Dreaming of a vacation in Italy but not sure where to begin – or how much you need to save? From flights and accommodation to food, sightseeing, and hidden expenses, planning a trip to Europe’s most sought-after destination can feel overwhelming.

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To make things easier, a travel creator, who goes by the Instagram handle Taking Window Seat (hereby referred to as TWS), has shared his experience of traveling through Italy, complete with a detailed breakdown of expenses. In an Instagram video posted on August 12, he explained accommodation and travel charges, including how much money he spent on food, paid attractions, inter-city travel and much more. He also provided affordable, money-saving tips for those on a budget.

Total expenses

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“We explored three cities in Italy: Milan, Florence, and Rome. And while staying in these cities, we also took some day trips, such as to Lake Como, Cinque Terre, and the entire Tuscan region,” said TWS, and added, “For inter-city travel, we paid a total of ₹2,000, and we booked all tickets 2 months in advance from the official websites because train prices here increase with time.”

Based on his experience, accommodation turned out to be the biggest expense. The blogger continued, “We stayed in Airbnbs in every city, with an average price of ₹6,500 per day, except Milan, which was for ₹8,000.” He also pointed out affordable alternatives for those on a tighter budget, recommending hostels that cost around ₹4,000 on average.

The travellers visited some paid attractions in the cities which amounted to a total of ₹15,000, as well as the Champions League semi-finals in San Siro for ₹15,000. Other miscellaneous expenses included, “ ₹3,000 for daily food and drinks, ₹1,000 for an e-SIM, and ₹800 for a travel pass in every city except Florence.”

The overall expenditure for the trip amounted to ₹1,68,100 per person.

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Budget saving hacks

TWS didn’t just break down expenses – he also shared a few smart money-saving hacks for exploring Italy on a tighter budget.

• Staying in a hostel is not only affordable but also provides a chance to socialise with fellow travelers or locals. Some hostels recommended by the travel blogger are:

Milan: Ostello Bello Grande, YellowSquare Milan

Florence: Plus Florence, Ostello Bello Firenze

Rome: The RomeHello, YellowSquare Rome

• Cooking at your Airbnb saves quite a bit of money, and it is quite accessible because supermarkets are everywhere.
• TWS recommends booking trains directly from Trenitalia or Italo in order to skip extra fees, and avoiding Omio or Trainline.
• Buying wines from supermarkets is much cheaper than ordering at bars.
• Florence is a walkable city, so spending money on local transport is not required.
• In the cities that have metro or trams, using a travel pass is cost-effective.
• Avoid taxis since they are very expensive in Italy.
• Watch out for Service Charges at dine-in restaurants; takeaway for budget meals is preferable.
• Milan and Amalfi are expensive, so TWS recommends planning your days ahead.
• He suggests using Zero Markup Cards like Scapia to avoid TCS and conversion charges.
• Avoid buying airport SIM cards, instead carry an eSIM like Matrix Cellular.
• Visa should be applied six months in advance.
• The best months for budget travel are March, April, and October.

Note to readers: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.

This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional advice.