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Reid knows Italy like few other writers do. He learned Italian on a Roman playground when he was 12 years old, he says, and has kept returning nearly every year since. He's written Frommer's regional guide, Tuscany & Umbria and nine other guidebooks, including Frommer's Italy From $90 a Day, Europe for Dummies, and DK's Eyewitness Top 10 Milan & The Lakes. (He also self-publishes free info at ReidsGuides.com.)
So what are some of Reid's top tips on making Italy affordable?
Look for other lodging besides hotels. "I recently returned from Europe where I stayed in a campground in Venice for $23 and a monastery in Tuscany for $78 a night including all meals. And on another recent trip I stayed in a 13th-century castle on the Rhine River for $125 a night when the hotel in town was charging about $150 for a small room without a river view. Find listings at beyondhotels.net, with info on farmstays, villas, and apartments--and not just in Italy."
Renting a car? "Check out all your options on a meta search engine like Kayak.com. But then compare prices with AutoEurope.com, which is a consolidator, meaning they buy rates in bulk from the major rental car chains and then pass along volume discounts to customers like you. You prepay your reservation and then pick up your car at a major brand chain, such as Hertz or Avis, overseas. They'll also arrange for short-term leases which, if you're traveling for about two weeks or more, is the best value."
Try an ancient Italian village. Some are being turned into a new kind of hotel, where the rooms are spread out across town and you share the streets with residents. "The National Association of Diffuse Hotels' website (alberghidiffusi.it) is only in Italian, but it has links to 23 so-called alberghi diffusi in the frame labeled Alberghi Diffusi aderenti."
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A Village Is Reborn.
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And don't forget about us at venere.com, where you can find lots of non-hotel accommodation in Italy and the Mediterranean, such as B&B, vacation rentals, farm houses and more!
Posted By Susan on August 12, 2008, 12:58 PM
Have you been wishing you were on a vacation in Italy? It’s one of the top vacation destinations in the world, and with good reason. Italy has something for everyone: incredible history, magnificent art and architecture, beautiful beaches and lovely countryside. The best place to start your planning is at www.Rentalo.com. Among our listings of accommodations, you’re sure to find the Italy vacation rental to suit your needs.
Posted By TravelingInStilettos on August 12, 2008, 8:27 PM
Our travel agency helps people decide how budget or deluxe they want to go in Europe as we sell all classes of hotels. The advice of a good travel agent can be priceless if they are Italian specilists who have traveled the country for advice about public transportation, restaurant types and suggestions for more budget accommodations which are well represented by our suppliers like Amadeus (our agent computer), Travelbound, Go Go plus our own sources for apartments and b & b's.
Posted By John on August 13, 2008, 12:06 PM
Staying in an Italian monastery got easier with the arrival of www.monasterystays.com. We have access to over 320 monasteries and convents all over Italy. Great location, good prices, en-suite bathrooms and safe. Also they have single rooms so no supplements.
See for yourself.
Posted By John Clayton on August 14, 2008, 3:16 AM
I have to second that and say that Venere is excellent. I'm also a travel writer, and like Reid spend a lot of time in Italy - I've just spent 3 months there researching guidebooks. I used Venere a lot and they never let me down unlike some other accommodation booking sites I won't name. For car hire I usually use Holiday Autos, which are brilliant, and they do what Reid's described AutoEurope as doing, however, unfortunately Holiday Autos use Sixt in Italy and they're absolutely dreadful, having let us down a number of times; Europcar however were brilliant.
Great suggestion of Reid's re the albergo diffusi. Agriturismo is huge in Italy and there are some really charming places around offering wonderful experiences hard to have anywhere else. I found this website to be the best for finding farm stays and small hotels in the countryside or outskirts of villages.
If travellers want to save money - especially those hit by the weak US dollar (and it's not only Americans, mind you - we're feeling it in Dubai and the Gulf where our currency is linked to the dollar) - then look not only to the villages but also to the southern Italian provinces such as Calabria, which I'm currently writing a book on, which is fantastic value by anyone's language - or currency!
Posted By lara dunston on August 22, 2008, 1:24 AM
Our agency helps people choose accommodation in Sardinia.
Sardinia is all about light, colours, contrasts and shades. Whether you arrive by air or by sea,
the sea around Sardinia always makes a great impression thanks to the infinite array of blues, turquoise greens and azures it displays.
Alghero, located in the north-west of the Italian island of Sardinia, is a charming city rich in history and culture. The city's historical centre is renowned for its plethora of Catalan/Aragonese architecture.
The stunning landscapes of the Alghero area are covered by the Mediterranean maquis that is so typical of Sardinia. There are several nature reserves.
Discover Sardinia with eQuòrea Accommodation; where sleep and eat, what to do and see. eQuòrea is a tourist information bureau.
Posted By Mauro on September 28, 2008, 10:57 AM
Reservations for car rentals should be made at least one week in advance. Rates seem to increase as booking goes up, so making a reservation before the holiday rush may save you money. Also ask about cancellation policies.
Regards,
Rose.
Posted By Car Rental Tips on December 4, 2008, 6:55 AM