How to find cheap accommodation in Italy

It is natural that tourists are eager to find cheaper accommodation while traveling through Italy, that’s why finding an affordable lodging becomes their paramount goal. Rome, Venice and Florence are extremely expensive cities and tourist sites and sometimes it costs up to 150 euro to stay at night at a hotel. It’s hard to save much money in such conditions, right? However, there are certain ways to save your precious money without sacrificing the quality of your vacation. Let’s see what they are!

The first piece of advice is: Keep an eye on the various offers on the sites but always call directly to the hotels!

One of the best ways to choose the most suitable option is to make a little research. All you need is to compare different sites with reviews without focusing on only one of them. Most of the sites have the accommodation cost indicated, however, you shouldn’t book a suite immediately. It is advisable to write or call the chosen hotel in order to find out if there is a cheaper option.

Avoid big cities!

It’s better to choose a small town or countryside over big cities if you are willing to save your money and if your hotel is not far from the city. You’d better enjoy a 20 minutes ride over picturesque Italian countryside than spend considerable amounts of money living in the center of Venice. This way you’ll be able to save much money and pay approximately 35 euro per night. Besides that you will spend your nights away from the big city fuss and noise. The main reason why tourists overpay tour operators and hotels is because they don’t want to think out of the box and take a firm hold of the situation.

Don’t stay at hotels!

Probably the easiest way to save your money is to avoid staying at hotels. There are certain options that might be more attractive even than the cheapest hotel. Rural tourism is extremely popular in Italy. Thus, living on a farm can help you save the money you would otherwise spend on food and accommodation. Hospitable families offer the food they produce right on the farm, and you know how qualitative these products are! Depending on the region and season a night on a farm would cost you approximately 30-50 euro (including breakfast and dinner). Rural tourism is especially attractive for families with kids, seeing as rural households have all the necessary things for keeping animals and more space in general.

You can also spend a night at a monastery.

Usually you can find monasteries in antique buildings in the historical center of the city. Taking into consideration that fact 60-100 Euro for two people per night doesn’t seem to be much money. Of course monasteries aren’t the best option for those who enjoy throwing parties and troubling their neighbours. You shouldn’t expect to find there any sign of luxury, but you will definitely find a clean room and hospitality.

The best option for families and big companies is to rent an apartment or a house. This way you’ll be able to save money on hotel food - you will have an opportunity to cook yourself (which is the cheapest option) or order anything you like at local restaurants. It is even more advantageous to rent an apartment in a small picturesque town, if only it is not included to the list of popular tourist destinations. Thus you’ll be able to save much money!

Camping is extremely popular among Europeans!

Here you can spend a night or two in a wagon equipped with kitchen and dormitory. It’s not very luxurious there, but still good enough for travelers who enjoy spending time outdoors. However, there’s one disadvantage: this option is available only during summertime.

Hostel is the cheapest lodging for travelers.

It is worth noting that not everybody would find it possible to stay at a hostel. This option is the best for those who are truly eager to save some money and find new friends at the same time. Staying at hostels is popular among young tourists, because it’s only 20-40 Euro per night even in center of the city.

Article author: Fiona Hostings