Tight Travellers

Italy were always going to make the list. Tosser drivers, con artists at every turn, and cuisine so good it makes everything else feel like a consolation prize. We’ve visited multiple, once on a European road trip that took us down through the Lakes, across to the Amalfi Coast and into the south, and once for a couple of day trips from a base in Tuscany. Here’s the honest version.

How much does Italy cost?

Italy is one of Europe’s more budget-friendly destinations if you eats like a local. A proper pizza or pasta dish in a non-tourist trattoria costs £8–12. Coffee is under a quid if you drink it standing at the bar like everyone else. The tourist traps – anywhere within 200 metres of a famous landmark will charge thee three times that for half the quality. Rule one of budget Italy: walk away from the view before ordering food.

Accommodation varies massively. Cities like Rome and Venice are expensive. Smaller towns, the Lakes, and rural Tuscany offer genuinely good value. We found brilliant B&Bs for £30–45 per room through Booking.com, often including breakfast, which makes a real difference to the daily budget. For flights, Skyscanner regularly throws up sub-£40 returns from northern UK airports to Milan or Rome.

Where we went

Lake Como – Preposterously beautiful and slightly less overpriced than expected. We stayed at Miss Scola Pastry Rooms – a B&B run by a proper pastry chef two minutes from the beach at Abbadia Lariana – and it were one of the nicest places we’ve ever stayed. Note: it’s since closed, but the village is still worth visiting.

Pompeii – Extraordinary. One of those places that doesn’t feel real. We stayed at B&B Maison de Charme nearby, a family-run spot close to the ruins that were genuinely excellent value. The ruins themselves cost around £16 to enter and tha could spend a full day there without running out of things to see.

Pisa – A day trip done properly. Yes, everyone goes to photograph the tower. Yes, it’s worth doing mainly because it’s free. But Pisa beyond the tower is a lovely city with a decent market and food that’s far cheaper than Florence or Rome. Read our full day itinerary below.

Lucca — The best decision we made in Italy. Medieval walls you can walk or cycle on top of for free, a genuinely pretty centre, and barely any tourists compared to its neighbours. An absolute cracker of a place.

Getting around Italy on a budget

Trains between cities are good value if booked in advance through Trenitalia. For exploring the Lakes or the south, a hire car gives far more freedom — just be very aware of ZTL zones (restricted traffic areas in city centres) which will land thee a hefty fine if tha drives into them. Check before tha parks anywhere in a historic centre.

When to go

April, May and September to October are the sweet spot — warm, not scorching, cheaper than summer and the tourist crowds are manageable. July and August are peak season, peak prices, and frankly uncomfortably hot in the south. We went in autumn and it were brilliant.

Our Italy posts — start here