pasta is great, but have you ever tried an Italian sandwich? That’s where it’s really at. You can find them anywhere from bigger supermarkets, to bars and roadside shacks – and they’re all equally good. Nothing is ever ready-made – they’ll slice your prosciutto, cheese and tomato fresh while you wait, and the best part is, they’re cheap. Expect to pay around four to seven euro for a panini that’s literally bursting – one can easily be shared between two. Plus, you don’t pay the (sometimes pricey) cover charge for sitting in, and you can find somewhere to eat that has a view.
HIT MUSEUMS ON THE RIGHT DAY
This is an absolute golden nugget of information: on the first Sunday of every month all the museums in Italy are free. FREE! That includes some of the most coveted ones like the Colosseum in Rome and the Uffizi in Florence. Go forth and get cultured.
TIP#3 TRAVEL IN THE SHOULDER SEASON
I acknowledge this comes from a place of privilege since I don’t have school-aged children, but in my experience, shoulder season really is the best time to travel. August and September is bursting with tourists, both Italian and international, which means everything is harder, and also so much hotter! In May, June and July it will still be warm, the beaches and streets will be less crowded and both flights and accommodation are hundreds of dollars cheaper... so you can buy yourself that handbag instead.
TIP#4 TAKE A DAY TRIP
Italy is not shy of a stunning coastline. But unfortunately staying in those places (like Cinque Terre, Capri, Amalfi) will cost you your entire holiday budget – especially if you have kids. The good news is, you can definitely do those spots in a day trip – they’re actually super tiny – and stay outside of town in much more affordable areas. Positano, Capri and Amalfi can be reached by ferry from Sorrento (roughly 25 euro per person) and most carriers will do “tours” of the three where they let you off and pick you up in a couple hours to go to the next place. Cinque Terre you can get to by train, too – my advice is always to get there as early as you can to beat the crowds and the heat. Everything moves slower when you’re doing it at the same time as everyone else.
TIP#5 HIRE A CAR
I know it seems counterintuitive because I’m telling you to spend money, but Italy is full of hard-to-reach places and the public transport system is largely... not great. If you hire a car for a day you can reach the places the locals (and not every other tourist) go. The entire region of Puglia is best seen by car, and some of the most beautiful swimming spots I’ve ever experienced (like Il Ciolo at the southernmost tip of Puglia) can only be reached if you have a car to get there.