How to get to Italy. Italian holidays: planning, prices, impressions. Documents for the child

So I have returned from a trip to Italy and now I will tell you how you need to organize your acquaintance with this country so that everything goes “like clockwork”. My independent trip to Italy lasted 24 days. During this time I managed to visit so many attractions that on the last day I could already work as a guide :) . Of the cities I remember most are Venice, Milan and Rome. They are a must visit.

What to do in Italy? Yes, there is a huge space for relaxation. Beaches, wines, walks along the embankments, meeting the passionate local population :), a huge number of attractions, and just enjoying life. I rode my bike through the cobbled streets of Florence, crossed Italy from north to south by train, walked at night with Italian girls along the sparkling streets of Milan :) . Moreover, as always, my knowledge of saving while traveling helped reduce expenses several times. And now to the specifics.

Travel route

My route

According to the already established tradition, I began my independent journey through Italy from Novosibirsk. The flight was morning - Novosibirsk - Milan, with a transfer in Moscow. 10 o'clock and I'm there (I slept on the plane, so time flew by :)). The plan that I had under the code name :) “Trip through the cities of Italy” consisted of visiting the following cities: Milan -> Venice -> Bologna -> Florence -> Rome -> Naples -> Palermo. From north to south in 24 days, and in cities such as Bologna and Naples I only stayed for 3 days, they were just on my way, so I decided to visit them too.

What guided me when choosing these particular places. I wanted to see the peculiarities of life in all parts of Italy, visit many attractions that belong to different cultures and eras (in the place of modern Italy, for many centuries there were independent states, such as the Venetian Republic, the Florentine Republic, the Kingdom of Sicily and others, each with its own characteristics and history). Therefore, I put together a route that would include most of the most significant cities in history for cultural enlightenment, but would also allow me to swim, sunbathe on the beach, and leisurely enjoy a seaside holiday. Sights + sea = perfect holiday in Italy;) .

Because inexpensive air tickets from Russia to Italy imply landing in one of the largest cities, and, most often, these are Rome (the capital), Milan, Venice (the northern part of Italy, some of the cheapest plane tickets are sold here), then I decided that I will begin my journey in Italy precisely from its northern part, namely from Milan, and will gradually move south. Because Since my trip began in mid-June, I was not limited by weather conditions: the weather was good, there was very little rain, the sea had already warmed up well, in general, the perfect time.

Additional routes

I have compiled alternative routes around Italy for website visitors so that everyone can choose the most suitable one for them. Some people want to focus on sightseeing, some like to spend their entire holiday on the beach in the sun, swimming and enjoying every moment of the sea holiday, and others (including me) want to combine a beach holiday and sightseeing. In addition, the number of days allocated for vacation in Italy varies from person to person.

Up to 5 days

It makes no sense to include visiting 5-10 cities into a 5-day trip; such a vacation will only make you tired and you won’t really see anything; it’s better to savor your stay in each city. Only have 5 days to rest? Then it’s better to visit 1, maximum 2 cities (for me, it should be a city with a large number of attractions, and a beach resort city, sometimes these concepts characterize the same city, for example, Naples, Genoa, but most often change your vacation spot to find better conditions and more comfort). If you don’t want to move somewhere, then it’s better to choose a good beach resort, like Rimini or Bari. A seaside holiday gives the recharge of vitality much needed by most people, so you shouldn’t neglect it.

6-10 days

If you have 6-10 days for a vacation in Italy, and you want to visit several places, then choose cities according to the logic described above: city-attraction + seaside resort, the only thing is that you can increase their number, because there is more time. A good option for this type of holiday would be the route Rome->Florence->Genoa (in the vicinity of the latter there are several good beaches, and there are plenty of attractions there).

11-15 days

With an independent trip to Italy, designed for 11-15 days, you can further expand the area of ​​Italy you are exploring. Milan->Venice->Florence->Rome->Salerno (the last city is a seaside resort, located near Naples) - this is a good route for those who want to see as much as possible, but it is important to understand that such a vacation will be eventful, but not so much relaxed, because There will be a lot of places on the route, you will have to move often, this route is justified if you are traveling around Italy by car, because in this case, the time spent on travel is reduced, and there is more comfort, especially since you will always be free to stop in the place you like as much as you want, without even completing your route. I like it better when the ultimate vacation spot is a seaside resort, because... A good swim before returning home has a positive effect on the overall holiday experience.

From 15 days

If you want to become well acquainted with Italian culture, see as many places as possible, without being in the state of a cornered horse, then set aside more than 15 days for an independent trip to Italy. During this time, you can travel along the following route: Genoa-> Milan -> Venice -> Florence -> Rome -> Naples -> Palermo. This is a kind of alternative to my route; it begins and ends in seaside resort towns. So you can see the sights and swim to your heart's content.

When you plan your trip to Italy, then stick to the following:

• Get to know your new city thoroughly. There is no need to visit 10 cities in 2 weeks, such a rush is very tiring. It’s better to be in a new city for at least 3 days, then you will learn a lot about this place and enjoy your vacation, and not compete with time.
• Don't plan your trip in detail. It’s better to indicate the main points of the trip (for example, cities or beaches), and already “on the spot” you can figure out where you want to go and what to visit. With this form of travel you will have more freedom of action, which will give you more impressions and more positive emotions.
• Decide how you will move in Italy. Different modes of transport have different advantages and disadvantages. By plane you can quickly move from place to place, on train trips you can see amazing landscapes, when traveling in a rented car you have enormous freedom of action. If you buy tickets in advance (at least 2 months in advance), you can save up to 70% of their cost.
• Visit “non-touristy” places. Tourists are shown only certain places, and to learn interesting details about the country, you need to get acquainted with the daily life of the local population. This way you will get much more pleasure from your trip.

Cheap tickets

A ticket to Moscow from Novosibirsk cost me 4,500 rubles, and from Moscow to Milan – 5,000 rubles, I booked it in advance, which I advise you to do, it’s cheaper. Of course, you can still wait for airline ticket sales, but, unfortunately, they are very rare, and the number of tickets is limited, they are sold out in a few minutes, so you can miss out on low ticket prices while waiting for sales simply by early booking (it’s better to buy air tickets 3-4 months before travel), because the closer the departure date, the higher the prices.

Tickets on the route Moscow->Rome->Moscow in the summer will cost 10,500-14,000 rubles. For those who live in Moscow, flying to Europe is much cheaper.

Calendar of low prices for air tickets

Check airfare prices:

Hotels

I lived in comfortable hotels that cost me quite cheap (for example, in Rome, the capital of Italy, I paid only 17,000 rubles for 7 nights in a 3* hotel almost in the city center; in the same hotel you could book a double bed room for 19,500 rubles, let me clarify that I booked in advance). Naturally, I used my knowledge of . In short, I used the site, which itself finds the best options in terms of price/quality, so I recommend it to you. On this site you can find excellent hotels in any country. It’s convenient that photographs and descriptions are added to each hotel, and tourists who have already visited the hotel leave reviews, which makes it much easier to choose accommodation when traveling.

Some tourists look for hotels only on, and this is not entirely true from the point of view of effective spending of money, because... You can often find exactly the same hotel room as on Booking, but much cheaper on another site that is equally safe and trusted. After all, there are many other hotel booking sites that have sales, and sometimes prices are reduced, which is why it turns out that Booking often has higher prices. In order not to check all sites separately, while spending several hours or even days searching for a suitable hotel at the lowest price, the RoomGuru service was invented - it itself compares prices on several dozen hotel sites, including Booking, and offers you to book hotel room at the lowest price. The service is free, very convenient and reliable, I recommend using it, you will save a lot of money and time.

Here is a clear example, 3* hotel, 2 adults, 7 nights. Please note that the lowest price is not on Booking (315€), but on Amoma (273€).

And here is another example for two in a 4* hotel.

In addition to the fact that the price for the room itself is low (252€), in this particular case you can also save 122€ (price on Booking 374€, price on Agoda 252€). As you can see, the price for the same hotel room can vary significantly on different sites, which is why it is very profitable to use the RoomGuru service, which will compare everything for you and offer the lowest price for the room (this is exactly what is shown in the screenshot).

There is an alternative service, but it’s still better to use RoomGuru - it’s more reliable, convenient and efficient. As for the search itself, if you want to save as much as possible, then choose housing away from famous attractions and the city center; of course, you will lose a little in comfort, because... It will take longer to get to the right places by public transport, but the savings can be significant, and it’s up to you to decide what is more priority – comfort or savings. I try to choose accommodation either in the center or close to it, if there are good hotels at low prices (they are always available when booking early), transport costs sometimes “eat up” most of the money saved on a cheap hotel far from the center, so, Ultimately, it is still preferable to choose those hotel options that provide convenient access to the main attractions.

The most expensive place to live is in Venice. I would even say not more expensive, but very expensive. Here I had to pay 90 euros per night in a hotel. I was in Venice for 5 days, paid a total of 450 euros, for comparison, I could live on this money for a month and a half!!! in Thailand. But I must say that this was not the cheapest hotel, there were cheaper options, I just liked the view from the window of this hotel, so I booked it :).
It is important for me that when booking there is a 100% guarantee that I will arrive at a comfortable hotel that matches the photographs, the building is located in a convenient area of ​​the city for me, and that there are no problems when checking in like “wait another hour, we’ll forgot to clean the room” or “there was a mistake, we moved another person into this room 5 minutes ago, look for another hotel.” Is this important to you too? Then use it.

I have selected hotels in Italy with the best price/quality ratio (in my opinion), based on my travel experience, tourist reviews, convenience of location, reliability (reliability and safety), and, of course, attractive prices (hotels are listed in order of increasing comfort, from hotels with the lowest price to more expensive hotels). If you want to find a comfortable hotel, accommodation in which will not force you to trudge across the city to attractions in crowded public transport or look for a long time for a place to park your car, with good service (clean bed linen, comfortable and hassle-free check-in, good Wi-Fi, allowing you to seamlessly use social networks and immediately publish stunning photos from your vacation, communicate with relatives, search for the information you need), with a low cost of living, then choose a hotel from this list and book as early as possible (these hotels are in great demand, rooms there is often not enough for everyone, and if you book in advance, you will certainly ensure that you stay in one of the best hotels, and the price will be even lower).

Find a cheap hotel from RoomGuru right now:

Rental of property

As an alternative to staying in hotels, it is possible to rent accommodation from the Italians themselves. Among the advantages of this method of finding a place to stay, we can only note that it is an acceptable cost for a large company or for a large family (if 6 or more people are going on vacation), because a large apartment can accommodate a large number of people (but you still need to look for a large apartment at a good price; as a rule, such options are already booked 6-8 months before the summer months), and in terms of per person, the cost of a night’s stay in Italy is somewhat lower. But this plus, in my opinion, becomes insignificant when taking into account the many disadvantages of renting housing, such as insecurity, the risk of being deceived by the owner of the property, the lack of even basic tourist services, and additional inconvenience when checking in and out.

Because Renting housing abroad has some difficulties, so you have to use the services of intermediaries who charge a hefty commission and, in some cases, include additional payments in the cost of living, which makes renting not very profitable.

One of the most famous rental services is Airbnb. If you decide to rent a home rather than book hotel rooms, you can use it for a discount to save money.

It is important to note that renting housing from owners is a rather risky business. Increasingly, there are cases when housing does not correspond to the photographs presented on the service (especially true for cheap options with a small number of reviews). It is also possible that noisy neighbors live in the next apartment, which will cause a lot of inconvenience (if in a hotel, for the most part, you are protected from the bad behavior of your neighbors by a concierge or security, then in a rented apartment you will need to call the owner of the property or the police, which will require additional time and nerves). Several of my friends have found themselves in a very unpleasant situation when landlords simply canceled a reservation a few days before arrival (relatives may come to visit him, or he will be offered a higher price, or his plans will change - anything can happen), and travelers urgently have to look for other housing, but the time for early booking has already passed, which means that the new housing was much more expensive than the previous option, additional expenses appeared that spoiled the planned vacation. Therefore, I recommend not renting housing, but booking hotel rooms, it is safer, more reliable and, in the vast majority of cases, cheaper.

Documentation

The required documents, as in almost all of Europe, are the following: passport, visa and insurance. I have had a foreign passport for a long time, and for those who don’t have one, I recommend applying for one as early as possible, they take 1-4 months to get it (through the State Services website you can get a passport in about a month if you live at the place of registration). I wrote a whole article about it, so I recommend that you read it. In short, the best insurance at low prices can be bought on the website.

Italy is part of the Schengen zone, which is why I received it. Here is the list of documents required to obtain it:

1. Round-trip air tickets (you can book, or you can already purchased)
2. Confirmation of accommodation (confirmation from the hotel, as a rule, it is automatically sent to your email when booking a hotel)
3. Medical insurance (coverage amount over 30,000 euros)
4. Completed application form (can be downloaded from the Italian Visa Application Center website)
5. Photo (1 piece, no frames, color)
6. International passport valid for more than 3 months on the date of return from the trip
7. A copy of the main page of the international passport (where the photo and personal data are)
8. Financial guarantee (account statement with a sufficient amount of money (the amount depends on the number of people going on the trip and the number of days in Italy)
9. Confirmation of employment (certificate from work, or a copy of the certificate of inclusion in the Unified State Register of Individual Entrepreneurs (for individual entrepreneurs), or a certificate from the place of study, or a pension certificate)
10. Receipt for payment of the consular fee (it must be paid after concluding the contract if you submit documents through the visa center))
11. Russian passport (original and copy of pages with photo and registration)
12. Consent to the processing of personal data (can be downloaded from the visa center website)

A Schengen visa to Italy will cost 35 euros (consular fee) + 2200 rubles visa center service fee. If you live in Moscow, you can save on the visa fee by submitting documents directly to the Italian Embassy. It is important to note that if your visa is denied, the consular and service fees will not be refunded.

Around Italy by car

Traveling independently in Italy by car has its pros and cons. Whether you should choose this type of travel depends on several answers to questions that you need to ask yourself: I really want to be free in choosing a route, I really want to see the ordinary life of Italians, I can pay 20-40% more money ( compared to traveling using public transport) for the opportunity to travel around Italy, I am ready to solve problems with parking, I do not want to use public transport? If you answered “Yes” to all these questions, then indeed, traveling by car can turn your vacation into something completely different, very rich in pleasant events, diverse, and unusual.

In short, traveling around Italy by car is super interesting, but expensive, and, in some cases, problematic.

It will be more comfortable and cheaper not to travel from Russia in your own car, but to fly by plane to some large Italian city, pick up a rented car (you need to rent it in advance, on special, trusted sites) and go driving around Italy.

Some points about traveling by car:

• The cheapest and safest way is to rent a car on the website. Book a car in advance, several months in advance, so the price will be much lower
• Be sure to purchase comprehensive car insurance. In Italy, the streets are narrow, and there is a very high chance of scratching or damaging your car.
• During your trip, you will need a navigator with up-to-date maps (if you travel by car often, you can buy yourself a navigator rather than pay extra for it every time you rent)
• Some large cities have special rules for entering the central part; sometimes you need to buy an additional entry permit, sometimes entry is prohibited at certain hours.
• In roadside cafes and shops, prices are significantly higher; to save money, you can stock up in advance in city supermarkets
• It's cheaper to refuel in cities rather than on highways. Gasoline on toll roads is more expensive.
• In Italy, there are two types of filling at gas stations: Self (you refuel and pay for gasoline yourself) and SerV (accepts payment and is filled by a gas station attendant, the price for each liter of gasoline is 10-20 euro cents higher here).
• Most of the good roads north of Naples are toll roads. To travel from north to south on a toll road you will have to pay 70-90 euros.
• To avoid the hassle of finding parking, book a hotel with its own parking.
• The crossing to Sicily will cost 50 euros.
• 1 liter of 95 gasoline costs 1.6-2.1 €.

Popular resorts and cities in Italy

Where exactly to go in Italy depends on your preferences. I have already given some recommendations in the “Routes” section of this article. In short, if you have a very limited budget, choose a seaside resort that also has attractions, for example, Rimini, Genoa, Naples (with the latter - be careful, thefts happen there very often, but there are attractions and the sea, which is a big plus). If you want to see the life of Italians, then plan a route from north to south. For brand shopping you should go to Milan, Rome, Florence. If you only need a beach holiday, and the best one in Italy, then it is better to choose the islands - Sicily, Ischia, Elba. Well, for the sights, go to Rome, Venice, Florence. The choice is huge, each city has its own merits, decide based on your vacation goals and budget.

I will give a list of the most popular places where you can relax in Italy. For convenience, I have indicated the main distinctive features of the holiday for each resort (each has attractions in one form or another, it’s just that somewhere there are more of them, and they are world famous):

• Turin - attractions
• Genoa – attractions, sea
• Milan - sights, shopping
• Venice - attractions, sea (in the vicinity)
• Bologna - attractions
• Pisa – attractions
• Florence – attractions, shopping
• Rimini – attractions (few), sea
• Rome – sights, shopping
• Naples - attractions, sea (in the vicinity)
• Salerno - sea
• Bari – attractions (few), sea
• Palermo (Sicily) - sea (in the vicinity)
• Syracuse (Sicily) – attractions (few), sea
• Olbia (Sardinia) – sea

Money

What money to take on a trip to Italy? Take euros. Moreover, do not carry all your savings in cash, put the bulk of the money on a card, ruble or euro - this does not play a special role when paying (payment will go through in both cases), because Even if you have a ruble card, then when paying for a purchase in Italy, rubles will be automatically converted into euros and no problems will arise.

If you often travel to Europe (several times a year), then in some cases it is beneficial to get a bank card with an account in euros, top up your account, and pay for purchases in Italy using it, so you will not be charged for converting rubles into euros. Just choose so that everything is really good.

Attractions

There are more than enough attractions in Italy. There was no plan for visiting attractions, museums and exhibitions. I simply bought guides to the cities from my route, and when I was already there, in 5 minutes I figured out where I should go today and what to visit. Without a plan, you can act according to your momentary desire, which when traveling gives you freedom of action, “flight of imagination” and more positive emotions, there is no need to rush anywhere, you are not late for anything, but simply enjoy your vacation.

The only thing I did as soon as I arrived in a new city was buy a discount tourist card, which gave me up to 50% discount on attractions, public transport, and skip-the-line access to some museums. Traveling around Italy on your own, visiting many attractions, actively using public transport - such cards for tourists will help you save money.

For Rome - this is the Roma Pass card, for 3 days it costs 36 €, for 2 days - 28 euros, allows you to visit 2 (for a 3-day card) or 1 attraction (for a 2-day card) free of charge and without a queue, free use of public transport and receive discounts on visiting other attractions. It is best used to visit the Colosseum and the Borghese Gallery, because... there are the longest queues, and with a tourist card you can bypass them by going through a special entrance.

Using your card data, you can avoid standing in long lines at museums and exhibitions and pass through as a VIP visitor. These cards are inexpensive, you can buy them on the official websites of cities, at airports, train stations, and tourist centers. I wrote about how to save money while traveling.

Most of all I remember such places as the Duomo (cathedral) in Milan, the Colosseum in Rome, La Scala (opera house) in Milan, Palazzo Pitti in Florence, Pompeii near Naples. I recommend that you familiarize yourself with the list.

If you want to see the sights as part of an organized excursion group, learn much more interesting facts about memorable places in Italy from an individual guide, book unusual excursions from local residents, then use the website. Select a few excursions you like, read reviews about them and feel free to book them to diversify your independent holiday in Italy.

Transport in Italy

It is more convenient and, most often, cheaper to travel between Italian cities by train. A developed railway network and the presence of high-speed trains (except in the southern part of the country) allow you to quickly get to the desired city. You can buy tickets for the desired route on the official website of the Italian railways Trenitalia.com (the earlier you buy tickets, the lower the prices).

There are several types of trains in Italy:

• "Arrows" (high-speed) - FrecciaRossa (the fastest and with a relatively high ticket price), Frecciargento (average in price and speed), Frecciabianca (the slowest of the "arrows", but also with the lowest price). Choose these trains for long distances to save time, for example Rome-Milan, or for better comfort.
• Regular intercity ones are Intercity (they travel slower than “arrows”, but connect more cities, and the prices are lower). You have a lot of time, but if you want to save money, choose them, but for long distances it is more convenient to use “arrows”.
• Intercity overnight - InterCityNotte (like the previous ones, only conditions have been created for a comfortable night trip). A good option for a trip to Sicily, because... It’s a long drive, but the “arrows” don’t go there.
• Electric trains – Regionale. A good, very inexpensive option for traveling to the suburbs and neighboring cities. There are a lot of stops, so be patient.

Domestic flights in Italy are also developed and inexpensive, but, in my opinion, this type of transport is not always convenient. It is worth flying by plane if you are going to get to another part of Italy, for example, you can fly to Sicily from Rome or Milan. Although prices for air travel are low due to the presence of low-cost airlines (Ryanair, Vueling, easyJet; low-cost airlines also have sales several times a year where you can buy air tickets for 10-15 euros one way without luggage, for luggage you usually need to pay an additional 15- 30 euros, but such sales are rare; while you wait for them, you can miss out on low prices for regular tickets), but the time it takes to check in for a flight, travel to/from the airport, and frequent delays on domestic flights make airplanes not a very tempting means of transport.

You can also use intercity buses, but this is not very convenient, although it is the cheapest option in most cases. In the hot summer months, the buses are stuffy, air conditioning is not always a help, and the comfort level on the buses is at a minimum. Better use the trains.

Buy a tour or go to Italy on your own

I decided to travel around Italy on my own, without the help of travel agencies, and will continue to do so. But some tourists still choose the tour. The fact is that in rare cases, with special offers from tour operators, you can relax at the most popular resorts at relatively low prices. Such last-minute tours need to be carefully monitored and purchased immediately (if you are completely satisfied with this type of vacation), because the most attractive options in terms of cost are sorted out in literally 5-10 minutes. This specificity of cheap tours makes them elusive, because... you have to constantly monitor the offers of tour operators, most often for several months in a row, and, most often, such offers become available during business hours, which means that it is not always possible to purchase it even if there is a cheap tour, because this takes time, you need to interrupt your work (which is not always possible), you need to have access to the Internet and a bank card at hand.

Those who still decide to choose offers from tour operators do so on or on. The services are time-tested, there are convenient filters for searching, and there are many options available for various resorts. Just don’t forget that the cost of most cheap tours only includes hotel accommodation (and not always good, only with breakfast or no meals at all) and air travel, and does not take into account expenses for food/cafes/restaurants, insurance, travel around Italy itself ( between cities and in the cities themselves), the purchase of souvenirs and other standard expenses on vacation, so if these expenses are added to the cost of the tour (to see the real required budget), then offers from tour operators are often not profitable.

The main reason why I don’t buy tours, but travel around Italy on my own is the constraint of choosing an interesting route, limiting myself to the rigid framework of specific arrival and departure dates (last minute tours with low prices are often not convenient for dates, departure can be “tomorrow” “or vice versa, after a few months (which is less common), you have to change your plans, adapt to the tour operator, and the majority are given vacation only with a few weeks’ advance notice, or in general, annual vacation is assigned only on specific dates determined by management, which creates difficulties for rest according to the tour), a small number of days for rest (in a few days you will not be able to fully get acquainted with different parts of Italy, you will have to limit yourself to one or two cities, which will not bring so many positive emotions in comparison with flexible independent travel), not very comfortable hotels (most often, cheap tours include accommodation in low-level hotels, with poor food or no food at all, in an area remote from the city center).

If you want to see several cities, visit the best beaches, see the real Italy (and not just the part that is overrun by tourists), enjoy your vacation at a pace that is convenient for you, experience as many positive emotions as possible and get a lot of pleasant impressions (much more than a standard tour vacation provides), then choose an independent trip to Italy.

How to save money

Cost of a trip to Italy – prices and budget

How much it will cost to fly to Italy on your own is up to you to decide; this is a huge advantage of independent travel. Different travelers have different travel styles. Some people like to spend money left and right, live in 5-star hotels and rent a Cadillac to get around the city. The price of such a holiday will be several tens of thousands of euros. And someone uses advice, and. Such a trip can cost about 30,000 rubles per month of vacation. My independent trip to Italy, which lasted 24 days and included many cities in different parts of the country, cost 125,000 rubles (if I lived in the European part of the Russian Federation, this figure would decrease by 10,000), I’ll say right away that it was not super economical travel, I just sometimes bought what I wanted, I used to travel around Europe for 25,000 rubles a month (it was an interesting adventure :)). First you need to decide how you want to travel and only then calculate your approximate budget. An independent trip to Italy for 10 days for two requires an average of 95,000-125,000 rubles, but take into account the information provided in this section.

Expenditure

To create your own travel budget, you will need this table with approximate expenses:

The budget for your trip is greatly influenced by the number of cities you want to see, how many attractions you consider a must-see, how important shopping is for you, where you will eat (cafes, restaurants, or just buy food in supermarkets). If you have already traveled to any countries, then be guided by your previous experience with an eye to the prices in Italy, which are given in this article.

Prices in Italy

Housing prices

Prices are given for the cheapest options, which cannot boast of super service, fine cuisine, and, often, a convenient location. It is better to book accommodation slightly higher than the minimum price, based on the hotel rating, customer reviews, and location amenities. Hotels with the best price/quality ratio are indicated.

Food prices in supermarkets

Product	Price (Euro)	Price (rubles)
Milk	1	76.6
Eggs (12 pcs)	2.6	191.5
Pasta	2.1	153.2
Juice	1.6	114.9
Hard cheese	12.4	919.1
Ham	13.5	995.7
Sushi set (300 gr)	10.4	765.9
Apples	1.6	114.9
Potato	1.6	114.9
Tomatoes	1.8	130.2
Chicken breasts	7.2	536.1
Beef	14.5	1072.3
Shrimps	12.4	919.1
Wine	5.2	383
Vodka	8.3	612.7
Beer (0.33 l)	1	76.6
Water	0.7	53.6
A pack of cigarettes	6.2	459.5

Prices in cafes/inexpensive restaurants

Transport prices

Solo travel to Italy - an 18-step plan

1. Decide on travel dates and number of days to rest
2. Think over the route and decide on places (cities) for vacation
3. Buy air tickets to Italy and back
4. Book your accommodation
5. Buy insurance
6. Get your visa
7. Decide what type of transport you will use when traveling between Italian cities
8. Buy tickets for intercity transport in Italy (early purchase/booking of tickets for trains, buses, planes, car rentals can significantly reduce your expenses)
9. Select and pay for excursions in advance if you need them (early booking is cheaper and guarantees that there will be free places in the group with the guide; for individual excursions this is especially important, because popular guides have all excursions planned for several in the high season weeks in advance)
10. You can make a rough list of attractions that you want to visit (optional, but it saves time “on the spot”)
11. Download maps to your smartphone so as not to get lost and to navigate well in unfamiliar cities (it is advisable to download applications with maps that work without the Internet, for example, Maps.me)
12. Write down (or remember, if you have a good memory, but it’s better to write down) important information about each city from the route (how to get from the airport, which metro or other public transport station is near your hotel, the very name and address of your hotel)
13. Exchange some of the money for euros, take the necessary bank cards (and a credit card if you rent a car)
14. Pack your suitcases/backpacks (documents, first aid kit, equipment, clothes, Power Bank (external battery, needed to recharge your electronic devices, often required when traveling), etc.)
15. Set an alarm in advance that will remind you at the right time that it is time to go to the airport
16. Check in for your flight in advance (online check-in usually opens 24 hours before departure (sometimes earlier, check on the airline’s website)) to get the most comfortable seats with a good view, and also to avoid the hassle of possible overbooking (when the airline sells more tickets for a flight than there are seats on the plane)
17. A little time has passed since you packed your suitcases, and you remembered what you forgot to put in - take the missing things with you (just don’t take everything in a row, there’s no need for extra cargo)
18. The alarm clock rang. Go to the airport. Have a great trip!

Now you can go on your independent trip to Italy cheaply and comfortably. Italy will give you a lot of positive emotions. After my trip to this country, I was very happy, and I wish the same for you. Visit SpiritRelax often and relax anywhere in the world. All the best!

Flights with numerous transfers, hitchhiking, couchsurfing, house sitting and eating from supermarkets are all cheap, but damn tiring. Most people just want to take a break from everyday affairs, and not struggle for every penny. These tips will help you save on travel, but at the same time have a great rest and get a lot of new experiences.

Transport

Railway

This is the most convenient, safe and economical way to travel around the country. Italy does not have a monopoly on passenger rail services, so you can compare prices and conditions between different providers, for example on the websites of Trenitalia and Italo.

On the Trenitalia website you can find discounts on hotels and attractions, special offers for families with children and couples. Both companies have sales and offer discounts on tickets. From Italo you can buy a train ticket from Rome to Venice or Venice to Milan for just 9.90 euros. There is no catch: these trains run on time the same as regular ones. You just have to adapt to the schedule - trains depart on certain days and times.

The price of a ticket for the same route may differ by 2–3 times. It depends primarily on the class of the train. Passenger (Regionale), fast passenger (Regionale veloce) and intercity (Intercity) trains are usually cheaper than branded high-speed trains (Frecciarossa, Frecciabianca, Frecciaargento), but they are also slower. If an extra hour on the road is not significant for you, but saving 15–20 euros - yes, feel free to choose a more attractively priced option.

The date of purchase also affects the cost of the ticket. The sooner you purchase it, the cheaper it will be.

If you bought a ticket at the station at a self-service terminal or at the ticket office, do not forget to validate it in special green machines located at the station or in the transition to the platforms. Remember that traveling with a non-validated ticket may result in a fine.

By buying a ticket online, you save time and money, since you have the opportunity to choose the cheapest fare in advance. In addition, such a ticket does not need to be validated.

Taxis and scooters

Don't try to hail a taxi in Italy by waving or giving a thumbs up. The maximum that awaits you is an ironic smile. You can take taxis (which, by the way, are white) at specially designated parking lots in squares, near popular attractions and shopping centers.

Thanks to the powerful union of taxi drivers, the cost of a trip via Uber will be much more expensive than using an official taxi. However, in Italy there is the MyTaxi application, through which you can call a car at regular prices.

There is also Scooterino, an Italian startup created by a 24-year-old native of Rome. The application, which works in Rome, Milan, Genoa and Florence, will help you get from point A to point B on a scooter. Scooterino functions similarly to BlaBlaCar, meaning it's more of a way to split the cost of a trip between driver and passenger, so the price will pleasantly surprise you. Weaving through traffic jams on a cute scooter, you will certainly feel like a hero from the movie “Roman Holiday”.

Bus, metro, tram

The cost of a standard ticket in Italy for one trip (Biglietto semplice) ranges from 1.2 to 2 euros. And it doesn’t matter whether you are going to drive one stop or are going to the other end of the city. Within 90–100 minutes you can transfer from bus to tram or metro using the same ticket. This is why composting is mandatory.

There are also 24-, 48- and 72-hour tickets and a weekly pass. If you plan to travel a lot by bus, metro or tram, it will be more profitable to purchase a pass. And thanks to the Moovit program, you can build travel routes taking into account public transport schedules. The application works in Milan, Rome and Naples.

You shouldn't ride like a hare. Conductors, of course, are not found on every route, but if it turns out that you are traveling without a ticket, you will have to pay a fine of 50 euros or more. If all ticket composting machines suddenly turn out to be inoperative, you must write the date and time on the ticket with a pen.

Automobile

Compare prices on different car rental aggregators, such as Auto Europe, Economy Car Rentals, Rentalcars. It often happens that it is cheaper to rent the same car from local Italian companies (Sicily by Car, Maggiore, Noleggiare) than from international ones (Hertz, Avis, Budget, National, Dollar, Europcar). However, you need to carefully read the rental conditions and reviews.

Hotels

Large chain hotels are quite expensive. A significant part of the price is the overpayment for the brand. Luckily, Italy has a large selection of family-run guesthouses, boutique hotels, B&Bs and apartment hotels with relatively affordable prices and friendly hosts.

A little tip: first look at the hotel price on Booking or another popular booking site, and then try to find the hotel's official website and compare prices. It often happens that on the hotel website they are lower. If you write to the hotel representatives directly by email and ask for a discount, then there is a high chance of getting it.

Many people recommend booking apartments and apartments, but this option has disadvantages, so you need to weigh the pros and cons. Please note that there are no additional room cleaning fees or property deposits (this amount may be placed on your credit card).

But for a long term (from four days), an apartment with a kitchen and washing machine is the best option. Italians themselves book apartments and apartments through. For longer rental periods (from 1 month) there are local Italian sites.

Excursions

Those who recommend saving on excursions and exploring everything on their own do not value their own time. Yes, you can and should take a walk, explore different historical areas, read guidebooks and articles to broaden your horizons. But even if you read dozens of articles before your trip, without the help of those who live in Italy, you will not be able to 100% get to know and experience the country.

Modern excursions have moved far from the standards of the last century, when guides loaded tourists with memorized history, a bunch of dates and meaningless names. Generations Y and Z need a completely different approach - live communication, emotions, an element of interactivity and games. It is important for them to receive impressions, not just information.

It’s more interesting to communicate with a guide as a friend who will share life hacks, show you secret attractions and romantic spots for selfie-kissing, and tell you where the pizza is tastier and the shopping is better. As a result, by going on at least one excursion in a modern format, you will save time and see much more than if you walked on your own.

Friends, hello everyone!

Italy has been attracting me for a long time and persistently. Eat juicy slices of pizza overlooking the mountain vineyards. Listen to the melodious pronunciation of the tanned inhabitants of the Adriatic. I think everyone dreams of admiring the monumental heritage of the Middle Ages.

Where else in the world can you experience such sensual pleasures on vacation?

Helped bring the dream closer to reality Ernest airline , which gave away tickets from Kyiv to Milan for practically nothing. Only fate and natural disasters could disrupt the approaching dolce vita. But this did not happen.

The trip to Italy was independently planned, executed and documented. Unfortunately, not everything went as we imagined.

I suggest you trace our route, everyday difficulties and expenses. I am sure that this will help you insure yourself against our mistakes and not be as careless as we are in the future.

We're flying to Italy!

Initially, I planned to take the route that Alexander Filev talks about in this video. Here, as you can see, the following are taken into account:

• children's interests - swimming pools and German Disneyland ,
• interests of the wife, who adores the Alps and everything connected with Switzerland
• and my interests, which always rest on the formula: the more varied, the merrier

If you don’t have spare time, you’ll have to take it as is. But if the situation endures, then subscribe to this free newsletter from top3travel.

They often have sales and you can buy the material you need at a good discount.

Personally, I did just that a year ago and now I have all these routes . But this time I was able to use it only partially.

Why is that?

Yes, because the only budget flights to Mammingen are Victory from Moscow, but Wizz Air from Kyiv asked for almost $100 for a one-way ticket per person. And where are the savings?

Besides, we still had a visit to our parents, so we had to cut the time spent behind the hill .

Idea of ​​an independent route in Italy number 2

I consider simplicity, clarity, richness and comfort to be my principles for organizing independent trips around Crimea and Turkey. I was always sure that I was not alone in my desire and began to look for help on the Internet. And I found her!

Upon request, a block of one enterprising entrepreneur often popped up for me, who seemed to know everything and anything about Greece and Italy. We'll leave Greece alone, but I'm interested in Italy.

In general, out of curiosity and respect, I purchased the package video guides around Italy. Milan, Bologna and Florence were shining right now. And we were going to Rome and Venice next year.

I have always believed that everyone should do their own thing and therefore I always support people who know and do their job professionally. In general, after figuring out what was what and converting rubles into euros, I realized that for some 45 euros I can access all of Italy!

Now, perhaps, the phrase “some 45 euros” is funny to you, but after my article “” you will stop laughing.

Milan, Florence And Bologna The whole team is waiting for us!

Idea of ​​an independent route in Italy number 3

But even here a bummer awaited me. The key factor was buying air tickets and not renting a car.

You know, after we rented a car 4 times and 1 time, I thought that I had nothing to worry about. Besides, the rental price tag was ridiculous! Something like 10 euros per day from the company Goldencar .

But then I read about their extortions for everything possible, incredible insurance, deductibles and deposits . Having also estimated the cost of toll roads, parking and gasoline, I decided to travel by train.

On the one hand, this made all the fuss with the car easier, on the other hand, it limited my horizons. You won’t be able to see Milan, Florence and Bologna in one sitting.

Besides, on my own, I like to see cities in bulk. Other family members wanted bread and circuses, and not wander around the country with their tongues out.

But in a nutshell, most hotels charge extortionate amounts for extra beds for children, and most apartments include 30-40 euros for any rental period for cleaning your home .

Hence the conclusion that it was necessary to change residence as rarely as possible.

As a result, the choice of the optimal route for half a 5-day rest was made:

• 1 night in Brescia
• 3 nights in Milan
• 1 night in Bergamo

Neither more nor less, but very rich and exciting!

Priorities for the trip and what we accomplished in 4.5 days

If I couldn’t see all of Italy, then at least I planned to set the heat on its northern part. Let's take a look at where we have been and where we haven't been.

Gardaland - amusement park

So, first of all, we owed money to our daughter for her birthday and promised to take her to a cool amusement park. There is one in Italy and it is not far from Milan. Exactly between the cities of Brescia and Verona in a wonderful town on the lake - Pesquera del Garda.

The park is called Gardaland and is quite popular among European visitors.

We liked the park very much and reminded us of something Disneyland Paris . I will have about him .

La Scala Theater

This theater is a legend and I think there is no need to introduce it. This was already a so-called must-see for my wife and I.

We are ardent fans of the opera and ballet theater in Odessa, and then we heard rumors that the theater in Milan is cooler. We decided to check it out.

About prices for theater tickets, performances and how to get there I'll post separately .

Duomo Cathedral

Well, this was purely my idea, since I couldn’t miss a walk on the roof of one of the most grandiose cathedrals.

For me, there are 5 significant cathedrals in Europe:

1. Notre Dame de Paris in Paris
2. Sagrada Familia in Barcelona
3. Milan Cathedral
4. Cologne Cathedral
5. St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican

We have already climbed the first 2 cathedrals and it’s time to see the third, which is the largest cathedral in the world in terms of area! Moreover, this is the only Gothic cathedral made of marble))

About the cathedral is available and with prices will be

Old town of Bergamo

After seeing photos of this place on the Internet, I realized that Bergamo is not only a cheap and convenient airport, but also an awesome city!

Just look at the main square of the Old Town, 2 cable cars and stunning views of the Alps and the surrounding area.

All the salt of Bergamo will come out of my pen in 1 day

Shopping, pizza and architectural delights

Of course, everything that the fashion capital can become famous for did not go unnoticed by us. The pizza here, as it turns out, is mediocre, but everything else is up to par.

Cost of our trip to Italy

Well, this is the saddest part of the story for me. They buzzed everything that happened. No, don't think so! I am an economical traveler and don’t carry bundles of money across the border, but the costs amazed me.

In our previous trips to Europe, I always had my “golden caliber” - 100 euros per day. In Eastern European countries, this limit included housing, food, and entertainment. In central Europe they were already living without housing.

But Milan really knocked it out of the park. The euros just flew away with a whistle. 30 euros for entrance to the cathedral, 45 euros for lunch, 20 euros for a visit to the Carrefour store. And this is not the limit!

IN separate article I will have a thumbs up, but I can already say that Milan is not for you. Having relaxed in the Eastern countries, I urgently had to intensify control over expenses so that there was money left for the final taxi to the airport.

As a result, a trip to Italy for 5 half-days cost us at 1400 euros and this does not include shopping. As for me, it’s not too bad! Given the fact that the flights were only 240 euros and I know how to keep costs in check.

What you need to know before your trip

Here I will simply list the basic advice that I would have given to myself a week ago before the trip:

1. In Milan, be sure to take tickets for transport for 1 and 2 days. You never know what might happen to a particular vehicle or how often you will have to use public transport.
2. Don't count on punctuality of regional trains. 3 trains on our trip and all 3 were late by about an hour.
3. Like Our Father, don't forget validate tickets before boarding the train. Thank God we got away with it, but in the last one something irreparable could have happened, since we simply didn’t have the money to pay a fine!
4. In coffee shops, take Lungo coffee, and then just ask for aqua caldo. If you say the phrase cafe Americano, then I cannot vouch for the result, except that it will cost you 1.5-2 times more.
5. Not worth building illusions about local cuisine. Yes, we weren't in fancy restaurants, but... But I have absolutely nothing to remember. Italian cuisine in Crimea and Ukraine today is served no worse than Milanese delights.
6. Learn at least the basic set of a gentleman in Italian. Of course, you won’t be lost here with English, but you won’t be able to raise yourself in the eyes of the locals.
7. Be sure to find yourself on Milano Centrale even if there is no transport need. This is something comparable in sensations to the Egyptian pyramids.
8. If you, like me, like to wake up the roosters at dawn in the morning, then feel free to go to the local cafeterias. There already from 6 am pouring coffee concentrate left and right.

Oh, and be careful with Italian sockets. In our apartment there were two types. So if you take with you a hairdryer with a thick plug, you can’t do without an adapter!

How to organize a trip to Italy on your own. Tourist experience

Where to go on vacation? Agree, the question is not an easy one. There are a huge number of options, and each is interesting in some way and unique in some way. But every time you have to choose, sacrificing one for the sake of the other. And how you don’t want to make a mistake in your choice! However, when we were planning to go to Italy for the first time, there was no doubt at all. By that time, we had already visited various European countries several times, but each time Italy remained somewhere on the side of our routes. This unfortunate misunderstanding simply needed to be corrected! And we fixed it.

I won’t dwell on the topic of why Italy is interesting. This is the sea, and the mountains, and sunny beaches, and snowy slopes, and amazing nature, and rich culture, there is so much that there is no need to waste words. In the end, you can open any reference book or guidebook and read. Here we will focus on considering the issue how to travel to Italy on your own without resorting to the services of travel agencies. A reasonable question may arise - why without travel agencies? The answer is simple - we like it better this way. In general, in my opinion, the discussion about what is better, independent tourism or vacations organized by travel companies, is meaningless. It's worth trying both to see what you like best. However, let's return to Italy.

So, having decided to go to Italy, we started planning, budgeting, booking - in a word, organizational issues. First on the agenda was transport issue . Still, Italy is not close and, accordingly, the costs of getting there are quite high. However, having scoured ticket search engines, we very quickly realized that everything was not so scary. In the end, we generally managed to keep it to 180 euros per person (round trip). Again, we will not describe for a long time the intricacies of finding cheap air tickets - everything has already been written at the link above, as well as. The first step has been taken.

The next question we had to solve concerned hotel selection . We already had experience in independently booking hotels in Europe and therefore finding hotels in Italy presented absolutely no difficulties. On the contrary, for us it is always a very exciting process. The main thing, it seems to us, is to find a place that is comfortable both in terms of stay (cleanliness in the room, serviceability of all equipment, from shower to WiFi, quality of breakfast, etc.), and in terms of mastering the surrounding reality - it is important that it is convenient to get to the main attractions from the hotel. This task, of course, is not easy and its solution requires a certain investment of time, but it is interesting. In fact, we tried to summarize our experience of independently searching and booking hotels in the section "Hotels". It contains recommendations regarding the choice of hotels in various cities of Italy, outlined by the authors i- I talia.ru, and also implemented a search service that allows you to:

1. Search for hotels in almost any corner of Italy;
2. Compare hotel prices simultaneously across multiple booking sites;
3. Book hotels at the best prices.

Personally, by the way, I end up most often booking hotels on www.booking.com, but not always - recently I come across quite often on other sites (www.hotels.com, ostrovok.ru, etc.) much more interesting proposals. In general, you shouldn’t get hung up on any one booking site.

It always makes sense to choose places to stay during a trip in parallel with developing the travel route. To highlight this issue, we have created a section "Routes", which describes in more detail the possible options for moving around Italy in the context of questions about where to go, how best to get to this or that city, etc. and so on. And finally, to get a general idea of ​​the cities of Italy, you can look at the section "Cities ", where you can find answers to key questions that arise in the process of organizing independent trips to Italy and its regions.

The last question that needed to be resolved before going to Italy concerned obtaining visas (read more about Italian visas). Agree, it would be at least imprudent to go to Italy without a Schengen visa :) Here again, we note that we have previously received visas on our own to various European countries. Therefore, they understood perfectly well that there was nothing complicated about it. All documents were collected strictly according to the list posted on the website of the Italian visa center, and within a week our passports showed an Italian Schengen visa. The first visa was issued to us strictly according to the stated travel dates. The second visa to Italy was received for six months, which made us very happy. Well, the third one was received for a period of one year. Using this visa, we subsequently traveled around almost half of Europe. But that's a completely different story.

Tips and practical recommendations for tourists

Having decided to travel around Italy on your own, you, of course, get almost limitless scope for imagination and the opportunity to develop your own travel route. However, you need to understand that responsibility for all organizational issues falls entirely on your shoulders. However, if 10–15 years ago solving all these issues was a rather complex task, now everything is much simpler. The main desire. And don’t be afraid that you won’t succeed. We, the authors i- I talia.ru, and thousands of other tourists have wonderful independent travels around Italy :)

This article is based on our own experience. Below are our tips to help you plan and organize a trip to Italy on your own, no matter what interests you pursue, be it a beach holiday, a gastronomic tour, sightseeing or something else.

So, where to start planning an independent trip to Italy? There may be at least two options here. We will conditionally call the first “economic”, when the desire to save as much as possible comes to the fore. The second is conditionally “targeted”, when the purpose of the trip is of paramount importance (visiting the Uffizi Gallery, shopping in Milan, a beach holiday in Sicily, a trip to the Formula 1 Grand Prix, etc.). Next, we will consider the indicated approaches in more detail.

An “economic” approach to planning a trip to Italy

The starting point in this case will be to search for the best deals on the tourism market. We are, of course, not talking about tour operator vouchers, although this option is quite possible. To have a cheap vacation, you don’t have to go to Italy like a wild person. For example, for some dates it is possible to find a week-long tour to Rimini for 200–250 euros. If you wish, you can search for cheap tours and even buy them online (for example, on and other similar sites). For this money you will receive flights and hotel accommodation. At the same time, nothing prevents you, having arrived in Rimini, to continue traveling on your own, using this city as a base for trips to other cities in Italy (for a more detailed description of travel routes from Rimini, see). This option may be ideal for novice travelers to feel confident in their abilities and next time organize a trip to Italy on their own from the very beginning, especially since Rimini is far from the best Italian resort (read more about independent holidays on the beaches of Italy in this review).

So, when we talk about the “economic” approach to travel planning, we mean, first of all, searching for cheap air tickets. Indeed, it can be difficult to resist the temptation when tickets turn up, for example, to Rome or Milan for some 100–150 euros (and this is quite possible, yes, with all the fees, round trip, regular flight, not charter) . Most often, these will be either direct flights of low-cost airlines, or flights with a transfer somewhere in Germany, Austria, Latvia or another European country, but for the sake of saving, you can tolerate this inconvenience. Here, however, a logical question arises: where to find cheap air tickets? We answer. There are several good search services: www.aviasales.ru, www.momondo.ru, etc. A similar air ticket search service is also implemented in the section "Air tickets", where the corresponding search form is presented.

All these services search both on the websites of ticket agencies and on the websites of the airlines themselves. By specifying different search options (for example, Moscow–Milan, Moscow–Rome, Moscow–Venice, etc.), you can find the best deals. Much depends on the dates of the planned trip and other factors (for example, on weekends and on the eve of public holidays, tickets are usually more expensive than on other days), and therefore the search can often last for several hours, or even days. However, this is a very exciting process.

These services find almost all possible flight options. In general, on this topic (about air travel between Italy and Russia), you can additionally read the article “To Italy by plane”, which discusses in detail which airlines fly to which Italian cities from Russia. In addition, you can find detailed information on the best way to get to Italy, how to create a travel itinerary and how to get around within the country in the section "Routes".

Once you find suitable tickets, you can buy them without leaving your home. It's pretty simple. However, if you have never bought air tickets online before, we recommend that you read this material.

A “targeted” approach to planning a trip to Italy

If the key importance for you is not the desire to save money, but the desire to visit specific cities, attractions, shopping centers, events, etc., then when planning a trip to Italy, you can again start by looking for air tickets, but pay more attention not on their cost, but on factors such as the proximity of the airport through which you plan to fly from your main destination, dates and times of departures (large companies operate several flights daily, with flights in the early morning and late evening, as a rule, cheaper), etc. For example, if you are interested in a three-to-five-day raid on Milanese shops, then there is no point in flying to Rome, even if you have found cheaper air tickets to this city. Or if you need to be in Bologna on specific dates for an exhibition, then it makes no sense to buy tickets for other dates, even if they are half the price.

In short, with a “targeted” approach to organizing a trip, the main thing is the goal. In this case, almost everything depends on your interests and preferences. However, we recommend that you pay attention to the section "Cities ", where you can get some travel ideas.

Having decided on your travel goals, you can move on to choosing a place (or places) to stay during your Italian tour.

Search and book hotels in Italy

You can book a hotel room, apartment (apartment), a place in a hostel, etc. Moreover, booking accommodation, as well as purchasing air tickets, can be easily done via the Internet, fortunately there are a huge number of hotel booking systems: www.booking.com, www.hotels.com, etc. Alternatively, you can use the hotel search service (including not only hotels, but also apartments, apart-hotels, guest houses, hostels and other accommodation facilities) in the section "Hotels". This service allows you to compare offers from the world's largest online hotel booking systems and choose the option that suits you best at the best price. If this is your first time encountering the task of booking hotels via the Internet, you can get more detailed information. Finally, do not forget about sites such as www.interhome.ru, with the help of which you can find houses and apartments for rent in various parts of Italy. Read more about online booking of apartments.

Regarding the criteria for choosing a place of residence, we will consider several nuances.

Firstly, when choosing a hotel, you should pay attention not only to the cost of living, but also to the convenience of the location in relation to attractions or transport hubs. Many independent travelers prefer to book hotels directly in historical city centers and, at the same time, close to public transport stops, from which it is convenient to get to the airport or other cities along the travel route. This allows you to significantly save not only time, but also energy, allowing in many cases not to use public transport at all (with the exception of transfers from the airport and back) and thus eliminating the need to make daily trips. Our recommendations for accommodation in various cities of Italy are presented in more detail in the subsection “Tips for choosing hotels”.

Secondly, you need to take into account that hotel reservation confirmation is included in the list of required documents submitted along with the application for a Schengen visa. The Italian consulate is very loyal to this issue. Therefore, a reservation printed from a hotel booking site will be quite sufficient. However, there may be changes in this regard, so it is better to clarify this issue at the Italian visa center or directly at the Italian embassy/consulate.

Thirdly, you should definitely read the booking conditions. In many cases, after you have booked a hotel room or, say, an apartment in an apart-hotel, not a penny will be debited from your bank card, but, nevertheless, the hotel has the right to block an amount equivalent to the cost of the first night of stay (or more). This is fine. After some time, the blocked amount will be “unfrozen” (however, this often does not happen immediately, but approximately within 10–20 days). However, hotels often offer prepaid reservations. As a rule, these are the best deals, but by making a non-refundable reservation, you risk losing money if you decide to cancel the trip, even due to circumstances beyond your control. In general, you should not ignore the description of the conditions for making a reservation, especially since these conditions are spelled out in detail on all popular booking sites. Read more on this topic.

Obtaining a visa to Italy + insurance

Getting an Italian Schengen visa is quite simple. To do this, it is most convenient to contact one of the offices of the Italian visa center, of which there are plenty in Russia.

On the visa center website you will find all the necessary information about the requirements for documents submitted for a visa. As practice shows, the main thing is to strictly follow all the requirements and you will not have any problems with obtaining a visa (even if you are a twenty-year-old unmarried blonde with a pristine foreign passport, yes, yes, yes). Read more about the process of obtaining a visa to Italy on your own.

Please also remember that you will need medical insurance – both for your visa to Italy and for your own peace of mind. Details in this article.

That's all, actually. Having tickets, hotel reservations, insurance and a visa in hand, you can go on a trip. Hooray!