Cheap Italian Vacations

If you're a budget traveler it may seem like a vacation to Italy would be out of reach for you as a budget traveler but that's really not so. The most expensive part of any vacation is the airfare and the lodging. But what money-saving options are available for the budget traveler. How can you as a traveler to Italy save money on your vacation to Italy.

One of the first things you can do is visit Italy during the off-season. During the off-season you can usually find much cheaper airline tickets available to you. And if you can travel to Italy from a major world airport like New York, or London you can usually save more. Airfares usually drop significantly during the fall and winter months and you should book your travel way ahead of time for the most savings. You can go to Rome in the middle of September at greatly reduced savings and the weather will be better than if you had gone in July or August. In the middle of September you should have day time temperatures in Rome around 80 degrees.

Another great way to save on your Italian vacation is to use public transportation instead of renting a car or using a cab. Public transportation in Italy and especially Rome is very good and usually on time. You can buy a rail pass before you arrive in Italy and travel by rail in Italy is safe, clean, and usually enjoyable. During the off-season you will find far less crowds than in summer.

Consider going to Rome for a vacation and rent a short-term apartment to stay in while you're  in Rome. You will find by staying in a short- term apartment you will save a lot of money over the price of a hotel. The really enjoyable thing I like about staying in a short- term apartment is you can cook your own meals and you get to interact with the people of Rome like you never would if you were a guest in a hotel. You will find that you can rent a short term apartment in Rome very close to major tourist attractions. And most of the apartments are very beautiful.

You can buy sandwich materials and pack a lunch to enjoy in a park near the Colosseum. Take along a blanket and a good book and spend the day people watching and enjoying the really laid back atmosphere of Rome in the off- season. Buy a good guide- book and rent a bicycle and check out Rome. While its true that you will find some great guided tours offered at low rates during the off- season I love checking out Rome on a bicycle. On your own you can take your time and see things the average tourist to Rome is never going to see.

Rome is usually one of the safer cities in Europe. You need to use common sense and not go into real seedy areas but usually you will be quite safe in Rome. I suggest staying near well lighted areas at night. If your going to visit out- of- the -way areas go with a friend and keep expensive belongings out of sight. If you're in a part of Rome Italy where you don't feel safe leave. If you see crowds or small groups of people in an area you will usually be safe there also.

Have you ever been to Rome Italy? Please tell us about it below. If you have comments, tips, questions, or suggestions please post them below now. Also if you have any suggestions for budget travel to Rome please post a comment below now.