trip to italy cost

How Much Does a Trip to Italy Cost? 2024 Budget Worksheet

I have traveled to Italy seven times in recent years and I have also planned about two dozen vacations to Italy for other families. Over the course of years, I have developed a really good sense of the prices of hotel rooms, tours, and transportation in Italy. So when someone asks me how much “does a trip to Italy cost”, I can rattle these numbers off pretty quickly.

Since budgeting is such a HUGE part of planning a trip, I thought I would lay it out for you and break down the average Italy trip budget to make it easy for you to plan — I’ve even included a helpful budget worksheet to get you started. Italy is a popular travel destination and while not as cheap as Ireland or Portugal , it isn’t as expensive as London or Paris . (See this post if you need help creating a family travel budget !)

How Much Does a Trip to Italy Cost?

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Before we jump into figuring out how much a trip to Italy costs, let’s first dive into a few budgeting and travel tips to keep in mind when planning a trip to Italy:

• Summer is not only the most expensive time to visit, but given recent European heat waves in late June and July, it will be HOT so make sure you are looking at accommodations that offer air conditioning;
• Honeymoon destinations like the Amalfi Coast ( Positano , Capri , Ravello , etc.) or the Cinque Terre are going to be especially busy in the summer and family-friendly accommodations are hard to find;
• If traveling in the high season, plan on booking accommodations at least six months in advance for the best selection;
• Villas/houses in the Tuscan countryside tend to rent for one-week minimum in the summer and rentals go from Saturday to Saturday so you need to plan your itinerary accordingly. You can always stay in hotels or smaller agriturismos that don’t have a minimum night stay requirement, but those will cost a bit more;
• If you want to stay in the Italian countryside on a budget, look for places in Umbria (near smaller cities such as Orvieto or Assisi ), Emilia Romagna (near Bologna , Parma , or Verona ), or Piedmont in the North, instead of Tuscany to get a similar feel at a cheaper price point;
• Main Italian cities like Rome , Florence , Venice , and Milan are more expensive to stay in versus the countryside so consider limiting your time in cities and doing day trips to save money (see my tips for driving in Italy ). Of these, Venice is especially expensive.

Not sure how to plan a trip to Italy? Get a detailed 10-day Italy Itinerary with 40 pages of day-by-day schedules, instructions, and maps.

Italy Budget Assumptions

For this example budget, I have based these expenses on a family of four. This sample family consists of two adults and two children between the ages of 6-11 and lives near a major airport hub in the USA. When planning your own trip budget, make adjustments as needed to suit your specific travel companions and travel style.

I’m going to assume that this family is traveling in the summer months since that is when most families visit Italy. This example family isn’t strictly budget travelers, but they are comfortable with three to four-star accommodations. Of course, traveling in the shoulder season would save money, but most families don’t have the flexibility or the budget for luxury hotels.

I’m also going to base this on a 12-day trip, with four nights in Rome and one week in Tuscany , which is a great first trip to Italy with kids this age. If you plan on visiting Venice, the Amalfi Coast, the Dolomites, Lake Como , or the Cinque Terre, expect to spend even more on accommodations and food.

The budget for a trip to Italy is made up of the following elements:

• Hotel/Accommodations

Transportation

• Souvenirs/Miscellaneous

I’ve seen Italy trip budgets out there that talk about traveling to Italy for $50-75 a day, per person, but I don’t think that is what a typical family vacation is going to look like. For my family, and others that I have worked with, we want our accommodations to be a little bit more comfortable, private, and centrally located. Families don’t always have the option of doing things on a shoestring budget (nor do they want to!).

Plus, the trip is much more enjoyable and memorable if you can splurge on things like a gondola ride or a private, kid-friendly guide that can engage children in sights like the Colosseum or Vatican Museums, vs. just paying for an entrance ticket.

So while this budget may sound a lot higher than others that you will find online, I also think it is much more realistic. Like everything when it comes to family travel, I’ve tried to strike a balance between budget and enjoyment.

Before we get into the details, the bottom line is that a 12 day trip to Italy for a family of four in the summer months will cost about $17,340, or $361 per person, per day.

Airfare to Italy

Airfare in the summer can get pricey with direct flights averaging somewhere around $1700 per person on ITA Airways (the Italian replacement for Alitalia.) If you wait too long to book your airfare, it can easily get up there in price. To find the cheapest airfare, I would recommend purchasing tickets six months before your departure date (Cyber Monday after Thanksgiving is a good time to purchase airfare) and signing up for a service like Going that sends you alerts when destinations you are watching go on sale.

Generally, you will find better deals if you travel in and out to Rome on a round-trip ticket and if you can travel midweek versus the weekend. To save money, consider booking on a budget airline and connecting in Europe as you can usually find those for under $1000.

Of course, what we always try to do is save up our travel points that we earn on our credit card and use those to wipe out the cost of at least one or two of the airfares. If you want to find the best way to accumulate points and miles through credit card spending and sign up bonuses, I’d suggest downloading the  Travel Freely app  to track your credit cards and learn how to earn points.

Total airfare cost: $6,800 ($1700 per person)

Accommodations

Accommodations can be pricey, especially in Rome and other major cities in Italy. Keep in mind that very few hotels can accommodate a family of four in one hotel room. This can often mean you will need two rooms or a pricey suite. I’ve found that it is usually cheaper to get two smaller rooms than to get a large enough suite to accommodate a family.

In Rome, a four-star hotel will run you about $650 per night, per room if you want to stay in the historic city center. If you are traveling in the summer, you will probably also want a Rome hotel with a pool to cool off in the afternoon. Five-star hotels will run over $1500 per night and the super luxe can easily be $2000+ per room.

However, if you want to prioritize budget over luxury, there are economical mid-range hotel options that DON’T require you to stay far from the city center or in a shady part of town. Simple boutique hotels like the family-run Daphne Inn in Rome have a family room that will sleep four for under $400 per night, and it includes breakfast!

Of course, you can also do what we did and go the vrbo apartment rental route. We found a three-bedroom, two-bath apartment with a view of the Colosseum for $150-350 per night.

Find more places to stay in Rome:

Some other hotels that offer a family room or suite at an affordable price include:

• Hotel Albergo del Senato near the Pantheon
• Hotel Santa Maria in charming Trastevere
• Hotel Ponte Sisto in the historic center

Total Rome accommodations: $1,800 ($450 x 4 nights)

The price of accommodations can range wildly in Tuscany too. There are five-star resorts like Belmond’s Castello di Casole where you will spend well over $3000 per night. There are also plenty of budget-oriented, self-catering options like agriturismos or villa rentals .

With an agriturismo, you will have a self-catering apartment on a working farm. Generally, there is a shared pool and they may even offer things like breakfast or an on-site cooking class. Kids usually love this type of accommodation because it is authentic and there is room to play and sometimes farm animals roaming around. Not every property has a pool so if this is important to you, be sure to read the descriptions carefully.

Just keep in mind that agriturismos and many vacation rentals in Tuscany require a seven-night, Saturday-to-Saturday night stay. So if you fly into Italy on a Saturday morning, you would drive right from the airport into Tuscany and then finish your vacation in Rome.

A popular and very conveniently located agriturismo is Al Gelso Bianco . The furnishings are simple but the warm welcome from this family-run farm does everything to make you comfortable. Here an apartment for four can go as low as $1500-3500 for a week in high season.

When selecting an agriturismo, be sure to look into if room air conditioners or fans are available, as those are not typically found in these traditional farmhouses. Also, learn what dining options are available.

Does the stay include breakfast or is it entirely self-catered? If there is dinner available, does it need to be organized in advance? This is often the case because the meals are cooked by the owners and ingredients need to be purchased that day. Not many agriturismos offer a full-service restaurant, but some that focus more on the hotel portion of the property may have limited services.

Find places to stay in Tuscany:

Total Tuscany accommodations: $2,500

If you are spending a week in Tuscany, you are going to need a car. I recommend using Auto Europe to find the best rates across vendors. You should also book early as prices fluctuate and will continue to rise the closer you get to departure. Ideally, book by the end of January, especially if you want an automatic as the inventory is quite limited since most Europeans drive a manual transmission.

Just keep in mind that you are going to pay a premium for an automatic transmission and you may want to size up to make sure there is room for your luggage as European cars have small trunks. In my experience, an automatic station wagon that will nicely fit a family of four without being too big to manage the Tuscan hills, will cost about $600-$1500 for a weeklong rental depending on if you drop it off at the same airport or at another one. It may be tempting to rent a van or SUV, but you may regret it later when driving through small Tuscan towns or on narrow roads. Instead, encourage everyone to pack light and bring smaller luggage.

Since you don’t want to drive in Rome, I would recommend arriving on Saturday morning, picking up your rental at the FCO airport, and driving to your accommodations in Tuscany. Then, on the following Saturday, drop your rental back off at the Rome airport and then catch a cab or arrange a car service into the city (I use Welcome Pickups ) and then back to the airport on your departure. A car service to/from the airport will run approximately $65-80 and a cab is closer to $50 but it may be more cramped for your family.

You can also take a train from the airport to the Termini station in Rome, but I wouldn’t really recommend staying in that neighborhood so you will probably need to get a cab from there anyway. You could also take a regional train from Rome to Florence and get a rental car there. Train travel in Italy is pretty easy (just make sure you validate your train ticket before you board!) but when you are staying in the countryside, you are going to need a car.

When pumping gas in Italy, make sure you know if the car is diesel or unleaded. I’ve seen some disasters after people put regular gas into a diesel car! See my other tips for driving in Italy .

Total transportation: $1000

Tours and Activities

If you are traveling with kids, I highly recommend private tours. Whenever you take a group tour, you never know who is going to be part of your group and how that may disrupt your experience. There are so many family-friendly options, including some really fun and unique ways to explore Rome with kids. Private tours will usually run around $450 for a family of four.

If you want to save money, you can book a small group tour. Companies like LivTours offer small groups of no more than six people and Walks of Italy’s small groups are less than 12.

In Rome, I would highly recommend tours for the following attractions:

• An intro to Rome walking tour with gelato
• Colosseum tour for kids
• Vatican Museum / Sistine Chapel or a Vatican private tour for kids

If the budget allows, I would add tours for the following:

• Catacombs and Roman underground
• Food tour with Devour Tours (for older kids/teens)

Luckily, when you are in Tuscany it is easy to spend the week taking day trips to visit towns like Lucca, Pisa, Siena, San Gimignano, Montepulciano, Montalcino , and Pienza. However, you may want to think about a family-friendly wine or food/cheese tour with a company like Tuscan Organic Tours or a bike tour with On the Road in Chianti .

However, at a minimum, you will want to take a day trip into Florence and take a tour of the city highlights or get skip-the-line tickets to the Accademia and/or Uffizi, as well as pre-book timed entry tickets to climb the Duomo .

Total tours: $2,000 (4 x $450 + tickets)

The price of food can vary, but if you stay away from the highly touristic areas (this means walking a block or two away from any main attraction), there are plenty of affordable and delicious options. Keep in mind that a trattoria or an osteria is less formal and less expensive than a ristorante. You can also usually purchase pizza or panini and take them to go for picnics or inexpensive, casual meals.

Also, if you order your coffee and pastry at a bar and eat inside, it will be much cheaper than ordering table service and sitting outside on a piazza. That said, sometimes it is worth the price, especially when eating Tartufo and people-watching in Piazza Navona.

We tend to overspend on food, but that said, I would still plan on budgeting at least $170 for the family a day on food if you are happy with pizza and pasta. Foodies looking for fine dining experiences should budget a bit more. The good news about staying at an agriturismo is that you will likely have access to a kitchen and can prepare some meals at your lodging. This is always a great money saver and allows you to then splurge on those days when you are visiting cities or towns.

Total food: $2040

Souvenirs & Miscellaneous Expenses

While we would rather spend our travel budget on experiences versus things, there are some items that make perfect souvenirs from an Italy trip. These include wooden toys, leather goods, purses/bags, painted ceramics, blown glass, lace and linens, wine, and olive oil.

You will also want to set aside some budget for the little things including tips for your tour guides, parking (remember to bring coins in Tuscany!), gas, and taxis. I generally use a rule of thumb of $50 per day.

Total Miscellaneous: $500

Travel Insurance

I would recommend protecting your trip with travel insurance. Pricing varies depending on your level of coverage, ages, trip costs, and more. However, I would use $600-1,000 as a rough estimate (kids under 17 are usually free.)

If you follow this modest budget, your total trip to Italy cost would come to a grand total of…

Average total Family trip to Italy cost: $17,340

The bottom line is that a 12-day trip to Italy costs about $1,445 per day for a family of four . Keep in mind that there are ways to do this for less including using points for airfare or connecting with a budget airline, staying in vacation rentals, taking small group tours or self-guided exploration, cooking your own meals, and limiting your extra spending.

Of course, if you have champagne tastes, you can easily triple this cost with luxury accommodations, private transportation, and fine dining. We try to land somewhere in the middle between budget and super-luxe and that is what this budget is based on.

Download your Italy Budget Worksheet

Keep track of your expenses as you plan your trip with this downloadable Italy trip planning budget worksheet. Download the PDF worksheet .

VISITING ITALY? YOU MAY ALSO BE INTERESTED IN…

• Get tips for  driving in Italy
• Get itineraries for  Rome ,  Florence ,  Venice ,  Verona , Bologna ,  Parma , and  Milan
• See tips and things to do in  Ravello ,  Cinque Terre ,   Assisi

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Tamara Gruber is the Founder and Publisher of We3Travel. A former marketing executive and travel advisor, Tamara is an award-winning travel writer and recognized expert in family travel. Tamara is a member of SATW and the Adventure Travel Trade Association, and serves on the Board of the Family Travel Association. She is also the publisher of YourTimetoFly.com and the co-host of the Vacation Mavens travel podcast.

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Publish Date: November 29, 2023

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How Much Does A Trip to Italy Cost in 2024: Detailed Budget Breakdown

Written By: The Planet D

Italy , Travel Planning

Updated On: June 11, 2024

Italy is one of our favorite destinations in Europe. After visiting the country multiple times over the years we always get the same questions – is Italy expensive? How much does the average trip to Italy cost? Italy is a brilliant destination to travel to, whether you are a solo traveler or a family looking for a special holiday. But it is safe to say that the actual costs of visiting Italy vary depending on your travel style.

Table of Contents

How Much Does It Cost to Visit Italy?

In this guide, we’ll break down the average trip to Italy cost and show you how, where possible, you make it more cost-effective.

Italy is often associated with luxury – stunning villas, fine dining, archaeology, and the arts. But that doesn’t mean you can’t tailor your trip to Italy to suit different budgets. Is Italy expensive? After all our trips to the different regions of Italy we are going to fill you in on how much a trip to Italy costs.

When we have visited Italy, we always rent a car. We love having the freedom to go off the beaten path and to stop whenever we like. You can check car rental comparisons here.

Airfare is the first bridge you’ll likely come to when booking a trip to Italy. The good news is that Italy has regular flights to all its major cities, so finding a round-trip ticket is neither problematic nor massively expensive if you visit from a nearby destination. The average budget traveler can find the best deals and cheap flights to Italy. This is simply because flight demand isn’t high – there are so many options when flying to Italy. The country has a staggering 77 airports and hosts dozens of airlines. One thing is for sure: you will always find flights to Italian cities, and the average price is low, so it won’t be one of your main trip costs.

Of course, airfare prices do vary depending on your departure date and destination. As a general rule, flights to Italy from Europe are the cheapest. Flights from the US to Italy are slightly more expensive due to budget-spiking transatlantic crossings and fewer charters. However, that doesn’t mean you are doomed for cheap flights.

The cheapest times of year to fly to Italy are out of season and in shoulder seasons. The shoulder seasons are March to May and September to October. The official ‘off-season’ is over winter, from November to February. You can also save money on flights by booking in advance, using VPNs to adjust your network, and using airline loyalty programs. There’s always a way to maximize budgeting opportunities. Another essential thing to consider for those flying from the US is value for money.

Can you take advantage of cheaper European flights by taking a longer holiday period? This way, you might spend more flying to Italy, but once there, you could add a few extra destinations cheaply. For instance, taking flights for as little as $15 to Germany, Greece, or Turkey.

• Return Flight Cost from Europe: $60 to 200
• Return Flight Cost from US: $400 to 7000

Accommodation in Italy Costs

Your next significant cost after airfare is accommodation. Accommodation is a double-edged sword when calculating your trip to Italy cost. In fact, looking at the price tag of a luxury Italy trip is likely what has got you questioning, ‘Is Italy expensive?’. The reality is that Italy does luxury, and it does it well. Like the south of France, Italy has a reputation for Riviera beauty and luxury hotels that attract A-list celebrities.

You can indeed find hotel rooms that cost tens of thousands a night. Of course, the flip side is also true; you can comfortably backpack it in a hostel dormitory for as little as $40 a night. There are a few factors to consider, so let’s take a closer look so you know what sways it so much.

Choosing Accommodation in Italy

The biggest decider in Italian accommodation is whether you want budget, mid-range, or luxury accommodation. With budget accommodation, you can choose dormitory-style accommodation, or B&B-style stays.

Most hotels offer a mid-range experience, with moderate prices and occasional luxuries like swimming pools that can hone your Italy itinerary and experience. Luxury hotels come in two categories: average luxury and celebrity-style luxury. You can pick up five-star hotel stays for €250 per night, but equally, some five-star hotels charge upwards of €1,000 per night – the real decider is location, hotel brand, and your hotel room choice. For the most part, most travelers pick the middle road with mid-range hotels, which average around €100 a night.

What to Consider When Booking a Trip to Italy

When considering what goes into accommodation pricing, consider location and time of year. Summer is the peak season, so you should avoid summer in Italy if you prioritize saving money. If you want a more affordable hotel room, look at shoulder season travel, where you find the same room up to 50% cheaper.

Location also plays a massive role in your trip budget. For instance, an entire apartment in an Italian city center versus a secluded VRBO property or hotel in the Tuscan countryside can vary greatly in price. If you can get out of touristy areas, like Rome city center or Venice, accommodation prices naturally fall.

Vacation rentals are also a great idea to save money, especially if you are flexible on location – rolling hills don’t always come at a sky-high price. If you are willing to stay remotely and in vacation rentals, it can save money on your Italy trip.

• Budget Hotels: $40-80 per night
• Mid-Range Hotels: $100 per night
• Luxury Hotels: $250 per night
• Vacation Rentals: $50 upwards per night

Transportation Cost

Transportation in Italy can be a make or break when calculating an Italy travel budget. The country is brilliantly connected by public transportation, with a train travel trend carried by low ticket prices and high-speed connections. If you want to save money, train travel is the way forward as long as you book in advance.

Booking up to a month in advance can give you access to fantastic train travel deals – great for budget travelers. Just be sure you purchase tickets for train travel, as Italy has notorious laws on fining fare hoppers. Trust us: skipping fares in Italy is not the way to go for budget travel.

Italy also has ferry and bus services, which are used far less frequently than the train travel routes. The ferries are most popular in areas like Cinque Terre and the Amalfi Coast, where many coastal towns are less accessible by road. You can typically book tickets in advance for ferries or take local, smaller shuttle boats on the day. Buses are simply less popular for comfort reasons.

We love renting cars when traveling in Italy. Check car rental prices here. We have found some great deals that work out to be cheaper than train travel if booked at the right time.

While the bus may be the holy grail for the budget traveler in most countries, in Italy, train travel usually rivals bus prices if you book in advance. And for the same cost, it makes sense that you’d want a faster and more comfortable journey. Buses are the budget option for last-minute public transport journeys – usually $2 per ticket for inner-city travel or around $35 for long-distance buses.

Finally, one of the most popular ways to get around Italy is by car rental. Car rentals   can  be really effective. If you are travelling in a group, for instance, as a family or group of friends. This can quickly rack up public transport costs and make spending an upfront fee (usually between $10 and $30 a day) more effective on a car rental plus any additional fuel costs.

If you plan on taking many day trips or staying remotely, a rental car can be a lifesaver. Remember any additional parking costs you might incur at your accommodation, and know that Italy has many toll roads.

If you stay in a city center where you can find most things within walking distance, you won’t need a car rental. You can always book private transfers from the airport if you travel at unsociable hours or head to the metro station or train station for a day trip.

• Transport Budget: $30 per day with a car rental

You can’t visit Italy without a solid food budget, and that’s from no fault of its own. Italy has one of the world’s most famous – and arguably delicious – cuisines. We’ve already got  an entire guide  dedicated to the top dishes you should try when you holiday in Italy. If you are in the stages of forming your Italy itinerary, just know food will undoubtedly make up a significant proportion of it. So, with all that said, what does a trip to Italy cost when discussing a food budget?

The average restaurant meal in a major city center is around $70 per person; this is more like $20-30 per person outside of popular areas. Takeaway dishes cost around $10-15. It is important to remember that the coperto (aka the extra cost for sitting down) is added onto most bills in centrally located restaurants and calculated per person.

It is customary to tip around 10%. However, the Italian tipping culture is much more relaxed than the tipping culture in the US. When questioning ‘Is Italy expensive?’, you need to consider whether, and if so, when and where you will eat out. We’d suggest dining out at least once just for the Italian food experience. However, a compromise for a week in Italy might be two sit-down meals, a food tour, and then takeaway or street food for lunch and cooking other meals at your accommodation.

Food is the number one reason people choose Italy, so try to set aside a generous budget. Think of it as cultural immersion or an investment in activities. Everyone deserves to experience fine dining on the Amalfi Coast with air conditioning and stunning ocean views – just set aside around $100 to comfortably budget. And if you can, find accommodation with kitchen facilities to cook your own meals and save money.

• Food Budget: $20 a day without sit-down restaurants or $100 a day with sit-down restaurants

Tours and Activities

Finally, what about tours and activities? It goes without saying that part of what makes Italy so fabulous is its array of things to do.

There are Roman ruins to tour, sunset cruises, and museum tours – and that’s not to mention the abovementioned food tours. Your trip to Italy cost will be massively dictated by your entertainment choices, but it shouldn’t be any other way. Adding to your Italy trip cost with lifelong memories is worthwhile. Just keep in mind your tour and activity expectations when planning a budget: will you tour the Amalfi Coast on your trip to Italy, or are you backpacking in Rome?

One thing to know about Italy is that it does luxury and ‘exclusive experiences’ really well. You need to evaluate what is on your to-do list. Is a gondola ride in Venice catching your eye, or are you looking at budget day trip destinations and museum entry fees? There’s no denying that a gondola ride is one of the  best things to do in Venice , but if you want to splurge on special experiences, you will have to budget more.

We’d recommend narrowing down your ‘exclusive experiences’ to a select few if you want to keep to a reasonable budget. You can then bulk up your itinerary with low-cost and free tours and activities. For instance, the Vatican Museums, Colosseum, or a boat trip. You can also plan tourist attractions like stopping to see the Trevi Fountain, which costs nothing.

Independent Travel or Group Tour in Italy

When it comes to your itinerary in Italy, you have the option to book guided experiences and the option to travel solo. Traveling solo can cut your upfront costs, while guided experiences provide peace of mind. For instance, a day trip from Milan to Lake Como costs as little as $4 by public transportation ,  yet around $100 for a  guided tour.

You could cut costs by taking the day trip or save stress and time by spending extra money on a guided day trip. As a side note, if you visit attractions rather than destinations, many attractions in Italy have options for self-guided audio tours when you actually enter. We’d recommend downloading audio tours if you are visiting solo as you’ll will gain a much better appreciation of the monuments you are visiting/

When considering guided tours, an important consideration is whether they are private. A group tour versus private tours vary massively in cost. So, if you’d like to save money but still have a guided experience, we’d suggest shopping for group tours. Keep in mind a single supplement for solo traveler visitors, though, which applies for both group and private excursions – frustrating, we know. You should always check specific policies per tour company.

• Tours and Activities Budget: $300 per week

Overall Trip Cost

With all that in mind, what is the total trip to Italy cost? What exactly should you budget? You see tons of average price statistics floating around and various Italy vacation packages, so it is essential to have a concrete number reflecting the ‘real’ cost of a holiday in Italy.

We’ve broken down the ‘big’ Italy budget into all the factors (airfare, food, tours, etc.), so let’s quickly review them before we give you our final figures.

Regarding flights, budget around $1000 return from Europe in shoulder seasons and $1500 from the US. You can find flights priced above and below these rates, but as a general rule, these are the average prices to expect.

Accommodations

Accommodation prices in Italy is pretty simple: the more stars, the more expensive the hotel. And the more central the location, the higher the fees. Budget approximately $60 per night for a central budget hotel, $100 for a mid range, and $250 for a luxury. Vacation rentals are anything upwards of $50 per night.

For the vast majority of people who go for mid-range hotels, $700 – $1000 is a reasonable rate to budget and expect for a week’s accommodation in Italy.

Transportation

Transportation is tough to calculate because it massively depends on where you are staying. If you are staying in the city center, you should budget as little as $40 for a whole week on public transportation. You can walk to all the main tourist attractions, which costs nothing. Even if you go on a day trip or catch a local bus or tram, public transport should cost as little as $2-30. A $40 weekly transportation budget should allow you to take a day trip, use public transport for airport transfers, and get around occasionally by inner-city transport to take a break from walking.

If you hire a car, this price will increase. If you hire a car, budget around $30 daily for rental car fees, petrol, and parking. In a week, this totes up to $210.

For food, it does depend on your travel style. You can easily spend $20 a day on food if you just purchase takeaway or street food style meals for lunch and cook your own meals for breakfast and dinner. Whereas, if you want to eat out for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you should budget $100 daily. To get the best of both worlds, we’d suggest a weekly budget of $300 or $400 if you want to try fancy cocktails and aperitifs. This should allow two days of dining out and five days of cooking meals and getting takeaway lunches.

For tours and activities, you should budget approximately $300 per week. This budget considers one guided tour of up to $100, one luxury experience of around $80, plus up to six standard $20 entry rates for tourist attractions. With $300, it is safe to say that you are comfortably within budget to enjoy a couple of significant bucket list experiences and get an excellent insight into the tourist attraction scene. You’ll be able to have at least two tourist attractions a day.

• Per-Day Budget: $240 if you fly from Europe and rent a car, and $295 if you fly from the US and rent a car
• Total Italy Trip Cost: $1660 if you fly from Europe and rent a car, and $2060 if you fly from the US and rent a car

Money Saving Tips

It is all well and good knowing the average trip to Italy cost. But what about learning how to reduce the average cost of an Italy trip? An average price is just that – an average. That doesn’t mean that you can’t reduce it further and make some serious reductions. Even a tiny compromise, like taking public transport, not private transfers, can significantly reduce the cost of visiting Italy.

This section will reveal the top tips and tricks for lowering Italy’s budget. Here’s how to save money on your trip to Italy.

1. Avoid Sit Down Restaurants or Cook at Home

A huge factor in your trip to Italy cost is sit-down restaurants. This might seem oddly specific, but it is a famously price-boosting thing in Italy. You instantly get charged more when you sit down at a city center restaurant. There’s even a name for this: the coperto. The coperto is a flat rate cover charge that is calculated on a per-person basis. But this is where it gets even more expensive – it is the same whether you order a drink and bread or a four-course meal. This means that if you want to sit down, you’ll have to pay an extra cost, even if you dined on a budget.

Not all restaurants and cafes have a coperto. However, a safe rule of thumb is that if you are in a ‘competitive’ area, like the center of Rome or Venice, you should expect an additional charge for sitting down. The coperto acts as insurance for the restaurant or café business, meaning no matter how much you spend, they will be compensated for not having an empty table for a different guest. It would help if you always aimed to buy takeaway food or street food in these busy areas. Or if you are desperate to dine sitting down, then head out of the city center and into quieter suburbs.

Similarly, you can save money by cooking at your accommodation. Self-catered accommodation with your only kitchen is a real travel hack for cutting costs and avoiding things like the coperto.

2. Travel in Shoulder Seasons

You don’t need us to tell you that traveling at different times of year bags you different prices. The peak season is notoriously bad for budget, no matter where you go. Peak season just means the time when the destination is deemed ‘most impressive’ by mass tourism. This is summer for Italy since it is primarily a beach holiday and al fresco dining destination. June to August is the peak season for Italy, when you will be competing amongst other tourists for everything from tickets to accommodation, and local vendors and business owners hike up the prices to meet the rise in demand.

If you want to play your Italy budgeting tactically, you could book to visit in winter. Contrary to popular belief, the country gets cold, especially in northern Italy. You can expect an average temperature of between – 5 degrees Celsius and 15 degrees Celsius, with southern Italy warmer than the north and its mountainous regions. This idea is excellent if you don’t care about beach days and want to celebrate Christmas or New Year’s in Italy. It is also the perfect time to visit museums and galleries, which are much more enjoyable without overheating.

However, you don’t need to go as extreme on budgeting as that if you still want beach days and warm weather of low to mid-twenties. The best way to budget while sticking as close to peak season is with shoulder seasons. March to May and September until October are the optimum seasons to experience Italy well and cheaply. These months have cheaper accommodations and tours, pleasant temperatures, and fewer crowds.

3. Take Local Transportation

Visiting Italy can get expensive if you constantly spend on private transfers and even a car rental- especially concerning petrol, toll roads, and parking fees. One really effective way to save money is with local transportation. Italy has a fabulous train system, with a train station in all major cities and most significant towns. In fact, tickets can be as little as $9 for a regional journey. Booking train tickets in advance can be a brilliant way to take day trips or an alternative to road-tripping or flying between cities.

Italy also has a fantastic ferry system and buses. You will be able to navigate the country by public transport. On the other hand, private transfers and taxis can get expensive. For instance, when booked in advance, a train ticket from Milan to Rome costs as little as $35. Milan to Rome by rental car costs a minimum of $104 for fuel. A private transfer from Milan to Rome costs as much as $190 one way.

Ironically, public transport is also often much quicker. Milan to Rome takes just over 3 hours by train, yet 5.5 hours by car. Snag the better deal and get there faster. Taking local transportation is one of the best ways to cut costs when visiting Italy.

4. Avoid Major Cities and Tourist Hotspots – Off the Beaten Path

This one might sting, but if you  really  want to save money on your Italy trip, avoid major cities and tourist hotspots. These cities and hotspots are like vampires for your Italy budget. Everything from food to accommodation and even water bottles get hiked up in price in these places.

If you aren’t too fussy about where you stay, think outside the box and get creative. Head off the tourist track, and you’ll find much more reasonable rates. And you’ll be pioneering more authentic and sustainable travel – a moral boost and a budgeting tip.

There is a small ‘but’ to this top tip. You can always stay outside of a major city. This way, you can take advantage of local transport and cheap rail prices for day trips into the city. You can benefit from the city’s tourist attractions without spending extra on accommodation and food.

5. Know Your Discounts

Lastly, you should know your discounts when trying to lower your trip to Italy. Simple things like a student ID or pensioner card can prove you are eligible for discounts. You should always carry some form of ID if you qualify for discounts, and similarly, do your research before entering an attraction or venue where you think you could be eligible. You could even learn a basic phrase in Italian that you can use to respectfully enquire about discounts. One example of an attraction you can save on with a student ID is the Vatican museums, which knock off approximately 7 euros ($7.42) if you display a student card. Every little helps, right?

Researching discounts and rates before you go is also a healthy practice when sticking to a budget and a great rule to live by if you are a budget traveler. Many museums have free days or cheaper times, while bars and restaurants might have happy hours. And you can adjust your visit to attractions and venues to get better deals. It is a win-win.

Trip to Italy Cost: FAQs

So, now you have an overview of a general trip to Italy cost, what do you think: is Italy expensive? As you can see, the average cost of a trip to Italy does vary depending on factors like travel style, when you travel, and where you go in Italy. Lots of small choices can massively impact your overall Italy budget.

Are you ready for some FAQs? These answers will give you the snapshot information you need to transform your trip for the better. Consider this section the cherry on top of your Italy budget planning.

How much is a trip to Italy for 7 days?

If you fly from Europe and rent a car, it costs approximately $1660 to travel to Italy for 7 days. If you fly from the US and rent a car, it costs around $2060.

Is Italy very expensive to visit?

Italy can be expensive if you opt for luxury hotels, private tours, fine dining, and popular peak-season areas. This is entirely down to travel style, though, and you can easily do Italy on a budget if you cook your own food, backpack, and take public transport. Small compromises and budgeting decisions go a long way in Italy.

What is the cheapest month to go to Italy?

The cheapest months to visit Italy are over winter, with November as the absolute cheapest. Most people visit Italy in the summer and use March to May and September to October as the slightly more affordable, yet still warm, shoulder season. If you visit between November and February, you can find the absolute cheapest prices to visit Italy.

How much does it cost to go to Italy for a weekend?

Visiting Italy for the weekend costs around $550 if you fly from Europe and $950 from the US. This budget factors in public transport costs, a budget of $100 for tourist attractions, flights, and mid-range accommodation in a city center location.

To Conclude

Now you have as accurate as possible an idea of what your trip to Italy will cost, you can answer the question for yourself: is Italy expensive? You can use some of our top tips to save money when visiting Italy. You don’t have to visit Italy for a luxury trip, although if you do, you will undoubtedly go to the right place. Italy is incredible – no matter your budget. With the right attitude, you can find some fantastic accommodation choices, tours, food, and flight deals. Read next: Is Greece Expensive to Visit

There are so many amazing  things to do  – including sailing on Lake Como, visiting remains of Roman cities and amphitheaters where gladiators fought, and just kicking back with cocktails on stunning beaches that a trip to Italy is a must for any travel lover. So what are you waiting for? Start planning your trip to Italy today.

Looking for more inspiration? Just check out these  facts about Italy to make you smile.  Or get some inspiration on  hiking in the beautiful Cinque Terre  region, which should already be on your bucket list.

Plan Your Next Trip To Italy With These Resources

• Best Things to Do in Piedmont, Italy
• 15 Most Beautiful Cities in Italy for Travelers
• 16 Best Things to Do in Lake Como, Italy
• 14 Remarkable Towns in Tuscany, Italy
• 28 Best Things To Do in Milan
• 23 Best Things To Do In Sicily, Italy in 2024
• The Ultimate One Day in Rome Itinerary: How To Maximize Your Visit

Travel Planning Resources

Looking to book your next trip? Why not use these resources that are tried and tested by yours truly.

Book Your Flights: Start planning your trip by finding the best flight deals on Skyscanner. We have used them for years and have found that they have the best flight deals.

Book your Hotel: Find the best prices on hotels with these two providers. If you are located in Europe use Booking.com and if you are anywhere else use TripAdvisor.

Find Apartment Rentals: You will find the cheapest prices on apartment rentals with VRBO . 

Travel Insurance: Don't leave home without it. Here is what we recommend:

• Safety Wing - Occasional Travelers.
• Medjet - Global air medical transport and travel security.

Book Your Activities: Looking for walking tours, skip-the-line tickets, private guides, and more? Then we recommend Get Your Guide.

Need more help planning your trip? Make sure to check out our Resources Page where we highlight all the great companies that we trust when we are traveling.

You May Also Like

One Day in Milan Itinerary: The Ultimate Guide for First-Timers

Where to Stay in Florence: Your Area And Neighbourhood Guide (2024)

Where to Stay in Rome: Our Favourite Places And Neighbourhoods (2024)

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1 thought on “How Much Does A Trip to Italy Cost in 2024: Detailed Budget Breakdown”

Thanks guys for sharing this some many useful tips and cost of ITALY also superb attractions, sceneries too guys.

The Cost of Travel in Italy: My Detailed Budget Breakdown

When a person brings up Italy, some things that immediately spring to mind include delicious pizza, rich historical monuments like the Colosseum, and charming seaside villages like the Cinque Terre. Italy is truly one of the best countries you can visit on the planet.

I’ve had the pleasure of visiting Italy countless times over my decade as a travel writer, making my way from bustling Milan to romantic Venice to delicious Bologna; even spending time in a teeny-tiny village (permanent population: 2) on the banks of Lake Como.

You could spend months traveling in Italy and still not get to see it all. Every place you visit in Italy, you’ll feel like you’re in a different country; that’s how special it is. Just envision famous archaeological sites like Pompeii, flavourful gnocchi, fascinating coffee culture, and unmatched diversity.

You can visit Italy any time of the year, and it will hold the charm it’s known for. The weather varies from region to region during the winter, but once the summer comes, you’re in for a scorcher, so it’s best to bring your sunscreen. 

Traveling to Italy in the off-season is a great idea. If you have the opportunity, of course. The weather is nice, not too hot, and prices are lower as fewer people are traveling. 

Italy is a foodie’s paradise. Every city you visit has a unique cuisine, and chefs will have their own way of mastering the standard Italian dishes. There’s no way you’ll find arancini balls as good as the ones in Sicily or better cicchetti than in Venice.

Getting around Italy has never been so easy. It has an efficient train system that can take you from Milan to Rome in just three and a half hours, and buses that will take you from big cities, like Naples, to cute towns, like Sorrento, in under two hours. The options are endless.

Italians love their wine. It’s a massive part of their culture. There’s no way you could visit without sampling some of the good stuff for yourself. Tuscany is arguably one of the most famous regions in Italy for its wine. There are endless tours available where you can visit lush vineyards and wineries to see where the magic happens. 

In this post, I’m going to give you a full rundown of the cost of traveling in Italy. While the country isn’t as cheap as others on the continent, it’s not extremely expensive, and you get value for what you pay for. Some cities are more affordable than others, e.g., Naples is a lot cheaper than Venice. 

I like to set aside around 50 euros per day for travel expenses when traveling anywhere in Europe and, to be honest, I didn’t even spend that half of the time in Italy – unless I was splurging on a day trip. You can easily get by on that while still enjoying yourself.

Now, it’s time to look at how much it costs to travel in Italy. Grab yourself a pen and paper and a cup of coffee, and let’s get started.

The Cost of Accommodation in Italy

Accommodation for every budget can be found in Italy, whether you’re looking for a cheap guesthouse for $30 a night in Puglia or a fancy hotel in Turn for €150 a night. Personally, I think you get your money’s worth with accommodation in Italy. 

Guesthouses are more readily available than hotels in Italy. They’re a cheaper alternative, and Italian hosts are very hospitable, and they’ll go above and beyond to ensure you’re enjoying your stay. Most of the time, I stayed in guesthouses and tried to find good deals where breakfast was included, so I could fill myself up before the action packed day ahead of exploring. 

You don’t have to stay in a guesthouse. There’s a wide range of accommodation available in Italy. I’m going to cover all of them, beginning with the cheapest options.

How To Save Money on Accommodation in Italy

Even if you have little money to spend on accommodation, you can still travel to Italy. Here are a couple of ways to find somewhere to stay for free.

Have you ever heard of Couchsurfing ? It’s an incredible platform that connects travelers with locals. All you have to do is search the city you’re visiting and see who would be open to letting you stay with them. 

It’s a great way of learning a whole new culture and gives you an insight into how people live their lives. It doesn’t cost anything at all and allows you to make new friends on your travels.

Are you interested in volunteering? WWOOFING gives you access to a range of global volunteering opportunities in fields such as ecological farming, sustainable projects, and educational and cultural exchanges. There are quite a few exciting options on their website, like an agroforestry traineeship that could give you a lot of experience in a new field.

Another great way of bagging yourself a free stay in Italy is by house sitting . Sign up to the website and check out if anyone in the place you’re visiting needs somebody to look after their home while you’re there. If you’re an animal lover, this is a win-win situation; plus, some of the houses these people own are extravagant, so you could possibly be living it up in a castle for a week — all for free!

Hostels in Italy

Maybe you don’t want to commit to anything and want to travel around Italy at your own pace for a relatively low price. Well, then, hostels are an excellent option for you. 

There are a lot of high-quality hostels in Italy for you to choose from. The hostel scene is quite prominent around the country, so you will have plenty of options. Have a look at the best-rated hostels in Italy.

• The contemporary Babila Hostel & Bistrot in Milan is famed for its quirky designs. It’s only a 10-minute walk from the famous Milan Cathedral. A bed in an 8-person dorm costs €40 a night, and private rooms cost €170 a night. It may be on the expensive side, but it’s one of the fancier hostels in the city.
• One of the coolest hostels you can stay in when visiting Venice is the Anda Venice Hostel. Equipped with quirky furnishings and top-of-the-range amenities, you will love this place. A bed in a 9-person dorm costs €29 a night, and a private room is €108 a night. The city center is just a ten-minute train ride away, and the station is within walking distance, so you’re in a great location.
• Located in Florence’s historic center is Hostel Archi Rossi. The sun terrace is perfect for relaxing after a long day of sightseeing and chatting with other travelers. A bed in a six-person dorm is priced at €30 per night, and if you’d like to stay in a private room, it costs €90.
• The YellowSquare Hostel in Rome has some of the friendliest staff you’ll ever come across, making your stay more enjoyable. It’s a colorful accommodation and has quite a nice vibe to it. A bed in a six-person dorm will cost you €46 per night, and a private room costs €125 per night.
• When you visit Naples, be sure to check out the Tric Trac Hostel. Every visitor gets a complimentary Italian breakfast every morning, which is excellent for the budget. A bed in a 12-person dorm will only cost you €29 per night. There are no private room options available at this hostel, unfortunately.

As you can see, hostels aren’t the cheapest in Italy, but they do provide a lot for their guests. You’ll spend between €29 and €46 on a bed a night when in Italy and between €90 and €170 for a private double room.

The average cost of a bed in a hostel per night in Italy is €29.

Where to Stay When Traveling in Italy

Are you someone who prefers your space? Highly rated guesthouses and hotels are everywhere in Italy. Deals on accommodation are always waiting out there, waiting to be snapped up. One piece of advice I will give you about booking accommodation in Italy is to do it in advance. 

I’m a fan of booking things last minute, but you can’t do that when traveling in Italy because it’s such a popular destination. Everything sells out fast, so get booking as soon as you know when you’re going to go on vacation.

When searching for a place to stay, I always use Booking.com . There’s an endless list of accommodations on their website. Instead of scrolling through the “top picks section”, change the filter to “top reviewed”, where you’ll find options where people enjoyed their stay rather than places that pay Booking.com to be bumped up the ranks.

Keep reading to see my recommendations on places to stay in Italy.

Pop Luxury Experience – (€138 a night for a one-bedroom apartment) – This one-bedroom air-conditioned apartment offers guests a stylish and comfortable place to stay close to the world-famous San Siro Stadium. 

The owners of this property go above and beyond to give you an experience like no other with complimentary drinks, a PlayStation 4 games console, and an iPad for you to play with. 

B&B HORTUS – (€144 a night for a double room with disability access) – Come enjoy a slice of heaven at this B&B featuring an adorable garden and a free breakfast buffet every morning. Hosts Janina and Ewa, are always there to help you with any questions you have about the city and the best places to go for a bite to eat. 

The Venice Santa Lucia Train Station, Scuola Grande di San Rocco, and Frari Basilica are all close by to keep you occupied during your stay. After one night here, you’ll wish you had booked for longer.

Terra Artis Guest House – (€146 a night for a deluxe double room) – No wonder this guest house is so highly rated. Recently refurbished and offering guests a refreshing space to unwind after pacing the streets of Florence. 

San Marco Church is only a 600-meter walk away, and the main center is just 1.2 kilometers away. Each room is beautifully decorated with fabulous furnishings and has a flat-screen TV, a mini bar, a fridge, and a kettle, so you’ll feel right at home. 

Easyrome Guest House – (€129 a night for a double room) – This wonderful guesthouse is right in the heart of Rome. The rooms are immaculate, and it’s a quiet area, so it’s great to catch up on some rest. 

Complimentary wine and water are provided every day by the generous host Enrico. Everything you need is nearby, and if you’d like to take a trip across the city, Castro Pretorio Metro Station is just 350 meters away.

Annunziata Bed and Breakfast – (€120 a night for a double room with a balcony) – It doesn’t get much better in Naples than with this boutique B&B. Picture yourself waking up in the mornings with your morning coffee overlooking the Naples city center, with the rugged mountains in the background from your balcony. 

The free breakfast is very filling, containing lots of mouth-watering Italian delights. Regarding location, the property is right in the middle of the action, with the San Carlo Theatre and Naples National Archeological Museum easily reachable by foot.

The average cost of a mid-range hotel per night is €120.

The Cost Of Transportation In Italy

During my time in Italy, I mostly used trains and buses to get around. The transportation infrastructure in Italy is very efficient and clean, and companies operate multiple journeys on all routes throughout the day, which gives you a lot of flexibility when choosing when and where to go.

Italy is quite a big country, so domestic flights could be a good option if you have a long journey and only a certain amount of time. Ryanair, Wizz Air, and EasyJet offer many routes daily between various major Italian cities. For example, you can fly from Milan to Naples for as little as 19 euros one way with Wizz Air. If you were to go by train, it would take 5 hours and 18 minutes and cost 31 euros.

Taking buses between cities in Italy will save you money. There are quite a few companies available, but I mainly used Flixbus. Their prices were the cheapest. I loved their onboard amenities, such as sockets for charging your phone and free Wi-Fi, which came in handy for watching Netflix during long journeys. 

Make sure you compare the prices with Omio, a reliable transport application that sells tickets, which I highly recommend you use. Sometimes bus companies can up the cost of their tickets if they know they will sell out. This especially happens during the summer.

I’ve put together a price list for popular bus routes that you’ll find helpful for your trip:

• Milan to Rome with Flixbus – €11.99
• Milan to Venice with Flixbus – €7.99
• Rome to Florence with Flixbus – €4.99
• Rome to Naples with Flixbus – €2.90
• Rome to Venice with Flixbus – €6.90
• Naples to Sorrento with Flixbus – €4.90

Note: Prices are subject to change during high tourism seasons.

Only two cities in Italy have Uber available, Rome and Milan. When you use Uber in these cities, you’ll only have the option of using Uber Black, Uber Lux, and Uber Van, so it’s quite limited. I used Uber once when I was in Milan to get to the train station for my trip to Venice. 

One person canceled on me, and the second came to collect me. The ride cost about 13 euros for a ten-minute drive. I found it cheaper than taxis, so if you can, use it.

I tried to use a taxi once during my trip. The drivers were quoting me crazy prices when I was in Milan, so I refused to go with them. After that, I asked my hosts to organize transfers for me which worked out cheaper. When flying out of Naples, my hotel in Sorrento arranged a transfer for me. It costs 40 euros for an hour’s drive at 6 am, which I found to be quite reasonable.

When traveling internally within a city, the best way to get around is by using public buses or metros if the city has one. Rome has the best internal transport system with three metro lines, public buses operating every couple of minutes, and hop-on hop-off tourist buses. 

When you’re there, avail yourself of the 72-hour transport ticket, including airport journeys, for 18 euros. Some places you’ll visit in Italy won’t be as developed. If that’s the case, you’ll need to use public buses. It can be difficult at times with the language barrier. 

I recommend you get a SIM card as soon as you arrive and use Google Maps to get you around. The mobile application displays live times for buses, trains, and metros for your route and directs you to each departure point and stops you need to get off at.

Intercity trains are hugely popular in Italy. Wait until you see some of the train stations; they’re almost like airport terminals. Rome’s Termini Station is a classic example. I took trains when I could over buses because they were much faster, and that’s what you need when you’re on a schedule. 

You can book your train tickets online beforehand. I did this through Omio because it gives you company options. Some companies operate high-speed trains, so their tickets will always be a bit more expensive than others. Trenitalia and Italo are the two most popular train companies in the country. 

They’re both comfortable, offer Wi-Fi, have food services onboard, and provide a good bit of legroom. Trenitalia is always a couple of euros cheaper than Italo but compare the prices on their websites to Omio before booking.

See how much you should expect to pay for these popular train journeys:

• Milan to Rome with Trenitalia – €30
• Milan to Venice with Trenitalia – €15
• Rome to Florence with Trenitalia – €13
• Rome to Naples with Trenitalia – €10
• Rome to Venice with Trenitalia – €17

Many people hire a car when they go to Italy on holiday because it gives you access to enchanting towns that don’t have any public transport and are a little less touristy. Car rental prices are reasonable in Italy. If you’re planning on doing a lot of traveling, I would consider it. See below for how much it costs in each major city.

• AcaRent – Milan – 2 days – €59.60
• Viaggiare – Venice – 2 days – €67.98
• Surprice Car Rental – Florence – 2 days – €83.81
• Surprice Car Rental – Rome – 2 days – €52.21
• Ace – Naples – 2 days – €64.25 

Are you thinking of checking out some of the Italian islands? Ferries are readily available to Capri, Sardinia, and Sicily. You have a couple of companies to choose from when taking a ferry in Italy; Caremar and Alilauro offer a significant number of routes each day. I used Caremar to get to Capri and found them to be fast and safe, which is all you want. Each of these operates from various ports around the country, and their prices vary. Let’s consider how much you should pay for some journeys.

• Naples to Sorrento with Alilauro – €16.50
• Sorrento to Capri with Caremar – €21.43
• Genoa to Porto Torres (Sardinia) with Tirrenia – €39.97
• Villa San Giovanni to Messina (Sicily) with Caronte and Tourist – €3.30

The average cost of transport per day in Italy is €11.

The Cost of Food in Italy

What everyone really comes to Italy for is the appetizing food. Honestly, no words can describe how good Italian food is when you actually get the chance to taste it in Italy. Not a single country’s cuisine gets even close to being as good as Italy’s. 

Your first few days, you’ll probably stick to the dishes you know, like pizza, bolognese, etc., but I recommend you get a bit adventurous and sample some plates you’ve never even heard of. Trust me. You won’t be disappointed.

The food in Italy is less expensive than you think. Once you’re not eating outside major tourist attractions like the Colosseum or in St.Mark’s Square, you’ll be fine. Plus, the food in those places isn’t even that good half of the time. There’s always a lovely little restaurant waiting to be discovered down a quaint alleyway in every city you visit.

Below, I have listed all the delicious food I ate on my trip and how much you should roughly pay for each dish.

Breakfast Prices in Italy

Frittata – I ate Frittata wherever I could get it. It’s similar to an omelet, but I preferred them. They’re made with egg, bacon, cheese, and vegetables. You can get your hands on one of these for as little as six euros, and they’re so good. 

Croissant and coffee – No matter where you are in Italy, there will always be somewhere serving croissant and coffee deals. Some establishments will sell them for as little as 2.50. It’s nice when you’re not too hungry and just need a bit of fuel. The coffee culture in Italy is pretty interesting. In the mornings, you’ll see bustling coffee shops with no seats inside and dozens of people crammed into a bar-like setting just drinking coffee and chatting away. 

More typical breakfast prices in Italy: 

• A sandwich from a corner shop – €4 to €5 
• A pastry from a bakery – €1 to €2

Lunch Prices in Italy

Panzerotto – A fried savory dough turnover like a calzone filled with mozzarella and tomato sauce. They’re often sold at bakery stalls for between €1.50 to €3.

Panino – Like a panini, only it’s served with Italian bread. Often you’ll see them sold at coffee shops, and they’ll have a couple of types with different fillings, e.g., ham and cheese or pepperoni and lettuce.

More typical lunch prices in Italy: 

• Fruit from a supermarket – €1 to €2
• Bread and cheese from an alimentari – €2 to €3
• Piadino (an Italian flatbread) – €2 to €4

Dinner Prices in Italy

I could spend all day writing about dinner in Italy, so I’m going to keep this simple and give you prices for the standard dishes.

Pizza – Come on, who doesn’t love pizza? You can find a margarita pizza for 6 to 7 in some places. If you manage to visit Naples, the home of pizza, you can find some for as little as €3.50. The best pizza I had in my life was there at a restaurant called Gino e Toto Sorbillo.

Spaghetti pasta arrabbiata – Do you like spicy pasta? Anyone who does will already know what arrabbiata is. The sauce is made from garlic, peppers, and tomatoes. I was lucky to try this scrummy dish in a small eatery in Venice, away from all the tourist sights, and it only cost €6.

Spaghetti carbonara – A dish that originates from Rome, made with eggs, cheese, pork, black pepper, and spaghetti. Again, like a lot of pasta dishes, you can get them from €6 in some places if you’re lucky.

More typical dinner prices in Italy: 

• Fettuccine alfredo in a fancy restaurant – €15
• Lasagne – €7+
• Risotto alla Milanese – €16 +
• Gnocchi – €6

You could spend a lot of money on Italian food. It depends on where you’re eating. I made it my mission to eat at more local restaurants because that was the advice I was given by friends before I arrived. I’m glad I did because these places gave me some of the best meals I have ever had.

When it comes to alcohol, it can be affordable. A bottle of wine to split with your partner costs around €13 to €14 in a restaurant, and local beer like Peroni and Birra Moretti costs between €3 to €4 a bottle. 

Since you’re in Italy, you must try a shot of Limoncello, an Italian lemon liquor typically served as a digestivo after your meal. A shot will only set you back €2, but sometimes, you’ll be given one for free if you’ve splashed some cash on your meal.

Food Budgets for Different Types of Travelers

Anyone on a tight budget might prefer to source ingredients and cook in their Airbnb. This option is cheaper than buying every meal in a restaurant, but I suggest eating out when you can because food is a big part of the Italian experience. 

If you were to cook all of your meals in an apartment, you could get by on €10 a day. I found supermarkets to be inexpensive. I often purchase some bread and cheese on the go, which costs about €1.50.

If you’re not fond of a glass of wine or beer in the evenings after a long day, you should budget between €18 and €25 a day. You could spend less or more depending on your eating habits.

Some of the luxurious restaurants in Italy are incredible. Imagine indulging in some linguine all’astice while watching the sun down by Lake Como. If you’re a fan of these types of meals and plan on spending a considerable amount on fancy restaurants, expect to spend at least €100 a day on food.

The average cost of food per day in Italy is €18.

The Cost of Activities in Italy 

I saw so many amazing sights in Italy, from the Pantheon in Rome to the Ponte Vecchio in Florence. There’s no way I could have seen it all. I would’ve needed months to see and do everything. 

My advice is to map out your must-do attractions and then determine what others you can squeeze in along the way. If you try to cram too much, you’ll end up exhausted and run out of energy halfway through your trip.

See my breakdown with costs below:

Duomo Di Milano – €16.50 per person, including rooftop ticket. The Milan Cathedral is an impressive landmark known for its exquisite architectural designs, stained glass windows with pictures depicting scenes from the bible, and marble staircases. Don’t leave without climbing to the structure’s ceiling, where you can catch a fantastic view of the city.

Take a gondola ride in Venice – €64.50 for a small group of five people. Embark on an enchanting private 45-minute gondola boat trip through Venice’s world-famous canals. Float through the Canal Grande with your own sailor. 

Mine was informative, even with his basic understanding of language; he was able to tell me lots of great facts. Enjoy the views with your significant other, discovering the city’s hidden gems, which can only be found on a gondola.

Check out the Statue of David in Florence – €19.50 for a timed entrance ticket. The 5.17 meter-high Statue of David stands tall in the Accademia Gallery in Florence. You’ll be surprised at how much bigger it is in person than in pictures. 

Besides the statue, the gallery itself is fascinating, displaying Michaelangelo’s best pieces of work like ‘the Prisoners’ and ‘St. Matthew.’ Each ticket has a time slot to ensure the museum doesn’t get too full. So I recommend purchasing your ticket beforehand to avoid disappointment. Buying tickets at the entrance is possible, but I wouldn’t risk it.

Visit the Vatican in Rome – €29 for an early morning tour with a dome climb. Step back in time and experience St. Peter’s Basilica. Wander through St Peter’s Square early in the morning before crowds flood the area. Learn about the Vatican’s history and the influence it has on Italian society still to this day from an experienced tour guide. 

I booked my tickets with Get Your Guide because they have their separate entrance line at the Vatican. This way, you won’t have to line up for hours trying to get in. I visited in July, and the crowds were insane, so I was lucky I bought my ticket with Get Your Guide beforehand.

Walk through one of the seven wonders of the world, The Colosseum – €22 for Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill Entry Tickets. Learn about ancient Rome and admire what’s left of the Roman Empire’s structures. Skip the line ahead of everyone else with your fast-track access. 

Pave the way with the downloadable map you get when you make a booking, so you find all the sights you want to see. The ticket includes access to the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill. 

All of the attractions are in the same area, but you’ll have to leave the exit gate of the Colosseum to access the others. I got confused when I was there, so I just asked a staff member, and they guided me in the right direction.

Explore the Catacombs in Naples – €11 for an entrance ticket. Take a trip underground, where you can find monumental basilicas and ancient frescoes that date back over 1000 years ago. You’ll be shocked to see that all this is hiding beneath the surface. 

Learn about the tragedy of Pompeii – €52.25 for a private tour with an archaeologist . Join a professional archaeologist as they take you through the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Pompeii. Wander around the preserved city that witnessed a tragic volcanic eruption in 79 AD. 

If you’re a history buff like myself, you’re going to want to go on a private tour to hear all about the stories and nitty gritty bits of information that you wouldn’t learn about alone. It’s an eye-opening experience and well worth paying the extra money. Plus, it’s not every day you get the chance to have a one to one with an archaeologist and ask them any question you like.

Other must-have experiences in Italy: 

• Take a wine tour in Tuscany
• See Lake Garda and Verona on a day trip from Milan
• Hike through the Dolomites
• Visit Sassi Di Matera
• Check out the Leaning Tower of Pisa

The average cost of activities per day in Italy is €20.

There you have it. I have listed all your possible expenses for when you travel to Italy. Now it’s time to show you how much you should expect to spend per day overall.

• Accommodation: €29 a night for a budget traveler + €120 for a mid-range traveler
• Transportation: €11 per day
• Food: €10 per day for a budget traveler + €18 for a mid-range traveler
• Activities: €20 per day

Total expenses for each day – €70 (budget traveler) or €169 (mid-range traveler).

If you travel with somebody, your spending will likely be a bit lower because you can split the costs with them. Italy is an outstanding country that you’re going to love. Try not to do too much and explore fewer places in more depth.

Lauren Juliff

Lauren Juliff is a published author and travel expert who founded Never Ending Footsteps in 2011. She has spent over 12 years travelling the world, sharing in-depth advice from more than 100 countries across six continents. Lauren's travel advice has been featured in publications like the BBC, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Cosmopolitan, and her work is read by 200,000 readers each month. Her travel memoir can be found in bookstores across the planet.

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How much does a trip to Italy cost? [Updated for 2024]

This article may contain compensated links. See our full disclosure here

Are you dreaming of Italy? The cobbled streets, historic towns and jaw dropping landscapes… One of the questions you likely have is, how much does a trip to Italy cost?

Of course, there are several variables including whether you are traveling in peak periods and when you book certain items including accommodation but in this article we’ll take you step by step through the main costs you need to budget for when planning a trip to Italy.

If you’d like a quick way to work this out, we created an Italy trip cost calculator that will give you an estimate based on your travel style and preferences in USD, Euro, GBP and Australian dollars. You can access this calculator for free by signing up to our Italy travel planning updates >> here .

The details in this article are based on independent travel to Italy but it is a useful baseline if you later decide you want to join a group tour or hire a travel agent to assist you. You will have costs to compare any quotes or tour prices you have against.

How much is a trip to Italy?

Perhaps a better question is, how much is YOUR trip to Italy going to be? Here at Untold Italy we are all about creating your own ideal trip to Italy that takes into account YOUR travel style, YOUR interests and what you are willing to spend. The good news is that whether you’re a budget traveler or you’re first class all the way, you can find a way to travel bella Italia that suits you.

There are several main components and variables to consider when planning a budget for your Italy trip. It can be overwhelming so let’s take it one step at a time.

Expert Assistance

Need some help planning your trip?

Book in for a trip consultation with our expert Italy travel planners ready to help you build your dream vacation in Italy whether that be a classic first timer trip or an off the beaten path adventure

Usually the biggest single item of your trip if you are traveling from outside Europe to Italy are your flights.

To get a rough idea of how much your flights will cost use the handy monthly price view and price tracker features provided by Skyscanner and Google flights . You simply put in your place of departure and add Italy in as the destination. You can get up to six months of average prices to destinations throughout Italy at the click of a button.

Even if you’re only at the budgeting stage of planning your trip it’s a good idea to delve a bit deeper into flight costs as you can make considerable savings depending on the class, time of day and week you travel. You’ll also find prices vary depending on your destination in Italy, the departure point from your home country (particularly the USA), airline and how many stops the plane makes on its way.

In general, the shorter and more convenient the flight in terms of departure / arrival time plus airline and class of travel are the key drivers of your flight cost to Italy.

Accommodation is the next major Italy trip cost. Fortunately, you can find excellent lodging across Italy at prices to suit all types of traveler. From grand palazzi with canal views in Venice to charming B&Bs in Rome and farm stays in Tuscany there are many different options to choose from.

Here is a guide to the cost per room per night for each style of travel. Hotel rooms are generally on the small side so families and groups should consider renting apartments on Booking.com , the Plum Guide or Airbnb in the major cities. This style of accommodation is much better value in terms of space than traditional hotels.

Please note that hotel prices surge during the peak season between May and October. In some cases we have seen rates double or triple in the major cities and tourist areas during this period. Travelers looking for better value should consider traveling to Italy in months that are less busy. 

Midrange / Boutique : €250-350 per night

Italian properties in this price range offer lots of value. You’ll find rooms at charming small boutique hotels and larger apartments in the central historic districts of the main cities. In the countryside you’ll find historic properties and upscale farm stays in this price range and they are a great way to immerse yourself in Italian culture.

Budget / B&B : €100-150 per night

Typically three star accommodations, hotels and apartments in this price bracket are usually traditionally decorated and may not have modern amenities such as elevators or air conditioning. They may be located a little further away from town centers meaning you can explore outside the main tourist zones. You can also find great value at small bed and breakfasts and classic farm stays or agriturismos with friendly owners happy to chat and offer advice for enjoying their town or city.

Upscale / Luxury : €500+ per night

If you want to stay at the chicest hotels with designer amenities or a converted castle or villa there are many luxury accommodation  options to tempt you in Italy. From the divine Le Sirenuse in Positano to elegant Hassler Roma near the Spanish Steps in Rome, or a luxury villa in Tuscany, the options are only bounded by your imagination.

Ultra budget / Hostel or shared room in AirBnB : €30-60 per night

Backpackers will be glad to know that there are hostel options in central Rome for around €15 per night. Some like Legend R.G. offer a simple breakfast that will help you manage food costs. You will also find shared AirBnB accommodation outside the historic centers.

READ: Our Italy accommodation guide

Transportation

Transportation costs will depend on the number of destinations you visit and how you plan to get around.

Renting a car in Italy is useful if you want to explore the countryside outside of the main tourist zones. Otherwise you are better off taking the fast intercity trains that get you into and out of the heart of the cities in just a few hours.

Intercity trains and buses

Tickets for trains can be bought 60-90 days in advance for significant savings. You can check prices on Omio for the routes you want to travel. A high-speed train ticket from Rome to Florence will cost from €15 if purchased in advance for a set date and time or from €50 if bought on the day of travel.

READ: Our Italy train travel guide

A slower and cheaper method of intercity travel is by Flixbus which costs from €8 in advance or €10 on the day to take you from Rome to Florence.

You can rent a car from as little as € per day but remember to factor the cost of highway tolls, parking, insurance (mandatory in Italy) and gas or petrol into your budget. These costs can quickly add up so it’s usually a much faster, more convenient and cost effective to take the train. Parking costs can be up to €40 per day and bear in mind that driving in the historic zones is strictly regulated.

READ: Our Italy car rental guide

Private drivers and transfers

A private driver can be useful in several places in Italy such as the Amalfi Coast, Tuscany, and Sicily where getting from place to place is sometimes much quicker and more convenient with a driver. Expect to pay at least €90 per hour for this kind of service. You can check detailed pricing on Suntransfers .  A transfer from Rome’s Fiumicino airport to the city center is around €70. 

If you’re traveling in a larger group you will probably find the transfer is not only convenient but cost-effective too when compared to taxis and public transportation for shorter journeys.

Local transportation and taxis

Getting around the major cities – Rome, Florence, and Venice – is best done on foot. The central districts are all compact and easy to walk around. And unless you’re staying outside the historic zones you will probably only need the odd taxi to get you to and from the airport or across town. If you do need to catch a bus, metro or tram they are reasonably inexpensive at around €1.50 for 100 minutes.

Taxis are relatively cheap and can be a useful mode of transport if you need to get across cities in a hurry. An average Rome taxi ride in the city center costs around €7 to €10. Uber is only available in Rome and Milan but it is not commonly used and is generally more expensive than taxis as is the premium Uber Black service.

READ: Our transport in Italy guide

Food is an important part of any trip budget for Italy. After all, I’m guessing it’s a big part of the reason you’re going to Italy in the first place.  You can eat very well in Italy for very little and there is also the opportunity to splurge on Michelin starred fine dining dinners. Here are some costs per person so you get an idea of what to expect

• your daily gelato – around €3.50 for a small cone
• espresso / capuccino coffee – €2
• take out panini sandwich – €5
• pizza restaurant dinner – €20 – €25
• dinner at casual trattoria with wine – €25 – €40
• fancy dinner – €70+

Some ways to maximize your food budget include – making the most of hotel breakfasts, choosing AirBnBs with a kitchen so you can prepare some of your own meals (delicious meats and cheeses plus a bottle of wine for under €10!) and combining your sightseeing activities with eating on a food tour.

Street food is your best friend in Italy when it comes to eating. We had amazing buffalo mozzarella and tomatoes for €3 in Naples recently and the latest stuffed pizza trend – trapizzino (a meal in itself) – costs just €5.

Tickets, Tours and Activities

You’re visiting a country rich in history and blessed with beautiful landscapes. Yes, you can wander the sights and admire them from afar but to get the most out of your trip you’ll want to get up close to some of the most amazing sights in the world. And learn about them from an expert.

Some of the places you will likely want to visit include the Colosseum and Vatican Museums in Rome, the Uffizi and Accademia galleries in Florence, Palazzo Ducale in Venice and the Duomo and Last Supper painting in Milan. Many people also like to include wine tours, cooking classes and boat trips in their itineraries.

Below there is a guide to indicative costs for tickets and tours.

• €20 – €25 per adult for museum and attraction tickets
• €25 per adult for a basic audioguide tour
• €45 – €60 per adult for a large group tour
• €80+ per adult for a small group tour
• €120+ per hour for an experienced private guide

Always factor insurance into your trip budget. Apart from trip cancelations and coverage for theft of items, the main reason to get insurance is to cover medical emergencies. Italy’s healthcare system is excellent but you will not be covered for many medical expenses or if you need to be flown home. These costs can quickly escalate to tens of thousands of dollars which would make for an even more miserable end to your vacation.

Policy costs vary by your country of residence, what is covered, age, existing conditions and the insurer. You can visit Worldnomads for a quick quote. We use this company for our family travels and find the cost, coverage and claims process to be good to excellent. Another option if you are in the United States is Safety Wing’s Nomad Insurance . Unfortunately, neither option provides policies for those aged over 69. In this case, you can try Travel Insurance Master – a service that allows you to compare quotes and insurance policies.

READ: Our full Guide to Travel Insurance for Italy .

Book in for a trip consultation with our expert Italy travel planners ready to help you build your dream vacation in Italy whether that be a classic first timer trip or an off-the-beaten-path adventure

Incidentals

Sometimes it is the little things that add up. We factor in around €20 a day for those small items that you may not have thought of. We’ve included the following items in this category:

• Wifi and internet costs – from €8 per day depending on the option you choose >> more info on internet access in Italy 
• Tipping large amounts is not required or expected in Italy. Generally, people round up the check or bill or leave a few Euros
• If you want to use public restrooms at train stations you need to pay 50c to €1
• Luggage storage will cost around €5 per piece

READ: Our complete guide to Tipping In Italy .

Shopping and souvenirs

If you are tempted by well made artisan quality leather goods, custom perfumes, ceramics and unique jewelry then you should probably factor this into your budget. You’ll find gorgeous hand made goods everywhere you go in Italy and you’ll likely want to bring some home with you.

Expect to pay upwards of €250 for a quality leather jacket in Florence and around €40 for an off-the-shelf perfume or over €100 for something more bespoke. Food, especially chocolate, makes a less expensive gift and you can find very good quality for around €5 a box.

Other variables in the cost to go to Italy

Everyone is different and has different expectations and interpretations of the words “luxury” and “budget”. We’ve given you indicative costs so you know what to expect when you get to Italy. If you have luxury tastes with a smaller budget then here are some quick ways to reign in the cost of your trip.

Seasonality

Generally speaking, peak season runs from May to September so expect prices to be higher for flights and accommodation during these months. Travel during winter and you’ll find better value on these critical components of your trip. Accommodation and tour prices drop by 20-30% at this time. Yes, the weather may be a bit chillier but you’ll also have fewer crowds to contend with.

Keep an eye out for free museum days where you can enter major attractions such as the Colosseum and Uffizi Gallery for free. These are usually held on the 1st Sunday of each month except in summer and other random days throughout the year.

Go to lesser-known towns and regions – prices are much higher for everything in the bigger cities compared to regional areas. We ate like kings and queens in Sicily for a pittance and fondly remember a €10 seafood platter that fed our family of four.

In the big tourist areas, stay one district out of the city centers for better value accommodation eg Testaccio or Monti in Rome. Just make sure you are close to a bus or tram stop as you don’t want to offset your accommodation savings with transport costs.

A great way to save money is to pool your resources and share the cost of transportation and tours. In Venice, the cost of a gondola ride is €80 for up to 6 people. So find a gondola stop and make some friends who can split the cost with you and the experience immediately becomes much more accessible.

You can apply this principle to renting a charter boat in Capri or along the Amalfi Coast or these fantastic private tours by Withlocals .

Travel deals and discounts

If you’re looking to save money on tours and attractions, the Black Friday sales usually offer some excellent deals. Our subscribers also have access to exclusive deals and discounts throughout the year offered by our partners such as Liv Tours and Take Walks – you can join us by clicking here .

Final thoughts

As we’ve shown, the average cost of a trip to Italy really depends on your preferences and choices. You should now have a good idea of what a trip to Bella Italia costs for your travel style. If you’re wondering if your manual calculations add up, why not check them against our cost calculator for Italy? You’ll know in seconds what your final budget for Italy should be.

Italy is a country waiting to be explored by you. Are you ready to take the next steps and book your flights?

Katy is the founder of Untold Italy and host of our eponymous podcast . Passionate about helping travelers planning their dream trips to Italy full of unforgettable experiences and memories, she has produced this site since 2018 – more info .

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Cost of a Trip to Italy & the Cheapest Time to Visit Italy

The average price of a 7-day trip to Italy is $1,170 for a solo traveler, $1,859 for a couple, and $2,034 for a family of 4 . Italy hotels range from $50 to $232 per night with an average of $80, while most vacation rentals will cost $150 to $420 per night for the entire home. Average worldwide flight costs to Italy (from all airports) are between $673 and $1,036 per person for economy flights and $2,113 to $3,253 for first class. Depending on activities, we recommend budgeting $37 to $76 per person per day for transportation and enjoying local restaurants.

See below for average , budget , and luxury trip costs. You can also look up flight costs from your airport for more tailored flight pricing.

The Cheapest Times to Visit Italy

On average, these will be the cheapest dates to fly to Italy and stay in a Italy hotel:

• January 1st to April 1st
• September 10th to December 16th

The absolute cheapest time to take a vacation in Italy is usually late January and early February .

Average Italy Trip Costs

Average solo traveler.

The average cost for one person to visit Italy for a week is $1,011-$2,061 ($144-$294 per day)

Food, Travel, and Sightseeing : $37 to $76 per day for one person’s daily expenses

Flights : $374 to $971 for economy

Lodging : $63 to $80 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room

or $76 to $93 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental

Average Couple’s Trip

The average cost for a couple to visit Italy for a week is $1,644-$3,570 ($235-$510 per day)

Food, Travel, and Sightseeing : $74 to $153 per day for two people’s daily expenses

Flights : $748 to $1,941 for economy

Average Family Vacation

The average cost for 4 people to visit Italy for a week is $3,229-$6,977 ($461-$997 per day)

Food, Travel, and Sightseeing : $149 to $305 per day for four people’s daily expenses

Flights : $1,496 to $3,882 for economy

Lodging : $126 to $160 per night for two 2 or 3-star hotel rooms

or $115 to $140 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental

Traveling Cheap to Italy

How cheap can you make a vacation to Italy? The cheapest trip to Italy is about $109 per person per day for travelers willing to take standby flights, deal with inconvenience, and otherwise limit travel expenses. About 1% of rentals are available in the $0 to $100 range for an entire place, and vacation rentals can be booked for as low as $16 per night. These inexpensive rentals must be booked as early as possible and may not be in the most desirable areas. 1-star hotels are more likely to be available, with rooms starting at around $43.

Even cheaper trips are possible depending on where you live and whether you can drive. Check the cheapest times to fly for more saving ideas.

Budget Solo Traveler

The lowest cost for one person to visit Italy for a week is $765-$1,734 ($109-$248 per day)

Food, Travel, and Sightseeing : $19 to $37 per day for one person’s daily expenses

Lodging : $43 to $50 per night for one 1-star hotel room

or $54 to $84 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental

Budget Couple’s Trip

The lowest cost for a couple to visit Italy for a week is $1,265-$2,963 ($181-$423 per day)

Food, Travel, and Sightseeing : $37 to $74 per day for two people’s daily expenses

Budget Family Vacation

The lowest cost for 4 people to visit Italy for a week is $2,494-$5,675 ($356-$811 per day)

Food, Travel, and Sightseeing : $74 to $149 per day for four people’s daily expenses

Lodging : $86 to $100 per night for two 1-star hotel rooms

or $80 to $125 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental

Overall it is very possible to travel to Italy cheaply.

The Cost of a Luxury Italy Trip

There is no true ceiling on the cost of a luxury trip, so our estimates are based on what most people do in Italy.

Luxury Solo Traveler

The high-end price for one person to visit Italy for a week is $2,107-$8,540 ($301-$1,220 per day)

Food, Travel, and Sightseeing : $75 to $153 per day for one person’s daily expenses

Flights : $934 to $2,417 for first class

Lodging : $108 to $232 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room

or $421 to $842 per night for a preferred vacation rental

Luxury Couple’s Trip

The high-end price for a couple to visit Italy for a week is $3,560-$12,021 ($509-$1,717 per day)

Food, Travel, and Sightseeing : $149 to $305 per day for two people’s daily expenses

Flights : $1,869 to $4,834 for first class

Luxury Family Vacation

The high-end price for 4 people to visit Italy for a week is $7,126-$21,517 ($1,018-$3,074 per day)

Food, Travel, and Sightseeing : $299 to $611 per day for four people’s daily expenses

Flights : $3,737 to $9,668 for first class

Lodging : $216 to $464 per night for two 4 or 5-star hotel rooms

or $632 to $1,262 per night for a preferred vacation rental

Italy Hotel Prices

The cost of staying in Italy is slightly lower than the average city. On average hotels are less expensive than vacation rentals. Luxury vacation rentals are more expensive in Italy due to very high property costs. The graphs below show how much cost can vary depending on the type of experience you’re looking for.

Italy Lodging Cost by Star Status

The average price for the class of hotel is on the (y) axis. The hotel class (out of 5 stars) is on the (x) axis.

Prices are based on Italy hotel averages and may not reflect current prices. In some cases, we extrapolate prices to estimate costs, and hotels with your desired star rating may not be available.

Vacation Rental Prices

The percent of vacation rentals in the price range is on the left (y) axis. Price range is on the bottom (x) axis.

There are a healthy amount of vacation rentals serving all budgets in Italy.

Flight Costs to Italy

Averaging flights around the world, prices go from a high of $1,036 average in mid December to a low of $673 in late January and early February. Median flight price is $688. These prices are based on millions of flights. For Italy our data includes thousands of originating airports, and hundreds of airlines. The area has more variance in price compared with other locations.

Average Flight Cost by Season

Average flight cost by day of week.

The cheapest day to fly in is typically Tuesday, and the cheapest day to fly back is usually Tuesday. Click here to see data for the cost of flights from your airport. In Italy, the difference between the cheapest and the most expensive week is about $363, so you can easily save about 54% simply by using our free flight guides and booking in advance.

Daily Expenses Budget

Daily vacation expenses vary more based on what you’re interested in doing. A fine dining restaurant with drinks around Italy can easily cost $279 per person or more, while a standard nice meal might be about $19 per person. Private tours can cost $558 per day, but self-guided tours to see the outdoor sights can be free. Costs vary wildly, so recommendations are made based on the cost of living and averages we see for this type of vacation.

Other Italy Guides

Travel costs nearby.

• Pienza, Italy
• Montepulciano, Italy
• Chianciano Terme, Italy
• Torrita di Siena, Italy
• Sarteano, Italy
• Castiglione d’Orcia, Italy
• Castiglione dOrcia, Italy
• Radicofani, Italy
• Trequanda, Italy
• San Quirico d’Orcia, Italy

Travel Costs in Popular Places

• San Diego, CA, US
• Byron Bay, NW, AU
• Sandton, South Africa

Is Italy Expensive? An Italy Trip Cost Guide for 2024

Last Updated on December 12, 2023

by Maggie Turansky

Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links. That means if you click a link and make a purchase, we may make a small commission. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. For more information, see our privacy policy.

Italy is a country that inspires thousands of people across the globe to travel here each year. But is Italy expensive to visit? And how much will an Italy trip cost?

Renowned the world over for its fascinating history, beautiful landscapes, amazing cuisine, and hospitable people, it is also essential to be aware of average prices in Italy before you travel.

You’ll likely find Italy to be less expensive than many other European countries. On average, you can expect a trip to Italy to cost roughly €70-305 per person per day (around $75-328 USD).

However, these prices will be heavily influenced by how you choose to spend your money across accommodation, transportation, food, activities, and entertainment and what region of the country you are visiting.

Table of Contents

Accommodation Prices

The first thing you need to consider in your Italy travel budget is the cost of accommodation as this is likely going be the biggest portion of your overall trip cost.

Because the whole country is so popular amongst travellers, there are several different accommodation options to choose from pretty much anywhere you wish to go. These range from backpacker hostels to rural B&Bs to boutique hotels to large international hotel chains.

The most budget-friendly option for accommodation would be to get a dorm bed at a hostel. There is usually at least one hostel in most major Italian cities, however, the prices actually don’t really differ all that much depending on where you are.

On the whole, you can expect the price of a bed in a hostel to start somewhere around €25-30 for the cheapest option. If you are in Venice or Rome, this might mean a bed in a 15+ person dorm, but in smaller cities, you can expect to pay the same for a dorm with a smaller capacity.

Another fantastic budget option, especially for those travelling as a couple or with a friend, is to opt for a private room on Airbnb.

Along with being a great way to see how locals live in the city you’re visiting, Airbnb tends to be significantly less expensive than a traditional hotel. A private room can also work out to be less expensive per person than a bed in a hostel dorm if you’re not travelling solo.

Though you can generally expect prices to be higher in bigger cities that have a higher cost of living, like Venice , Florence, or Rome, on average a price for a private room on Airbnb costs about €50-60 per night. If you split this between two people, this can be an extremely cost-effective accommodation option in Italy.

If you’re interested in renting an entire, one-bedroom apartment in a major urban area then expect prices to start at around €60-90 per night. Once again, expect to pay more in Rome and keep in mind that prices can be higher in Milan , Florence and Venice.

Seasonality has a lot to do with prices, as well. For instance, the Amalfi Coast is going to have a lot higher accommodation costs in the summer months.

If neither hostels nor Airbnb appeals to you as accommodation options, you can find some decent budget and mid-range hotels that won’t take a huge proportion out of your total Italy trip cost.

A good thing to keep in mind is that it is almost always less expensive to stay in a locally run establishment than a well-known chain. Expect a mid-range hotel room to start at around €70-100 per night.

Keep in mind that this can vary drastically depending on where you are in the country and the season, as well. For instance, if you’re travelling on the Amalfi Coast, you can safely assume that these prices could double.

If you’re looking for a higher-end or luxury stay in Italy, expect, on average, prices to start at around €300-350 and to go up from there. Prices will be more expensive in places like Venice, Lake Como , the Amalfi Coast and Cinque Terre than they will be in lesser-visited areas.

Overall, if you’re smart about your choices, accommodation in Italy doesn’t have to break the bank.

Transportation Prices

The second biggest thing that needs to be considered in your total trip cost are the transportation prices in Italy.

Unless you’re planning on only visiting one place and walking absolutely everywhere (make sure to pack good shoes if so!) while you’re in Italy, then you’re going to be spending at least some money on both local and intercity transport.

In the big cities like Rome or Naples , there are multiple public transport options — buses, trams, and metro — and you will probably end up taking a few of them, as places and sites are spread out from one another.

If you want to cover a lot of ground while visiting this city and plan on using the public transport network frequently (ie, more than once or twice per day) then it can oftentimes work out to be more cost-effective to buy a daily travel card rather than purchasing individual, single-journey tickets.

In other, smaller cities such as Modena , public transport is often just limited to the bus. If the city is walkable, which is most cities besides the bigger ones, then it is rarely necessary to buy more than one or two bus tickets that will get you to and from the train station. Expect single tickets to be around €2, though it can definitely vary from locality to locality.

The other thing you need to consider when it comes to transport in Italy are longer journeys, ie. intercity trains and buses. These can range in price significantly depending on the distance you plan on travelling and the type of train you are travelling on.

If you know of your general Italy itinerary beforehand, then take the time to research the travel options available to you as there can be many different ways to get from point A to point B.

To give you a general idea, the high-speed intercity trains tend to cost a bit more than the regional, commuter trains.

While taking one of the high-speed options can be great if you’re travelling long distances, it’s not needed if you’re only travelling a short distance in the same or neighbouring region. A high-speed train is about three times the price of a regional train and the journey time will not be much longer.

Depending on how long you’ve planned for your Italy itinerary, it may work out to be a better bet to take the high-speed train and pay a bit more so as to properly maximise your time in your destinations. If you have a number of weeks that you’re planning to spend in Italy, longer train journeys may not matter as much.

Another tip that can help you save a fair amount on your total trip to Italy cost is to book your longer train journeys in advance. It is much less expensive to do this rather than to purchase tickets on the day.

While we’re always advocates of not over-planning and letting the wind take you where it will, it can sometimes save you a good amount of money to have a few things planned ahead of time. We suggest booking on Omio to find deals on train tickets in Italy.

If you’re planning on taking a number of trains during your time in Italy, then a train pass can be good value. If you’re from outside of Europe, you can view Eurail Italy Passes here . Alternatively, if you’re from the EU, you can view Interrail Italy Passes here .

If you want to get a bit off the beaten path in Italy and explore on your own terms, renting a car is an excellent option. Prices for a hire car can vary, but you’re looking at a price starting at about €25-30 per day for a basic car without any additional insurance. Note that prices are often lower for a manual transmission.

If you do rent a car, you need to also factor in the cost of petrol and likely parking into your daily costs. The average fuel price in Italy is about €1.80 per litre in December of 2023. Prices for parking can vary depending on where you are and which kind of place you are parking in. Toll road pricing can also vary and it depends on the road and the distance you’re travelling.

If you want to find great deals for renting a car, we recommend using  Rentalcars.com . This is particularly important if travelling to places with limited public transport options such as Lake Garda or Lake Como or if you’re spending time exploring Sicily the Puglia region.

On average, plan to spend about €10-30 per person per day on transportation taking all of the above-mentioned things into account.

Food Prices

So let’s talk about the cost of one of the main things that attract thousands to visit Italy: food. Food in Italy is delicious, diverse and, surprisingly, doesn’t have to be that expensive. Sure, it is possible to splash out a small fortune on a high-end meal but in my experience, this is more of an exception rather than the rule.

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to only eat kebabs or cook your own meals in order to eat on a budget while in Italy. Sure, if you’re really trying to pinch pennies and make your budget stretch as far as possible, then it can be beneficial to cook some of your meals from time to time. However, eating out at a decent restaurant actually isn’t all that expensive.

The biggest tip that I can give when it comes to saving money while dining out in Italy is to always avoid tourist-centric restaurants. This means not eating at places a stone’s throw from big attractions and sites, and avoiding places that have a photo-laden menu published outside with every type of food under the sun.

Learn about the foods that are typical for the region of Italy that you are travelling in and if a restaurant doesn’t have many of them on the menu, it generally means that locals don’t eat there.

If you walk just a few streets over from the main tourist centre, you will probably find about a 10-15% decrease in the prices on menus. This is because these restaurants are meant for locals who don’t typically hang out around the Colosseum every day. Eat in these places — you will not only save money but the food will almost always be better.

Food in Italy can be affordable and you can eat exceptionally well on only a small budget, but like elsewhere, prices can vary by region. For instance, it’s much cheaper to eat out in Sicily than it is dine at an equivalent restaurant in Venice.

Keeping that in mind, plan for a main meal at a restaurant to average around €15. And if you’re eating out with another person, each getting a main dish, sharing an appetiser and splitting a half-litre of house wine, expect this to average about €30-40 for the entire bill, depending on where you are.

All in all, plan to budget around €20-40 per person per day on food. On the low end, this allows one restaurant meal out and on the upper end, a couple of meals out each day at a mid-range establishment.

Activity Prices

Now that we’ve covered the basic costs of the most necessary things on your Italy vacation, let’s talk about how much daily activities are going to set you back. Well, like most anything else, this really depends on what it is you plan to do.

If you’re travelling to Italy in order to take advantage of all of the fantastic history, art and culture there is in this country, then you’re most likely going to be visiting a lot of museums.

Museum entry prices can vary depending on if they are state-run or privately funded. But it’s generally safe to assume that a museum visit will set you back somewhere around €5-15.

When it comes to entry into any museum or historical site, be aware if you qualify for any discounts as well. Almost everywhere in Italy offer significant (up to 50%) discounts if you have a valid student ID and you also won’t have to pay as much if you are under the age of 26 or over the age of 65. Do your research beforehand to see if you qualify for these.

Also, if you plan to visit several historical sites and museums in any given city, it can often work out to be more cost-effective to purchase the city’s tourism card rather than pay the full price of every individual site you want to visit. Take the time to work out the sums before you go to see if it’s worth it for you.

If you’re curious about going on any food tours or wine tastings, it’s normally always cheaper to look for individual places to visit independently rather than paying for an organised tour.

Also, it can be a better bang for your buck to seek out smaller, locally-run businesses rather than bigger corporations. For instance, we went on a balsamic vinegar tour in Modena that was completely free. We just contacted the acetaia  directly.

However, if you’d like to go on something like an organised food tour of Palermo or even a day tour to Capri from Naples, you’re going to have to pay a bit more for this. Expect tours to land around €40-100 per person depending on where it is and what is offered.

If you are on an extreme budget, then you actually don’t need to spend anything on daily activities. Italian cities just beg to be wandered through and explored and this doesn’t cost a dime!

All in all, however, expect to spend an average of about €10-30 per person per day to account for museum entry or the occasional tour.

Entertainment Prices

The last thing you need to consider in your total Italy trip cost is the price of entertainment. How much money you spend on this really depends on your habits.

If you’re looking to grab a coffee at a classic Italian cafe, you’re not going to have to pay a lot for the privilege. On average, something like a macchiato or a cappuccino will be under €2. It’s worth keeping in mind that it’s often cheaper to drink your coffee standing at the bar rather than being served at a table, though this practice does vary by region.

While there are certainly places to party into the wee hours of the night in almost every Italian city, it can be expensive to drink a lot and it also isn’t what Italians typically do every day. If you do, however, enjoy the occasional cocktail or glass of wine in the evening, you are in luck.

Italians have an excellent happy hour culture, called  aperitivo . During the few hours before one would typically go out for dinner, usually between around 6 PM-8 PM, cafes and bars will typically offer discounted wine and cocktails that come with either snacks or access to a buffet of charcuterie, cheese, bread, olives, etc.

You can normally get a drink along with a few snacks (the amount really depends on the establishment) for a good price – usually between €5-12 depending on where you are.

These kinds of things are especially prevalent in cities that have a large student population, like Bologna, but can be found throughout the country and we’ve experienced this culture everywhere from Bergamo to Palermo. This can be a great way to save money while still enjoying the drinking culture of Italy.

All in all, however, you can expect the average cost of a pint of local draft beer in Italy to land somewhere around €4-5 depending on where you are. A glass of wine will start around the same. If you’re after a basic cocktail like an Aperol spritz or a gin and tonic, expect to pay around €5-10 for this. Again, it really depends on the region or city you’re in and who the bar is catering to.

Italy Trip Cost Estimator

With the above aspects taken into consideration, this is the average daily amount you should expect to spend per person on your trip to Italy.

This is assuming that you stay in budget to mid-range accommodation, travel long distances every three or four days, cook some meals or take advantage of included breakfasts, don’t eat at high-end restaurants every night and are splitting costs like accommodation and potential car hire between two people.

Accommodation:  €25-175 / night

Transportation:  €10-40 / day

Food:  €20-40 / day

Activities:  €10-30 / day

Entertainment:  €5-20 / day

All in all, you can expect your average total cost of a trip to Italy to set you back roughly €70-305 per person per day. Obviously, this can also be cut down or increased depending on your travel habits and preferences. It also doesn’t include any pre-trip expenses such as a prepaid SIM for Italy.

Finally, make sure that you factor in the cost of a travel insurance policy. World Nomads   offers flexible and simple travel insurance policies with coverage for more than 150 activities that you can buy or extend while on the road.

Travelling to Italy doesn’t have to cost you a lot of money. While the country does have a reputation for being expensive, if you are smart about where and how you spend, it is completely possible to have a fun and fulfilling trip to Italy while on a budget.

Are you planning a trip to Italy? Have any questions about the prices? Let us know in the comments!

Related Posts:

10 Days in Italy Itinerary: 3 Perfect Routes for a First Trip

The Ultimate 2 to 3 Days in Lake Como Itinerary

One Day in Parma Itinerary: A Day Trip from Bologna

About Maggie Turansky

Maggie is a co-founder and writer for The World Was Here First. Originally from the US, she has lived in five different countries and has travelled to dozens more, both solo and with her partner, Michael. She particularly loves exploring Spain and spending time in the Caucasus and the Baltics. Read more about Maggie

Thank you again for your informative information…. My wife & I did travel to Italy this pass May 2023 for 3-wks to Florence, Venice, Bellagio & Milan, loved the different cities & sights & had a wonderful time…We are traveling back to Italy this May for 2-wks…Flying into Naples, having a driver pick us up & drive to Amalfi for 1-wk. & while there explore Positano, Sorrento & Capri, then taking a flight from Naples to Genoa, having a driver pick us up & drive to Portofino for 1-wk. & explore the 5-towns of Cinque Terre as well….Love Italy…Wishing you a happy, healthy & safe traveling 2024…

Thanks for sharing your insights, Elliot! Happy New Year 🙂

My wife and I are beginnig to plan our 50th wedding anniverary in 2025. We plan to travel to Italy for this experience. Paris was our 25th. This was very helpful start for us. Thanks

Happy you found this helpful!

Hi, a girlfriend and I are going to Rome for 2 weeks in April. I have travelled Europe using Airbnb and driving in a very low key but fun way. My husband has had Parkinson for 15 years and can longer do long hall flights and I only have minders for him for 3 weeks. So I chose Rome, have never been there. Booked a room for us on Airbnb and have a map and lots of ideas and good walking shoes. Will report back on our return.

How was your travel to Italy can you help in letting me know the cost of stay in an Air BNB Did you find it costly and how much did you pay I am a family of 4 with wife and 2 kids plan to travel and stay in such places Thanks for your help Alex

Very helpful! Thanks Maggie. I’m travelling to Italy in late August till the end of October 2023 and was wondering if it’s worthwhile getting the Eurail Pass. I’ll check out the train prices online to see what the best option is. Your articles are very helpfull for a first time, solo traveller to Italy… thank you.

My sister and I and our two adult daughters are planning a trip to Italy in June. This was very helpful information. Thank you!

Wishing you very best and a safe travel share some thoughts on travel and stay for us as we 4 of a family are also planning to travel this December Thanks

My son and I are going on a school trip in summer 2024. Basic travel and services are included, minus tips and it includes 2 meals per day. Can you help recommend a budget for us and what the best way to travel with our money might be? Thanks!

very helpful thanks I will be going October 2022 and I had so much questions and you really helped me

Very informative! I will be cruising to the Mediterranean this summer and this is very good information!

Happy this could help! Hope you have a great trip 🙂

Wonderful read. So very helpful thank you.

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How to Plan a Trip to Italy on a Budget, According to a Local

A dream vacation to "il bel paese" doesn’t have to break the bank.

Laura Itzkowitz is a freelance writer and editor based in Rome. She has been contributing to Travel + Leisure since 2014, when she started as a fact checker before becoming a contributing digital editor in 2015 and going freelance in 2016. She has also held positions as a contributing editor at The Points Guy and the NYC cities editor at DuJour Magazine. In addition to Travel + Leisure , her writing has appeared in Architectural Digest , Surface Magazine , Brooklyn Magazine , T Magazine , The Wall Street Journal , Vogue, GQ, Departures, Afar, Fodor's, Town & Country , Condé Nast Traveler , Robb Report , Hemispheres, and others. When she's not jetsetting around Italy and beyond, she can be found in Rome, enjoying some cacio e pepe or relaxing at home with her husband and two dogs. Originally from the Boston area, Laura moved to New York City in 2011 to pursue a master's degree in creative writing and translation at Columbia University. She also holds a bachelor's degree in French from Smith College. * 10+ years of experience writing and editing * Co-wrote "New York: Hidden Bars & Restaurants," an award-winning guide to New York City's speakeasy scene published by Jonglez Editions in 2015 * Contributed to "Fodor's Brooklyn," published by Penguin Random House in 2015, which won silver in the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism competition * Contributed an essay to "Epic Hikes of Europe," published by Lonely Planet in 2021 * Updated the 2022 edition of "Fodor's Essential Italy"

Planning Your Trip

How to save money on flights, how to find an affordable hotel, transportation in italy, eating on a budget, free and low-cost activities, more money-saving tips.

Evgeniya Vlasova/Travel + Leisure

For many, visiting Italy is a dream trip — one that’s worth saving up for. There are certainly plenty of glamorous resorts, Michelin-starred restaurants, and exclusive experiences that you might want to splurge on, but a trip to Italy doesn’t have to break the bank. In fact, according to Numbeo, the cost of living is, on average, 19.8 percent lower in Italy than in the U.S.

I’ve been living in Rome for nearly five years and visited Italy many times before that, so I’ve found some strategies for traveling around the country without overspending. Here's how to plan a trip to Italy on a budget.

Want to visit Italy in the summer? So does everyone else — and increased demand drives up the prices on flights, hotels, and even tours. If you want to save some money, plan your trip for the low season (November through March), when you’ll find better rates and fewer crowds. Just keep in mind that while cities like Rome, Florence, Venice, and Milan are year-round destinations, coastal destinations like the Amalfi Coast all but shut down in the winter.

It’s a good idea to start planning your trip to Italy about three to six months in advance, or even longer if you’re planning a trip in the high season and want to be sure you’ll have plenty of options. According to Attilia Avino, who together with her sister Mariella runs Palazzo Avino , a member of the Leading Hotels of the World on the Amalfi Coast, they’re already getting bookings for 2025.

Daniel Gorostieta/Travel + Leisure

There’s no denying that flights are more expensive now than they were in the past — and flights to Italy are no exception. According to Priceline , the average cost of a round-trip flight to Rome in May 2024 is $1,183, while in May 2023 it was $977. That’s an increase of 21 percent in the span of a year.

“The two months with by far the highest number of cheap flights to Italy are January and February,” Scott Keyes, founder and chief flight officer of Going.com , told Travel + Leisure . “Aside from winter travel, shoulder season (March through May and September through November) is known for cheap Italy deals,” he said.

When looking for ways to save money on flights to Italy, it’s important to be flexible. Try using the “anywhere” feature on Google Flights to compare flight costs to different cities in Italy. If, for example, you want to visit Rome but find that the cheapest flight is to Florence, you could save hundreds of dollars by flying to Florence and then taking the train to Rome.

Amanda Blackard/Travel + Leisure

According to Priceline, the average price of a hotel room in Rome rose from $180 in spring 2023 to $301 in May 2024 (that’s a whopping 67 percent increase), but there are still deals to be found. Accommodations in Italy run the gamut from historic grand dames with white glove service to spartan bed-and-breakfasts or hostels with shared dorms. And in many Italian cities, monasteries run guest houses that offer affordable rooms but might have a curfew. Sites like Booking.com will give you plenty of options that will likely fit your budget.

If you want to stay in the countryside, consider booking a room at an agriturismo . The word comes from " agri" for agriculture and " turismo" for tourism, so staying at one is essentially a form of agricultural tourism. Some have working farms that provide fresh fruit and vegetables and produce cheese or charcuterie, which they serve at their restaurant or sell at local markets. Better yet, they’re often more affordable than hotels or resorts.

Airbnb is an obvious choice, but it isn’t always more affordable than staying at a hotel, especially in in-demand neighborhoods in major cities like Rome, Florence, and Venice. It’s a good idea to compare the prices of Airbnbs with budget hotels or hostels when deciding where to stay. And consider that accommodations in neighborhoods outside the historic center will usually cost less than staying near the major monuments.

Michela Sieman/Travel + Leisure

Italy has an extensive network of trains and buses that transport people around the country, and most cities have public transit (metros, buses, and/or trams) to move around within them. The key to saving money when traveling between cities is figuring out which train you need to book and booking it at the right time.

High-speed trains like the Frecciarossa travel at speeds up to 300 kilometers per hour. From Rome, you can be in Naples in 70 minutes, Florence in 90 minutes, Milan in three hours, and Venice in four hours. Tickets on the high-speed trains should be booked in advance because the longer you wait to book, the higher the price will rise. There are also intercity trains and regional trains, which cost less but take longer than high-speed trains. If you want to visit small cities such as Parma or Tropea, you might need to transfer from a high-speed train to a slower intercity or regional train. Use Trenitalia.com or Italiarail.com to search for and book the best train routes.

To get around cities like Rome, Milan, and Bologna, the metro is often the cheapest and fastest way to go. In Rome, for example, a single ticket costs €1.50 and is valid on the metro, buses, and trams for 100 minutes. (The price is set to rise to €2 in July.) For €7, you can buy a 24-hour pass that grants you unlimited rides. Tickets can be purchased at ticket booths in some metro stations, at the automatic machines in all metro stations, or at a tabaccaio (look for a sign with the letter T) or at some newsstands. You can use Google Maps to plan your route or download the app Moovit , which has updated information about metro, bus, and tram lines and will warn you about service changes and strikes.

In Venice, the vaporetto is the name for the public water buses that ply the Grand Canal and ferry passengers to the outer islands — and they are significantly cheaper than taking a water taxi. If you just want to cross the Grand Canal, look for the gondola traghetto . These gondolas operate in points where there isn’t a bridge nearby — like between Piazza San Marco and Punta della Dogana — and cost €2 to ride.

Eating out in Italy can put a dent in your wallet, but it doesn’t have to. There are many different types of restaurants in Italy , ranging from casual take-out spots to fine dining restaurants with elaborate tasting menus. According to Numbeo, the average cost of a three-course meal for two people at a mid-range restaurant in Italy is €60, while the average cost of a meal at an inexpensive restaurant is €15.

When I want to sit down for a casual meal of local specialties with affordable prices, I book a table at a trattoria or an osteria . Eating at a pizzeria is also a good option that’s usually more affordable than eating at a restaurant. Sit-down pizzerias are usually only open for dinner, but sometimes I like to get pizza al taglio (by the slice) for a quick lunch. Popping into a friggitoria (a place that specializes in fried food) is also a good option for a quick bite. And most bars have a selection of pastries and sandwiches.

To save a bit of money, join the locals eating and drinking their espresso standing up at the bar counter instead of sitting down and getting table service. In my experience, an espresso taken standing at a bar usually costs around €1.20, while a cappuccino and cornetto might cost €3 or €4.

Visiting museums, archeological sites, and other cultural attractions in Italy is generally quite affordable. Tickets sometimes cost just a few euros or at most about €25. For popular attractions like the Colosseum, Vatican Museums, and Galleria Borghese in Rome, the Uffizi Galleries and Pitti Palace in Florence, and the Doge’s Palace and Galleria dell’Accademia in Venice, it’s best to book tickets in advance. At the Colosseum, for example, tickets might sell out, forcing you to fork over a lot more money to join a guided tour. If you want to save money, book a basic entry ticket in advance and listen to one of Rick Steve’s free audio tours .

State-run museums throughout Italy are free on the first Sunday of every month and on some holidays, like the Festa della Liberazione (Liberation Day) on April 25, but in some cases,  you’ll still need to book tickets online in advance.

There are also lots of things to do in Italy that are totally free all year. Most churches are free to enter — and some of the most incredible Renaissance and Baroque art you’ll see in Italy is inside them. I have found that Italy’s churches can also be a cool, quiet place to rest my feet if I’ve been walking around for hours. Public parks such as Villa Borghese in Rome are also free. And of course, strolling around and simply admiring the beautiful piazzas, fountains, and monuments doesn’t cost a cent.

If you’re visiting Italy in the summer, you’ll probably want to soak up the sun on the beach, but prices at the beach clubs range wildly from about €15 to upwards of €100 for a sunbed and umbrella — not including food and drinks. While prices tend to be higher in touristy areas like Capri, Positano, the Italian Riviera, and the Costa Smeralda, you don’t have to fork over a fortune to enjoy the beach. Instead seek out free public beaches (called spiaggia libera ) — just make sure to bring your own towel.

You might also want to consider visiting secondary cities, such as Parma, Modena, Siena, Perugia, Orvieto, Tropea, and Lecce, where accommodations, experiences, and even meals are often less expensive than in major cities.

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How Much is a Trip to Italy? A 2024 Italy Travel Budget Breakdown

Posted on Last updated: January 13, 2024

Wondering how much does a trip to Italy cost? You’ve come to the right place!

If you’ve only just started planning your Italy trip, you’re probably wondering how much you should budget for it. In this article I have outlined everything you need to take into account, including average prices.

I’ll tell you straight away, there is no fixed price that you can expect to spend for a trip to Italy. 

It can vary massively depending on where you’re travelling from, where in Italy you want to go, for how long, what activities you want to do, and many other factors.

Instead of giving you a set Italy trip cost, in this article I help you understand what all these factors at play are, how they will affect your Italy travel budget, and an average price range you can expect.

So what are you waiting for, let’s dive in and discover exactly how much a trip to Italy costs!

• 1 Italy trip costs overview 
• 2 Average trip to Italy cost 
• 3.1 Cost of flights to Italy
• 3.2 The cost of accommodation in Italy
• 3.3 Price for tours & activities in Italy
• 3.4 Cost of transport within Italy
• 3.5 Cost of eating in Italy
• 4.1 Duration of trip
• 4.2 Group size
• 4.3 Peak season vs off season
• 4.4 Where in Italy you’re going

The picturesque streets and views of Bellagio in Lake Como, Italy

Italy trip costs overview  

How much does it cost to go to Italy is a great question!

For starters, there are a few things to factor into your Italy trip budget. Depending on where you’re travelling from, the cost of flights will probably be the biggest expense, followed by the price of the accommodation.  

On top of that, you’ll need to budget for any meals you eat out at local restaurants, any transport you take when in Italy and money you spend on things like tours and entertainment.  

Don’t forget to factor in the cost of other add-ons like Italy travel insurance , and a little added extra for unforeseen costs – plus souvenirs and snacks, obviously!  

Besides what you’ll actually be spending money on, you also need to factor things that can affect these prices, like the time of year you travel, your group size and trip length.

In this article we break down each of these elements, so as to help you tick off your Italy bucket list , without breaking the bank!

The beautiful Trevi fountain in Rome

Average trip to Italy cost  

So just how much does a trip to Italy cost? The answer varies depending on a lot of factors.

The cost of flights is down to where in the world you’re flying from. On average, you can expect to pay around €100 for a return flight to Italy from within Europe.

This can go up to around €1,000, or more, for travellers coming from the US or Australia.

Accommodation can cost anywhere between €50 and €150 per night, depending on the time of year and type of place you’re booking.

Food will cost you between €25-80 a day. For travel on the ground, you should budget between €10-50 per day depending on how many excursions and trips you’re going to do.  

Exploring the rooftop of the Duomo cathedral in Milan, Italy

So a sample 2 weeks in Italy budget, coming from somewhere in Europe, could look something like this:

Flights: €100

Accommodation: €100 per night, so €1,400 for two weeks

Food: Average of €50 per day, so €700 for two weeks

Activities: €500 (assuming a variety of activities and guided tours throughout the two weeks)

Transport: €500 (mixture of trains, car rentals and taxis throughout Italy)

Total:  Around €3,200

This can obviously vary massively depending on lots of different factors. We’ll now dive into the detailed breakdown of this Italy trip cost estimate, and the variables that can affect it.

Sunset over the perched colourful houses of Riomaggiore in Cinque Terre, Italy

Italy trip cost: Detailed breakdown

Cost of flights to italy.

It’s hard for me to say exactly how much you might end up spending on flights, as it massively varies depending on where you come from.

Airfare doesn’t always have to be a big chunk of the vacation to Italy cost you end up spending.

European short-haul flights to Italy can be booked for less than €100. A return ticket from London to Rome for example, costs on average around €119 (for some great deals look for last minute flights).

But you don’t necessarily have to fly. Travellers visiting Italy from within Europe also have the choice of taking the train (one of my favourite ways to travel within Europe ).

The harbour and colourful houses of Porto Venere

Booked in advance, the train from Paris to Rome can cost as little as €60.  

Travellers flying from the USA will probably have to budget more than €500 for their trip. The average cost of a return flight from New York to Rome is $729 (€694).

Those flying from countries like Australia and New Zealand will have to pay over €1,000. The average return flight from Sydney to Rome is $2,430 AUD (€1,560).  

Basically flights could be the biggest expense in your Italy trip budget, but they could also be cheap, depending on where you’re flying from.

Chilling by the Colosseum in Rome

The cost of accommodation in Italy

The amount you should budget for accommodation in Italy massively depends on where in the country you’re travelling to.

The price of accommodation in Venice  or Milan during the peak travel season will cost a lot more than a hotel in Bologna or Trentino , for example.

The more touristy and famous a place is, the more expensive it tends to be. For example, if you’re planning an Amalfi Coast itinerary and want to stay in Positano or Capri , get ready for it to be expensive.

Not only that, but the time of year, and even the day of the week, will really impact the price for a night in a hotel. 

Hostels in popular tourist destinations are one of the most budget friendly accommodation options (even Rome  and Sardinia have them!).

You can get a bed for the night for around €20 at a hostel, but these can go higher than €50 during high season. For mid-range or budget hotels in Italy, the price for a night ranges from around €80-170.

Admiring the colourful houses of Vernazza, one of the five towns along the Sentiero Azzurro in Cinque Terre, Italy

The beautiful alpine lake of Carezza, in Italy, at sunset

The amount you pay will change depending on the location of the hotel (i.e. the better the location, the more you pay), plus the region or city that it’s in.  

The price for luxury hotels in Italy can be super expensive; with prices ranging upwards of €500. But, for this you will be staying in some fabulous historic properties with high-end service.

Need help choosing where to stay in Italy? Check out my guides below!

Where to Stay in Milan: Tips from a Local!

Best Towns to Stay in Cinque Terre for Every Traveller!

Where to Stay in Venice: Best Areas for Every Budget!

Where to stay in Amalfi Coast: Best Towns for Every Budget!

7 Best Areas to Stay in Rome! Or check out my guides on the best Rome Airbnbs , hotels near the Pantheon or hotels near the Colosseum !

Best Towns & Areas to Stay in Lake Como!

Where to Stay in Florence!

Our gondola ride took us close to Rialto Bridge

Sunset over Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo

Price for tours & activities in Italy

Don’t overlook the cost of tours and activities when figuring out just how much a trip to Italy costs. You might want to spend your time simply relaxing at your accommodation, or sunning yourself at the beach .  

If that’s the case, then the price of activities is going to be minimal.

But if you’re the kind of traveller that likes to get out and explore a destination, then you will have to factor in the cost of things like the entrance to museums and walking tours.  

The price of activities in Italy doesn’t have to break the bank. A lot of Italian cities have free walking tours, churches usually don’t charge for entrance and museums usually have a low price tag.

If you’re into hiking, this is usually free unless you join a guided tour. For example hiking the Path of the Gods in Amalfi Coast is free!

The Leaning Tower of Pisa

Some low price tag activities fun Rome by night tours , which range €50-100, or seeing Da Vinci’s Last Supper, a must-see on any Milan itinerary , for around €40.

But there will be some activities that you may want to splurge on.

I’m talking about doing a private gondola tour in Venice , which can cost around €100, or embarking on a catamaran tour in Sardinia  or boat tour in Positano , which costs around €150-200, or spending the day on a private boat tour at Lake Como , which can cost upwards of €250.

Basically the price for your Italy tours will vary depending on where in Italy you’re going, what activities there are to do there, whether you join a group tour or want to do private tours, and how much you want to spend.

You could spend anywhere from zero to hundreds of euros.

View over the Roman Forum and the Colosseum from the Campidoglio

Admiring the colourful houses of Manarola, one of the five towns along the Sentiero Azzurro in Cinque Terre, Italy

Cost of transport within Italy

Travellers who want to go on a proper Italy road trip will need to consider the price of transport when working out the total cost of a trip to Italy.

For example, the price of renting a car in Italy for 2 weeks will depend on the time of year you’re travelling.

Car rental costs will be higher during peak season. Just to give you an idea of the prices, on average it costs €36 ($38) per day for car hire in Italy. That means you should budget at least €500 for 2 weeks’ car rental in Italy.  

Train fares can be way more affordable and are also a very fast way to travel around Italy.

A one-way ticket from Rome to Florence can be as low as €7.90 one-way – if booked in advance. Trains from Pisa to Milan can go as low as €12.90 for tickets (again, booked well in advance).

The price of trains can creep up however if you book nearer the date of travel, making some journeys cost around €50.

Sunset in Venice, Italy, a popular Mediterranean cruise destination

The view over the Sassi of Matera from Belvedere Luigi Gurrigghio

Overall, trains might not necessarily be cheaper, but you should also factor in whether you really need a car for your Italy itinerary.

If you’re only visiting the major cities, like Rome , Matera or Florence, you won’t want a car in the city centre.

It will just be more of a problem than an asset, due to things like tolls, fuel, traffic, and nightmare parking. So you’re better spending a bit more on train tickets, and then not having to worry about handling your car.

All the largest cities in Italy have pretty good public transportation that you can rely on without spending too much money. Local transportation is an easy way to get around any city, especially if you’re on a tight budget.

If you’re short on time and want to see a lot of places, you could opt to take flights within Italy.

The price of flying from one city to another can be surprisingly low, with cheap flights generally costing between €30-100 one-way.

Cala Corsara on the island of Spargi in Sardinia in August (a bit too many boats!)

Cost of eating in Italy

One more thing not to overlook in your 2 weeks in Italy budget is the amount you’ll spend on food. This will massively depend on where in Italy you are travelling to, and the type of places you are eating at.

The good news is the food in Italy is as good as its reputation, and you can get some amazingly delicious meals at down-to-earth, budget-friendly restaurants.

And for those who want to splash the cash, you can also enjoy fine-dining experiences that offer good value for money!

I would say on average to budget between €5-20 for breakfast, €15-30 for lunch, €30-90 for dinner, and around €15 for aperitivo.

Obviously, you can make things much cheaper by buying breakfast from bakeries, having pizza on the go or street food for lunch or cooking for yourself at Airbnbs, or even getting accommodation with breakfast included in the price.

Eating spaghetti carbonara in Rome

The awesome pizza of Spontini

Cost to travel to Italy: Things to consider 

Duration of trip.

Answering the question of just how much does it costs to travel to Italy will depend on how long you intend to stay in the country. The longer the trip, the more money you’re going to spend.

If you just want a quick Italian get-away, perhaps you fancy a long weekend in Rome , then you’ll only have to pay for around three nights of accommodation, meals for three or four days, and entertainment for that time.

A longer vacation of a week or two will cost more than double than a short trip; although, in the long run, you’ll get more value for money from the price you spent on the flight to Italy in the first place.  

Enjoying the view over Ragusa in Sicily

Another consideration that will impact your Italy trip budget is the size of the group you’re travelling with.

Solo travellers will often end up paying more money, as you won’t have anyone to split the cost of things like hotel rooms, meals, taxis and car rentals.

That being said, you could find a great deal on a hostel or Airbnb, and still have a super budget solo trip. Hostels often have an itinerary of free events like walking tours to join in with, too.

Couples and groups of friends have the benefit of being able to split the big expenses like accommodation costs or car rentals.

Working out just how much is a trip to Italy for 2 will vary mostly based on the location, but it will usually work out cheaper than travelling solo.  

Exploring the side streets, canals and bridges of Venice, Italy

Peak season vs off season

The time of year you travel will really impact how much your trip to Italy costs. There’s a huge difference in prices between Italy in summer and the low winter season.  

In August everything triples in price, since it’s a holiday period also for Italians, and the rest of Europe are also on holiday during the summer months.

Accommodation books up and beaches and big-name tourist attractions are full of people. If you can travel during the off season (there are lots of great places to visit in winter in Italy , too) you can save quite a lot!

If you visit Italy at Christmas time , you could be charmed by Christmas in Milan , or the snowy peaks of the Alps of some of Italy’s best ski resorts , or maybe even head to southern Italy for some winter sun!

Exploring the Golfo di Orosei and Cala Luna by kayak in Sardinia, Italy

Where in Italy you’re going

Italy is a big country and not all cities and vacation spots are the same. Your Italy trip cost will vary greatly based solely on the location in the country you’re travelling to.

Some destinations can be a whole lot more expensive than others. A week in Sardinia will be a lot more expensive than a week in Sicily , for example, and famous spots like Cinque Terre are also notoriously expensive.

For travellers on a budget who just want to get a taste of what Italy has to offer, it’s a good idea to be flexible with where in the country you’re travelling to – and the time of year you’re taking your trip.

If you have your heart set on a specific itinerary, then there’s not too much you can do (unless you can move your trip to low season), but just take it into account, and maybe factor in day trips instead of spending the night in expensive destinations.

For example, instead of spending three days in Lake Como (another notoriously expensive spot) you could opt for a Lake Como day trip from Milan instead.

Similarly to doing a day trip to Cinque Terre instead of sleeping there. That way you still see the famous sight you set out to see, but without breaking the bank or extending your trip too much.

Exploring the Pantheon in Rome

Final thoughts on how much does it cost to go to Italy

There you have it! The most complete answer to the question; “how much is a trip to Italy?” 

As you can see, there isn’t a simple answer or a single figure. How much you spend for a trip to Italy will be affected by so many different factors, I can’t give you a number to plan for.

What I can give you, is this detailed breakdown of all the expected costs and variables that will affect them, so that you can work out your own Italy trip budget, based on your itinerary and travel style.

Ultimately, as one of my favourite Italy travel quotes says, money spent on travel is never wasted.

A trip to Italy might be pricey, but the experiences you’ll live; seeing the view over the rooftops of Rome , the perfect reflection at Lago di Carezza , the beautiful Tuscan countryside, or the Sentiero Azzurro cliffside hiking trail , are experiences you’ll carry with you forever.

One thing that is good in terms of trip budget, is that you don’t need to add any specific gear to your Italy packing list , as you can do so with everyday clothes that you use also at home.

I hope you found this article useful in planning your Italy trip cost! If you have any questions, just let me know in the comments below!

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Italy Trip Costs: Budget Estimates in All Aspects (2024)

The cost of traveling in Italy is relatively affordable compared with many other European destinations.

This article will give you more details on Italy travel costs, covering international airfares, transportation within Italy, meals, hotels, attractions, activities, and more.

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How much is an italy tour.

• Costs for International Flights
• Costs for Accommodation
• Costs for Transportation
• Costs for Meals
• Costs for Attractions
• Most expensive time in Italy: June to August
• Cheapest time in Italy: November to March
• Prices during the off-season are about 30% to 50% lower than in the peak season.

Our cost assumptions are mainly based on a family with one or two children, or a couple wanting comfortable accommodation, unique experiences, and private transfers.

A private tour could be a good choice for balancing your expenses with the quality of the trip. Our professional travel consultant would manage the logistics and travel arrangements to enable you to focus on enjoying the trip itself.

Plus, accompanied by a knowledgeable guide, you would discover interesting details and anecdotes about the places you explore. In particular, there are many historical buildings and museums in Italy, and with a professional and lively explanation, you would have a deeper understanding of Italian culture and customs.

In general, such a private Italy tour would cost about 400 – 500 USD per day per person. A 1-week Italy tour would cost about 11,000–14,000 USD for a family of four (kids under 10 could travel with a 30–50% discount) or 6,000–7,000 USD for a couple. (This doesn't include the costs of international flights.)

It would include the costs for a private car service, private guide service, train/flight tickets within Italy, 4-star hotels, tickets for attractions, and full-day itineraries.

You can get a price reference on our 7-Day Rome, Florence, and Venice Tour . 

The estimated price we have given is only for reference. If you want a more specific budget, please contact us . Our travel advisor would give you more details based on your itinerary, travel time, and group size.

Costs for International Flights to Italy

If you are flying direct from America to Rome, you may need about 600–700 USD for an economy seat in the off-season. The high season (June to August) would double the costs, costing about 1,200–1,400 USD.

If you choose a connecting flight instead of a direct flight, the price could be cut in half. (Airfare prices vary considerably. The information provided here serves as a reference only. For more accurate cost estimates, we recommend checking the official website of the airline.)

If you are flying from London to Rome, the airfare costs about 40–50 euros. There would be more flight options.

When planning travel during peak seasons, we recommend booking your trip to Italy at least 3 months in advance to secure more flight options and better prices.

Discover real reviews of Highlights Travel Family 's best-rated service across trusted platforms.

Costs for Accommodation in Italy

Generally speaking, a 4-star hotel offers a comfortable accommodation experience with a good location. A fine 4-star hotel may cost about 200 USD per night. Many 5-star hotels start from 400 USD per night. Some luxury hotels could even reach over 1,000 USD per night, with private gardens and unique collections displayed.

For the needs of family accommodation, you could choose to book double rooms with extra beds or to book family rooms. As travel agents, we partner with many hotels to provide competitive pricing. Additionally, we have carefully selected high-quality hotels to suit your requirements, whether you prefer adult-only or family-friendly options.

In Tuscany, the region with Florence as capital, you could experience a manor or castle resort. They are usually in the quiet countryside, away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

If you want a leisurely and peaceful vacation, you could spend a day or two there. They offer many activities to experience rural life in Italy, such as going cycling or truffle picking.

Hotel prices fluctuate with the change in tourism seasons. During the off-peak season, a hotel that costs $200 per night might escalate to $400 per night in the peak season. Booking in advance allows for better prices. It's generally recommended to make reservations 3 months in advance.

Costs for Transportation within Italy

Trains are the main type of transportation connecting major cities. The price of a train ticket for a 1½-hour ride from Rome to Florence is typically between 25 and 70 USD (regular to premium seat price). The prices of train tickets are not fixed. The earlier you book, the better the prices.

For families traveling with ample luggage, opting for a private transfer between cities is advisable. That way, you could alleviate the hassle of managing both your luggage and your children simultaneously.

Sightseeing in most cities is done via walking tours. However, if you plan to visit countryside or seaside towns, you may need to use a car service.

Costs for Meals in Italy

In Italy, a basic meal, such as pizza or pasta, typically ranges from 5 to 15 USD per person. For a finer dinner experience, expect to spend about 30 to 60 USD per person. Restaurants boasting one Michelin star generally fall within the range of 50 to 130 USD per person.

Costs for Attractions and Activities in Italy

Tickets for major attractions and museums in Italy range from 12 to 25 USD. Some experiences, such as cooking classes or food tours, could cost more compared to simply visiting attractions.

The first Sunday of every month offers free entry to museums and archaeological parks in Italy, including famous attractions, such as the Colosseum and Uffizi Gallery. Huge crowds may be expected at these sites on free visiting days.

Make Your Italy Trip a Custom-Made Tour

All of our tours can be customized based on your interests and requirements. Feel free to contact us .

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How much does a trip to Italy Cost?

How much money should you budget for your trip to Italy?

• How much does a one-week trip to Italy cost?
• How much does a two-week trip to Italy cost?
• How much does a one-month trip to Italy cost?
• Hostel Prices
• Hotel Prices

The Cost of a Trip to Italy

For a trip to Italy, you should plan for daily costs anywhere between $73 to $463. If there's two of you traveling, your daily expenses could range from $146 to $926. These price ranges are based on the average daily spending of $184 (€166) per person which comes from the travel expenses of other visitors. These costs include food, accommodation, sightseeing activities, and getting around locally. Keep in mind, though, these figures can vary somewhat based on your individual travel style, level of luxury, and chosen activities. Destinations across the country, such as Rome, Florence, and Venice, might might vary somewhat from the overall average price, but they usually stick close to this range. Read on for a breakdown of travel typical expenses as well as a comparison of tour prices versus Independent travel.

If you're planning an Independent trip to Italy, budget travelers should plan to spend around $73 (€66) per day for their trip. This average includes hostels and budget hotels, affordable meal options, local transportation, and activities. If you're on a mid-range budget, plan for around $184 (€166) a day which covers the cost of typical hotels, normal restaurants, and a variety of popular attractions. Luxury travelers should allow for $463 (€419) a day, which would cover higher-end hotels, nicer restaurants, and more private tour options. All of these price ranges are based on our extensive travel cost data for Italy from other travelers, along with hotel and tour data from travel companies.

How much does a one week trip to Italy cost?

On average, visitors to Italy spend between $510 and $3,241 for their week-long adventure, with the average being $1,287. This covers sightseeing, local transportation, food, and accommodations. With a duration of one week, you'll have the opportunity to explore one, two, or even three locations within Italy, depending on the level of depth you desire for your visit. Some of the most popular places to consider exploring are Rome , Florence , and Venice . It's important to note that these figures are averages and can vary based on personal preferences and choices. Ultimately, the goal is to create a memorable and enjoyable experience tailored to your specific interests.

How much does a two week trip to Italy cost?

With two weeks, you should budget between $1,019 and $6,482 for your trip to Italy. The average price for a two week trip is $2,574. Two weeks will allow you enough time to visit between three and five places. If you're on a budget, you might want to consider some of the more affordable places such as Palermo, Piazza Armerina, and Caltagirone.

How much does a one month trip to Italy cost?

When embarking on a month-long trip to Italy, expenses can range from $2,184 to $13,891, with an average cost falling around $5,517. For those fortunate enough to have a full month, considering a vacation rental with a kitchen for at least a portion of your stay can help save money with meals. Backpackers often opt for hostels due to their affordability and the added benefit of a social vibe.

Hostel Prices in Italy

With more than 250 hostels in Italy, the average price is $29 per night for a dorm bed. Hostels are a terrific option for younger independent travelers looking to save money while staying social during their trip. With many types of hostels, it can be overwhelming to sort out the best places, though. Our analysis of the hostels in Italy not only found the average price, but also uncovered some surprises about the overall quality, amenities, and atmosphere of hostels in the region. You can see more details from our analysis about typical hostel prices in Italy here .

Here are a few sample prices from popular hostels in Italy.

• $38 for a dorm bed at YellowSquare Rome in Rome more details
• $38 for a dorm bed at Ostello Bello Grande in Milan more details
• $32 for a dorm bed at Hostel of the Sun in Naples more details

Hotel Prices in Italy

You'll find a wide range of hotel options across Italy. Below are prices for some of the destinations, and for more details see our analysis of hotel costs in Italy .

Maison Tritone

Eco urban b&b.

Should you do an organized tour or travel independently in Italy?

Organized tours and independent travel are essentially the two main ways to plan a trip to Italy. Organized tours offer a convenient and hassle-free experience, with travel experts handling all the logistical details and the added benefit of an expert guide imparting valuable insights. This option is favored by those who appreciate the convenience and ease provided by tours that often include transportation and expert guides.

On the other hand, independent travel provides a different set of advantages, allowing for greater freedom and flexibility in customizing itineraries and exploring at one's own pace. This option appeals to individuals who value spontaneity and control, enabling them to immerse themselves in local culture on a deeper level.

Ultimately, the choice between organized tours and independent travel depends on personal preferences and travel style, considering factors such as convenience, guidance, and flexibility.

Comparing Trip Costs in Italy

When we compare the prices of organized tours to the average costs of independent travelers, we can see that sometimes the prices are fairly even.

Tours vs. independent Travel: Pros & Cons

Organized tours.

• An expert guide familiar with the culture
• Convenient transportation
• Fellow travelers to socialize with
• Well researched activities
• Efficient and thought out itinerary
• The security of have a trip leader if something goes wrong
• Limited options
• Usually not customizable
• The fast pace often means you can’t visit one place in depth
• Usually more expensive than independent travel
• There may be limited time to interact with the local culture and community

Independent Travel

• Completely customizable
• Opportunity to visit off-the-beaten-path destinations
• Can fully immerse yourself in the local culture
• Freedom to move at your own pace
• Flexibility to change your itinerary at any time
• More affordable
• Challenging to plan an efficient itinerary
• Transportation may be challenging or inefficient
• Booking and trip planning can be a hassle
• Popular sights may sell out well in advance
• If something goes wrong, you're on your own

Are organized tours more expensive than independent travel in Italy?

Organized tours typically average around $276 per day and provide the convenience of an all-inclusive package with one comprehensive payment. On the other hand, independent trips usually average around $184 (€166) per day and involve individual payments for accommodations, local transportation, meals, and sightseeing. Both organized tours and independent trips have their own unique challenges and benefits, so it's crucial to thoroughly understand the aspects of each to make a fair comparison. For a detailed analysis of tour prices in Italy, check out our comprehensive guide on tour prices in Italy here .

Here are a few sample tours in Italy:

• Ultimate Italy (Standard, 22 Days, Air Price Rome To Catania) ($5,753) 22 days, 21 destinations more details
• Italian Indulgence ($4,539) 13 days, 21 destinations more details
• Country Roads of Italy (Classic, 16 Days) ($6,375) 16 days, 18 destinations more details
• Sicily Grand Tour Walking & Hiking ($6,123) 13 days, 20 destinations more details
• Cinque Terre & Tuscany Walking & Hiking Tour ($4,674) 8 days, 15 destinations more details

More for Italy

If you're planning a trip to Italy, check out these other informative travel guides.

We've been gathering travel costs from tens of thousands of actual travelers since 2010, and we use the data to calculate average daily travel costs for destinations around the world. We also systematically analyze the prices of hotels, hostels, and tours from travel providers such as Kayak, HostelWorld, TourRadar, Viator, and others. This combination of expenses from actual travelers, combined with pricing data from major travel companies, gives us a uniqe insight into the overall cost of travel for thousands of cities in countries around the world. You can see more here: How it Works .

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Musings of a Rover

How Much Does A 10 Day Trip To Italy Cost?

Our trip to Italy definitely wasn’t a cheap one. But we were able to save some money.

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So you want to go to Italy but need the answer to this question first: How much does a trip to Italy cost?  I get it. I was there. I know how expensive parts of Europe can be. And though my budget may have adjusted as I’ve gotten older, I’m still very conscientious about my money. And in case you have a similar feeling, I want to help you out.

This article shows every expense for our  10 day trip to Italy.

The expenses broken down below include everything from the moment we got on the plane to the moment we got off it. I’m not including our travel expenses to the airport. But please factor that into your budget.

(Think gas, food, airport food, and airport parking.)

Also note that I converted all Euros to US dollars. But we did luck out and go when the exchange rate was pretty reasonable.

So here it is, the cost for a 10 day trip to Italy for two people: $3,653.82

So read on for the full breakdown to see exactly where all that money went.

Table of Contents

Accommodation, what was my cost per day in italy, how to save money in italy, read next: 10 day itinerary for italy.

How Much Does A Trip To Italy Cost?

Transportation.

• Flights: $1,102.52
• Train Tickets: $559
• Vaporetto Tickets: $39
• Milan Subway Tickets: $7
• Left Luggage: $7

We got fairly cheap flights to Milan (only about $550 per person). But we did spend a lot of time on trains. That price includes tickets for 3 big journeys (Milan->Venice, Venice->Florence, & Florence->Milan). Each of these routes was about $50/person.

Want to know how I score cheap flights? I use Scott’s Cheap Flights ! It alerts you to deals for airports near you. If I’m not using my miles, I’m using Scott’s Cheap Flights.

We also took a day trip to Pisa (~$10 per person per way). And there was the train from Milan Airport to the main train station (~$16 per person per way).

Total Cost for Transportation (for 2 people): $1,714.52

Read Next: Just Two Days: 7 Spectacular Things To Do In Venice

• Venice for 2 Nights: $239.27
• Florence for 5 Nights: $525.94
• Milan for 1 Night: $92.51

We didn’t stay in any hostels this time around. But we roughly tried to stick to a budget of $100/night. As you can see we ended up going over that a little bit. But I ended up really liking all of the places we stayed at.

Our Venice room was incredible and we found a perfect central location.

And our Florence room was so close to the duomo. Less than a 5 minute walk.

Total for Accommodation: $857.72

• Venice: $13 (breakfast and lunch)
• Venice: $134 (dinners)
• Florence: $224 (dinners)
• Florence: $91 (breakfast, lunch, & gelato)
• Pisa: $29 (lunch and snacks)
• Milan: $56.50 (dinner)

Ryan and I love food. But we also know this can be a major expense. So we tried to eat sort of cheaply for a few nights. Both nights in Venice we ate big since we basically skipped lunches. And for two nights in Florence we got pizza or sandwiches.

But what about the nights we ate out in restaurants in Florence? Our average bill was ~$65. This was kept low-ish by the fact that we drank the house wine, ordered antipasti & first courses, and tried to go to places outside of the main tourist zone.

Total for Food (for 2 people): $547.50

• Venice: $41
• Florence: $177

We love to go out for drinks. A glass of wine, a cocktail, a beer. And we went out for something mosts of the nights we were there.

Now we usually only got 1 or 2 drinks, so this is not a budget for a heavy drinker. But this does accommodate a couple of drinks per night.

Total for Drinks (for 2 people): $244

Entrance Fees

• Venice Campanile: $20
• Venice Doge Palace: $48
• Florence Galleria dell’Accademia (David): $20
• Florence Museo Del Duomo: $36
• Florence Museo Galileo: $22
• Pisa Leaning Tower: $43

Note that all of these prices have been converted to dollars and are for two people. Our two big costs here were the Doge Palace and the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

The best bang for our buck? The Museo Del Duomo. With this single ticket you get access to 5 attractions – including climbing to the top of the dome.

Total for Entrance Fees (for 2 people): $189

Read Next: My Quest To Find The Best Views In Florence

• More Pasta: $14.50
• Earrings + Magnet: $18
• Limoncello + Spreads: $21.50
• Florence Magnet + Ornament: $14.50
• Pisa Magnet: $2.50
• Tobacco: $6
• ATM Fees: $12.08 (wasn’t sure where to put this, so tacking it on here)

I tried to go easy on the souvenirs this trip and not just buy everything. We got some pasta to bring back home. And I always try to get a magnet or an ornament from the places we go to. But jeez, those pesky ATM fees. See my tips below for ways to combat this expense.

Total for Souvenirs: $101.08

So for one person, my cost was $1,826.91. But if I cut out flights, so that you can see what my cost per day in Italy was while I was actually there.

Total Cost Per Day in Italy (per person): ~$128

And by category. (Though it’s important to realize that these costs per day above are for me alone.)

• Transportation: $30.50 per day (again no flights here)
• Accommodation: $43 per day
• Food: $27.50 per day
• Drinks: $12
• Entrance Fees: $9.50
• Souvenirs: $5

How Much Should You Budget for a Trip To Italy?

My answer to that question, how much does a 10 day trip to Italy cost? If my descriptions above sound similar to how you like to travel, then I would budget around ~$1,300 + flights.

Or you can think of it as $128 per day + flights if you have a shorter or longer trip.

With flights you can see my total was higher (around $1,800), but costs of flight will vary a lot based on where you are from, that is why I calculated it out separately.

And if you are traveling with another person (as I was), then this is doubled. If you are traveling solo, your cost will be higher as you won’t be able to split accommodation (or food) as much. But for two people, the budget above should give you a good idea of what each person’s expenses could be.

Traveling with another person (if you can) is one of my biggest money saving tips for Italy . The next section below talks about this even more if you’re interested!

Read Next: 10 Day Itinerary for Your Trip to Italy !

1. Eat outside of the tourist zones. It can be hard to find “local” places in Venice or Florence. But there is a big tourist zone in each of these cities. And so we usually went outside of it. That can definitely help if you want to lower some of your food costs.

2. Grab a small breakfast and lunch. This is a big thing we tried to do. We ate very light for breakfast and lunch. A cappuccino or espresso and a pastry. Then we were out and about. For lunch we sometimes just grabbed some cheap pasta or a sandwich to hold us over.

3. Stick to the first courses. These will be cheaper than the second courses. We liked to share an antipasti and then each get our own first course. Plus some house wine.

4. Don’t go out drinking every night. I think this should be fairly obvious. Alcohol is expensive. If you drink a lot, then you should put this in your budget.

5. Bring a reusable water bottle. Especially one that fits in your purse. Buying a plastic water bottle here or there will definitely start to eat into your expenses. Plus it’s better for the environment.

6. Buy your train tickets ahead of time. We did not do this. Since we were traveling in the winter we could just go to the station and get on a train within the hour. But doing this meant that we were definitely paying a bit more for tickets. Buy them ahead of time.

7. Travel with someone. Traveling with someone is huge. You can split accommodation costs. And sometimes meals as well. For most of our dinners, Ryan and I shared an antipasti and then each got our own pasta. Definitely the way to go.

8. Use a bank that will reimburse you for your ATM fees. I have Charles Scwabb and they reimburse me for all ATM fees. Yes all. Even the ones the machine charges. And they don’t charge one of those pesky % fees most banks do if you go to an ATM overseas.

Planning your trip to Italy?

• Here’s  my 10 day itinerary  through Venice, Florence, Milan, and Pisa.
• 7 beautiful things to do in Venice
• Where to find the best views in Florence
• 5 tips for your trip to Pisa

That’s it! Hopefully my expenses above and tips will help you plan your own budget for your trip to Italy!

Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you buy something through these thinks, I may earn a commission from the sale (at no extra cost to you!). As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for reading along!

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23 thoughts on “ how much does a 10 day trip to italy cost ”.

This article sums it up very nicely. Me & my wife are traveling over to Italy this April and were looking to see how much it would cost. Thank you.

Great! I’m glad you found it helpful! I hope you have a great trip.

My husband and I are looking into going to Italy but we are averaging 100 a person a night for hotel! help!

I think it’s definitely doable. We tried to stick to a $100/night budget. In Venice it was tough, but in Florence we did about $105/night. Depending on the time of year, this budget could be even harder. We went in November so things were cheaper do to the low season.

I would start looking sooner rather than later and be prepared to lower your standards a little or stay a little bit further out from the center.

Thank you for sharing. I’ve been wanting to travel to Italy. I think your information will help me greatly. I do was wondering about all the costs a trip like this would be and every single breakdown of it. ?

Information is very well explained. We both are planning to visit Rome this September. And we will be following your hotels. Regards

Thank you! I hope you have a great trip!

Just starting the planning on our trip. Probably going in about 2 yrs. This makes me hopeful it won’t cost as much as I was told. Do you mind telling me when this trip was? Thanks so much for writing this!

I hope you have an amazing trip! We went the week over Thanksgiving in 2017. Hopefully that helps you!

What’s the weather like in November?

The weather is iffy in November. It can be a very rainy and cloudy month. We lucked out and had beautiful sunny weather for 75% of our trip. November is definitely low season for a reason. We decided to go regardless and take advantage of the lower prices. And if we had rain, we had rain.

If you’re thinking of November, know that there could be rain.

Temperature wise, it was cool fall temperatures. I wore a medium jacket during the day and a heavier one at night. I also live in the south back home, so my idea of cold is not the same as everyone else’s. I’m a bit of a wimp when it comes to cold temperatures.

When I went to Italy, we weren’t on a budget at all (perhaps we spent way to much) but it is way easier to spend then to save in Italy. I recommend using a phone app or an online calendar to write down places to go and pricing; Plan it all in advance, and have backup plans in case the weather goes bad or something else happens (museum closure, etc.). Also the shops that look less for tourists are usually cheaper, as the tourist shops raise prices on things. Check out local markets for good deals on souvenirs.

Thanks for the great tips about shops! Definitely agree with you!

Curious – where did you get your flights through? Did you fly out of a major city?

We flew out of Miami (I don’t live in South Florida but we were down there). But I’ve seen some deals through other major cities near me like Atlanta. I use flight sales to plan my trips (and sometimes determine where exactly I go). I signed up for Scott’s Cheap Flights. They have free and paid notifications. Since I fly several times a year, saving sometimes hundreds of dollars on a flight is worth it to me to sign up for the paid notifications. Some cities don’t ever show up (like my Greenville), but I’ve seen ones near me for Charlotte, Raleigh, Asheville, Charleston (SC), and Atlanta. If you’re interested, I’d sign up for the free Scott’s Cheap Flights and see if your city (or nearby city) ever pops up and then decide if the paid notifications are for you! It’s a great way to find cheap flights!

When was this article written? Very helpful! Thank you

I’m glad you found this helpful! We traveled to Italy over Thanksgiving in 2017.

This was very helpful. Thank you!

What if I add Sorrento and Capri to that list? How many total days would I need? Also is it possible to see most of Florence in 3 days instead of 4?

I think you could definitely do Florence in 3 days. I tend to spend a bit longer in each place than most people. If you want to head to Southern Italy, I’d budget at least a day worth of travel to head to the south (maybe half a day if you’re lucky) and then at least 1-2 full days in each place.

Thanks Laura! I appreciate all the info! planning a trip next year!

Thank you for this post. It was very informative and well written out. Even if I may not follow your exact itinerary (I want to cut Florence and go to Rome), the breakdown helped immensely. I am planning to travel with my husband in October this year and this is going to be very helpful. I have an idea on what to add and what to remove from my budget. Its a marvel you didn’t spend more on souvenirs; I am afraid I may spend more on that. Thanks again for a very clear and concise post.

Couple questions, October would be off-season as well, right? What type of accommodations were you in?

I think October may be considered more fall than winter. So you may have more crowds than we did. But it’s still not the high season (summer).

For accommodations, we stayed in small hotels/guesthouses. So each establishment had less than 10 or so rooms. The rooms themselves were similar to a hotel. For Milan on our last night, we stayed in an Airbnb.

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What Does a Trip to Italy Cost (On Any Budget)?

Italy is one of our favorite countries to travel in and write about, and one of the most common questions we get about it is also one of the hardest to answer: how much does a trip to Italy cost?

The short answer is anywhere from basically nothing to the GDP of a small country… but that doesn’t provide a lot of useful context, right?

The estimates we’ve put together here stem from nearly a cumulative year spent traveling in Italy over the last several years.

We usually travel as a couple but have also visited the country on multi-generational family trips and with friends.

We’ve traveled to 11 of Italy’s 20 regions, spent a month each “living” in 3 cities (Florence, Bologna, Rome), and don’t expect our travels there to slow down anytime soon.

We’ve traveled at most price points in the country, and while each trip is unique, we think this guide will give you a solid basis of how much a trip to Italy will cost for you.

Table of Contents

How We Structured These Italy Budget Tips

Budget trip to italy cost: $50-70/day, mid-range trip to italy cost: $70-100/day, luxury trip to italy cost: the limit does not exist., getting to italy on a budget, how to save money on your trip to italy.

Some links in this post may be affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Please see our disclosure policy for more detail.

All of these estimates for the cost of a trip to Italy are given in USD, assume that you are traveling for 3 weeks or less, and assume that you are spending at least half your time in tourist hotspots like Rome and Venice .

They are also an estimate for one person.

If you’re traveling with other people and are able to split the costs of things like accommodations, you will likely be able to lower these numbers further.

A budget trip to Italy does require some sacrifices on comfort, but not as many as you might think: Italy can be surprisingly affordable.

This is a rough sketch of what a budget trip to Italy will cost and feel like.

Keep in mind that this is a budget trip in the sense of a traveler who is visiting Italy as a standalone destination or as part of a defined trip.

Shoestring backpackers who would like to cut costs by camping, hitchhiking, avoiding all paid attractions, etc, will, of course, be able to get by on less, but that is not how we would recommend seeing Italy!

Accommodation

At this budget, you’ll likely stay in hostel dorms or private rooms on Airbnb (as opposed to renting a whole apartment).

You’ll be able to stay in well-reviewed properties but may have to sacrifice a bit on location and stay further from the center of cities.

Transportation

Bus companies like Flixbus and perhaps the occasional budget airline flight will be your most common methods of transportation between destinations.

Regional train tickets may fit into your budget occasionally, but you’ll typically need to avoid the expensive high-speed rail lines and therefore it will take longer to reach each destination.

If you’re traveling to Italy on a budget, you’ll want to shop for your own groceries at least half the time.

Luckily, this isn’t a chore in Italy: freshly made pasta, bread, pesto, and more are all reasonably affordable.

Local bottles of wine in grocery stores start around 4-6 Euros each.

You can supplement your food with affordable options like takeaway pasta, pizza, and sandwiches, and splurge on the occasional lunch special to enjoy restaurant meals in Italy.

Tours & Attractions

A budget traveler in Italy will likely need to skip some pricey tourist attractions (and either resign themselves to waking up early to avoid long lines or simply wait in them–guided tours that allow you to skip lines will likely be over budget).

However, you can work some attractions into your budget.

Notable highlights that you may want to see like the Colosseum, Vatican Museums, Statue of David, Uffizi Gallery, Pompeii, etc, tend to cost between 10-20 Euros for a basic ticket, but that will include significant time sacrifices by waiting in sometimes multi-hour lines.

Climbing towers for various viewpoints usually cost less than 10 Euros in Italy.

Some luxuries, like riding in a gondola in Venice (around 80 Euros/gondola), will likely need to be skipped.

We generally consider the bulk of our travels in Italy to be mid-range.

At this price point, you’ll be able to visit most attractions you would like to see, splurge on a guided visit or two (perhaps in the Vatican Museums), add a food tour or cooking class, and eat more restaurant meals.

However, you’ll still need to keep an eye on your Italy budget daily to avoid accidentally overspending.

At a mid-range price point, budget hotels near the center of cities or slightly more upscale hotels outside the center of cities are options.

You can also opt to rent an entire apartment on Airbnb in most destinations.

If you’d like, you can mostly avoid bus travel in Italy on a midrange budget, though high-speed rail travel will likely still be out of the question unless you book far in advance.

Regional trains and budget air travel will be your best bet for getting around Italy, and public transportation will still be optimal in cities.

If you’d like to visit part of Italy via road trip, a midrange budget will allow you to rent a car for a small part of your trip, though you may need to cut a different tour or experience elsewhere.

However, we recommend avoiding renting a car while in a city (nothing ruins an Italian travel budget quite like receiving a ticket in the mail months after returning home) and limiting the time you have it to the bare minimum.

Remember that if you rent a car in Italy, you’ll need to have an International Driving Permit to do so!

Midrange travelers can eat out more than budget travelers in Italy, but it will still be best to cook some meals if possible (perhaps 30%), and to eat the biggest meal of the day at lunch when many restaurants offer daily lunch specials.

If you’re a foodie, this budget may also allow room for a food tour or cooking class while in Italy.

Prioritization is the name of the game when it comes to balancing the cost of traveling in Italy with a midrange budget.

You’ll be able to add some guided tours to your explorations, and will be able to visit just about any attraction that you want (but perhaps not all of them).

If you have your heart set on a particular luxury experience–say, a gondola ride in Venice or a day spent sailing around Capri –you’ll likely need to cut expenses elsewhere to make it work on this budget.

Luxury accommodation in Italy can be truly magnificent.

Think upscale hotels (sometimes housed in historic palaces!) located right on the Arno River in Florence, overlooking the Spanish Steps in Rome, and along the Grand Canal in Venice.

At this price point, you can also consider renting out country villas in places like Tuscany, though bear in mind that many properties have a minimum rental period of one week.

Without budget restrictions, high-speed train travel will likely be the preferred method of traveling around the country: it’s very efficient, very fast, and much less cumbersome than dealing with flying.

You’ll also have the freedom to rent a car as often as you like, however, we still recommend only renting one for the time spent outside cities.

Dealing with limited parking, many restricted driving areas, and hefty ticket prices (that you often won’t receive or know about until weeks after the fact) makes renting a car while staying in Italian cities more trouble than it’s worth.

Private transfers are generally unnecessary in Italy, however, if it fits into what you want your luxury trip to Italy to cost, they can be considered at this price point.

Italy is dotted with Michelin Star restaurants and luxury dining experiences, and a luxury budget will allow for these meals at least some nights.

If upscale dining is important to you, bear in mind that you’ll want to make reservations as far in advance as possible at the most popular spots.

Taking a trip to Italy without concerns about cost allows for some truly epic experiences.

Think about early-morning tours of the Vatican Museums before it opens for the day, visiting various monuments after-hours, taking a private gondola ride in Venice, setting off on private wine tours through Tuscany with your own driver, and chartering private boats along the coast!

How much a trip to Italy costs before arriving on the ground varies dramatically depending on where you are coming from, of course–but where you arrive can significantly change how much your trip to Italy costs.

If you’re coming from Europe, be sure to check budget airline flights to and from Rome, Pisa, Bologna, Milan, and Venice in the north/central regions, and Bari and Palermo in the south–these destinations tend to have quite a few low-cost flights available.

Regardless of where you are coming from, be sure to compare the cost (including the cost of on-the-ground travel and time consumed by logistics during your trip to Italy) of a roundtrip ticket as opposed to two one-way tickets that will allow you to avoid backtracking–say, flying into Rome and out of Venice.

Consider sticking to a smaller geographic region.

Most first-time visitors to Italy will want to visit Rome, Florence, Venice, and a piece of the coast if they have time–and there’s nothing wrong with that, it’s a fabulous itinerary that we recommend ourselves.

However, if you are concerned about the cost of a trip to Italy, consider sticking to a smaller region.

Rome, Naples /Pompeii, and the Amalfi Coast require very little in-country travel and make for a stunning trip.

A Tuscany-focused trip , perhaps with a side trip to Cinque Terre in Liguria, offers a unique option as well. If your heart is set on Venice, perhaps head to Verona or Milan after that, instead of further south.

Plan your route in advance.

As tempting as it is to let spontaneity guide you from city to city, if you want to keep the cost of a trip to Italy down, planning ahead is definitely the way to go.

Plane tickets and high-speed rail tickets can rise in price as the departure date gets closer, and booking lodging ahead of time will often allow you to find competitive deals in better locations than a last-minute booking.

The exception to booking lodging in advance, though, is if you’re traveling in the offseason.

If you’re visiting at a point that you’re reasonably confident most hotels won’t be sold out (but also won’t be closed–I wouldn’t try this in Riomaggiore in February), you can sometimes get fabulous last minute deals on hotels by booking 2-3 days in advance.

That is a gamble, however–the safest bet is to plan ahead, especially if you’re traveling Italy on a budget.

Don’t forget about buses and planes.

Both Flixbus and Ryanair have a solid presence in Italy and are great alternate transportation options to consider when train travel looks too expensive.

The further south you go, the cheaper Italy is.

Bottom line: your cash will stretch much further in Puglia, Sicily , or Campania than in Lombardy, Veneto, or Trento-Alto Adige.

If you want to plan a low-cost trip to Italy and don’t mind missing the most famous sights in favor of lesser-known but still incredible ones, consider sticking to the lower half of the boot–the further south the better.

Decide which tourist attractions are unmissable ahead of time, and budget for those.

If you book a trip to Italy knowing that your visit will feel incomplete without, say, a chance to see the Sistine Chapel or a cooking class in Tuscany, go ahead and add that to your budget in advance.

That way, you will visit knowing exactly how much that experience will cost during your trip to Italy, and exactly how much scrimping you’ll need to do in other areas to make it happen.

Wake up early.

Italy’s most popular sights and attractions can have prohibitively long lines that will make all but the most patient humans go screaming for the skip-the-line scalpers (even knowing that the people selling guided visits and immediate access in-person charge far more than online deals you can purchase in advance).

If you want to avoid either giving in to the temptation of spending extra or simply wasting hours of your trip to Italy waiting in line, there’s a simple workaround: wake up early, and be in line before the attractions even open.

Budget carefully for food.

Food is such a big part of the experience of a trip to Italy, cost of your trip aside.

Whether you’re traveling on the tightest budget or the most luxurious one, experiencing Italian cuisine is likely high on your list of priorities.

We recommend tracking your daily spending carefully on food–individual purchases, say for a scoop of gelato or an espresso at the bar, can feel quite small but add up fast, particularly if your spending is limited.

If you have access to a kitchen, absolutely take advantage of it.

Heading to a market and purchasing fresh pasta, pesto, cheese, bread, and wine and then cooking at home will cost a fraction of what the same meal would in a restaurant, and is a fabulous experience to have regardless of your Italy budget.

Research restaurants in advance.

When you do eat in restaurants, do so carefully.

You may think that every restaurant in Italy would be fabulous, but that is definitely not the case. 

There are a lot of duds out there, especially near tourist attractions (shocker).

Dining out in Italy can be enormously improved by simply doing some basic restaurant research ahead of time–this can be as easy as typing “good Italian restaurants near me” into Google and seeing what comes up that is well-reviewed and within your price range.

It’s not full-proof, sure, but it raises your odds considerably from simply picking somewhere you happen to walk by.

Go somewhere you’ve never heard of.

Italy is absolutely chock full of insanely beautiful places that offer gorgeous architecture, delicious food, compelling history, and stunning nature… and yet, most of them don’t get seen, because we all have a tendency to visit the same places over and over again.

Sure, some of that is inevitable–there’s only one Rome, there’s only one Venice–but while Capri is gorgeous, very few non-Italian tourists make it out to Sardinia. While Lake Como is magnificent, Italy is full of beautiful lakes .

If you’d like to cut down your trip to Italy cost, consider taking off to a point on the map that makes geographic sense with your itinerary, but you’re not already familiar with.

You might be surprised at what you find (and how few other visitors that you have to share the view with).

Make lunch your big meal of the day, and beware of bread.

Many Italian restaurants run specials at lunch, offering a 2-3 course meal, often with wine, for a set price.

If you want to regularly eat out in Italy, this is the way to do it!

The same restaurants charge much more for dinner portions, but we’ve never been anything but stuffed after lunch in Italy.

Also: beware of the bread placed on your table.

In some parts of Italy (we’ve heard it’s most popular in Lazio, but we’ve run into this in Tuscany too), the bread placed on the table is not included, and if you eat it, you will be charged (usually a Euro or two per person).

This absolutely isn’t the case in all restaurants, though, so be sure to clarify before digging in!

Consider traveling in the offseason.

Particularly if you’re wanting to visit cities in Italy on a budget, Italy makes a great offseason destination.

Winter is mild in much of the country, and the Colosseum looks about the same regardless of whether or not you’re bundled up in a coat to see it.

Fall is our personal favorite time to visit Italy, and we think late October is the perfect sweet spot for avoiding the worst of the crowds and hopefully still having some beautiful weather to enjoy for most days of your trip.

Your trip to Italy cost will definitely be highest during the summer months, especially if you hope to visit the coasts and/or the most popular spots!

About Kate Storm

In May 2016, I left my suburban life in the USA and became a full-time traveler. Since then, I have visited 50+ countries on 5 continents and lived in Portugal, developing a special love of traveling in Europe (especially Italy) along the way. Today, along with my husband Jeremy and dog Ranger, I’m working toward my eventual goal of splitting my life between Europe and the USA.

16 thoughts on “What Does a Trip to Italy Cost (On Any Budget)?”

Hi kate and husband. Will be in Rome March 10-13 Florence 13-16 Venice 16-18 Paris 7-9 Long awaited trip with friend who cared for dying mother! Now is our time. My 3rd to Paris and first to Italy. So excited and thankful for stumbling on your post. Thank you both for all your dedication and time in sharing your love of country. I am 62 and from Wisconsin Mona; 67 and same; currently residing in Mississippi Be well, Maureen

Thank you so much, Maureen! So glad you found our site helpful. Hope that you guys have an amazing trip to Italy and Paris!

Great info here. We are planning a September 2021 trip to Rome Florence Cinque Terra and then Venice in 14 days. Have I set it up wrong given you say getting to CT from Florence is arduously long by train. Then back via train over to Venice. Should I rework the itinerary, the fly in/out of the country is Rome so that is our first stop, 3 days then last night out by airport(traveling from Venice) may fly down from there. Sorry it’s long winded.

It’s arduously long for a day trip, but if you’re spending a night or two, it’s not a big deal to get to Florence to Cinque Terre by train. We have more details on what to expect traveling between the two here: https://www.ourescapeclause.com/florence-to-cinque-terre/

Cinque Terre to Venice by train is a long day but it’s doable, we’ve done it before ourselves.

Hope that helps!

Buonasera Kate,

I’d like to know your feeling if the following Freecerosa route would blow a hole into a $133/day over 3 weeks. I’m shooting for mid range. Fly into Milan/Como 2-3 days Florence 4 days Rome 3 days Amalfi 2 days Palermo/Cefalu 3 days Naples 1 day Rome 4 days Basically I tracing college wandering. I’m B-2 so I can negotiate things

Hi Bryce! It’s hard to tell specifically (especially this year, since everything is so up in the air), but I’d say your route is going to be pretty tough on that budget, especially aiming for mid-range travel.

The daily costs in each place (place to stay, food, attractions) will be fine, especially if you’re willing to skip a couple of expensive things, but the train/bus/plane costs of getting from destination to destination will really eat into your budget.

I’d recommend cutting a few stops, including saving Sicily for another trip for logistical reasons.

Additionally, a few of your stops–Como and Amalfi in particular–are pretty pricey. I’d consider how badly you want to see them vs spending more time in other spots.

My partner and I are wanting to plan a trip to Italy next year. It will be our first time there and would love to go around our birthdays in may but latest August. Sicily is definitely a option and add two or three more places to visit. Any advice for planning would be great. Looking for 2-3 week stay

Hi Merilena! Sounds like a fantastic trip.

We have several posts that might help you plan. I recommend taking a look at our Sicily itinerary: https://www.ourescapeclause.com/10-day-sicily-road-trip-itinerary/

If you want to combine Sicily with a few other places, this post has some ideas: https://www.ourescapeclause.com/7-days-in-italy-in-a-week/

If you’re flying from place to place, a classic spot like Rome, Florence, or Venice could be a fun trip when combined with Sicily.

what company will you recommend for transfers from airport to hotel or hotel to train stations?

There are different companies all over Italy, so it depends. For airport transfers, I’d recommend booking through Get Your Guide, they have several options.

For moving from your hotel to the train station, I’d recommend asking your hotel to call a taxi for you, and confirm the price with them. :-)

Hi Kate, Jeremy

My partner and I will be going to Italy this month for my birthday and will be arriving in Venice. It’s a 6 day trip and would like advice on how and where to start. My key places are : Rome Possible Florence Milan Amalfi coast for my birthday. Some tours to include more destinations and activities

Please advise some possible great 6-day itineraries that could work and also if renting a car would be best for some destinations.

Thank you, Olivia

I’m not a travel agent, so don’t provide individual itineraries, but I’m always happy to point people in the right direction. :-)

With only 6 days, I’d recommend cutting down your itinerary to Rome and the Amalfi Coast, with a possible day trip to Florence from Rome if you want to squeeze it in.

If you’re a confident driver, having a car on the Amalfi Coast can help, as there’s no train service there and the buses can be crowded. Alternatively, you could hire a taxi or driver. The driving on the Amalfi Coast is not for the faint of heart!

You won’t need a car in Rome or Florence.

Hope that helps, and Happy Birthday!

Love this post so much! For the luxury Italy trip, what could be an example of how much to expect to spend say for 2 people for a couple weeks or so? I know you said it’s endless but just curious!

That depends a lot on what luxury means to you–it can vary so wildly from person to person. You can stay in a 5-star hotel in Rome for 300 a night during the slow season… or you can rent a penthouse suite in the height of summer or head to an island and rent out a whole palazzo for thousands.

Your biggest expenses (excluding flights) will likely be your hotels, followed by activities (which again–do you define luxury as a private wine-tasting tour for the day or a private boat ride around Capri followed by a night in a palazzo?) and transportation (1st class trains can be defined as a luxury, so can private flights).

If you work out what you expect to spend in those categories, you’ll have a better idea of how to craft your specific budget.

Hi Kate, Using much of your expertise for our upcoming trip to Rome and Florence (7 days in each). Planning on a taxi from airport to hotel. Is this a good idea? I read where you recommended a transfer through GetYourGuide (I think). Traveling April 11-25. Thank you for all of your great information!

Hi Catherine,

It’s definitely not a bad idea! Transfers from the airports to city centers in Italy are one of those things where there’s really no right or wrong answer, just the one that best fits your budget and preference for convenience.

In order of convenience (especially for a first trip to Italy), a private transfer will generally be simplest, followed by a (less expensive) group transfer in something like a van, followed by public transportation. Of course, that order tends to go from most expensive to least expensive too!

The biggest benefit of a taxi or private transfer is that they can generally get you closer to your hotel in one fell swoop than taking the train will.

Keep in mind that Florence’s city center is pretty devoid of cars–if you’re hoping to limit your walking and aren’t sure which is fastest, you might see if your particular hotel has any specific arrival recommendations. Florence is also a small city, though, so you’re more likely to be staying within a reasonable walk of the train station there than in Rome!

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Trip to Italy Cost: How to see Italy on a Practical Budget

This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you buy or book through one of these links, I may earn a small commission .

Come stai? Hopefully bene , as I presume you are in the midst of planning the most epic trip to Italy. But perhaps you’re afraid of making your trip a little too epic, and may even be worried about going broke or coming home with a bunch of credit card debt. Fret not, though, because you’re in the right place, as today we are taking a deep dive into what the cost of a trip to Italy really is.

I really nerd out when it comes to breaking down the cost of travel. This is because for too long I thought it would be completely unattainable for myself. However, my thoughts were completely baseless, and once I actually did the research, I realized just how wrong I was. Knowing what I know now, I want to disclose to future travelers what it takes to afford the cost of a dream trip, like Italy.

I’ll say bluntly, it is certainly possible to overspend when traveling to Italy – we certainly had our moments. However, if you plan ahead and craft the ideal itinerary for your unique circumstances, you can easily avoid this.

By the end of this article you will have a pretty good idea of what just about everything will cost – even the most minute details of what you’ll likely spend in Italy. I’m laying it all out here!

This post was originally published in October 2020. It has been updated with inflation-adjusted numbers as of January 2024.

Here is an example of a moderate trip to Italy cost for two people (in USD):

This is what I would consider to be a moderate budget for two people taking a ten day trip to Italy . This budget is certainly not on a shoestring, but it also isn’t luxurious. Obviously, if you spend less than ten days in Italy, or split costs with another group, many areas of this budget will decrease. It also pays to mention that this trip involves multiple cities, which tends to drive up costs.

Below, I am discussing each category in detail, including where you can cut costs and what are worthwhile splurges. After all, if you’ve travelled all the way to Italy from afar, you should be allowed to treat yo’self a little.

Travel Savvy Tip

Don’t look at this budget as a lump sum! That’s the quickest way to get intimidated and think you could never afford it. The truth is, you won’t pay the full amount at once. You’ll buy your flight and lodging right away, and then likely pay nothing for a few months.

Once it gets closer to your trip, you’ll start looking at tours you may want to do, as well as make restaurant reservations. When you get back home from your trip, you’ll pay off any remaining vacay expenses you’ve incurred.

Breaking it into chunks like this is a much more approachable way to afford the cost of a trip to Italy!

Trip to Italy Cost Breakdown:

Transportation.

Trains $250, Bus $10, Uber $25

In most cases, the best way to get around Italy is via public transportation. This is especially true in city centers, like Rome and Florence , where traffic is crazy and there are hoards of pedestrians. The good news is that Italy is very well connected by train, and tickets are largely inexpensive.

Almost all train rides can be booked on the Trenitalia website in advance. I recommend taking advantage of this so you don’t spend valuable sightseeing time waiting in line to purchase tickets.

For full disclosure, here is what we actually spent on train tickets during a recent trip to Italy:

As you can see, we hardly needed public transportation in Rome and Florence, and spent the most navigating between the Cinque Terre villages. The other two expenses shown, $10 for the bus and $25 for an Uber, will vary based on your own movements.

We spent $5 each to catch a shuttle bus in Cinque Terre up to Corniglia, since we didn’t want to climb upwards of 300 steps with all our luggage. Finally, we spent about $25 to Uber between our house and the airport in Cleveland, Ohio .

Typical flights to Italy run anywhere from $700 to $1,500+ a person, depending on many different factors. For example, from where I live near Cleveland, Ohio, we have no direct flights to Europe. Therefore, we always need to connect through another city, which drives up the price.

I will admit, we overpaid for our Italy flights at $1,400 a person. This is because we were traveling for a summer wedding, and I needed to return from our trip in time for my busiest season at work. Therefore, we were unable to be flexible with our dates or travel days.

No worries, though – if you’re savvy enough, you can actually get your flights for cheaper, or even free using credit card points! This is something we’ve certainly taken advantage of over the years. In fact, we bought an entire $700 flight to Ireland with points from our Chase Sapphire Preferred.

Here’s a summary of my tried and true tips to avoid overpaying for flights:

• Be flexible with your travel days. As mentioned above, weekend flights can be crazy expensive. Play around with searching different departure and arrival days, and you’ll be amazed what a difference that can make.
• Travel during the low season (November through February), when there is an overall drop in prices.
• Last but not least, the tip that has helped me the most:  Sign up for a credit card with travel rewards points. We’ve gotten countless free flights thanks to our cards, simply due to points earned on every day purchases. We’ve had great experiences using both the  Capital One Venture  and the  Chase Sapphire Reserve .

For longer stays in Italy, such as this ten day trip, you should try to eat in at your hotel or Airbnb sometimes. Not only will this save you money, but it’ll likely end up being a healthier choice. Over longer trips, it’s good to have a little balance so you’re not feeling completely bloated for most of it. Believe me – I wouldn’t be saying it if I hadn’t done it before!

While we didn’t eat in for every single meal, we did buy a few simple groceries for our Airbnb’s, such as eggs, peaches, cheese, prosciutto, wine, etc. We aimed to eat some of our breakfasts and lunches at our place, while still fitting in plenty of stops at cafes and gelaterias.

Try to book an Airbnb with a Nespresso Machine. Three places we stayed had one, and they actually make high quality coffee. We often took advantage of using the Nespresso instead of ordering out and enjoyed sipping it on our terrace.

Food & Drink

With Italy being known for delicious homemade pasta, fresh seafood, decadent gelato, and other such tasty treats, it would be wrong NOT to dine out in Italy. Therefore, you’ll want to make sure you budget a realistic amount of money for this.

Thankfully, eating out in Italy can be pretty affordable, especially if you stick to pasta and house wine. This is honestly a pretty easy choice to make, since both items are such high quality even at low prices. Aaron and I tended to split a caraffa of house wine, which typically ranged from 8 to 10 euros for a half liter.

My budget of $900 is more or less the average total of what we spent, with some lower days and some spurge days.

I’ll confess, we paid a bit more for our Airbnb’s than this budget, as we were originally traveling with my in-laws. Their budget was considerably higher than ours, so we paid a bit more for certain luxuries, like scenic terraces, than we normally would. Plus, Aaron and I were months away from celebrating our five year wedding anniversary and didn’t mind the occasional splurge.

However, you can definitely find very affordable lodging in Italy, especially if you take advantage of cheap flats on Airbnb . Generally, the closer you stay to main tourist areas, the more expensive prices will be. Therefore, your money will go further if you embrace “living like a local” and get a little further from the beaten path. Just be sure to thoroughly read reviews about the area before you book.

To keep your lodging prices in Italy as low as possible, be sure to start booking as early as you can. Italy is one of the top tourist destinations in the world, so the best places will get snatched up quickly.

These trendy Airbnb’s that will keep you within the $1,800 budget set above:

• Rome: This apartment is walkable to most major sights in Rome.
• Cinque Terre: This charming apartment in my personal favorite village, Corniglia, offers dreamy views over the village and Ligurian Sea.
• Florence: This chic apartment features romantic views over the terracotta rooftops of Florence.

Activities in Italy will make up another nice chunk of your budget. After all, seeing bucket list places, like the Colosseum and Vatican, is probably one of the biggest reasons you’re visiting Italy.

To stay within your budget, it’s best to offset pricier sights with some free things to do in Italy (listed below). Prioritize paid activities based on what’s most important to you and what time will realistically allow.

Another thing to consider is whether a sight-seeing pass for a particular city would be a good idea for you. Passes, such as the Roma Pass , will offer discounts on public transportation and a couple sights. I will say – the passes seem to be most useful if you plan to use public transportation A LOT. We used a pass in Rome, but didn’t find it as useful in Florence where we spent less time and mostly walked.

Below is an inflation-adjusted estimate of what we actually spent on activities during our Italy trip:

• Vatican Tour: $207.17 ($103 per person guided tour that let us see the magnificent Sistine Chapel before the crowds)
• Borghese Gallery : $48.16 (€15 entrance fee + €2 reservation fee per person. Could potentially be covered by Roma Pass, less the €2 fee. We only opted for the 48-hour pass, so this day wasn’t covered.)
• Colosseum Online Reservation Fee: $4.51 (entry fee covered by Roma Pass, but the €2 per person online reservation fee is still required).
• Roma Pass: $70.06 (€32 per person for the 48-hour pass.)
• Pantheon: $10.95 (€5 entrance fee per person)
• Beach Chairs at Monterosso al Mare: $41.60 (€38 for two chairs and an umbrella at Bagno Eden).
• Cinque Terre Hiking Passes: $32.84 (€7.50 per person for a 1-day card. We bought it two days in a row).
• Florence Food Tour: $230 ($115 per person to taste eight foods and four wines during an evening exploring Florence)
• Accademia Gallery : $43.78 (€20 per person entrance fee)

Book Your Italy Walking Tour Here

13 Free Things to do in Italy

Keep your Italy trip cost down by finding free things to do. Some of Italy’s best sights have no cost, so add as many of these into your itinerary as possible:

• Trevi Fountain in Rome (not including coin toss)
• Pantheon in Rome – Unfortunately, beginning in July 2023 the Pantheon now charges a €5 entrance fee per person.
• Spanish Steps in Rome
• Viewing Rome’s Colosseum from the outside
• Taking a scenic walk through town
• Various squares (ie. Piazza Navona in Rome or Piazza della Signoria in Florence)
• Most hikes in Cinque Terre
• The breathtaking views in Cinque Terre
• Swimming at certain beaches in Cinque Terre
• Viewing the Duomo from outside in Florence
• Strolling over Ponte Vecchio in Florence
• Watching the sunrise or sunset from Piazzale Michelangelo in Florence
• Taking a Rick Steves recorded walking tour on his Audio Europe app .

Pet Boarding

Do you have a fur baby like us? If so, then you probably know all too well about the cost of pet boarding, unless you’re lucky enough to have a pet that travels well. Even better if you know someone who can watch Scruffy while you’re gone.

Unfortunately, neither of those things apply to us, so we have to board our puppy. Prices for this where I live in Northeast Ohio tend to run about $40 a night, but vary wildly in quality and services included.

We choose to drive our puppy about 45 minutes away from our house to a rural vet center with boarding because our doggy likes it there. He gets his own little “suite” with an outdoor space he can run around in! It is such a hassle to drive that far, but totally worth it to have peace of mind while we’re traveling.

Other Misc Expenses

• Airport Expenses: Includes any snacks, magazines, etc. you may purchase while waiting around the airport. It’s usually cheaper to bring your own granola bars, etc.
• Shopping: There is plenty of good shopping to do all over Italy. Just don’t go too crazy here if you are trying to stay on a budget.
• Tourist Tax: Depending on the city, there is a nightly tourist tax for hotels and vacation rentals in Italy. Here is Airbnb’s summary of the various rates.

No matter how you slice it (be it pizza, prosciutto, whatever), a trip to Italy is always worth it, be it luxurious or budget. However, once thing’s for sure – you certainly don’t need to overspend in the least in order to have a spectacular Italian getaway.

Related Posts

Love this post! I can’t believe i found you then realized half way through we are in the same state / area! 😉 can you post the links to me regarding your Airbnb suggestions? It won’t show me the direct ones you suggest when i click over. Thanks in advance and i love your page!! Keep doing it, it inspires me!

Thanks so much Jenny! Really appreciate you saying that. FYI – I updated all the Airbnb links 🙂

Hi, I’m planning a long trip by myself to Italy for my 60th birthday. No guides, just my own itinerary with air bob’s. Having been there yourself, do you think I’ll be safe over there walking alone & staying in places alone? I’m super excited, but everyone thinks I’m crazy wanting to do this alone. Your opinion and any tips you have will be greatly appreciated. Sandy

Hi Sandy! As someone who is currently traveling alone in the Netherlands, I think it’s awesome that you are treating yourself to an Italy trip for your 60th! I’m not sure where all you plan to go in Italy, but in my travels that I mentioned above and also during a recent trip to Puglia, there were never any moments where I felt unsafe. Just take any normal precautions that you would normally take when going out alone at home. Also, when booking Airbnb’s, read the reviews closely as they can sometimes be a little off the beaten path. I like to find reviews where people verified the area was walkable to sights and public transportation. Hope that helps!

Just found your post on Pinterest and while reading I was very excited that you listed your airbnbs because we are planning a trip and March going to cinque Terre and Florence as well. Well turns out I just booked the same airbnb in Florence today! What are the chances. It just validated that it was the right choice!

Awesome! You have good taste 😉

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Winter is here! Check out the winter wonderlands at these 5 amazing winter destinations in Montana

• Travel Destinations

How Much Does A 10-Day Trip To Italy Cost?

Published: November 19, 2023

Modified: December 28, 2023

by Kara-Lynn Mcgaha

• Budget Travel

Introduction

Italy, with its rich history, breathtaking landscapes, and delicious cuisine, is a dream destination for many travelers. From the iconic city of Rome to the romantic canals of Venice and the stunning Amalfi Coast, Italy offers a wealth of experiences that cater to every traveler’s taste. However, before embarking on your Italian adventure, it’s essential to have a clear understanding of the costs involved to ensure a memorable and budget-friendly trip.

In this article, we will dive into the expenses you can expect during a 10-day trip to Italy, helping you plan and budget accordingly. Keep in mind that these costs can vary depending on your travel style, preferences, and the season you visit.

Italy is well-connected to major international airports, making airfare one of the essential expenses. The cost of airfare will depend on your departure location, the time of year, and how early you book. It’s advisable to search for deals, compare prices, and consider booking your flights well in advance to secure the best rates.

Accommodation costs in Italy can vary significantly depending on the type of accommodation you choose and the location. Luxury hotels in cities like Rome and Florence will be more expensive than budget-friendly options such as hostels or bed and breakfasts. To save on accommodation expenses, consider booking in advance, staying in smaller towns or villages outside of major cities, or even exploring alternative options such as Airbnb.

Transportation within Italy is another important factor to consider. While major cities have efficient public transportation systems, you may also need to factor in the cost of train or bus tickets for intercity travel. If you plan on visiting multiple cities, it may be cost-effective to purchase a rail pass. Alternatively, renting a car can provide flexibility, but keep in mind that it may involve additional expenses such as parking fees and tolls.

Italian cuisine is renowned worldwide, and dining out is a delightful experience. However, eating at restaurants for every meal can quickly add up. To manage your dining expenses, consider a mix of dining in local trattorias, enjoying street food, and even picnicking in parks or scenic spots. Sampling local specialties can be a highlight of your trip without breaking the bank.

Sightseeing and visiting tourist attractions are often must-do activities in Italy. While some attractions may have entry fees, others can be explored for free, such as wandering through the charming streets of small towns or enjoying the stunning landscapes of the countryside. It’s essential to research the attractions you wish to visit and plan your budget accordingly.

Italy offers a plethora of entertainment and activities options, from guided tours to wine tastings, cooking classes, and even attending opera performances. These activities can enhance your experience but come with additional costs. Prioritize what interests you the most and allocate a budget accordingly to make the most of your trip.

It’s hard to resist the temptation of shopping in Italy, known for its fashion, leather goods, and local products. Whether you’re looking for designer items in high-end boutiques or unique souvenirs from local markets, setting a shopping budget is crucial to avoid overspending.

Lastly, keep in mind that there may be miscellaneous expenses such as tips, travel insurance, and unforeseen costs. It’s always wise to have a contingency budget to cover any unexpected circumstances.

By considering and budgeting for these various expenses, you can plan a 10-day trip to Italy that fits your financial situation and ensures a memorable experience. So pack your bags and get ready to immerse yourself in the wonders of Italy!

Airfare Expenses

When planning a trip to Italy, one of the most significant expenses to consider is airfare. The cost of airfare can vary depending on several factors, including your departure location, the time of year you are traveling, and how early you book your flights.

The best way to secure the most affordable airfare is to start researching and booking your flights well in advance. Generally, booking your tickets several months before your departure date can help you find better deals. Additionally, being flexible with your travel dates and considering midweek flights, rather than weekends, can often lead to more competitive prices.

Another option to save on airfare costs is to keep an eye out for promotional deals, flash sales, or discounted fares offered by airlines. Subscribing to newsletters or following airlines’ social media accounts can keep you updated on special offers and discounts.

It’s also advisable to compare prices from different airlines and consider alternative airports. Sometimes, flying into a nearby airport and then taking a train or bus to your destination can be more cost-effective than flying directly into a popular airport.

Additionally, consider flying during off-peak travel seasons. The summer months and holiday periods tend to be more expensive due to increased demand. Traveling in the shoulder seasons, such as spring or autumn, can often result in lower airfare prices.

When it comes to choosing the right class of service, consider your budget and priorities. Economy class tickets are typically the most budget-friendly option, but if you value extra legroom and enhanced services, you may opt for premium economy or business class. It’s important to compare prices and assess whether the extra cost is worth the added comfort for you.

Lastly, if you’re traveling with a large group or as a family, it may be worth considering group booking discounts or family-friendly fare options that some airlines offer. These can help reduce the overall airfare expenses.

Remember that while finding affordable airfare is crucial, it’s also essential to ensure the airline you choose provides good service, reliable schedules, and appropriate baggage allowances. Factor in these considerations when comparing prices, and don’t solely focus on the lowest fare.

By researching and comparing prices, booking in advance, and being flexible with your travel dates, you can save money on airfare expenses and allocate your budget towards other aspects of your trip to Italy.

Accommodation Costs

When planning a trip to Italy, accommodation costs are an important factor to consider. The cost of accommodation will depend on various factors, including the type of accommodation you choose, the location, and the amenities provided.

In popular tourist destinations like Rome, Florence, and Venice, accommodation prices tend to be higher compared to smaller cities or countryside locations. It’s worth exploring different options and considering staying in less crowded areas to find more affordable accommodations.

The type of accommodation you choose will significantly impact your expenses. Luxury hotels in city centers or upscale resorts along the coast can be quite expensive. If you’re on a budget, consider more affordable options such as hostels, guesthouses, or bed and breakfasts. These accommodations often provide a comfortable and budget-friendly alternative.

For those seeking a more unique experience, consider booking an Airbnb or vacation rental. This can be especially advantageous if you’re traveling with a group or if you prefer the convenience of a kitchen to prepare meals and save on dining expenses.

Booking your accommodation in advance is highly recommended, as it allows you to secure better rates and ensures availability, especially during peak travel seasons. Websites and apps such as Booking.com, Airbnb, and Expedia offer a wide range of options and allow you to compare prices and read reviews from other travelers.

If you’re more flexible with your travel plans, last-minute deals and discounted rates may be available, especially during the low season. However, keep in mind that this approach may require a bit more spontaneity and willingness to adapt to available options.

It’s important to note that accommodation costs typically include additional fees and taxes, so make sure to read the terms and conditions carefully before making your reservation. Additional charges might include city taxes, resort fees, or fees for services like breakfast or parking.

Consider your travel priorities and budget when choosing your accommodation in Italy. If you’re planning to spend most of your time exploring the city or the countryside, you might prefer a more basic accommodation option as a place to rest after a long day of sightseeing. However, if you’re looking for a luxurious and pampering experience, investing in a higher-end hotel or resort could be worth it.

Remember that where you stay can play a significant role in your overall travel experience. Research different neighborhoods and areas, read reviews, and consider proximity to attractions, public transportation, and amenities when making your decision.

By carefully considering your preferences, priorities, and budget, you can find accommodation options that suit your needs and enhance your stay in Italy.

Transportation Expenses

When planning a trip to Italy, transportation expenses are an important consideration. Getting around the country efficiently and affordably will enhance your travel experience. Italy has an extensive transportation network, including trains, buses, and rental cars, that allow you to explore different cities and regions.

One of the most convenient ways to travel between cities in Italy is by train. The Italian rail system is efficient, reliable, and connects major cities and smaller towns. The cost of train tickets will vary depending on factors such as the distance traveled, the type of train (high-speed or regional), and your seating class. It’s recommended to book train tickets in advance to secure the best fares.

Another option for intercity travel is by bus. Companies such as FlixBus and ItaloBus operate routes throughout the country, offering affordable fares. While buses may take longer than trains, they provide more flexibility and the opportunity to enjoy scenic views along the way.

If you prefer more flexibility and autonomy, renting a car can be a great option. Renting a car in Italy allows you to explore off-the-beaten-path destinations and move at your own pace. However, keep in mind that driving in major cities like Rome or Florence can be challenging due to traffic and limited parking options. Additionally, factor in expenses such as fuel, tolls, and parking fees when budgeting for a rental car.

When considering transportation expenses, it’s also important to factor in the cost of getting to and from the airport. Many cities offer airport shuttle services, taxis, or private transfers. Research the most cost-effective and convenient options based on your arrival and departure airports.

Within cities, public transportation is often the most convenient and affordable way to get around. Italian cities have well-developed bus, tram, and metro systems. Buying a multi-day pass or a city card that includes public transportation can help save money if you plan on using public transport frequently. Walking is also an enjoyable and budget-friendly option for exploring city centers.

It’s important to note that some cities, like Venice, have unique transportation systems, such as vaporettos (water buses) or water taxis. These modes of transportation are essential for navigating the city’s canals but can be more expensive compared to traditional buses or trams.

Lastly, consider the cost of any day trips or excursions you plan to take. If you’re interested in exploring the surrounding areas or visiting nearby attractions, factor in the cost of transportation, whether it’s by train, bus, or guided tour.

By researching transportation options, planning in advance, and considering the most cost-effective modes of transportation for your needs, you can manage your transportation expenses and make the most of your journey through Italy.

Dining and Food Expenses

Italy is renowned for its delicious cuisine, and enjoying the local food is often a highlight of any trip to the country. However, dining out can also be a significant expense to consider when planning your trip. By budgeting wisely and making smart choices, you can savor Italian cuisine without breaking the bank.

One way to save on food expenses is to explore local trattorias and osterias, which are traditional restaurants that serve authentic Italian dishes at reasonable prices. These establishments often offer a fixed menu or daily specials, providing excellent value for money.

Another cost-effective option is to enjoy street food. Italy is famous for its delectable street food culture, with offerings such as pizza al taglio (pizza by the slice), arancini (fried rice balls), and gelato. Trying these local specialties from street vendors or small food stalls can be both affordable and satisfying.

For breakfast, consider indulging in an Italian tradition – a cappuccino and a freshly baked cornetto (croissant) – at a local café. This is not only a delicious start to the day but also a budget-friendly option. Alternatively, many hotels and accommodations provide a continental breakfast included in the room rate.

When dining out, consider opting for a fixed-price lunch menu, often called a “pranzo fisso”. Many restaurants offer a set menu at a lower price during lunchtime, allowing you to enjoy a satisfying meal at a more affordable cost.

Another way to manage dining expenses is to take advantage of the local markets and grocery stores. Buying fresh produce, bread, cheese, and charcuterie from local markets can be a cost-effective way to create your own picnic or enjoy a meal in your accommodation. This option works well if you are staying in a vacation rental or an Airbnb with access to a kitchen.

While dining out is undoubtedly enjoyable, consider balancing your restaurant meals with self-catered options. This allows you to experience different aspects of Italian culinary culture while still managing your budget effectively.

Remember that water in restaurants is often accompanied by a charge. If you prefer tap water, be sure to request it specifically. Additionally, keep in mind that service charges may be included in the bill. It is common to leave a small tip for exceptional service, but it is not obligatory.

Lastly, don’t forget to indulge in the local cuisine’s regional specialties. Each region of Italy has its own unique dishes and culinary traditions. Sampling local delicacies is one of the joys of traveling in Italy and can provide a memorable and authentic experience.

By exploring a variety of dining options, including local trattorias, street food, self-catering, and taking advantage of lunch specials, you can enjoy the incredible flavors of Italy while managing your dining expenses.

Sightseeing and Tourist Attractions Costs

Italy is home to a wealth of iconic landmarks, historical sites, and breathtaking natural attractions. Visiting these sights and experiencing the rich cultural heritage of the country is a must during your trip. However, it’s important to consider the costs associated with sightseeing and visiting tourist attractions.

Many of Italy’s famous landmarks and historical sites have entry fees. The cost of tickets will vary depending on the attraction and whether you opt for guided tours or audio guides. It’s recommended to research the attractions you wish to visit in advance to understand the admission fees and any available discounts for students, seniors, or children.

One way to manage sightseeing expenses is to prioritize your must-see attractions and plan your itinerary accordingly. Identify the sites that hold the most interest for you and allocate your budget accordingly. Keep in mind that not all attractions have entry fees, and exploring the charming streets of cities like Rome, Florence, or Venice is often free and allows you to soak in the unique atmosphere.

Many cities offer city passes or tourist cards that provide access to multiple attractions at discounted rates. These passes often include public transportation, skip-the-line entry to popular sites, and other perks. Calculate whether purchasing a city pass would be cost-effective based on the attractions you plan to visit and the duration of your stay.

It’s worth noting that some attractions offer free or discounted entry on certain days or during specific hours. Research whether any such promotions or discounts are available during your visit and plan your sightseeing accordingly.

Another cost-effective way to explore Italy’s cultural heritage is through the many churches and cathedrals that can be found in nearly every city and town. While some churches have entry fees for specific areas or exhibits, many allow free entry for visitors to admire the stunning architecture and artwork.

When visiting museums, it’s important to note that some popular sites, such as the Uffizi Gallery in Florence or the Vatican Museums in Rome, can have long lines, especially during peak travel seasons. Consider purchasing timed-entry or skip-the-line tickets to save time and make the most of your visit.

Lastly, don’t forget to explore the natural beauty that Italy has to offer. Parks, gardens, and landscapes, such as the Cinque Terre or the Amalfi Coast, often have beautiful hiking trails and viewpoints that provide incredible experiences without any additional cost.

By planning your sightseeing activities, considering discounts and promotions, and balancing paid attractions with free or low-cost options, you can make the most of your time in Italy and experience its rich cultural heritage without overspending on sightseeing expenses.

Entertainment and Activities Expenses

Italy offers a wide range of entertainment and activities that can enhance your travel experience. From guided tours to wine tastings, cooking classes, and attending cultural performances, there are options to suit every interest and budget. However, it is essential to consider the costs associated with these activities when planning your trip.

One popular activity in Italy is taking guided tours. Whether it’s a walking tour of historic neighborhoods, a food tour to sample local cuisine, or a guided visit to famous landmarks, these tours provide insights and in-depth knowledge. They often come with a fee, so it’s essential to research and compare prices, read reviews, and choose reputable tour operators.

Wine tastings are another enjoyable and educational experience to consider. Italy’s various wine regions offer opportunities to explore vineyards, learn about winemaking techniques, and taste a variety of regional wines. Wine tastings may require advance reservations and typically come with a cost, but they provide a unique opportunity to indulge in Italy’s wine culture.

For culinary enthusiasts, taking a cooking class can be a fantastic way to learn traditional Italian recipes and techniques. Many cities and towns offer hands-on cooking experiences led by skilled chefs. These classes often include ingredients, recipes, and, of course, the delicious meal you prepare. While cooking classes can be an additional expense, they offer a memorable and immersive cultural experience.

Italy is also renowned for its rich artistic heritage, and attending cultural performances can be a highlight of your trip. From classical music concerts to opera performances, ballets, and theater shows, there are plenty of options to choose from. Tickets for these events can vary in price depending on the venue and the performance, so it’s advisable to book in advance and research any available discounts.

For nature enthusiasts, outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, or taking a boat tour can provide unforgettable experiences. Italy’s diverse landscapes, including the Dolomites, Tuscany’s countryside, and the Italian Lakes, offer stunning scenery and opportunities for exploration. While some activities may require equipment rental or guided tours, they offer a chance to connect with nature and enjoy the beauty of the Italian outdoors.

When budgeting for activities, consider your personal interests and priorities. Identify the experiences that align with your passions and allocate your budget accordingly. It’s essential to strike a balance between participating in paid activities and enjoying the many free or low-cost options available, such as walking tours or exploring public parks and gardens.

By researching activity options, setting a budget, and prioritizing the activities that resonate with you the most, you can create an itinerary that includes enjoyable and memorable experiences while managing your entertainment and activities expenses in Italy.

Shopping Expenses

Italy is famous for its fashion, craftsmanship, and local products, making it a shopper’s paradise. From high-end designer boutiques to charming artisanal shops and bustling markets, there’s something to suit every taste and budget. However, it’s important to plan and manage your shopping expenses to avoid overspending.

If you’re interested in fashion, cities like Milan and Florence are known for their designer stores and luxury brands. These establishments often come with higher price tags. However, keep in mind that many outlets and discount stores offer opportunities to purchase designer items at discounted prices. Explore these options to find great deals and save on your fashion purchases.

Visiting local markets is not only an excellent way to experience the vibrant atmosphere but also a chance to find unique and affordable souvenirs. Whether it’s handcrafted jewelry, leather goods, ceramics, or local delicacies, markets showcase the best of Italian craftsmanship and local products. Bargaining may be possible at certain markets, so don’t hesitate to negotiate for a better price.

Italy is also renowned for its culinary delights, including olive oil, balsamic vinegar, pasta, wine, and cheeses. If you have a passion for food, consider dedicating part of your budget to sampling and purchasing local food products. Visit specialty food shops, delicatessens, and gourmet stores to explore the incredible variety of Italian gastronomy.

For art lovers, Italy offers a treasure trove of artwork, from paintings to sculptures. If you’re interested in acquiring art, consider visiting galleries or attending art markets. It’s important to research and ensure the authenticity and reputation of the sellers before making a purchase.

When it comes to managing shopping expenses, it’s crucial to set a budget and prioritize your purchases. Consider the items you genuinely want or need and allocate a specific amount of money for shopping. It’s easy to get carried away with the abundance of choices, so self-discipline when shopping can go a long way.

Additionally, keep in mind additional costs such as taxes, shipping fees, or customs duties if you plan to bring back large or valuable purchases. Familiarize yourself with the duty-free limits and regulations of your home country to avoid any surprises or extra costs.

As with any purchase, it’s a good idea to compare prices between different stores and sellers before making a decision. Do some research, read reviews, and ask locals or fellow travelers for recommendations to ensure you’re getting the best quality and value for your money.

Remember that shopping is not just about material goods; it’s also about the experience and the memories you create. Take the time to browse, savor the atmosphere, and engage with local artisans and shopkeepers. Building relationships and learning about the craft behind the products can add depth and meaning to your shopping experiences.

With careful planning and a sensible approach, you can enjoy the thrill of shopping in Italy while staying within your budget and bringing home meaningful souvenirs and treasures.

Miscellaneous Expenses

When planning a trip to Italy, it’s important to consider miscellaneous expenses that may arise during your travels. These costs can vary depending on your preferences, circumstances, and unforeseen circumstances that may arise. Having a contingency budget to cover these miscellaneous expenses will ensure a smoother and more enjoyable trip.

One essential expense to account for is travel insurance. While it may seem like an additional cost, travel insurance provides peace of mind and protects you in case of unforeseen events such as medical emergencies, trip cancellations, or lost luggage. It’s crucial to research and secure the right travel insurance coverage that suits your needs and provides adequate protection.

Another expense to consider is transportation to and from the airport. Depending on your location and the airport you’re flying into, the cost of transfers or public transportation to the city center or your accommodation can add up. Research the available options, such as airport shuttles, taxis, or public transportation, and budget accordingly.

Tipping is customary in Italy, although not as extensively as in some other countries. It’s common to leave a small tip, rounding up the bill or leaving 5-10% of the total amount if the service was exceptional. However, tipping is discretionary, and you should never feel obligated to tip if the service was unsatisfactory. Keep in mind that some restaurants may include a service charge in the bill.

As with any trip, unexpected expenses can arise. It’s advisable to have a contingency budget to cover unforeseen circumstances. This could include costs such as lost or stolen belongings, medical expenses, or changes in your travel plans. Having some extra funds set aside can provide peace of mind and alleviate stress in case of emergencies.

Internet and communication costs are also worth considering. Staying connected while traveling can be important for various reasons, such as accessing maps, communicating with family and friends, or sharing your experiences on social media. Research the options for mobile data or Wi-Fi coverage and factor in any associated costs.

Lastly, don’t forget about incidentals such as toiletries, sunscreen, adapters, and other small items that you may need during your trip. These may seem like minor expenses, but they can add up if not accounted for in your budget.

By allocating a contingency budget for miscellaneous expenses, considering tipping customs, securing travel insurance, and being prepared for unforeseen circumstances, you can ensure a smoother and more stress-free trip to Italy.

Planning a trip to Italy involves considering various expenses to ensure a memorable and budget-friendly experience. By understanding and budgeting for these costs, you can make the most of your time in this beautiful country without breaking the bank.

From airfare to accommodation, transportation, dining, sightseeing, entertainment, shopping, and miscellaneous expenses, each aspect plays a crucial role in shaping your overall budget. Researching and comparing prices, booking in advance, and considering alternative options can help you find the best deals and save money.

When it comes to airfare, be flexible with your travel dates and compare prices from different airlines. Consider alternative airports and book your tickets well in advance to secure the lowest fares. Accommodation costs can be managed by choosing budget-friendly options, staying in less crowded areas, and considering alternative accommodations like hostels, B&Bs, or vacation rentals.

Transportation expenses can be optimized by using public transportation, booking train tickets in advance, and exploring options like car rentals if it suits your needs. Dining and food expenses can be managed by trying local eateries, enjoying street food, and incorporating self-catering options.

When sightseeing, researching admission fees, considering discounted passes, and balancing paid attractions with free or low-cost alternatives can help control your expenses. Budgeting for entertainment and activities involves prioritizing your interests and choosing the most cost-effective options, whether it’s guided tours, cooking classes, or attending cultural performances.

Shopping expenses require setting a budget, exploring markets, outlets, and local artisans, and comparing prices before making a purchase. Allocating a contingency budget for miscellaneous expenses, securing travel insurance, and considering tipping customs and unforeseen circumstances will provide peace of mind during your trip.

In conclusion, by carefully considering these expenses and planning accordingly, you can have an amazing 10-day trip to Italy without exceeding your budget. Remember to strike a balance between enjoying the unique experiences Italy has to offer and being mindful of your financial limitations, ensuring a truly memorable and rewarding journey through this enchanting country.

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How Much is a Trip to Italy: Average Cost Per Day

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Written by Jenifer Sako

If you plan to visit Italy, you’ll be happy to know it isn’t the most expensive place in Europe. Unlike the United Kingdom, for example, a trip to Italy can be reasonable. Best of all, you can create a budget as you plan your trip to Italy so you’ll know exactly how much money you’ll need without surprises.

How much is a trip to Italy? Well, you’ve got a few things to consider. Be sure to buy reliable travel insurance so your carefully arranged trip, with your foolproof budget, is protected. Think of it as an essential part of the cost of your epic trip to Italy.

We recommend SafetyWing . Check them out to see if you can include their protection in your budget. The cost? $500 to $700 (depending on the length of the trip and the number of people). I know it seems like an unnecessary add-on, but travel insurance is always better to have and not need than need and not have.

Another great thing to know about planning a trip to Italy is that Italians, especially in major cities, are used to visitors and are proud that their country is full of cultural treasures and is known for amazing food. They love to talk to visitors too, so impress them with your interest in speaking Italian.

A small investment that will go a long way is Barron’s Italian-English Pocket Dictionary , with more than 70,000 words and phrases. Think of how handy that will come on a food tour !

So, for your Italy cost budget, you’ll want to consider the following major ticket items:

• Hotel rooms or vacation rentals
• Flight costs
• Local transportation
• Food tour (of course) or tours and dining
• Souvenir shopping

Other expenses will arise, but we will anticipate these as much as possible. Read on to learn how to plan a trip to Italy . Want a quick summary of the cost of a trip to Italy? The table below gives a rough idea of Itlay’s travel cost.

Hotel Rooms or Vacation Rentals

A big part of your cost of Italy trip budget will be allocated to the accommodations you choose. Plan to make your reservations as far ahead of time as possible.

You may see a property you love and can afford but only see it sell out before you decide. Many have generous cancellation policies, so there’s no risk if you change your plans.

Hotel room for a family of four in Rome

When calculating a trip to Italy for a family with at least two children, you’ll likely be looking for mid-range hotels. Let’s assume you need nice amenities, like air conditioning and a pool, and you are avoiding cheap places and hostels.

Let’s also assume you’ll be traveling in the high season, which is summer in Italy , because that’s when the kids are out of school. Something important to know is that you may have to incur the extra cost of additional rooms depending on how many children you’re traveling with, especially in the cities.

Two rooms will be cheaper than a suite, though. The average price for a nice four-star hotel in Rome’s city center can cost as much as 500 euros per room per night.

If you’re planning a luxury trip, a five-star and up will cost you at least $1,000 per room per night. However, you certainly don’t have to stay in the middle of Italy’s most popular city. Very good hotels in great neighborhoods will save you money and offer extra-large family rooms.

Here are some examples of great places to stay in Rome:

• Bloom Hotel Rome is a 10-minute walk from St. Peter’s Square
• Mama Shelter Roma is a 9-minute walk to Vatican Museums
• Crowne Plaza Rome St. Peter’s is 3 miles from the Vatican

When I priced a double-double (or two double beds) at the Crowne Plaza, surrounded by beautiful grounds and with a huge pool plus free parking, the four-night rate was less than $600. Find the best hotels in Rome with Booking.com and get the best deals.

See Related : Best Day to Book Flights

Hotel room for a family of four in Tuscany

You may have to do more detective work to determine your Italy cost for a family traveling to Tuscany . You can go to a full-on resort or a lower-key one to save money. Both options are readily available and will depend on your expectations. A five-star property can cost upwards of $1000 per night.

The Baglioni Resort Alleluja offers a two-bedroom suite (queen beds) and is a seven-minute walk to the beach. They also have a pool and tennis courts.

Their rate for four nights is about $4,600. Not as luxurious but still highly rated is the Hotel Giardino in Bibbiena. Their quadruple rooms have either twin beds or bunk beds in addition to a queen-sized bed.

You’re also close to the medieval town of Bibbiena, home of castles, museums, and other historic sites. Their rate for four nights is a budget-friendly $630.

Hotel room for two in Rome

Since your time is more flexible, your Italy accommodation cost will have more wiggle room. For hotel prices in major cities, we’ll stick with our Rome in summer example.

9Hotel Cesari is steps from both the Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon. They offer a rooftop terrace and beautifully appointed double guest rooms with queen beds. Their rate for four nights is approximately $1,200 in total .

Hotel room for two in Tuscany

If you’re willing to pay, your trip to Italy for two can be as fancy as you want in Tuscany. The Agri Resort & SPA Le Colline del Paradiso in Vaglia offers an on-site restaurant and outdoor pool.

It’s a five-star resort with beautiful views of the Tuscan countryside and rooms. Their rate for four nights in a standard double room starts at approximately $900 and can run as high as $2,300 for a room with a queen bed and garden or mountain views.

These rates for double rooms are typical throughout Tuscany in the high season.

Hotel room for a solo traveler in Rome

Your travel to Italy cost may be higher as a single person simply because you’re paying the entire room rate. But you can also opt for a small, affordable room with a full-sized bed and be very comfortable.

The Hotel Caravel has charming guest rooms with hardwood floors. The hotel is not near the city center, but it is close to bus and subway stops.

Their rate for four nights in a room with one full-sized bed is approximately $400.

Hotel room for a solo traveler in Tuscany

Planning a solo trip to Italy may be the perfect opportunity to treat yourself to a luxurious Tuscan experience. The La Bagnaia Golf and Spa Resort are located in the medieval town of Bagnaia. The staff is famous for their attention to detail.

You’ll be minutes from Siena’s historical and cultural sites, wineries, tours, and other activities here. Rates for a single room start at approximately $700 for four nights.

Vacation rentals for a family of four in Rome

Is it expensive to travel to Italy if you use vacation rentals? Often, vacation rentals instead of a hotel can help you save money on your trip. A family-friendly apartment gives you space to spread out a bit.

They often will have kitchenettes, too. Casa al Vinimale also offers WiFi, air-conditioning, and beds for five and is centrally located close to Quirinal Hill and Domus Aurea.

Before booking one, ask if towels and other linens are provided and the charge for them, if any. The four-night rate has an average price of $675 , an excellent rate for the size of the accommodations and the location.

See Related: Best Honeymoon Spots in the World

Vacation rentals for a family of four in Tuscany

A trip to Italy for a family can get costly. You might find more value in finding a vacation rental with lots of space in an area like Tuscany. You can split the price difference between a full-service resort and a moderate hotel with a private rental.

And because there are kitchens in the rentals, you can save on dining. Appartamento Azzurra in Roccalbegna is perfect for a family of four.

You’ll have a terrace with lake views, and it’s close to nature and cities a short drive away. A four-night stay during the high season starts at $1,830.

Vacation rentals for two in Rome

A trip to Italy for two is very romantic, so you should find a comfortable rental with some ambiance and a central location. You’ll feel like a proper Roman citizen at the Germanico Luxury Apartment.

It’s a charming apartment on a quiet street, yet it’s within walking distance of the Vatican and other attractions , as well as shops and restaurants. You can rent this entire apartment for approximately $320 per night.

See Related : Things to Do in Milan, Italy

Vacation rentals for two in Tuscany

In the popular region of Tuscany, Italy, costs for vacation rentals will vary depending on the location. Many couples like to be close to cultural sites, museums, and restaurants .

For example, the Coco Places Firenze, Centro Storico , isn’t the cheapest place. But it’s situated in the center of Florence , one of the most fascinating cities in the world.

Guest rooms will have kitchenettes, and some have terraces overlooking a beautiful garden. Live out those Under the Tuscan Sun dreams in this gorgeous rental. A romantic four-night stay for two in high season is approximately $1,800.

Vacation rentals for a solo traveler in Rome

Italy vacation costs are pretty easy to nail down when traveling alone . The apartments available for single stays at Ripetta 25 are also reasonable. The spacious single apartments include a sofa bed and kitchenette with fully stocked mini-fridges and offer lovely views of Via di Ripetta or their sweet courtyard.

It has a great location for single travelers–close to Piazza del Popolo and a 7-minute walk to the Spanish Steps. Easily find public transportation at the nearby bus or metro stop. A four-night stay at Ripetta 25 during high season is about $750.

Vacation rentals for a solo traveler in Tuscany

As a solo traveler, you can make your trip to Italy around your interests and preferences. You can also save on trip costs if you don’t want to be at a hotel because you don’t need an entire apartment.

I Sleep B&B in Florence are adorable attic rooms in a historic building. There is air-conditioning and a private bath for each room; some even have terraces. With only one full-sized bed, it might get cramped for more than one person. But for a solo traveler, it’s perfect.

It’s also conveniently located in the center of Florence . Room rates include a full breakfast. During the high season, a four-night stay for one is approximately $250 per night for $1,000.

See Related : Best Places to Visit in Italy

Flight Costs

Air travel costs for your Italy itinerary can be high if you travel in the summer. Use a search engine like Skyscanner to compare the best flight options. You can also sign up for email alerts for deals to Italy with Going .

As with hotels and vacation rentals, you’ll want to search for flights well ahead to take advantage of discounted airfare or sales.

Also, check your credit cards for points you can use toward airfare. You may be sitting on a mountain of gold. So, the average cost of an airline ticket to Rome in the high season will be between $700 to $1,200 round trip per ticket. Watch for hidden fees and baggage requirements.

And look for departures from major US cities on European carriers for the best prices. For example, a round trip nonstop ticket from Dulles International in Washington D.C. to Leonardo di Vinci Airport in Rome on Lufthansa for a June trip costs $1,212 per ticket.

See Related: Best Tours in Italy

Local Transportation

During your travels to Italy, you may find using local public transportation more convenient than renting a car in the major cities.

But if you’re spending a week or so in Tuscany or elsewhere outside the cities, you’ll want to rent a car. We’ll price all the options so you can work the costs into your budget.

Rental car for a family

As soon as you know you’ll be visiting Italy, check a good travel search engine like Kayak to find the best deals on car rentals. Look for something like a wagon that will accommodate everyone and their luggage. Avoid the large, expensive SUVs or vans, even if that’s what you drive at home.

The winding roads through Tuscany and Florence can get a little too narrow for them, even on a day trip from Florence . Tell your family members and other travel companions to pack lightly and leave the giant suitcases at home so you don’t have to cram in.

What about couples or solo travelers?

If you’re traveling as a couple or solo, you can search for a smaller vehicle, but wagons are a reliable choice, easy to drive, and roomy. But do shop around and do it early. A standard station wagon rented through National for one week with pick up at FCO airport costs approximately $1,000.

Gondola ride

Many people who travel to Italy want to experience an iconic gondola ride. The traditional gondolas are found in Venice , wandering through the city’s grand canal.

How to get there

Venice is a little more than two hours by train from Florence. The train is the fastest and cheapest way to get there. So, if you can make the time for a quick getaway to Venice while you’re in Tuscany to take a gondola ride and see the sights, do it.

What are they?

The flat-bottomed, specially-made wooden gondolas are often passed down through the generations, and a big sense of romance is attached to them.

Find a gondola that catches your eye. Some are plain traditional black, while others are decorated with pillows and blankets for a more comfortable ride.

Your gondolier will probably speak English, and some also speak German and French. They’ll be wearing the familiar striped shirt and black pants. Some may even be wearing cute straw boater hats, and more than a few know how to serenade!

How much are they?

The fares to ride them are pre-set and fairly standard throughout the city. Expect to pay about 80 euros for a ride during the day and 100 euros for rides after 7:00 pm. The rides are 40 minutes.

You can pay for additional time at 40 euros for 20 minutes during the day and 50 euros after 7. Hotels and travel or tour agencies will probably charge you an additional fee.

Six people can ride on a gondola simultaneously, with the cost split between all riders. That works very well for families. For solo travelers and couples, you can share with other people to help defray the fare.

What to expect

One tip for ensuring a full 40-minute ride is to find a gondola in a less busy area. You may get a rushed tour if people are lining up to ride one. You may want to stay off the Grand Canal and stick to the slower side canals, where you can see a unique side of Venice without the annoying traffic.

Try the areas of San Polo and Campo San Barnaba, as well as the Jewish Ghetto. Those areas are off the beaten tourist path and so interesting to visit, especially as seen by the gondola.

Don’t expect singing unless the guy you get just likes to sing while he works. And although it would be nice to get a lecture about Venice as you’re seeing it, unless he’s practicing to be a professional tour guide, you won’t get much conversation .

If you want to get to a certain destination on the waterway, you’ll need to work this out with your gondolier before you take your ride. Be prepared to pay for the shuttling.

The days in Venice can be hot with bright sunshine. Gondolas are not shaded or have canopies. So, riding in the heat of the day might be unpleasant. Try to get your ride in the early morning or evening. It’s much prettier and cooler.

• Daytime gondola ride : $1,000, per 40-minute ride
• After 7:00 pm : $114.43 per person per 40 minutes ride

Train Travel around Tuscany

For your planning a trip to Italy , budget items should consider trains. Train travel here is easy and affordable. As mentioned above, the train to Venice from Florence is faster than driving. A super economy fare starts at $23 per ticket each way.

You can even travel from Rome to Florence by train very cheaply. One-way fares start at $21.

Train travel in Rome

When sightseeing in Rome, you can take advantage of the city’s public transportation system, which includes a metro subway and is easy on a travel budget for Italy.

More about that cost later.

Public Transportation

To help you plan “Italy trip” transportation, we’ve looked at the various ways you can get around Rome as a family, couple, or solo traveler. The official metro system is Roma ATAC and includes a subway, streetcar, commuter train, and bus service.

You can buy one ticket and use all four services, making transferring from one to the other very easy. Plus, you can buy tickets for multiple days. The subway system is not as elaborate as most in Europe . You’ll likely need a combination of transportation services to get to some of your destinations.

Often, you’ll discover your hotel or apartment is within walking distance, so you might not use it as much as expected. Plus, you’ll want to walk the most historic parts of Rome.

But you can easily use the metro if you’re going to Vatican City, the Pantheon, the Appian Way, the Baths of Caracalla, and other important museums and sites.

Keep your personal belongings close to you as pickpockets like to target metro stops. Also, note there is no airport service on the public transit system.

Purchase tickets at vending machines, subway station ticket booths, newspaper stands, and tobacco shops, called tabacchi, with blue signs marked with a “T.”

Once you’ve purchased your ticket, you must have it validated by a machine located by the doors of the tram or bus you’re riding. If you’re riding the train, validate at the turnstile. Otherwise, you could be fined 50 euros per ticket. If you have a multi-day ticket, you only need it stamped once.

Here are the current prices:

• Roma 24H : A 1-day ticket valid for bus, metro and commuter train (€7)
• Roma 48H : A 2-day ticket valid for bus, metro and commuter train (€12.50)
• Roma 72H : A 3-day ticket valid for bus, metro and commuter train (€18)
• CIS : A 7-day ticket valid for bus, metro and commuter train (€24)
• BIT : One metro/commuter train ride or 100 minutes on a bus (€1.50) or $1.72

See Related : Most Beautiful Cities in Europe

Tours, especially in Rome, will be a significant part of your total Italy trip cost. Private tours are great for families because your kids won’t be distracted by others in a bigger group.

Typical tour price for a family

You can find interesting kid-friendly tours at Viator , like the private Vatican Tour with skip-the-line tickets and a private guide who will keep your children engaged.

• Two adults: $185.13 each
• Two children : $103.63 each
• Total : $577.52 (plus gratuity)

Typical tour price for adults

Whether traveling as a couple or solo, you may enjoy a group tour or wander a museum alone. The great thing about purchasing your tickets from a tour company is that you’ll skip the (usually long) lines.

This one- Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Entrance Ticket –allows you to buy Vatican and Sistine Chapel tickets in advance.

Cost: $29.75 per ticket

Food Tours and Dining

When figuring out your trip to Italy cost, don’t forget about one of the things that makes Italy so fantastic – the FOOD .

Typical family-friendly food tour

And how adorable would this be for your whole family? A Rome for Kids: Small Group Pizza Making Class (available through Viator ). A fun and engaging chef will teach the whole family how to make authentic Roman pizza, and you can eat your final exam. No holiday card would be complete without pics from this class, and your kiddos will never forget the experience.

• Two adults: $82.30 each
• Two children under 13: $71.53 each
• Total: $307.66 (plus gratuity)

Typical adult food tour

Traveling as a couple or solo? Don’t worry. You don’t have to cook your food. Many tours are available showcasing the best of Roman food and wine.

This excellent Street Food Tour with Local Guide is only one example. Walk the historic streets of Rome with a knowledgeable guide while sampling the city’s delicacies and wine .

Cost: $48.06 (plus gratuity)

Typical costs for dining

For other dining options, look for places away from tourist hotspots for the best prices. Breakfast will be your cheapest meal and sit-down restaurants will be the most expensive. This is when an apartment with a kitchen can pay off.

Typical costs:

• Espresso and coffee: 2 euro/$2.29
• Bread: 1 euro/$1.14
• Bread with cheese: 10 euro/$11.44
• Lunches and dinners: 25 to 58 euro/$28.61 to $66.37

Souvenir Shopping

Your Italy tourism cost will need some room for all that glorious Italian shopping. You don’t want to go crazy spending money on these items. But some things are worth bringing back stateside–handmade toys, purses and other leather items, blown glass, ceramics, linens, olive oil, and wine.

Using these great finds when you’re back home will be an instant vacation in Italy! And you don’t even have to work out a budget for them. The cost of these items plus tips, parking, and gas, $50 per day.

These prices are all approximate and heavily depend on where and when you go, who you’re with, and your tastes (Vino Rosso?) and preferences.

Trip to Italy cost average per day in Rome for four days is $1,290 + airfare

• Hotel rooms or vacation rentals $150
• Local transportation $7
• Tours (for four) $575
• Food tour and dining (for four) $308 + $200
• Souvenir shopping + miscellaneous $50

Trip to Italy cost average per day in Tuscany for four days is $730 + airfare

• Hotel rooms or vacation rentals $160
• Car rental $250
• Tours (Gondola + train to Venice for four) $145
• Food tour / dining (for four) $125

How much does a 12-day trip to Italy cost?

The average cost of a 12-day trip to Italy is around $2,500 to $4,000 per person. This cost includes airfare, accommodation, food, transportation, and sightseeing. The actual cost can vary depending on the time of year, the type of accommodation, and the activities chosen.

What is the cheapest month to travel to Italy?

Italy’s cheapest month to travel is typically November. The weather may be cooler during this time, but it’s also less crowded and more affordable. Additionally, many attractions and restaurants may offer discounts during the off-season, making it an ideal time for budget-conscious travelers to visit.

How much is the average trip to Italy?

The average week-long trip to Italy costs around $1,500 to $3,000 per person. This cost can vary depending on factors such as the time of year, the length of the trip, and the type of accommodations and activities chosen. It’s crucial to note that this estimate includes expenses such as flights, accommodations, food, and activities.

Related Resources

• An Authentic Hotel Villa Gabrisa Review
• Places to Visit in December on a Budget
• Warm Winter Destinations in Europe
• Things to Do in Ravello

$135 Find Cheap Flights to Italy

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a kayak user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from the united states to italy departing on 3/12. fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel. click the price to replicate the search for this deal., search hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to italy.

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Best Italy Flight Deals

Cheapest round-trip prices found by our users on KAYAK in the last 72 hours

Good to know

Faqs - booking italy flights, what other cities can visitors arriving at fco airport access.

You can travel to Italy quickly with direct flights from the US, where you can visit a few other destinations close to FCO Airport. Nearby cities like Rome, Cerveteri, and Pomezia are reachable from FCO Airport by taxi or bus. Each of the aforementioned cities' centers is less than 22 miles apart from FCO.

To stay closer to athletic events in Italy, which airport should I consider flying into?

When traveling to Italy for vacation, sports fans from the US should think about utilizing FCO Airport as their destination airport. Stadio dei Marmi, Stadio Olimpico, and Central Stadium of Tennis are just a few of the stadiums that serve as venues for both local and international-level sporting events. You'll be able to visit these venues to support your popular sports teams if you stay close to FCO Airport.

Are there any special amenities for pets on the USO to IT0 aircraft route?

Yes. Passengers traveling on the USO-IT0 airline route do not need to be concerned about the security of their dogs when visiting Italy. The majority of US airports, like SLC, LAX, as well as JFK, which operate international flights to Italy, permit passengers to travel with their four-legged friends.

Which airport is most frequently used by passengers going from the northwestern USA to Italy?

Seattle Tacoma International Airport (SEA) is the widely preferred departure airport among travelers flying from the northwest areas of the USA to Italy. Unfortunately, there are no direct flights on the SEA-IT0 route. Travelers have the option of using connecting flights only.

Which airport is closest to Sicily?

Falcone Borsellini Airport (PMO), or Palermo Airport, is a natural choice to travel to Sicily, but you may also wish to consider flying into Naples Capodichino Airport (NAP) and taking a connecting flight from there, which may be cheaper. There is also a ferry service from Naples to Palermo if you don’t mind the time (about 12h).

Is a visa required before I can fly to Italy?

Fortunately, US citizens do not require a visa for Italy but it is a member of the Schengen Zone, so permanent residents and other foreign nationals planning on taking a flight from the US to Italy should make inquiries to determine if they need to apply for permission to enter the country.

Can I purchase euros at any of the airports in Italy?

Yes, you can purchase euros at all the major international airports in Italy. Best and Fast Change operates multiple bureaux de change at Fiumicino Airport and Florence Airport and you can use Forexchange if you land at Milan Airport. MC Exact Change is available at Venice Airport and there are ATMS at each location if you prefer.

Which airlines fly nonstop to Italy from the US?

United Airlines and Lufthansa offer direct air service from Newark Liberty Airport (EWR) in New Jersey to Rome and Air Italy offers similar service from Miami Airport (MIA) to Milan. Norwegian flies nonstop from Boston Logan Airport (BOS). There are also several flights from LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and JFK in New York City.

How long is the flight to Italy?

An average nonstop flight from the United States to Italy takes 11h 00m, covering a distance of 4739 miles. The most popular route is New York - Rome with an average flight time of 8h 15m.

What is the cheapest flight to Italy?

The cheapest ticket to Italy from the United States found in the last 72 hours was $164 one-way, and $337 round-trip. The most popular route is New York John F Kennedy Intl to Rome Fiumicino and the cheapest round-trip airline ticket found on this route in the last 72 hours was $356.

Which airlines fly to Italy?

Delta, KLM & United Airlines fly the most frequently from the United States to Italy. The most popular route is from New York to Rome, and TAROM, ITA Airways and Delta fly this route the most.

What are the most popular destinations in Italy?

Based on KAYAK flight searches, the most popular destination is Rome (48% of total searches to Italy). The next most popular destinations are Milan (26%) and Venice (9%). Searches for flights to Florence (5%), to Naples (4%) and to Catania (2%) are also popular.

How does KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy?

KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a given destination and date is likely to change within 7 days, so travelers know whether to wait or book now.

Top tips for finding cheap flights to Italy

• Enter your preferred departure airport and travel dates into the search form above to unlock the latest Italy flight deals.
• When flying from the US to Italy, those with limited mobility should consider flying from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and landing at Rome-Fiumicino International Airport Leonardo da Vinci (FCO). Passengers with mobility issues and other special needs may request special assistance at LAX Airport, such as wheelchairs, medical and safety aid, as well as baggage assistance.
• The best places to relax while waiting for flights to various locations are thought to be airport lounges. Most budget travelers choose flying from Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) as their departure airport of choice if they want to unwind at a cost-effective lounge before boarding their flights to Italy from the US. The Delta Sky Club lounge in SLC is a comfortable place for budget travelers to unwind before their flight.
• Flying from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to FCO on Delta Airlines or ITA 609 Airlines may be an ideal option for parents from the US who want to send their children on vacation to Italy. The JFK and FCO airports are served continuously by these airlines. Direct flights make it possible to travel from the US to Italy in the least period of time, lowering the risk that your children will be exhausted before they reach Italy.
• If your flight from the US is expected to land in Italy at night and you're taking the SLC-Giovan Battista Pastine International Airport (CIA) route, you might want to think about booking accommodations close to the CIA Airport. Passengers that land in Italy at night can stay the rest of the night in the Pit Stop Ciampino station, which is two minutes' walk from the airport.
• JFK & Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) are the two primary airports from which passengers looking to book direct flights from the United States to Italy can depart. These are the main hubs in the US from which United 40, Delta Airlines, and ITA 609 Airlines provide direct flights to the FCO Airport in Italy.
• Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport (FLE), otherwise known as Fiumicino Airport and Ciampino Airport (CIA), are the two international ports in the city of Rome that receive flights from the US to Italy.
• Italy has several international airports in major cities such as Milan (Malpensa Airport- MXP), which is the main port of call to explore the northwestern cities of Genoa and Turin, while Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) covers the northeastern areas of Trieste and Bologna.
• In addition to being the main gateway to the Eternal City, Rome also sits in the middle of Italy, so its two airports can be considered twin launchpads for traveling to points north of the city, like Perugia and Florence, points to the south, like Naples, and Bari in the east.
• The island of Elba lies off the western coast of Italy and is within reach from Florence Peretola Airport (FLR) in Tuscany, but if you intend to travel further south to the islands of Corsica and Sardinia, then you can fly from the US to either Rome Airport or Naples Airport and get local flights from there.
• The Italian coastline that borders the Adriatic Sea is an area that, while off the beaten track, has proven tourist destinations from Trieste in the north via Venice, Rimini and Ancona in the central region, and Bari and Lecce in the south. Taking a flight into Venice, Rome or Naples allows you to access the cities and towns along this corridor.

Top 5 airlines flying to Italy

My seat had no padding, it was literally plywood with a plastic cover. I could not change seats on my 10 hour flight. My excitement for this trip helped me deal with the pain.

Overall, the flight from Atlanta to Orlando was acceptable, albeit delayed and the typical temperature issue on the plane (hot) which has become somewhat expected. However, the staff at gate B22 for connecting flight DL1562 was disappointing. And to clarify, there were two gentlemen behind the counter — one pleasant and the other, Larry. Without question, Larry should not be in hospitality. My wife and I were first in line and when Larry walked in behind the desk, my wife greeted him with “Hiii Larrry”. And while she can be bubbly at times, and I get that it was late, the conversation morphed as Larry asked if she was drunk. At first I assumed he was joking (still not appropriate) but he was not. Clearly he was having a bad day or maybe just hates his job. In all cases, his behavior was unacceptable and offensive. The only saving grace is that he was equally rude and dismissive to all of the surrounding guests as well—although, I’m not sure if that is a good thing or not.

I specifically picked out right side aisle seats because my left knee sometimes needs to be stretched. But my experience this trip was that the seats were shuffled and I lost those assigned seats, resulting in me having to sit in a much less desirable position for my comfort.

Delay getting into gate in ATL caused delay in bags when getting to BWI, disrupting evening plans with family.

They separated our seats and moved us to the back of the plane. Hundreds of dollars and thousands of miles used and this was my platinum member experience.

New boarding doesn't make sense. Filling front first is slow.

Delta flight was great from the check in all the way to arrival. However, I had a very bad experience. I requested a wheelchair and the wheelchair employee that went to pick me up from the plane in Boston to bring me to the baggage claims told me I have to pay him. I was under the impression that it was a free service and I usually give tips but the person forced me to pay and since I said no because I was upset with his demand when my daughter walked in to pick me up he demanded payment from my daughter who paid him thinking maybe now it is a charged service.

6 hour delay including one after we were boarded. Horrible experience.

Horrible. Grateful to be alive but spent 13 hours at airport only to return back to my familys house and flight changed to next day. They tried to fix a part on plane, had no back up plane and after 10 hours , reattempted the flight and it STILL wasn't fixed. We got a meal voucher and rescheduled flight but there should be some other compensation for the 15 hours spent in airport

It was NOT pleasant. Started from checking our luggage to the last time getting off the plane. The crew was not friendly, the food was horrible and the seats were too close to each other that I got a bruise on my knee.

Being stick waiting for gate at ORD cause me to almost miss my connecting flight…being deaf United made no no effort to keep me updated as I couldn’t hear the PA

Check-in was a little confusing. I paid for extra luggage, but when i checked in the system didnt seem to know. Arrived in Paris early after a late departure. Luggage arrived on the same flight with no apparent damage.

No access to the Wi-Fi, noisy group of people made it difficult for me to hear through my earbuds. Snacks and drinks - limited service when your seat is at the back of the plane - people up front are always served first and the back gets whatever is left. Not pleased.

They had three choices for snacks - but you could only have one - and they ran out of the dark chocolate before they made it all the way down the aisle... Packed flight - limited service.

As usual, United scheduling is completely misleading. A 54-minute layover at O’Hare is too short to make a lot of connections, especially since the flight landed “on time” but had to wait on the taxiway 15 minutes for a gate to open up. Then it takes another 10 minutes to exit the plane before one can run to another concourse to catch a connecting flight.

I am not an electronic savy. I don't know how to maneuver the APPS for services. Why can't I just buy food without the apps.

Quality of service and maintenance has declined since my last trip before COVID.

Flight home lot's of room shame I never noticed that they ripped my suitcase and didn't notice it to I got toy destination and had to buy new set

I was pleased and I had a very good experience. The staff was friendly and attentive.

The Economy Plus rows weren’t as roomy as expected, and the meal service left a lot to be desired for.

Liked nothing. Rude staff. Incompetent crew and workers. Wont fly with again

Everything was fine except the landing. We were off loaded on the tarmac. Squished on busses then driven around for 20 minutes. Dropped at terminal B and needed to be at A so had to wait 20 min in another line to catch a bus then another 20 min wait in customs! How on earth were we to get to our connecting flights!? Not a great first trip with your airline or start of my vacation. The woman on the tarmac was rude too

Seats were very small and of poor quality. Service was good.

The seats were extremely uncomfortable. I spent €25 on internet and never gained access to it. A flight attendant told me she would file a complaint/report on my behalf but it put me in a very difficult situation.

The staff was not at pleasant as those on the first leg of our trip.

I asked for antibacterial wipes three times and each time I was told they will bring it to me right away with nothing delivered. I finally went to the galley and was told you did not have it. In a post COVID world that is just wrong. The crew was very non compassionate to passengers asking basic questions about food. Very disappointing and makes me reconsider my routing for the future trips.

It was a very full flight, makes it harder for flight crew.

I was extremely stressed out with the delay of our flight, not because of the delay per se, but we weren’t getting any responses from the staff/crew as to what was going to happen with our connecting flights. I think if they were better informed, and in turn we were informed, we would be more at ease. Also, at the Newark security area, the scan machine detected something “foreign” in my crotch and behind area, I cannot believe that in 2024, these machines cannot differentiate between a sanitary pad and a dangerous object. The security officer who conducted the body search was really sweet and apologetic, and asked me if I would like to move to a private area and conducted the search thoroughly without making me uncomfortable, but it is clear that these machines need an upgrade for such issues.

Flight crew was among the best I’ve ever seen

Problems checking in. Charged for bag which was to be included. Repeated trials with in line check in process

After boarding, take off delayed 45 minutes with us just sitting there. I think this a Heathrow problem

Food made us sick for the rest of the day. Terrible passenger in front of me kept reclining and banging his seat, it hurt my knee multiple times. I kindly asked the attendant to intervene, she would not. Way too many sick people coughing on the flight without wearing a mask. Sick passengers should not be allowed to fly unless they wear a mask. I hope we don't get sick for our 2 week vacation

We didn’t flight with British Airways because the flight was cancelled at the last minute .

Flight delayed and we were forced to check our carryon bags which was huge inconvenience.

Very disappointed because we don’t get in advance the cancellation fly to Paris. By the way, we are still without luggage Bad experience

Could have done with a 2nd round of drinks even if it was only to distribute bottled water

Flight delay of 4 1/2 hours with no reason for over 3 hours. Missed our connection in Rome & had to pay for an additional flight.

The seats (upgraded exit row), were the last comfortable plane seats my wife or I have ever experienced. Too narrow to turn at all to find a sleeping position. Devoid of cushioning to the point of feeling the frame bars across both the seat and the back. It was extremely uncomfortable and neither of us slept on the red eye.

Lost luggage l try contact the airline no answer FILE REFERENCE# CHQBA10196/14 SEP24/ 1043 YEE JAMES FLIGHT/DATE - BA202/13SEP/BA666/14SEP NUMBER OF BAG - 1 TICKET NUMBER- BA219096982 COLOR/ TYPE - BLACK DUFFEL/ SPORT BAG TAG NUMBER - BA401690/

The second leg of my flight unexpectedly got canceled. I was stuck at the airport for the whole day and instead of flying out that morning I flew out in the evening. For some of my fellow passengers it was the second cancellation and their original flight was supposed to go out the day before. There was no reason given though getting rebooked was quick even though I would have preferred if I would have been on one of the earlier flights that day. Compensation was a £10 voucher for some food at the airport. I eventually arrived without further incident but but due to the cancellation, it was one of my more frustrating travels of my life.

We booked and purchase our seats in February for a September flight. We choose seats then also, did the online check in on the app the day before and all was fine. At the airline check in they charged our seats and we were not even sitting together after paying for business class seats. They separated us with no explanation and would not change them back. I was very upset. On the return flight, they tried to put us on standby! When again, we purchased seats in February for this flight. The plane was old and smaller and the business class seats were not comfortable like the flight from NYC. Flight attendants were hard to find once the first meal was served, luckily the flights were smooth.

Not boarding 60 minutes late. after getting bumped to this flight because ITA do not hold a flight for five minutes as the fight to the connection was 45 minutes late

Crew was good. Very nice staff. Wine was good. Problems- no AC while waiting for takeoff. Long wait so we should have been more comfortable. No water for quite awhile. Food should have been better for an Italian airline. Chicken was pressed rounds of processed meat- not tasty. We had only one hour for our connection- ran through airport- plane waited for us and staff was helpful.

Flight was cancelled and other being told it was cancelled there has been no other contact.

Poor , i missed the next flight to new york . We stayed inside the plane for almost 30 or 40min

Very frustrating trip. From Rome to boston , and i missed the next flight to new york

Everything was fine except the food. They really need to work on the quality of the food.

They are nice personal and as sky silver medaglia member love Delta air and partner

Cancelled my ticket and was never told and showed up to airport

ITA cancelled my flight and I was not able to make it to my connection flight. I had no choice but to book a totally different ticket, different airline and pay for a flight that I can't afford. ITA keeps saying I will get full refund, but I can't believe it.

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Recent round-trip flight deals, search by stops, search by airline, search by price, recent one-way flight deals, last minute flights to italy, last minute flight, train and bus deals, everything you need to know for your flight to italy, complete your trip to italy with a hotel stay or car rental, flights to popular cities in italy, find deals for your return flight.

Customized and Escorted Tours of Italy

Navigating Italy’s Rising Travel Costs Effectively & Important Things to Know Before You Go

September 25, 2024 Written by Jesse Andrews, Owner, Author & Guide

In recent years, after the Covid19 pandemic was ‘officially’ over, Italy has become one of the most visited countries in the world and prices in many areas have doubled, if not tripled.

Over and over again, we’ve seen the same hotels we have been working with for two decades come back to us with staggeringly high prices and driving services, tours and other experiences have all gone up in price making vacations to Italy seem at times to be ‘off the charts expensive.’ However, you can still enjoy a truly outstanding experience in Italy and not break the bank, if you follow my list.

The more the Merrier, but 6-8 is the Magic Number 

Outside of the major tourist areas like Florence and Venice, to see many of the most beautiful areas of Italy, you are going to need transportation. However, even in areas like Rome or the Amalfi Coast, having your own car is more of a hindrance than a help. This is largely because of the cost of parking, which in places like Positano or Rome, can add up quickly and the last time I checked, parking in Positano overnight was over 100 Euro.

At the outset, private transportation may seem expensive, but not if you are 3 or more people and because there is a specific type of vehicle in Italy – the Mercedes Extra Long Viano van – that can hold up to 9 people comfortably with luggage. Say the cost of the Van is 800 Euro a day, well divided by 6 and that is only 125 Euro per day and includes an English speaking-driver guide who can be a key-asset to the overall enjoyment of your trip.

 Private Tours for 3 or more, are often less expensive than big group tours found on Get Your Guide, Viator or other mass-tourism websites.

Booking tours on-line to enjoy the Vatican or Ancient Rome, may seem like a good, cost-saving technique, but in reality it’s anything but and not only this, a lot of these companies operate with high, last-minute cancellation rates, particularly in the high season and so at a moment’s notice, you might be left with no tour at all, due to the fact that in order to run them they need to meet a certain threshold of participants, they can’t always make.

Not only this, these are often big group tours and when I asked what the number of their small group tours were, one company came back and told me it was 60 participants! I couldn’t believe it.

Doing truly small group tours (Max 10 people), or if you have 3 or more people in your party, doing private tours with our top quality guides can actually save money, time and stress, because don’t forget moving through certain areas with big groups makes the entire experience seem to take forever.

We offer truly small group tours in many areas of Italy, however having your own small group is a sure-fire way to cut down on costs.

Book Far in Advance

It really does pay to book early in Italy. Part of the reason is that there are so many travelers from Italy itself traveling all over the country all of the time for business or pleasure and many Europeans have holiday homes or come to Italy on holidays for long-weekends throughout the year, notoriously waiting to the last minute to book. This means, in spring and summer, availability is going to be grabbed up fast and hotel and transport pricing are based on supply and demand. Hence, not waiting until the last minute and considering a variety of accommodation factors is one of the ways you can definitely save money, but do have a look at our standard cost rates to get a better idea.

Carefully Consider Location

The Eternal City, Rome is one of Italy’s largest and most vibrant cities. There are many districts of Rome and particular things to consider about Rome (where many members of our team are based). The Via Veneto area, which is almost strictly a ‘hotel area’ is not exactly one that will leave you with anything other than the Hard Rock Cafe, very standard and tourist-geared restaurants and in general a feeling that you are there on business rather than vacation. The hotels in this area can also be very expensive and yet, you feel in many instances far removed from Rome itself.

In contrast, a quaint little Air B&B near the Pantheon in Ancient Rome, may seem like a great idea and the price might look great, but what you might not know is getting in and out of that area with a vehicle or even getting to the property can be a tremendous headache. So, all of a sudden the 200 euro a night reservation, with tons of stairs and accessibility issues, may start to feel like it isn’t such a cheap deal after all.

Similarly, there are places in Italy like Positano (particularly Positano) where prices in recent years have become obscenely expensive, mostly due to influencers making this town into what seems more like a theme-park than a quaint Italian village destination. Sure, we can understand wanting to go there… and you can, but prepare to pay a premium in Positano and pay far more than you will in many other places on the Amalfi Coast, which offers a wide variety of accommodations and truly outstanding options from north to south that you may have not even considered.

Plan Meals and Dining Experiences in Advance

Eating and drinking in Italy is very serious business and we believe can contribute to the overall enjoyment of anyone’s vacation here. Make no mistake about it however, you can get royally ripped off in Italy in some places, particularly the most touristic, say Taormina, you can end up paying 25 Euro for an Aperol Sprtiz that would usually cost 8 euro or less with snacks anywhere else.

Dining experiences should be and need to be considered in advance, otherwise you run the risk of either not getting in because you have waited too late, or paying a fortune at a very generic tourist geared establishment.

Pay Careful Attention to When Is Truly High Season in Italy 5 Consider Traveling at Alternative Times of the Year

Surprising to many, is the fact that September can be one of the most expensive times of the year to travel to Italy and May, June, September and October are some of the busiest times in areas like Florence, Venice, Rome and Amalfi Coast. Also surprisingly, July and August in Florence, Venice and Rome can be relatively inexpensive and very calm times of the year to visit, albeit very hot indeed, they are in fact less expensive times of year to visit some of the major art capitals.

November, December, January, February & March are surprisingly becoming some of the least expensive and more pleasurable times of year to visit Italy and because of the numerous hot springs, incredibly busy skiing resorts, wonderful mild climate in the south of Italy throughout the year, winter is looking more and more favourable as a time to travel.

Don’t Leave Booking Transfers Until the Last Minute or Prepare to Pay a Fortune & Discover How to Use Transfers as Sightseeing Experiences

If you look for ‘Driver in Italy’ on Google, our page is one of the first to appear and we are one of the most contacted companies on the planet for transportation in Italy. Hence, believe us when we tell you not to leave booking your transportation in Italy until the last minute.

We are experiencing a true shortage in drivers and in particular English speaking driver-guides in Italy. Fewer people than you realize may speak English in Italy and even if you don’t need someone who speaks English, finding drivers last minute, particularly on Sundays on the Amalfi Coast can be a real issue. Many people have gotten stuck or lost their flights because there were no drivers to be found.

Don’t let this happen to you. Plan in advance.

Know where to use Trains

There are definitely some instances in Italy where using the rail system can make a lot of sense economically, not also in terms of convenience. It can take less than an hour and fifteen minutes to get to Naples by train and it can make a lot of sense to train to Naples, get picked up and then head to Pompeii en-route to the Amalfi coast or vice versa. The issue is that with many rail routes, if you are only using trains you are limited to the major city centers and to see the countryside or get into the gorgeous coastal areas you will need private transportation. If you have 3 or more people, doing private transportation can be more economical and you can use the transportation as an opportunity to enjoy some fantastic sites you may not know about en-route.

Book VIP tickets or Prepare to Spend a Lot of Time in Line

Time is money and particularly when you are on vacation, your time is precious. Line ups to the major galleries in Italy can be blocks long. Don’t let this happen to you. If you want to see Michelangelo’s David or the Sistine Chapel, make sure you book well in advance and remember seeing these masterpieces with a licensed guide, truly can bring history to life and give it a lot more meaning than you may be able to find or know on your own.

Avoid Private Boat Tours & Opt for Small Group Unless You have Your Own Small Group

We specialize in boat tours all over Italy and know first hand the complications and incredible costs that have recently become associated with boat tours, notwithstanding the soaring costs of gas, there has been a significant hike in demand for private boat tours all over the Mediterranean in recent years.

A private boat tour to Capri for example from the Amalfi Coast for 2 is now over 1000 EURO. It’s an expensive excursion and yet, there are shared, truly small group boat tours that we have operating in a number of locations and doing the shared tours, can still get you an incredible experience at a fraction of the cost and in many instances we can include pick up at your hotel to the port to reach the tour.

Take Short-Haul Flights between some Destinations

Sometimes the cost of trains, transfers and times between some places in Italy, say Palermo and Venice can be prohibitive and flights are often cheap. Depending on what you want to see, we do recommend flights which can be less than an hour.

Go Beyond What You See on Social Media & Talk to Local Experts

One of the main reasons Italy has become so popular in recent years is because of social media, but influencers and most of the things you see on social media have to do with the same places over and over again. Most of what you see showcased on social media has to do with Portofino, Rome, Venice, Florence, Tuscany, Amalfi Coast, Capri , the Cinque Terre national park.

No doubt, these places are so popular because they are beautiful. However, many of these destinations, particularly Portofino are outrageously expensive. To sit down at one of the cafes in Portofino, think about spending 15 euro minimum just for a coffee and the crowds are insane.

Yet, the region of Liguria where Portofino is home to many absolutely delightful small towns and depending on what time of year you go, it’s a near paradise. The same is true with many areas in Italy.

This is why, getting in touch with people in Italy, who know the lay of the land is always a good idea and hey! If you’ve read this far… this is where we can step and help.

As a group of drivers, guides, tour escorts, directors and writers we know the lay of the land in Italy & we can give you insider knowledge, book truly small group tours and put together some awesome experiences without having to worry about all the logistics. From tickets, to trains, to transfers and accommodations our combined knowledge sets us apart from most of the other companies.

We look forward to helping you travel and enjoy a better trip to Italy.

Write today to:   [email protected]

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As a treasure trove of artistic and historical wonders, Italy offers timeless beauty and cultural richness. In the central Tuscany region, the streets of Florence are filled with Renaissance architecture, with a skyline dominated by the Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral, a Gothic art masterpiece. Within the northern Lombardy region, the fashion mecca, Milan, offers an abundance of art galleries and museums, with the most sought-after sight being The Last Supper, a mural painting by Leonardo da Vinci. Bordering the Tyrrhenian Sea in the central Lazio region, Rome is home to the ancient Colosseum, an amphitheater that played host to gladiatorial games, and the Pantheon, a former Roman temple. Perched atop cliffs that overlook the Bay of Naples in the southwestern Campania region, the coastal town of Sorrento is known for its lemon groves, notably some of the best lemons in Italy, they are used to produce the splendor that is Limoncello, a lemon-flavored Italian liqueur. Take a gondola ride through the romantic canals of Venice to explore one of the most unique cities in the world, built on more than 100 islands in the northeastern Veneto region. Savor the sweet symphony of Italy's gastronomic legacy and culinary mastery that spans centuries, with authentic Italian gelato, pasta, and pizza.

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