Where to go from Italy to Europe. Independent travel through Italy. Booking accommodation along the route
Traveling around Italy, where it all began: U It was my dream to celebrate my birthday in the eternal city! Which one? Of course, in Rome! Italy has long excited my imagination. I even taught myself this passionate language from phrase books, snatching Italians from the crowd on Red Square to have a little conversation. “Bongiorno, mi kyamo Svetlana. Sonna Russa, Sonna Student..."
, Italy!
Dreams tend to come true! And I celebrated one of my anniversaries in Rome. Italy captivated me: this country is simply a work of art - a lifetime is not enough to see all its charms. Therefore, I did not waste my whole life and limited myself to an almost month-long trip. 
Our route was not a typical tourist route: starting from the capital - Rome, we traveled around the entire sole of the boot and the eastern coast of Sicily, including Asisi, Naples, Pompeii, Messina, Taormina, Syracuse, Avola, Cosenza, Bari.
Each city was different from the previous one: in pompous Rome there was no place for an apple to fall from tourists. In Asisi, silent haystacks stand among the fields in the rays of the setting sun; in Naples, homeless people light bonfires near blackened Gothic churches. In Avola, there are endless sea and mountains. Assembling a mosaic from fragmented cities, you understand all the greatness
and the beauty of Italy.
Hungry Rome
What Italians need to gain is the ability to enjoy life - to live deliciously in all its manifestations. They always have time for a cup of coffee and a leisurely conversation in the shade from the scorching sun. Italians speak quickly, gesture brightly, sing passionately and walk leisurely.
Osteria restaurant menu
They know a lot about delicious and gourmet food. But in cafes and restaurants (as well as in rosticeria, trattoria, osteria, enoteca) prices are high. We had lunch in an ordinary osteria in Rome in one of the crooked alleys, where they don’t understand a word of English, for almost 50 euros - despite the fact that we both left hungry.
But in markets (“supermercato”) you can buy the freshest cheese (and there are about 100 types of it) and ham (“prosciutto”). If you add fresh pastries, cherry tomatoes, olives and a bottle of wine, you have a great Italian dinner ready.
Among my favorite delicacies, I would highlight ricotta (a traditional dairy product from the southern regions of Italy) and mascarone (cream cheese). But the Italians themselves eat somewhat differently: in Sicily, the locals treated us to lunch consisting of boiled green beans and chickpeas (chickpeas). Modest, nutritious and tasty.
Also, I will never forget one dinner: we traveled for a long time from the mainland to Sicily by public transport, somewhere on trains, somewhere on trains and buses. In bustling tourist Taormina it was too expensive to stay even for one night. The owners of hotels and apartments spoke rudely. Having left one such senor, we went into the hostel to take advantage Wi-fi. Nice girl, she allowed us to sit in the reception area.
We finally wanted to book a place to stay for the night. But then the same owner burst in and kicked us out. It’s still a mystery how he found us a few kilometers away...
We managed to book our cozy house only in a cafe with Russian waiters. Returning to the most delicious dinner in Italy: when we arrived at our Sicilian house at one o'clock in the morning, the hostess left a treat for us - toast and jam. I have never eaten anything tastier! And for dessert - a hot shower and fresh linen on the bed - I was at the height of bliss! At night my legs were so cramped that I even woke up - I had to go through so much on the way to this cozy house. 
Mysterious Italian soul
Italy is an amazingly delicious country. Culture, cuisine, customs, people - everything is delightful. I want to write separately about the people of Italy. I have never encountered such cordiality, hospitality and participation in any other country. Every passerby will stop and show the way, if he is not in a hurry, he will even lead you away. And if he doesn't know, he will stop a walking Italian and ask about the right address. Along the way he will talk about himself, his family and ask you questions.
When we got lost in Sicily and almost ended up on the street at night, local residents actively took part in our fate and took us to the right address, despite the fact that there were more people than seats in the car. At the same time, they sang songs and joked all the way. For them, Russia is “Gorbachev”, “Putin”, “good”, and they also sang the anthem of the Soviet Union. In general, Italians have a positive attitude towards Russians. Amazingly hospitable people.
Home of Cosa Nostra
I have already told you a little about our first misadventures in Sicily. After the night train (on which we didn’t even notice that we were taking a ferry to the island), we spent the whole day looking for shelter under the hot Italian sun. The main mistake was to go to the most tourist place in Sicily - Taormina.
The city was simply teeming with leisurely, well-fed Russian tourists. To get to the sea, you need to go down by cable car - and this happens every day. There was no sign of active recreation here. We happily jumped on the bus and went to a place with the romantic name Avola - the city of wine. But in Syracuse (the birthplace of Archimedes) we were informed that the trains were no longer running, as were the buses. 
It was getting dark. I had to take advantage services of a local taxi driver, no less than 40 euros per trip. Italians speak English only in large cities; in the rest, they simply do not want to speak another language other than their native one. Having agreed with the taxi driver that he would take us straight to the guesthouse, I calmed down and looked at the night landscapes of the island.
The taxi driver dropped us off in an empty square and waved his hand towards the closed children's theater. Panic began to fall on me. Midnight, tiredness and we are on the mafia island. Fortunately for us, when I turned to passers-by, they responded with all their hearts. They probably saw my huge, frightened eyes. Cheerful locals explained that we were completely in the wrong place, and now they would take us.
Having filled the small car to capacity, so that I had to drive on my knees, we drove through the streets of Sicily, singing and laughing. Even now, remembering this moment, I smile. 
Already late at night we arrived at the right address. There was a huge lock and a note hanging on the door of our house. from Donna Donatella, that was the name of the hostess, where she explained that she had been waiting for a long time, but left. There was also a phone number.
Our new Italian friends took it upon themselves to wake up the venerable Donna (and she turned out to be a reputable doctor in Avola). Therefore, ten minutes later we were already enjoying hot coffee. And the coffee in Italy is always excellent; for 1 euro I enjoyed a hot cappuccino every day. Having thanked our saviors, we hugged and said goodbye, and they just as happily moved on. A We went meet yours first morning on Sicily.
Little ones, But beautiful cities in Italy
Want tell O two beautiful little ones cities, hidden from basic masses tourists.
Asisi
This place (near from Rome) us advised visit American journalist, With which got to talking V airport. Characterizing attractions, He All time repeated word « relax». 
Asisi – small town on top rocky hill. Having overcome three-kilometer the road, paved registered bricks, you get there V medieval city With locks And towers. On bricks engraved names of people, who gave money on charity.
Exactly Here was born Saint Francis Assisi V 1182 year. How claim historians, Assisi Today preserved practically V volume or condition, what He was at life holy. Powerful serfs walls, fundamental lock Rocca Maggiore, spicy peaks basil – How on car time send in time late Middle Ages, filled knight, princesses And dragons. Before these since then By streets walking around monks V baggy attire, belted under tummy rope.
Relax – This exactly That word, which I want to characterize city. He so clean And provincial, Just rest For souls after noisy Italian capital Cities. IN meadows grazing sheep, And, passing by the honorable senora–farmer, Necessarily you're filming hat, to say hello.
Avola
Beautiful quiet Sicilian city, V which We Not met neither one Russian speaking tourist. He famous wine Nero d’Avola (Nero d’Avola), which It has deep black–burgundy color.
Near from Awoly located Big canyon Cassibile (Kava Grandet–del–Cassibile) – reserve between gorges, made rivers V pliable limestone plateau, With small bottomless lakes, With purest water. Descending To bottom parts canyon, you get there V wild terrain from streams, sheer rocks, birds And thick vegetation.
By road up, A We decided go exactly on foot. INmeet ancient necropolises V rocks, dateable 10 –11 over the centuries. Avola Antica – huge natural cave with steps, stairs rooms, which carved from stone. Having walked appetite V reserve, costs visit fish restaurant (cave). There or are fish the shops. G de fish And seafood Not Just fresh, A only What posted on counter with ice from boats fisherman.
A We had lunch high V mountains on ways To Kava Grandet. Small cosy restaurant, V which, besides us was resting American family pair pensioners. On huge cactus was charging tablet.
How explained waiter, This the only thing place, Where catches Wi–Fi.There, on height, every a sip drink It has mine unique taste. This difficult explain, This need to been through.
By Italy on foot
Can say, What All journey We practically passed on feet, Not counting public transport. Be That comfortable train, passing inside rocks, or noisy Italian bus. IN breaks between flights We Always found time have a snack Italian gelato – ice cream. It there Just extraordinary!
I want to
In this article I will not just talk about best routes traveling around Italy by car, but I will also teach you how to create high-quality routes on your own. I'll tell you how to plan and prepare for a trip. You will also learn where to look for information about attractions and which maps are best to use. As for car rental in Italy, about toll roads, gasoline prices and other nuances, I have a separate one about this, I advise you to read it too.
The most important stage of any solo trip is preparation. If you prepare carefully and competently, you can organize a trip that will be remembered for many years.
Stages of preparation for travel:
- Choosing a travel destination, purchasing air tickets, and if a visa is required
- Elaboration general route around the country
- Rent a Car
- Mapping attractions in those cities where you plan to spend the night
- Accommodation reservation
- Preparation of all documents, travel insurance
- Detailed study of attractions along the route, studying information about the country
Flights
A journey always begins with the purchase of air tickets. We flew from Kyiv to Rome by airline. Arrival in Italy and departure from the main airport of Rome - Fiumicino (FCO).
It is best to search for air tickets to Italy on one of the air ticket search engines - Aviasales, Skyscanner, Momondo, and you can buy directly on airline websites.
There are a lot of different flight options to Italy, great amount airlines fly to the capital of Italy, including low-cost airlines, for which there is a service in Rome separate airport— Ciampino (CIA).
Basic international airports on mainland Italy: Rome, Milan, Venice, Bologna, Rimini, Naples, Palermo, Pisa, Genoa, Bari, Verona. You can start your road trip from any city. So look for the cheapest flights to Italy, no matter which airport. All airports have car rental offices. But the largest selection of cars is at the airports: Fiumicino (Rome) and Malpensa (Milan).
It is better to buy air tickets in advance, at least 5-7 weeks before departure. But it’s best to start searching for air tickets at least 2-3 months before the start of your trip
The cheapest air tickets can be bought for March or October with departure on Monday/Tuesday
Often good propositions There are also flights to Bologna and Pisa.
In order not to search for air tickets to all cities one by one, in the Skyscanner search line you can specify not a specific city, but the entire country at once - Italy. It’s the same with dates - you can choose not a specific date to search, but a whole month, or even "Cheapest month":
The most convenient way is to fly in and out from the same city. But sometimes you can create a route in such a way that you fly into one city and fly back from another. For example, you flew to the north of Italy in Milan, but you are flying away from Rome, Naples, or even from Sicily. But keep in mind that you will have to pay extra to drop off the rented car elsewhere. The cost may vary depending on the rental company, but most often, the farther the car pick-up and drop-off points are from each other, the more expensive this service is.
Try to avoid visiting Italy in August. This month is the heaviest influx of tourists and it is very hot. In addition, the holiday season begins for the Italians themselves, and they begin to move around the country en masse. In August, the largest concentration of tourists at all attractions, frequent traffic jams on highways between cities.
Signs on the highway to Rome's Ciampino and Fiumicino airports. And if you go right, you will end up in Naples Routes in Italy
How to create a quality route yourself
When the air tickets have been purchased, it’s time to start exploring the country, and drawing up a general travel itinerary.
To do this you need:
- study information about the country in Wikipedia ,
- see what they have UNESCO World Heritage Sites(Italy has more of them than any other country in the world),
- study rating of Italian attractions and reviews about them on TripAdvisor.
I immediately mark all the places that are interesting to me on Google maps, where you can also get directions and find out the distances between cities, the approximate time it takes to get from one city to another:
Google Maps shows the travel time already taking into account traffic congestion. Moreover, you can even predict the approximate time it will take to move from point A to point B, taking into account traffic jams at a specific date and time:
Having the cities that I want to visit marked on the map, and knowing the distance between them, I draw up a rough travel plan in an Excel table, which shows what day and where we are going:
I pay special attention to the dates of arrival and departure. On these dates you cannot make long journeys; it is better to spend the night near the airport.
So, the general plan and travel route are ready. Later it will be possible to finalize this table, make it more detailed, and add all the sights there.
You can create a huge variety of routes around Italy. There are plenty of attractions here! It all depends on your imagination, preferences and the time you have at your disposal. In my opinion, the optimal time for traveling around Italy is two weeks. Moreover, these two weeks can be spent only on the northern part, or only on the southern, or on the center.
Our route for 10 days (+ evening of arrival and day of departure) from Rome to Italy:
(Click “More” in the upper left corner of the map and the entire route will open in a separate tab)
You can also create your own own route. You just need to mark the desired cities on the map and connect them using the route building function on Google maps.
We had previously been to Italy, traveled through the northern part: Venice, Verona, the Lake Garda region, Milan, Pisa, Turin, and were passing through Trieste. Therefore, when planning a new route, I decided to concentrate on those cities that we had not yet been to: Naples, Florence, Rome. I also wanted to add to my collection of visited countries plus one more country during my trip, and this country became San Marino, which is located in the mountains, near Rimini.
If you have more time, you can include in your route Venice, Verona, Lake Garda, Lake Como, Milan, Pisa, the Ligurian coast (Genoa, Portofino, etc.), in the Naples area the Amalfi coast (Positano, etc. .) But for such an extensive trip it is advisable to have 3-4 weeks of time. And also better visit Divide these places into 2 trips of 10-14 days.
The most complete itinerary for mainland Italy for 2-4 weeks looks something like this
It should be added that very close to Genoa (only two to three hours away by car) is located Cote d'Azur France: Nice, Cannes, Saint-Tropez and Monaco. And three hours drive from Venice - Croatia. And from Milan to Switzerland Lugano only 1.5 hours drive to Liechtenstein— 3.5 hours along beautiful picturesque mountain roads! Also of interest are Italian islands Sardinia and Sicily, and french island Corsica, accessible by ferry. So you can travel around Italy and the surrounding area for months. Of course, if you have the time and financial resources
Cities and attractions in Italy that are worth including on your itinerary
Based on the fact that Italy has a huge number of attractions, and it is very difficult to visit them all in one trip, it would be logical to build a route separately in the north of Italy, separately in the central part, and separately in the southern part. You can combine the north with the central part and the south with the central part of Italy.
Northern Italy:
- Milan(minimum 1 full day)
- Venice(minimum 1 full day)
- Verona(minimum 1 full day)
- Padua with one of the most large areas Europe Prato della Valle
- Treviso(walled city, birthplace of the dessert Tiramisu)
- Vicenza(city center included in the list world heritage UNESCO)
- Surroundings of Lake Garda(you can safely go here for a few days or even a week)
- Safari Park Parco Natura Viva(car ride through the park with animals, both children and adults in absolutely delighted, coordinates: 45.478543, 10.793753) Our video from the park, 2013
- Amusement park for children GardaLand(Italian Disneyland, coordinates: 45.455059, 10.713742)
- Dolomites(Renon earth pillars: 46.548577, 11.469944)
- Genoa and the Liguria region(Portofino, Riomaggiore)
- Turin- the fourth most populous country in Italy, known for its fine cuisine and rich architecture
- Lake Como area
- City of Aosta (small town in the Alps, where some buildings from the time of Roman rule have been preserved: triumphal forts, city walls and towers. Coordinates: 45.735218, 7.313186)
Milan Central part of Italy:
South of Italy
- Naples(minimum 1 full day)
- Pompeii and current volcano Vesuvius(1 full day)
- Amalfi Coast(Positano)
- Region of Lecce and Bari, rock town Matera)
Islands of Sicily and Sardinia I think it’s worthy of a separate trip
- To explore and get to know the major cities of Italy, 1-2 days are enough; for Rome and the Vatican it is better to allocate at least 3 days.
- Don’t rush to see all of Italy in one trip - it won’t work. Choose the main thing that interests you most this moment. You will have to choose and give up something. Otherwise, it won’t be a vacation, but a “race through an obstacle course,” and you risk running out of steam and not enjoying the journey. Choose your main goal: 3-4 large cities, and then add attractions that are located along the way from one city to another. This way you will create your ideal travel route.
- Italy has good autobahns, and you can safely travel 300-600 km a day between cities. You can roughly calculate the travel time as follows: 100 km in 1 hour, moving 500 km will take approximately 5-6 hours.
- Do not plan large trips on the day of departure and arrival. It is better to plan an overnight stay somewhere near the airport.
- It is not necessary to plan to spend the night in a city that is located within 100 km from the place where you are staying. You can go, see and come back. For example, from Florence you can go to Pisa, from Naples to Pompeii and Vesuvius, from Rimini to San Marino. In northern Italy, you can choose one hotel for a week in the area of Lake Garda and Verona. And from there go in different directions
- Try to build your route in such a way that you leave the most interesting things for the end of the trip. If you start with the most interesting things, then in the end it may become boring and uninteresting. It is best for the grandeur of the attractions to increase progressively. For example, it is better to go to Naples first and then to Rome, and not vice versa.
- If you plan to travel between cities, find out what attractions are along the route. The easiest way to find attractions is to use the search on Google Maps (just select the desired area on the map and type the word “Attractions” in the search bar:
Route option by car (for 10-14 days) in northern and central Italy
Our route by car from Kyiv to Italy in 2013
The route is approximate, because Google maps only allows you to mark 10 points on the map; in fact, there were many more.
Rent a Car
Here are several sites where it is very convenient to search and book a car for traveling around Italy:
To make it easier to find offers for your dates, you can use this form, just indicate the place of receipt, dates, and click the FIND button:
If you plan big Adventure, rent a normal car, at least a middle class one, don’t rent a small car. Especially if you are planning a trip with four people and the trunk will be full of things. A car with a weak engine may simply not be able to handle it on mountain roads, and it will be difficult to accelerate on the highway.
It is better to book a car in advance, especially if you are going to Italy at the height of the season - in the summer. Rental offices are “not rubber”, and there are often not enough cars. Economy and middle class cars are dismantled first.
I talked in more detail about all the nuances of renting a car in Italy in the article:
Booking accommodation along the route
At this stage, we already have air tickets, booked a car, and have a general travel plan (we know in which cities we will spend the night).
Before you start looking for housing in your chosen city, mark on the map the attractions you want to see, find out if there are inexpensive parking in the city center, close to the attractions.
Depending on this, there are two strategies:
- look for accommodation in the city center, within walking distance of attractions
- save money, and find housing in the suburbs, and travel to the city center by car, or by public transport.
Please note that the historical centers of Italian cities often have restricted traffic zones ( Zona a traffico limitato (ZTL)). When entering such a zone, you risk receiving a considerable fine, about 80 euros for each fact of driving through a prohibitory sign:
The photo shows a traffic restriction sign in Rome and a video camera right behind it Therefore, you need to be very careful when booking accommodation in the center of Italian cities. If the hotel is located in a ZTL zone, this can be a real problem.
Although today there are a large number of different systems for searching and booking accommodation: Hotellook, and others, but I mainly use only two sites: Booking and AirBnB
Paragraph ENTIRE HOUSING it is very important that they are not placed in the same apartment with strangers
KITCHEN allows you not to depend on catering
FREE PARKING naturally important when traveling by car
SUPERHOST- these are proven, best owners, professionals in their field. If the apartment is rented out by a super host, then with almost 100% confidence everything will be fine, and we will be satisfied with the apartment.
Pros of AirBnB : convenient system search for apartments, among the filters there is an item “free parking”, there is an additional motivation - bonuses for attracting new users, a discount on the first booking of about 50 euros (the amount changes periodically) when registering at the link: https://www.airbnb.ru/c /4aa7a9)
Cons of AirBnB : you need to pay the entire amount of the cost of housing at once when booking; you cannot filter offers by rating and reviews
Booking.com - a world-famous booking system that needs no introduction. IN last years in the system, along with hotels, a large number of apartments appear. And the prices are often cheaper than on AirBnB
Pros of Booking : sometimes you can book accommodation and pay on the spot in cash, a convenient system for searching for accommodation, an excellent system of reviews and ratings, many filters, a huge selection of accommodation for every taste and budget, there is a reward system for regular users - awarding the title Genius (frequent traveler) ( sometimes gives a discount of about 10%, sometimes additional benefits, for example, only for Genius users some hotel can provide free breakfast
Cons of Booking : There is no item in the search filters « Free parking» (there is a point "Parking", which can be either paid or free, you need to specify in the description)
How to navigate in an unfamiliar city
When preparing for travel, noting on Google Maps attractions, you will already know what is where.
Tips and tricks for planning an independent trip to Italy, for both beginners and experienced travelers
When you start planning an independent trip to Italy, your eyes widen, even if you’ve been to Italy a hundred times. I would like to go to Milan, and to Florence, and, of course, to Venice; It would be great to go to the islands - Ischia, Sardinia, Sicily... And, of course, stop by Rome. Here you need to understand that to cover everything to the maximum and preferably in a short time (a week or two) is a utopia. Relax. Choose one or two regions and enjoy your next trip to Italy - after all, you will return more than once. This page contains an overview of the best materials on SmartTrip dedicated to Italy.
Advice: Check for last minute deals and deals to Italy at TOP TRAVEL AGENT there might be something suitable right now!
Flights to Italy
Rome
Rome is usually a starting point visiting Italy. Firstly, it’s simply convenient to fly to Rome. Many flights, both direct and with transfers, allow you to get to Rome almost any time and at a price that suits you (the cost of a ticket directly depends on how convenient it is). Then from Rome you can freely and inexpensively travel by train, travel by internal flights - or simply rent a car .
If you have never been to Rome, plan for at least 4 days, or the whole week. But what about the sea - you ask - I only have a week of vacation, I want to lie on the beach! The sea is nearby, 40 minutes away by a very comfortable train. There are fans who generally book a hotel in the Ostia area, relax on the coast, and go to Rome for walks.
Sometimes you hear things like “there is no real pizza in Rome, there’s a problem with restaurants in general,” “shopping in Rome sucks,” “there is no nightlife in Rome,” “hotels in Rome are terribly expensive,” and other nonsense. Rome has decent restaurants - from small authentic pizzerias to signature cuisine, shops, and nightclubs - you just need to know the places. Articles for SmartTrip are prepared by professional authors who travel a lot or even live in the region they write about. Our guide will be useful for both first-time visitors to Rome and experienced travelers:
Most hotels in Rome are modest 3*; at best, the windows face the street, but often they face the courtyard. Choose good hotel in Rome is not an easy task, so we have prepared a unique selection for you:
The former chief editor of the Autopilot magazine, Igor Maltsev, did not fly to Rome, but came there from Munich. Why? Well, he loves German cars. I took a good Audi A4 and drove through northern Italy, after which he wrote for us. Even if fly&drive is not your format, the article will be useful for those who decided to start their trip to Italy from the north, from Milan. Bus and train services in Italy are well developed; taking a car or traveling by public transport is a matter of taste.
Italy hotels
There are so many hotels in Italy that it defies any classification. There are both modest 3* apartments for students and exclusive hotels with closed areas for discerning clients. WITH water slides for families with children - or designer ones for young couples. Start planning your trip, decide on cities and beaches, and only then choose hotels. Our articles, as a rule, contain tips in the form of links to unusual hotels. Would you like to stay at ancient castle, converted into a hotel? Please:
Beach holidays in Italy
View on a larger map
A seaside holiday in Italy is an obligatory part of the trip. Usually people combine an excursion program, allotting from 3 to 7 days, with a vacation on the coast. WITH excursion program everything is more or less clear: Italians like to say that they have more than 50% of the world's cultural heritage, which is certainly an exaggeration, but not far from the truth. For excursion holiday in Italy you can choose any city or route - good air and train connections allow you to combine travel with any seaside resort, but there are some nuances with the beaches.
RIMINI
The Italians call Rimini the largest gymnasium under open air. On resort coast 15 kilometers long located 227 equipped beaches. A bus runs along the coast. All beaches in Rimini are municipal, but they are rented by private individuals. Tenants ensure cleanliness, even the sand is sifted every morning.
Rimini can be recommended to those who are just beginning their acquaintance with Italy and are experiencing... the language barrier: in hotels, restaurants and on beaches there are many staff who speak Russian. Rimini is for those who like to be surrounded by a lot of vacationers. Rimini is good for young people: unlike other beach resorts in Italy, it has nightlife, and it costs much less than, for example, Sardinia.
Holidays in Rimini are considered the cheapest in Italy. At the same time, you need to understand that even if you manage to get there on a budget and book a modest hotel, there will be many small daily expenses such as paying for a sunbed (all beaches are municipal) or food (there are almost no all-inclusive hotels here). So the rest will not be so cheap. Therefore, if your goal is only and exclusively beach holiday at the lowest price, it is better to choose another country.
Rimini is the most famous tourist region. However, few people know that this is just part of the rather extended Emilia-Romagna region with hundreds of beaches. Our review will help you navigate them, choose a hotel and plan a vacation to suit your preferences:
MARKE
Another big one Italian region, located on Adriatic coast, much less famous in Russia than Rimini. All resorts in Marche can be divided into two main types. The first includes large noisy centers with bright nightlife, many foreign tourists and embankments, densely built up with hotels. Another type is represented by many small resort towns picturesque beaches, where villas and apartments are preferred to hotels; Often in the summer such places are filled with Italian families. If, when choosing a beach holiday in Italy, you prefer to have fewer compatriots around, feel free to choose something in this region:
SICILY
Southerners, especially Sicilians, do not like northerners, considering them arrogant snobs. This, in general, is true: northerners consider southerners to be rednecks and black-assed people. If you have traveled to the north of Italy, then in Sicily you will feel comfortable and cozy, as if in your grandmother’s village. If you are going to Italy for the first time, feel free to plan the route Rome + Sicily, it will be a wonderful trip plus an emotional impact on next visit Italy, already northern. Experienced travelers who have been everywhere and want new discoveries in Italy can recommend secluded holiday on the Aeolian Islands (very close to Sicily).
LITTLE KNOWN BEACHES OF ITALY
Experienced and for sophisticated travelers We advise you to pay attention to our review of beaches-reserves in Italy, which few people know about. If on popular beach resorts, which were discussed above, during the season there is nowhere for the apple to fall, then on the protected beaches of Italy you can get a calm and secluded holiday. The article also contains recommendations on which hotel is better to stay at:
Excursion holidays in Italy
Most popular route for an excursion holiday in Italy: Rome - Florence - Venice. The distances are short and can be covered by public transport. Plan a couple of days each in Florence and Venice:
Hotels in Florence: compare prices on different sites - save up to 50%
However, for such trips it is best rent a car. For example, a red Ferrari, why not?
If you're not ready for such foppery, just use this article as a guide. For those who like to travel while driving, we have a couple of good routes with detailed descriptions:
VENICE
An island city that looks like either a fish or a snake devouring itself. The city has attracted adventurers, writers and artists for centuries. A city on the water, and sometimes under water. A trip to Venice can be considered both in the context of a long route around Italy, and as a separate trip for several days. Many people arrange a romantic week-end in Venice, simply flying there for 2-3 days.
SAN MARINO
Visit one of the smallest countries in the world! The Most Serene Republic of San Marino, with its small size, only 61 square kilometers (the area of the state is more than 40 times smaller than Moscow), is one of the most visited places in the world by travelers, one of the richest and, of course, one of the most beautiful .
Holidays in Italy with children
Sometimes there are travelers who simply buy a ticket to Italy and spend their entire vacation in one hotel, periodically going on excursions. This is a rather controversial approach, since there are other countries for a beach holiday with children, such as Greece or the all-inclusive Turkey. Italy is a travel country, and if you have children, it will open up a new side to you. Nowhere in any country in the world will you see such manifestations of love for children as in Italy. Holidays with children in Italy are positive emotions plus an excellent opportunity to unobtrusively introduce your child to history.
Ischia and Naples
When planning a trip to Italy, Naples is usually considered as a stopover point for a trip to Sicily, Puglia or Ischia. Plan a couple of days in Naples and try the most delicious pizza in the world. There is a ferry from Naples to Ischia, and a holiday in Ischia itself is an excellent opportunity to improve your health. If you spend a lot of time in the office at work and experience constant stress, try a holiday in Ischia, perhaps you will start coming here a couple of times a year.
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 tickets from Kyiv to Milan practically for 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:
- Notre Dame de Paris in Paris
- Sagrada Familia in Barcelona
- Milan Cathedral
- Cologne Cathedral
- 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 one gothic cathedral made of marble))
About the cathedral is available and with prices will be
Old town of Bergamo
Having seen photographs of this place on the Internet, I realized that Bergamo is not only a cheap and convenient airport, but also an awesome city!
What are they worth? main square 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. Relaxing in Eastern countries, I had to urgently 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:
- In Milan, be sure to take tickets for transport for 1 and 2 days. You never know what might happen to this or that vehicle and how often you will need to use public transport.
- Don't count on punctuality of regional trains. 3 trains on our trip and all 3 were late by about an hour.
- 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!
- 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.
- 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 they are served no worse than Milanese delights.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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!
Italy is an incredibly attractive country. It combines everything that vacationers love so much: the mild Mediterranean climate, luxurious coastline, ancient architecture, interesting museums and sights, delicious cuisine, good shopping.
Organized tours here cost a lot of money, and if you go on your own without prior preparation, you can end up in unpleasant situations. Therefore, it is worth knowing in advance all the nuances of an independent trip so that only great memories remain from it.
If you want to learn how to travel around Italy inexpensively on your own, this article is for you! Here you will find advice from experienced tourists, route ideas and a lot of other useful information.
Now let's move on to the details.
Where to start your trip to Italy
Solo travel in Italy (when searching for information using non-Russian-language services, the name of the country should be written Italy) begins not with crossing the border, but much earlier - with its planning. Your comfort and positive emotions during the trip depend on how well everything is organized. First of all, we recommend taking care of documents, tickets and transport logistics.
KalamurzingDocuments for entry into the country
To freely enter the country, you will need a passport with an open Schengen visa. If your passport has less than 3 months left until its expiration date, it will not be accepted. Read about what documents are required for Italian Schengen on the websites of visa centers.
It is very important:
For minor children, if they are traveling with one of the parents, a notarized travel permit from the other parent is required; It’s worth bringing along a birth certificate (if the child is under 14 years old).
You also need to purchase health insurance (inexpensive and good insurance You can buy it on the website or on instore.travel) and print confirmation of your hotel or apartment reservation.
For travelers with a dog, a completed international veterinary passport, a veterinary certificate in form No. 1 from a state clinic (valid for 5 days from the date of issue), and a veterinary certificate in form 5a are required.
Remember:
The animal must be microchipped, and a microchip is required - a transponder, free from fleas and worms, vaccinated against rabies and major diseases (no later than 30 days before crossing the border).
Attention: importing fighting breed dogs into Italy is prohibited!
Air tickets - how to buy profitably
At first glance, nothing complicated: choose dates, city and buy tickets online. But we set a goal to travel cheaply, and there are nuances here. Here's what experienced tourists advise:
- buy tickets early in the morning or at night;
- do this a couple of months before departure;
- choose departure and arrival midweek;
- Don't go during high season.
If all these conditions are met, you will get plane tickets to Italy at the best price.
You can find inexpensive air tickets on the Aviasales website. This is a reliable service with a long history, it searches for tickets from trusted air carriers, and does not charge a commission. In general, a good site, use it.
There are ways to make your flight even cheaper, but be prepared to sacrifice convenience. For example, connecting flights always have a much lower cost, and night flights will be cheaper than day flights. You can use a low-cost airline, but in this case you cannot carry luggage (you can if you pay extra) - only hand luggage, and they won’t feed you on the plane.
Train tickets - what are the options?
If flying is not an option due to aerophobia or other reasons, you can consider the train. True, there is no choice here: there is only one train going from Russia to Italy, Moscow-Nice. It travels through Belarus, the Czech Republic, Austria and stops at Italian cities Bolzano, Verona, Milan, Genoa, San Remo, Bordighera and Ventimiglia. It will take almost two days to travel.
The train has compartment, SV and luxury class seats. Depending on the final destination and the comfort of the place, the ticket price ranges from 23,000 to 100,000 rubles per person.
How to create an interesting and optimal route
The most important component of success! Usually you want to see everything at once, but you shouldn’t turn your vacation into a race. Practice shows that on average it takes three days to travel to one large city. Start from this: if you are leaving for a week, let it be two or three resorts, but you can explore them slowly, enjoying every minute!
Which city to start with depends on what is your priority: excursions, a trip along the coast, visiting Christian shrines or famous Italian boutiques. Here are some popular large and small routes:
- Rome - Florence - Venice - Milan - Como;
- Palermo - San Vito Lo Capo - Agrigento - Taormina;
- Naples - Ischia - Capri - Pompeii (Vesuvius);
- San Remo - Genoa - Pisa - Florence;
- Bari - Matera - Alberobello - Grote di Castellana;
- Amalfi - Ravello - Sorrento.
The recipe for an ideal route is simple: use your imagination, but don’t forget about logic and common sense. The points should be located at a short distance from each other so that you don’t have to spend more time and effort on the road between them than on the rest itself.
You can first choose one of the most desirable cities, then study the map, see which interesting cities located at an acceptable distance, and plan the entire route.
TOP 15 best cities in Italy for tourism
To make your choice easier, we have made a selection of the most beloved cities in Italy by travelers, and summarized all their features, advantages and disadvantages in a table.
| City | pros | Minuses | Beaches | Attractions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| There is always something to see, even if you stay for a week or more. | Expensive housing. The main monuments are surrounded by tourists around the clock. | Outside the city, but you can easily get to them. | The Colosseum, Pantheon, Forum, Trevi Fountain, Vatican and a great many others. | |
| A paradise for shopaholics, beautiful architecture. | You need to be vigilant and watch your bags and wallets. | No. | Cathedral in Gothic style central square, the fifth largest in the world. | |
| Cool photos with a leaning tower in the background. | There is no point in staying longer than 1–2 days. | In the surrounding area, you can drive in 30-60 minutes. | The Leaning Tower of Pisa and other colorful buildings, the Botanical Garden. | |
| Overflowing with romance, gondola rides, a vibrant carnival. | There are an abundance of tourists, sometimes there is an unpleasant smell from the canals. | On the mainland. | Grand Canal, St. Mark's Square, Doge's Palace, Bridge of Sighs, Florian (the first cafe in Italy). | |
| Monuments of art and architecture of the Renaissance. | Expensive, sea of people, queues at museums. | No. | Uffizi Gallery, Palazzo Vecchio, Boboli Gardens, Ponto Vecchio Bridge, churches and basilicas. | |
| Delicious pastries and pizza, gorgeous scenery. | You have to be careful on the road, the moped traffic is crazy. | There are also Capri and Ischia nearby. | Castles, palaces, cathedrals, catacombs; Vesuvius and Pompeii are nearby. | |
| Verona | Cozy and romantic place, city of love. | - | By the lakes in the suburbs. | Courtyard of Romeo and Juliet, amphitheater, Scaliger Bridge, castles, panoramic platforms. |
| Palermo | Comfortable climate, fabulous views, lots of entertainment. | During the season, the beaches are crowded, and entrance to private ones is expensive; the city is not always clean. | Eat. | Capuchin catacombs, churches, squares and fountains, Palatine Chapel. |
| Taormina | Luxurious landscapes, climate, nature, ancient historical monuments. | High prices. | Eat. | Palaces, cathedrals, Greek Theatre, Messina Gate, Villa Communale, Odeon and others. |
| Sanremo | Wonderful climate, abundance of beautiful flowers, magnificent panoramas. | Expensive shopping. | Eat. | Casino, Nobel Villa, Ariston Theater, Empress Embankment, Cathedral of Christ the Savior. |
| Cinque Terre | Very colorful place, wonderful postcard landscapes, National Park. | In most of the territory it is prohibited to travel by car. It will be boring for more than three days. | There is, including one nudist. | Path of Love, Neptune statue, Aurora Tower, wine museum and cellars. |
| Alberobello | Authentic architecture that has no analogues. | A day is enough for inspection and photographs; then you’ll have to think about what to do. | No. | White houses with conical roofs are trulli; some of them house museums, cafes, and wine bars. |
| Positano | Picturesque houses clinging to the rock, suitable for families with children. | Impressive prices. | Eat. | Church of Santa Maria Assunta, street artist exhibitions, Li Galli archipelago. |
| Portofino | Unusual architecture in pastel colors, good diving. | There are a lot of people during the season and it's expensive. | Eat. | Church of St. George, Castle Brown, Church of St. Martin. |
| Como | Renaissance architecture, magnificent landscapes, famous lake. | - | Yes, near Lake Como. | Palazzo Broletto, Cathedral, funicular, Villa Olmo, Tempio Voltiano, Camerlata fountain. |
Cinque Terre. elitravo
Alberobello. TOP67
Alberobello
Verona. Javen
Verona
Venice. Yasonya
Venezia
Taormina. Aleksandar Todorovic
Taormina
San Remo. S-F
Sanremo
Rome. Blue Planet Studio
Rome
Positano. Javen
Positano
Portofino. Olena Z
Portofino
Pisa. Balate Dorin
Pisa
Palermo. S-F
Naples. Leonid Andronov
Milan. Luciano Mortula – LGM
Milan
Florence. Catarina Belova
Firenze
Como. Feel good studio
Como
Now independent trip It will probably be easier to plan for Italy!
The most interesting cities for tourists on the map
What is the most convenient way to travel around Italy?
Once you get to Italy, you need to decide how you will travel between the intended cities - by public transport or by rented car. Both methods have their pros and cons.
Car rental - how to do everything right
Ideal for traveling with children and for those who have a lot of things or a dog with them. It is better to decide in advance with a company providing car rental services: look at prices, reviews, and the amount of the deposit. If the decision was made spontaneously, then one of the options (not the best) would be to search for rental points at the airport, on large railway stations, V tourist places big cities.
It is more convenient and cheaper to rent a car on the Rentalcars website. The service compares offers from various car rental companies and issues the most advantageous offers. In addition, you can choose the most suitable make and model of car from large quantity. Another advantage of the site is its security: by renting a car through it, you can be sure that the car will be at the appointed place at the appointed time, and the payment itself will go through without delay.
Preparation of documents for car rental
To rent a car, you will need an international driving license. We also recommend purchasing car insurance, because... The streets in Italy are narrow, and tourists often scratch their vehicles.
Note:
Carefully read the clause with the insurance deductible: you will have to pay no more than this amount if an insured event occurs (whatever is in excess of this amount is covered by the insurance). In order not to worry about this, you can (and preferably) purchase full insurance, without a deductible.
You will also need a card with at least 500 euros on it - this money will be frozen as collateral and then returned back.
Be sure to conduct a detailed inspection of the selected car for chips, scratches and other defects. To be sure, you can record them on video on your phone so that there are no misunderstandings or conflicts later.
in summer international company A day's rental will cost 20–150 euros, depending on the class of the car. If you book in advance (several months or at least weeks in advance) through Rentalcars, you can save 20-50% of your money. In winter, prices drop by another 15-30%.
Additionally, you can rent a child seat, navigator, roof holder, etc.
Advice: it is better to book a small car - it is easier to maneuver on narrow Italian streets and easier to find a parking space.
Roads and parking lots - important features
The roads in Italy are excellent, with detailed signs and an abundance of roadside eateries and hotels. But you need to understand that among them there are paid ones, driving on which will cost about 5–7 euros for every hundred kilometers. When entering such a site, you need to take a special ticket, and when leaving, pay with a credit card (blue sign) or cash (white sign).
This will help you save:
Almost every highway has a free alternative: a parallel road winding through neighboring villages. The choice depends on what is more important: saving time or cash.
As for parking, they are different.
Write down:
White markings mean that parking a car here is allowed for free (although sometimes this only applies to Italians); yellow markings indicate parking for the disabled, and blue markings indicate that you have to pay for parking.
The closer to the city center, the more expensive a simple car will cost.
Rules and fines - how to save your money
Experienced drivers won't learn anything new, but they may find some useful information.
For example, the maximum permissible speed within settlements In Italy it is 50 km/h, on highways - 110 km/h, on highways - 130 km/h.
IN historical Center In some cities you cannot enter without permission.
Please note the following:
The locals' driving style is quite aggressive: drivers brake sharply, cut off, and make bold maneuvers. Stay focused! If you are stopped by the police, there is no need to argue or try to come to an agreement; it’s more expensive for yourself - it’s better to silently accept the paper with the issued fine.
And the sanctions for violating traffic rules in the country are quite large.
Thus, for the lack of international rights, a fine of 300 euros is imposed, for speeding - from 40 to 3300 euros, for overtaking in the wrong place - 80-300 euros, for wrong parking- up to 90 euros, for a driver or passenger who has not fastened their seat belts - from 80 to 325 euros, and for talking on the phone while driving - up to 645 euros.
Moreover, if you have never been stopped by police officers, this does not mean anything: the violation could be recorded on a video camera, and notification of a fine sometimes comes even six months after leaving the country. And if you don’t pay for it, next time there will be problems with obtaining a Schengen visa. So you need to drive carefully.
Important: the price of gasoline in Italy is one of the highest in Europe: 1.5–1.7 euros per liter. Diesel fuel will be cheaper, but renting a diesel car will be more expensive.
And keep in mind that you can only refuel at some gas stations at night and on weekends in cash: some machines do not accept foreign bank cards.
Intercity trains - nuances of railway travel
Many people prefer to use the services of the railway: the train network covers everything big cities, you don’t have to worry about breaking the rules, relax and look at the landscapes passing through the window, and at any moment of the day you can indulge in a glass of Italian wine without fear of getting behind the wheel.
Types of trains in Italy
Frecci (arrow) - high-speed comfortable trains of three types: Frecciarossa, Frecciabianca, Frecciargento. They reach speeds of 200 to 360 km/h and often travel non-stop.
The fastest among them is Frecciarossa, the slowest is Frecciabianca.
All trains have first and second class carriages, some have separate carriages for the disabled and dining cars.
Intercity - trains that travel slower, make many stops and connect more than two hundred cities in Italy. Their maximum speed is limited to 200 km/h; the cars are also divided into classes based on comfort.
Interсity Notte - night trains, an excellent option for those who value time and do not want to waste daylight hours traveling. And at the same time you save on overnight stays. There are carriages with seating areas(but you can also sleep on the chairs) and compartment carriages. Moreover, the latter can be exclusively female or mixed.
Regionale is an analogue of our electric train, the least comfortable of all trains. There is also a variation of them called Regionale Veloce - they go faster and stop less often.
All the trains listed above are state-owned. But the Italo trains, decorated with the image of a running hare, belong to a private company.
Why is this good?
They run only between megacities and are not divided into classes: all cars are equipped with comfortable chairs, TVs, sockets and free Wi-Fi.
But at the same time, they have three categories of comfort: smart (vending machines with snacks, the ability to order food from a menu), prima (the chair is equipped with a footrest, there is a personal table, fresh newspaper issues are distributed in the morning, you can order food; a relax carriage has been added, where prohibited loud conversations and talking on the phone), club (small number of seats and large personal space, coffee and newspapers on demand, personal TV, you can choose food from the menu). Tickets for Italo private trains are the most expensive (you can catch promotions when the cost drops significantly).
And finally, there is a small autonomous train network called Circumvesuviana - these are electric trains that run along the coast of the Bay of Naples north of Mount Vesuvius.
Basic tariffs for rail travel
There are different ticket prices in Italy:
- basic (Base ticket);
- economical (Economi);
- super economical (Super economy).
Basic means that you can change the date and time of your trip an unlimited number of times, right up until the train departs and even within an hour after it leaves. The optimal choice for those who like to spontaneously stay in their favorite place for an unplanned couple of days.
This may come in handy:
It is also convenient for latecomers: with such a ticket you can leave on the next next train. If the ticket cost 10 euros or more, you can return it as unnecessary, losing 20%. But if the price of the basic ticket was less than 10 euros, it will not be refundable.
The economy fare gives you the right to change the day and time of your trip once. Unlike the basic one, you are only allowed to travel with it on the specified route - that is, it is no longer possible to transfer to a train in a different direction and pay an additional price difference. You can't give it away either. But there are often discounts on such economy tickets, sometimes up to 50%.
The super-saving tariff has the most low price, but at the same time it is impossible to change the date and hour of departure, as well as return the ticket.
Beautiful a budget option for travelers who strictly adhere to the intended route.
The best tickets - how to save money
Those tourists who do not have extra funds and are looking for a cheap holiday in Italy will benefit from information about the possibility of additional savings on travel.
If you are traveling for more than a week and intend to travel around the country by train, you can buy for 26 euros green card(Carta Verde) - it gives a 15% discount on all train routes and is valid for a year. But there's a catch: it's only sold to young people under 26 and seniors over 60.
There are cards without age restrictions, they are called Amicotreno, but their price is higher: 50 euros. The discounts are higher - 10–20% on Intercity and 50% on regional trips.
Those who come with children need to remember that children under 4 years old have the right to travel for free. Although he will not be given a separate seat - he can only sit in the arms of his parents. Children from 4 to 12 years old will receive a 30% discount. And families and groups of six people or more receive a 20% discount.
If you order tickets on the website of the state company Trenitalia (the site often works with errors, payment does not go through, and tickets may not arrive in the mail, you will have to correspond with the support service for several days to get the money back, so it is better to use another service to buy tickets, o just below), look at the Promotions tab - promotions are displayed there and Special offers. For example, 2x1, when two people can ride on one ticket. But you won’t be able to return promotional tickets.
How to buy and use train tickets - this is important to remember
In addition to purchasing online, you can purchase tickets at the ticket office or through a machine inside the station. If you speak Italian, you won't have any problems with the cashier. But not all railway employees understand English. In this case, it is better to write in advance on paper the day of the trip, the point of departure and arrival, the number of passengers and hand this information to the cashier. This will make it easier for you to communicate with each other.
In the machine you can choose English language and follow the instructions. The main thing is to enter the data carefully. You can pay in cash or by card. But some types of machines work exclusively with cards - check this right away, and if you were planning to pay for the trip with real money, go to the cashier.
If you are traveling by regional train or have tickets in your hands without indicating the day and hour of departure, they will be composted in a special yellow or green machine, which will stamp the time and date on them. Otherwise - a fine in the same amount as for traveling with a hare.
Important! A validated ticket in Italy is considered valid for only six hours!
And now about the most important service for purchasing train tickets. Its name is . It sells the same tickets as Trenitalia, but it works without failures. You can use it without fear that the ticket will not arrive in the mail, and you won’t have to spend several hours proving that your payment went through. One of the big advantages of Omio is that it also offers train tickets from other train companies, which may have promotions, and the ticket can cost you half as much as using Trenitalia.
And the last thing you need to know: Italian trains are often late and there are always inspectors on them.
Intercity buses in Italy - important points
Italians prefer railways because traveling by train is faster. But the buses in the country are modern, comfortable, and it’s convenient and pleasant to travel with them.
But keep this in mind:
The difficulty is that all carrier companies are private, each region has its own. Because of this, it is difficult to coordinate flights with each other and correctly organize bus route between distant points. And taking into account that in a metropolis it is easy to get stuck in a traffic jam and lose time, we recommend following the example of the locals and, if possible, using trains, leaving buses for those points where there is no railway connection.
You can buy a ticket at the bus station or at kiosks. Just like trains, buses do not always arrive on schedule. And it’s better not to go far from the stop: if the driver doesn’t notice the people waiting for him, he can safely pass by.
You can also purchase bus tickets on the above-mentioned website (it’s more convenient and reliable).
How to easily find a transfer/taxi
When you travel on your own, you need to take care in advance of finding ways to get to the hotel. It could be public transport, rented car or taxi/transfer. In order not to add to your problems with finding a transfer on the spot, you can order it in advance on the website.
Accommodation in Italy - where is the best place to stay?
Another important point of the plan. Nothing should spoil your vacation, which means you should have comfortable accommodation in which to relax and sleep well after a busy day. And you should worry about such housing in advance.
The nuances of staying in hotels and inns
To avoid drowning in a sea of sites and offers, we recommend using the Roomguru service. There are collected the best and, most importantly, proven hotels for every taste and budget, which can be booked with a discount of up to 70%.
When checking in, check to see if there is a separate charge for using air conditioning - this is a common practice. Take repellent with you, as all sorts of living creatures such as centipedes and mosquitoes can seep into the rooms.
Important: Italian sockets are not the same as ours - take care of several adapters.
Hostels - an opportunity to save money
An inexpensive option for those who are willing to sacrifice a little convenience in order to spend money on something more interesting. Moreover, modern Italian hostels are quite decent, well-maintained and clean, most of them have an equipped kitchen, and some even offer breakfast. Yes, other people will spend the night in the room, the toilet and shower are also shared - but you can make new acquaintances, and if the neighbors turn out to be experienced travelers in Italy, then you can get practical advice.
If you are traveling with a family or a mixed group, find out in advance whether the rooms of the selected hostel are designed for sharing or whether men will have to spend the night separately from women.
Read the information on the website carefully: in some places you may not be accepted with animals or even children, and there are also age restrictions (guests must not be under 18).
There are noisier youth hostels and quieter family hostels. To avoid unpleasant surprises, take the time to read the reviews.
Villas and apartments - rental features
If you want to feel at home, be able to cook, do laundry and not have to deal with strangers, you can rent a villa or apartment. This is especially beneficial for those who travel with a team of 4–6 people, because the fee is charged for all accommodation, respectively, the larger the group, the cheaper the overnight stays will be for everyone.
Of course, a villa, especially one located in Liguria or Tuscany, will cost an order of magnitude more expensive than apartments(average 2000 euros/week).
But for nice apartment in a beautiful area, accommodating up to six holidaymakers, they will ask for about 1000 euros per week. And keep in mind that in high season housing prices near the sea are skyrocketing. So you need to book in advance, best in winter (January-February).
Food in Italy - everything a traveler needs to know
Well, how can you go to Italy on your own and not get an impression of its cuisine, one of the most delicious in the world? This is a mandatory part of the program!
Cafes and restaurants - prices and varieties
There are a great variety of establishments in the country, and here are their main types:
- trattoria - family restaurants with a large selection of homemade dishes;
- osteria - emphasis on wine and snacks; a more substantial menu is not always available;
- pizzeria - a good selection of hand-made pizzas cooked in the oven;
- Rosticheria - a la our canteens, format buffet(all dishes are ready);
- proshutteria - cold cuts and sausages, sandwiches and inexpensive wine;
- ristorante - a restaurant in the literal sense, with a beautiful interior and exquisite cuisine;
- pasticheria - a pastry shop with cakes, pastries, homemade pastries and coffee;
- gelateria - an ice cream parlor with a huge assortment, often in a “to-go” format.
Ristorantes are among the most expensive establishments, while rosticerias are among the most budget-friendly.
Average prices are as follows: appetizers - 5-8 euros, first courses - up to 10 euros, second courses - about 15-20 euros, desserts - 3-5 euros, pizza - about 7 euros. Wine costs from 6 euros, soft drinks - 2-3 euros, fresh juice - 4-5 euros, coffee - 1-4 euros.
Remember:
In Italy there is such a thing as coperto - table collection. It amounts to 1–3 euros per person and is automatically added to the bill. There is also a Servizio fee, this is a percentage of the service, or tip included. So be prepared to pay more than the menu.
Loosely translated, "coperta" means "tablecloth", meaning that if you are not sitting at a table, but drinking coffee or eating at the bar, the fee will not be charged. If convenience is not that important to you, you can save a lot of money on this over the course of your entire trip.
You can also use set lunches - in Italian this is the “menu of the day” (menu del giorno) or “tourist menu” (menu turistico). Paying about 20 euros for them, you will receive several dishes and sometimes a glass of wine. This is much more profitable than ordering dishes separately.
And finally, if you don’t know where to go, take a closer look at where the locals eat. This will be an establishment with the most delicious cuisine and reasonable prices. Most often, such bars and trattorias are located far from tourist sites and, by finding them, you can cut your costs in half.
Street food - it's worth a try
Connoisseurs say that you can’t leave Italy without trying street food. This could be the usual pizza sold by the slice, focaccia with cheese, piadina (something like a pita bread envelope) with vegetables, meat or cheese, fried pieces of fish or seafood.
But there are also more authentic dishes - olives alla ascolana, that is, olives stuffed with Parmesan or meat and deep fried, or Sicilian arancini - balls of rice with meat or cheese, also fried in breading. Cannoli are very popular - sweet tubes with ricotta cream with the addition of chocolate, candied fruits or fruits.
Do you want delicious and varied food?
The best place to try street food is at culinary festivals - the choice of dishes is impressive and the color is off the charts. Here are some of the most interesting holidays:
- Ham Festival (6–15 September, Parma);
- pizzafest (September 13, Naples);
- cheese festival (September 13–16, Bra);
- wine and grape festival (October 5, Marino);
- chocolate festival (October 17–26, Perugia);
- Slow Food Festival (October 23–27, Turin);
- white truffle festival (all weekends in November, San Miniato).
All events are fun, cheerful, emotional, accompanied by music, educational stories, master classes and competitions.
Food markets and shops - where and what you can buy
If you rent an apartment or house, you obviously plan to cook on your own sometimes. Products can be bought at markets or supermarkets, and the prices in the latter are often lower. This is explained by the fact that many of the goods at the bazaar are farm products and are environmentally friendly.
The average cost of a kilogram of vegetables and fruits in Italy fluctuates around 1–4 euros, cheeses cost 8–15 euros per kilo, meat - 5–13 euros, poultry is a little cheaper, pasta is about a euro per pack, olive oil is 4–5 euros per bottle. . The price of homemade milk is 1.5 euros/liter, store-bought milk is three times cheaper. Natural sausages are expensive: 1–3 euros per 100 g. Wine - from 2 euros.
In general, such meals are much cheaper than ordering food in establishments.
You need to know that when entering a small grocery store, even just to get acquainted with the assortment, it is customary to say hello to the sellers. But it is not customary to hand over cash: the money is placed on a special stand at the checkout.
Neither in the markets nor in the store should you touch vegetables and fruits with your hands: in the markets there are disposable gloves for this, and in the bazaar the seller will give you everything. During siesta, that is, from 13:00 to 15:30, shops may be closed. And on Sunday and even Monday morning, many people have a day off. Markets are open from 7–8 a.m. until lunchtime, in small towns on special market days.
Food culture in Italy - how not to get into trouble
As the proverb says, when you come to Rome, behave like a Roman. Before you get to Italy, it doesn’t hurt to learn a few unspoken rules regarding meals. Thus, an Italian’s breakfast is the easiest meal, but lunch and dinner are dense, leisurely and consist of several dishes following each other in strict order.
You can skip something, but changing places is bad manners! You should eat at about the same time.
The traditional breakfast is a cup of cappuccino and a brioche or croissant between 7 and 10 am, and often not at home, but in a bar nearby.
At other times of the day it is not customary to drink cappuccino, only espresso or macchiato. It’s better not to ask for an Americano with milk in Italy; it’s not considered coffee at all.
Lunch takes place between 13.00–16.00 and begins (but not necessarily) with an aperitif.
Then there are cold or hot appetizers - antipasti, first course (primo, usually pasta or risotto), second course (secondo, meat or fish), side dish (contorno, potatoes, salad or vegetables) and dessert. The meal ends with an espresso. After coffee the food is finished.
The situation is similar with dinner. It starts late, around 20:00–22:00.
Remember:
Fruits, even apples, are eaten peeled. Pasta is eaten hot, immediately after serving, and without bread. If you are served pasta at a party, you need to start tasting it right away, otherwise you may offend the hosts - it is believed that its taste decreases with every minute. Pizza can be combined with beer, but never with wine!
And no mayonnaise in salads, only balsamic and olive oil. You can also soak the leftover food from the plate with bread; this is not considered bad manners, but, on the contrary, indicates that you appreciate the work of the cook.
The most interesting things to do in Italy
This is what the vacation was all about. Entertainment is the main pastime of tourists, so plan it well! You can do almost anything in Italy: have fun in one of the water parks, go paragliding or hot-air balloon, scuba dive, surf, ski, climb to the top of a volcano, relax in botanical gardens... But the main thing is sightseeing and going to famous museums. Every traveler includes them in his schedule. And here you can’t do without homemade preparations.
Buying Event Tickets - Worth Remembering
Tickets for major museums and galleries can be ordered in advance online. Don't neglect this opportunity! Sometimes there is such a queue at the box office that it is easier to refuse a visit altogether than to spend so much time buying tickets, which at the last moment may not be enough.
This will save time:
Among other things, you can buy tickets online for the Colosseum (it also allows you to enter the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill), Sistine Chapel, Borghese Gallery, to the Cathedral of Santa Maria delle Grazie to Da Vinci's fresco "The Last Supper", to the Uffizi Gallery, to the Palazzo Vecchio, to the Doge's Palace, to the Palazzo Ducale. True, enterprising Italians quickly figured out how to make money on this, and they can ask for an additional fee for booking tickets on the website.
Carefully study the information from official websites: some museums and exhibition galleries offer free days (or free hours), and you can visit them without spending a penny.
Thus, state museums in Italy do not charge admission on the first Sunday of any month, although it is likely that free ticket you will still have to wait or pay for his reservation in advance.
Also, some tourist cards entitle you to a discount on entrance tickets. For example, in Rome this is the Roma Pass (valid for 2–3 days, costs 28–38 euros, respectively, allows you to see one (2-day card) or two (3-day card) attractions of your choice free of charge and without having to queue, and without paying for travel on a bus, trolleybus, tram, metro and some trains).
Be sure to check out the available entertainment on the website. On it you can book excursions, buy tickets to visit attractions without queues (for some), purchase City Pass(a tourist card that gives discounts on transport and museums), and also find other entertainment in the city you need.
One of the best (if not the best) sites for finding interesting excursions in Russian is. With local guides who offer their services on this site, you will definitely learn a lot of new things about Italy, the excursions will be interesting and memorable. It would also be a good idea to look at another site with excursions - sometimes you can also find something unusual.
Where to go with children in Italy
A small child is unlikely to be interested in paintings by ancient artists and ancient ruins, so when traveling with children, you need to think about separate entertainment options. Fortunately, in Italy there is room to expand!
Etnaland - an exciting holiday on the water
Famous throughout Europe entertainment center open-air, located in Sicily, in Belpasso (province of Catania).
On its territory there are a lot water attractions and high-speed slides, waterfalls, swimming pools, jacuzzi, children's and adult rafting, pizzeria and cafe. Next to the aquazone there is a zoo, a park with dinosaurs and a theme park with a cable car and a large children's area with carousels.
Etnaland is open from April to September.
Gardaland - exciting attractions
For the abundance of cool attractions this huge park, located near Verona on the shores of Lake Garda, was nicknamed the local Disneyland. There is a Fantasy Kingdom area with entertainment for children from two years old; themed adventure zone for children over 10 years old; red adrenaline zone for those who like to tickle their nerves; a huge aquarium area with the opportunity to watch shark feeding and dolphin shows.
The park is closed in February-March.
Zoomarin - the largest water park
One of the largest family water parks in Italy, located in the suburbs of Rome. Here you can ride roller coasters, take part in sea battles, go to a small zoo, see a show with parrots, dolphins and fur seals, watch a 4D movie, lie on a tropical sandy beach and take an interactive journey into the prehistoric world. The territory is surrounded by greenery. During the cold season, visiting may be limited.
Italy in miniature - all the sights of the country
The park, built in Rimini, makes it possible to see the most memorable sights of Italy and Europe in a reduced size. There are almost 300 replicas of various architectural monuments, including the Eiffel and Leaning Towers of Pisa, the Colosseum, Mount Etna, the Greek Acropolis and the German Neuschwanstein Castle.
At the same time, you can ride the attractions for free, and if you are tired, the monorail is at your service Railway, you can ride the train and listen to the stories of the guide.
The park is open from March to October, the rest of the time it is open only on weekends.
But keep in mind that the entertainment in these and similar parks lasts the whole day!
Interesting places for children on the map
When going to a small town or village, make sure you have cash in your wallet - in such places ATMs can be tight. At the same time, when stocking up on money, try to remove it out of sight of everyone - thieves do not sleep, and thefts most often occur in tourist areas. For the same reason, it is advisable to park your car in a paid parking lot or at least in a well-lit place and not leave valuables in the car.
It is important:
IN in public places Italy, including streets, stops and summer cafes, no smoking. The exception is rare establishments that have special rooms for smokers.
Don't break this rule! If you are caught, you risk a fine of up to 500 euros.
If the purpose of your vacation is a beach holiday, keep in mind that in Italy you cannot be on the beach at night (namely from 01:00 to 06:00), you will also be fined for this (150 euros). It is also prohibited to massage each other, unless you are a professional massage therapist and are at work.
Independent trip vs tour - what to choose
For those who still doubt whether it is worth organizing independent holiday in Italy or better buy group tour For several cities in the agency, we have prepared a comparative table. She will help you weigh everything again and make a final decision.
| Evaluation criteria | Independent trip | Ready group tour |
|---|---|---|
| Route | At your request, you can make adjustments along the way by introducing new points or, conversely, shortening the path. | Pre-planned by the operator, cannot be changed, includes the most popular cities. |
| Directions | Whichever way is most convenient for you: plane, car, bus or train. | Only the type of transport with which the company works. |
| Accommodation | You need to personally book and pay for apartments or rooms; you can choose the most suitable area. | You cannot choose the area and the hotel, but all the hassle of checking in lies on the shoulders of the tour operator. |
| Nutrition | Cooking yourself, going to the market or a cafe for food - it’s up to you to decide, as well as how many times a day to eat. | Most often it consists of not particularly filling and varied breakfasts and snacks on the run. |
| Excursions | You need to be prepared to find your way, stand in line for tickets and pay extra for the guide’s stories, but you don’t have to adapt to someone else’s schedule. | The tickets have already been purchased, they will take you to your destination, the services of a guide are often included in the price of the tour, but the time is strictly specified, and most often, such excursions are uninteresting and unmemorable. |
| Free time | Unlimited - you can give as much attention to the object you like as you want. | It has strict limits and is often limited to a couple of hours. |
| Shopping | At your discretion: you can spend maximum or minimum time on purchases, bypass any shopping centers, shops and markets. | As a rule, it consists of purchasing souvenirs and visiting sponsorship points with which the agency has an agreement. |
| Society | Choose a company you like or refuse it altogether if you want to be alone. | You have to get used to the constant presence of people and accept it if you don’t like someone. |
| Colourfulness | Can be included in the plan non-tourist places and refuse to go to the ones that are promoted if you don’t want to visit them; get the maximum impressions from communicating with local and original establishments. | There are enough bright emotions, but there is no element of freshness: the trip follows well-trodden tourist paths, the group leader accompanies you everywhere, there is no feeling of freedom. |
| Price | You can save on agency commissions, buy cheap tickets ahead of time, find budget housing, adjust food costs and ultimately spend less on vacation. | Cannot be changed, but travel agencies rarely have their own discounts. |
Decide to go to Italy on your own - this vacation could be the best of your life!
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