Italy is one of the most famous and visited places in Europe. It shouldn’t be a surprise that this is one of the most popular places to visit in the world. It has great food, great wine, lots of old ruins, and beautiful landscapes.

I’ve been going there for years, and every time I go, I fall in love with the country.

No one ever comes back from a trip to Italy disappointed.

You can have an amazing time here whether you’re on a tight budget or on your honeymoon and want to spend a lot.

It’s best to take your time in Italy, so don’t rush. As you go around, take in the atmosphere and way of life. Unwind, enjoy the view, and sip a cappuccino or a glass of wine. The slower you go, the better you’ll be able to enjoy all of this southern European gem’s charms and subtleties.

This guide to Italy will help you plan your trip, save money, and make the most of your time in this dreamy place.

1. Explore Venice

Even though it’s busy, Venice is a great place to visit. It’s not the cheapest place to visit in Italy, but Venice’s famous buildings and beautiful canals are exactly what you imagine. Piazza San Marco, the Doge’s Palace, the Rialto Bridge, the Basilica di San Marco, and the city’s many museums are the most important places to see. Make sure to go to the old Jewish Ghetto, where there are cool bars and cheap drinks (the English word ghetto comes from this area of Venice). There are also many world-class festivals in Venice. In late winter, this city hosts the famous Carnival, and in August, the famous Venice Film Festival takes place on the nearby island of Lido.

2. Wander Rome

Rome has so much to see and do that you’ll have to go there more than once to get to know it. Make sure you check out the Trastevere neighborhood as well as the Colosseum, Forum, Palatine Hill, and Trevi Fountain. It’s my favorite part of Rome because it has great food, cool bars, and old streets that wind around. Vatican City is the smallest independent city-state in the world. It is in the middle of Rome and is home to the Pope, St. Peter’s Basilica, the Sistine Chapel, and many great museums.

3. Tour Pompeii

Pompeii is an old city about 20–40 minutes by train from Naples. It was destroyed by a volcano, but the ash that covered it has kept it in good shape. Walk around the Roman city as it was the day Mount Vesuvius blew up in 79 CE, going in and out of homes, villas, baths, and businesses where pots and vases are still lying. Most of the lovely frescoes are still there as well. There are even (somewhat gruesome) casts of people who died in the volcano and were frozen in ash when they did. A guided tour with a professional archeologist costs 50 EUR and costs 16 EUR to get in.

Prices at hostels: Dorms with 6-8 beds cost between 27 and 40 EUR per night on average (expect slightly higher prices in the summer). Prices for private rooms range from 55 to 100 EUR per night. Free Wi-Fi is the norm, and many hostels also have facilities for cooking on your own. Some also give you breakfast for free.

There are campgrounds all over the country for people who want to travel with a tent. A basic plot for two people usually costs between 15 and 30 EUR per night.

Prices for budget hotels: A night in a two-star budget hotel costs between 70 and 125 EUR. You can expect the basics, like free Wi-Fi, TV, AC, and sometimes even breakfast. Cities like Rome and Venice have prices that are on the high end.

Private rooms on Airbnb start at about 45–90 EUR, and whole apartments start at about 100–120 EUR. If you don’t book early, prices will likely double.

Food: People all over the world love Italian food, but each region in Italy has its own unique taste. Most dishes are built around tomatoes, pasta, olives, and olive oil. Meat, fish, and different cheeses fill out the menu. Gelato and pizza, of course, are also super popular. Bigoli in salsa (pasta in anchovy sauce), risotto al nero di seppia (risotto with cuttlefish ink), gnocchi alla Sorrentina (potato gnocchi), cassoeula (meat and cabbage stew), and tagliatelle funghi porcini e tartufo are only a few of the region’s typical meals (pasta with mushrooms and truffles).

Most pizza or pasta meals at restaurants cost between 10 and 20 EUR. Add 5–10 EUR to that for tourist hotspots. Fast food like pizza by the slice, paninis, and light snacks cost between 5–8 EUR. A combo meal at a fast food place like McDonald’s costs about 8–10 EUR.

If you want to splurge, a three-course meal with a drink at a moderately priced restaurant starts at about 30 EUR.

A glass of wine or beer costs between 3 and 5 EUR. A latte or cappuccino costs about 1.50 EUR, and a bottle of water costs less than 1 EUR.

If you want to cook your own meals, you can expect to spend between 50 and 65 EUR per week on food. You can get pasta, rice, seasonal fruits and vegetables, and some meat or fish with this amount.

If you want to backpack through Italy, I think you should set aside 60 EUR per day. This is if you stay in a hostel, cook all of your own meals, don’t drink too much, use public transportation, and do mostly free things like hiking, free walking tours, and the beach. If you plan on drinking, add 5-10 EUR to your daily budget.

On a mid-range budget of 140 EUR per day, you can stay in a private Airbnb, eat out for a couple of meals, enjoy a few drinks, take the occasional taxi, and do paid activities like visiting the Colosseum or Pompeii.

With a “luxury” budget of 255 EUR or more per day, you can stay in a cheap hotel, eat all your meals out, drink as much as you want, rent a car, and do whatever tours and activities you want. But this is only the first floor of luxury. You can do anything!

Italy is a great place to spend a lot of money because there are so many historic sites, hotels that cost a lot, and delicious food. Italy is one of the most expensive places to visit in the Eurozone, so it’s not a cheap place to go. But there are many ways to cut costs. Here are some tips to help you keep your money from running out:

Leave out the bread – When you sit down at a restaurant, they often give you bread, but they don’t tell you that it costs money. If you’re trying to save money, skip the bread.

Picnic – Get some food for a picnic at the store. It’s cheaper than going out to eat, and you can watch the day go by while relaxing in one of the many parks.

Drink water from the tap. If you don’t ask for tap water at a restaurant, you will be charged for expensive bottled water.

Bring a water bottle. Since tap water is safe to drink, bring a water bottle you can use again and again to save money and cut down on the amount of plastic you use. LifeStraw is my go-to brand because their bottles have built-in filters that make sure your water is always clean and safe.

Buy wine at the store. You can get a good bottle of wine at the store for between 6 and 10 EUR. It costs a lot less than going to a bar.

Take the bus. Low-cost bus companies like Flixbus can take you across the country for cheap. It’s not fancy, but tickets start at just 6 EUR, so you can’t really complain.

Take a free walking tour. Most Italian cities offer free walking tours that take you to all the best places. It’s the best way to see the world on a budget. Just don’t forget to give your guide a tip at the end.

Stay with a resident – Even the hostels in Italy are expensive places to stay. Use Couchsurfing to stay for free with people who live in the area and have extra beds or couches. It’s the best way to meet new people and save money. Just make sure to get your requests in on time (especially in the summer).

Get a tourist card for the city. Many tourist offices sell tourist cards that can be used for free or discounted admission to the city’s main attractions. Some even offer discounts at restaurants and free rides. If you’re going to see a lot, these cards can save you a lot of money. Check with the city’s tourism office for information when you get there.

Rideshare: If you have a flexible schedule, you can use BlaBlaCar to get rides between cities with people who live there. I used this service, and not only did I save money, but I also met interesting people and learned more about life in Italy.

Public transportation: There is public transportation in all of Italy’s big cities (many of which have comprehensive metro systems). A single ticket usually costs between 1 and 2 EUR. Some cities also offer day passes that let you go wherever you want. For 7 EUR, you can buy a one-day pass in Rome that lets you go wherever you want. For example, a pass for one week costs 24 EUR. Even though public transportation is usually reliable, traffic, especially in Rome, can be a nightmare.

Trains: Italy’s large train network is the best way to get around the country. Most trips cost between 10 and 30 EUR, which is very cheap. On the fast train, it only takes 90 minutes to get from Rome to Florence, and tickets start at 20 EUR. It takes about 4 hours to get from Rome to Venice, and tickets start at about 30 EUR. It takes just over an hour and costs about 20 EUR to get from Rome to Naples.

The two main rail systems are called Italo and Trenitalia. Italo’s ticket prices change more than Trenitalia’s, which tends to have a standard price for tickets. It’s a good idea to look at both.

ItaliaRail is a great place to start if you want to plan a trip by train. It’s written in English, which makes it easier to use.

Bus: The bus is slower than the train, but it’s cheaper, with fares starting at 6 EUR on FlixBus. This isn’t the easiest or fastest way to travel, but the buses are comfortable and good for short and medium trips. Most buses have plugs and Wi-Fi that you can use for free.

The trip from Rome to Florence takes about 4 hours and costs between 7 and 15 euros, while a trip from Venice to Naples takes 10 to 15 hours and costs only 20 to 32 euros.

When you fly, a budget airline might be the way to go if you’re short on time and want to hop from one city to the next. On airlines like Ryanair, round-trip prices can be as low as 20 to 100 EUR.

Still, if you count the time you spend at airports, you probably won’t save much time. Also, keep in mind that you have to pay to check your bags on these cheap flights and that you usually have to print out your boarding pass (or pay a fee).

Ferry: If you want to see some of Italy’s beautiful islands, you’ll need to book a ferry. There are a lot of ferries, so you don’t have to book too far in advance. However, during high season, you should book at least a few weeks in advance.

FerryHopper can help you find routes and prices. The ferry from Naples to Capri, which takes about an hour, starts at 25 EUR.

Car rental: It’s usually pretty cheap to rent a car here, with prices starting around 25–35 EUR per day for a rental of more than a few days. Just make sure you have an International Driving Permit (IDP) before you rent a car, as it’s required. Also, remember that Italian drivers can be aggressive, so drive carefully. Use Discover Cars to find the best deals on rental cars.

Hitchhiking: It’s very safe to hitchhike in Italy, but it’s not for everyone. It can take a little time, so you’ll need to be able to change your plans. HitchWiki is the best place to find specific information and tips about hitchhiking.

You can go to Italy at any time. July and August are the busiest months, but June is also busy. During this time, temperatures can reach as high as 36°C (98°F), and cities like Rome, Venice, and Florence get a lot of tourists. Even though prices go up during peak season, it’s still a great time to go because the atmosphere is so good.

So, I think the best time to go to Italy is between the high and low seasons (March-May and September-October). Even though it’s still warm, there aren’t as many people and prices have gone down. The Mediterranean is a great place to hang out right now.

From November to February, it is winter. It gets cold, and there aren’t as many tourists. From north to south, temperatures vary quite a bit. For example, it can drop to 2°C (36°F) in Milan and 4°C (39°F) in Rome. On the other hand, November through December is a great time to be there because there are so many Christmas markets and festivals.