Taking a Trip to Tuscany Doesn’t Have to Break the Bank

You might think that traveling to Italy is out of your price range, but don’t resign yourself to a road trip or a cheap substitute just yet. Even if you’re traveling with a large family or group, it is possible to design an affordable and luxurious trip to Tuscany.

Tuscany landscape / Gabriele Cantini

Airfare is usually the largest concern. Fortunately, there are so many options and airlines now that you just have to do a little homework to find a deal. Sign up for daily deal newsletters; there are many companies that will comb through flight deals and email them directly to you automatically. Some airlines, however, won’t publish their prices anywhere except on their website. Compare your email savings to the airline pages to find the cheaper source. You can use flight cost predictors as well if you want to track changing fares and try to nab the best one. A last resort should be a bidding or blind cost-naming site. While you can get really amazing deals with these tools, you’ll have little control over the flight times or details. If you’re part of a small travel group, this might be best for you. But if you’re traveling with children or many others, don’t gamble with the air travel.

The second largest cost of a vacation is usually accommodations. But if you’re looking at expensive Tuscany hotels, you’re not only wasting money, but you’re also wasting the culture of Tuscany! Tuscany is a countryside region of Italy that is famous for its lush landscapes and stunning villas. But though you may feel intimidated by the airy, luxurious architecture, most villas are actually for rent. It may seem surprising, but Italian homes are not just for celebrities and locals; you can relax in style with Tuscany villa rentals. Just like regular rental homes, villas are available in all sizes and can hold your group whether you’re as few as a couple or as large as a family reunion. These are fully furnished homes, so you’ll have access to a kitchen and private bathroom: Just remember that an Italian kitchen can be quite different from what you’re used to. Look at all of your options before you rent a villa. It’s best to compare between rental companies or property managers and web sites that let you book directly through the owner. There will be many options, so make sure you take everything into account.

Amazing sitting area at the villa in Tuscany / Jeremy Vandel

Don’t worry about spending money once you’ve settled in; Tuscany has numerous cheap activities. If you’re an outdoors person looking to enjoy the famous mellow Mediterranean weather, then the beaches won’t disappoint. The most famous beaches are Versilia, Pisa, and Livorno, which have been awarded by the Foundation of Environmental Education. If you’ll be staying in Tuscany for a while, there’s no reason you can’t see all three!

Especially if you’re traveling with a family, you might want to make sure that you experience some culture and education. Fortunately, most of the museums and landmarks are either free or very cheap! You can visit the Leaning Tower of Pisa, but Florence is the star when it comes to art. Don’t miss the Uffizi, famous for housing paintings by Da Vinci, Michelangelo and Botticelli.

Don’t fret about transportation either; Italy has a cheap and efficient train system, and you can easily explore all of Florence on foot. The countryside, littered with medieval fortresses and villages, can be explored by hiking or biking. Save money by skipping the tour group and you’ll find that discovering the countryside on your own is much more exciting.

If you combine the savings from discount airfare, Tuscany villa rentals and experiencing all that Tuscany has to offer on your own, you’ll be able to afford the trip of a lifetime without spending your life savings!

Matt Papa is a professional inbound marketer, discussing Tuscany villa rentals, who guest blogs for a variety of online publications. Matt is a part of an elite team of writers who have contributed to hundreds of blogs and news sites, including Reuters, SEOmoz.org and The Washington Post. Follow him @MattPapa77.

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Tags: airfare, cheap substitute, comb, countryside, family reunion, flight deals, flight times, italian kitchen, last resort, locals, lush landscapes, private bathroom, region of italy, road trip, travel group, traveling to italy, traveling with children, tuscany villa, villa rentals

Category: Italy, Travel Tips