How to Plan a Family Trip to Italy on a Budget

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Use these must-know tips and tricks to plan a family trip to Italy on a budget!

Italy is one of the most popular travel destinations in the world, and there is no end in sight for its continued rise in tourism.

Aperol Spritz on Positano beach, hotel balconies overlooking the Florence Cathedral, and gondola rides through Venice. These are just some of the iconic images that come up when many think about what “travel to Italy” looks like

At some point, it’s completely acceptable to wonder if any of it is at all affordable. How rich do you have to be to afford a trip to Italy with the entire family?

Luckily, we want to debunk the myth that a trip to Italy is only for the wealthy. When in fact, Italy can be one of the most affordable destinations in Europe for a family trip on a budget, but only if you know where to go and, more importantly, places to avoid.

Aside from the faithful recommendations of traveling during the off-season, we’ve included other critical tips you must know if you’re interested in traveling to Italy on a budget with your family.

Use this guide and learn how to start planning a memorable family vacation to Italy without going broke.

The Essentials for a Family Trip to Italy on a Budget

🏨 Book accommodation that’s not centrally located in big cities or major destinations. These are so much more expensive than a hotel or apartment just outside of the city centre. Pricey accommodation is the number one factor of an expensive trip to Italy.

💎 Choose lesser-known hidden gems to visit over just big cities or popular tourist places. These are often the cheapest destinations in Italy and the easiest way to accomplish two things at once – fewer crowds and affordability.

🛫 Plan a family trip to Italy during shoulder or off season or simply when tickets are cheap. Use a flight search engine tool like Skyscanner and let cheap flights determine the dates of your trip.

🥪 Focus on cheap eats. Instead of constantly eating at restaurants, find quality food at bars, bakeries (panificio), sandwich shops (paninoteca) and grocery stores instead.

🎟 Purchase train tickets ahead of time. Train tickets are usually 50% cheaper when you book at least two weeks ahead of time.

🚌 Bus transportation is overall, the cheaper choice for long haul journeys.

🎭 Take advantage of packaged tours for activities and attractions. Do not overlook offers on GetYourGuide or Viator for discounts and great values when it comes to finding things to do as a group (family).

Is Italy Expensive for a Family Trip?

Although Italy can very easily be an expensive choice for a family trip, it definitely doesn’t have to be if you know how to travel on a budget. It also depends on where you are traveling from and the prices you are used to.

Families who are coming to Italy for a holiday from North America or the UK will likely find a family trip to Italy to not be outrageously expensive when compared to costs at home.

There are a handful of factors that can make Italy an expensive destination for families on a budget. However, the number one reason why a family trip to Italy quickly turns into a money pit is because of the destination.

If you plan a family vacation to Italy and are choosing to only visit Rome, Venice, The Amalfi Coast, Cinque Terre, The Dolomites, and Milan, then yes, Italy is going to be an expensive family trip.

These hot spots in Italy are heavily frequented by tourists. Naturally, this means that everything will be more expensive than if you were to visit a lesser-known city, town, or an entire region of Italy.

The biggest mistake that you can make while planning a family trip to Italy on a budget is thinking that you must visit the top places and nowhere else.

How to Begin Planning a Family Trip to Italy on a Budget

Decide: Self Guided Itinerary or Italy Trip Package?

There are two ways to tour Italy on a budget with a family. First, you can plan your own itinerary with sights you want to see and potentially visit multiple destinations in one trip.

This would require you to research much on your own including where to stay, how to get around and so on. Overall, by doing most of the planning yourself and finding opportunities to budget, a self-guided itinerary is likely to be cheaper.

The alternative is to purchase an Italy trip package for the entire family which handles all of the logistics and details for you. You can go as far as selecting a tour package which includes the flight(s) to Italy and back, with everything in between such as a meticulously scheduled itinerary.

Or, you can opt for a lighter version which begins upon landing in Italy.

A guided tour package like this one has a set price per person, includes a multi-stop itinerary of various cities in Italy and transportation plus accommodation. This tour option is particularly great for budget travelers because it still allows you to find cheap flights to Italy on your own.

As a first step, decide between how much trip planning you want to actually do yourself or if spending some money to get it taken care of by someone else is worth it to you.

When to Go: Pick a Cheap Month to Go On a Family Trip to Italy

The month you plan your trip for makes a huge difference in pricing. For those that have the flexibility of choosing when to travel, book a family trip to Italy in January – March or October – November.

If maintaining a budget is top of mind, do not book a family trip to Italy in the summer, no matter how tempting it may sound. It’s a cliché tip for a reason but you can save thousands of dollars by planning an Italy trip during shoulder season or off season instead.

Additionally, contrary to popular belief, summer is definitely not the best time to experience Italy. June – August can be a nightmare in Italy with many other tourists and scorching temperatures.

If your family wants to experience the lovely beaches in Italy, you can still do so in October. The weather in many parts of southern Italy including Sicily or Puglia is still warm enough for swimming.

Visiting beach destinations in the fall is the move if you want to save money during a family trip to Italy.

Finding Cheap Flights to Italy: Choose the Biggest Airports

In 2023, Italy’s airports experienced a total of 197 million passengers. While there are a handful of international airports in Italy, you’ll want to find flights to the two busiest airports which experienced the most number of passengers.

Rome Fiumicino and Milan Malpensa are the most popular airports in Italy and therefore, serve the highest number of flight paths from various departure points.

Undoubtedly, if you’re flying from the U.S., you’ll want to book a flight to Rome or Milan if you’re on a budget.

Since Rome and Milan’s airports are the most popular, this means they are generally the least expensive to fly to.

Think of it as “quantity = discount.” For long haul travelers who are coming from North America to Italy, it’s likely that flights to smaller destinations like Florence or Genova will be more expensive.

If Rome or Milan is not where you want to spend your time while visiting Italy, it’s still reasonable to choose their airports and utilize public transportation to get to your destination.

For example, if you want to visit Bologna but the flights to Bologna are much more expensive, book a cheaper flight to Milan and take a 1.5 hour long train to Bologna.

Sightseeing: Stick to the Best Places to Travel in Italy on a Budget

Italy is comprised of more than its top five most known destinations. In fact, there are entire regions within Italy that are hardly visited by non-Italian tourists. The country has no shortage of hidden gems that are just as beautiful and, most importantly in this case, cheaper to visit.

An important step to planning your family trip to Italy is selecting which destinations you’ll visit. If your first reaction is “Rome or Venice,” then we highly encourage you to broaden your options, particularly if you’re on a budget.

This is not to say that visiting Rome or Venice without breaking the bank is impossible, but it’s definitely more difficult to do, and where you’ll receive the worst value.

Whether you are planning on staying within one destination or including multiple stops, be mindful of where you go in Italy. Some of the most affordable regions to travel in Italy on a budget include:

• Calabria
• Sicily
• Basilicata
• Puglia
• Abruzzo
• Marche
• Molise

You may notice that much of the best areas for budget travel in Italy are in the southern half of the country.

As a general guideline, avoid traveling in northern Italy for a family trip on a budget. The closer in proximity to Austria and Switzerland, the more expensive everything is.

Prioritise and Set a Daily Budget for Your Family Trip to Italy

When it comes to setting a budget, take a step back and identify what you are willing to spend money on and what you don’t care much about. If you’re keen on eating as much delicious food as possible, you’ll need to adjust your daily budget to account for more dollars spent on dining.

For families who want to stay in a nice hotel or charming apartment in the centre of the historic quarter, increase your budget for accommodation. While an amazing family trip to Italy on a budget is feasible, it will mean that you can’t get the best of all worlds. What are you willing to compromise on?

Next, after you research the average costs for hotels for your trip, set a daily budget per person. Use a daily budget as a financial compass during your trip which will determine what you should eat, see, and experience.

This method is not meant to restrict any enjoyment; it is simply meant to help guide you on sticking with your budget and allow you to find alternatives that are cheaper (or free!).

7 Pro Tips for Traveling on a Budget in Italy

1. Eat Well but Modestly

Among the many beautiful things about Italy is finding really good food without having to spend a fortune. Do not let yourself be influenced by just the countless “top 10” lists of the best restaurants in every Italian city.

The truth is, there are tons of fantastic places to eat that are just as good and will likely cost much less. Additionally, the lesser known eateries and restaurants also tend to attract locals and not tourists. This usually means, the food is genuine, affordable and not a gimmick.

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If you’re a family on a budget with multiple mouths to feed, steer away from only eating at restaurants during your trip to Italy.

Instead, pick up food from a bar which sell everything from coffee, pastries, sandwiches to alcohol. Or, head to a bakery which is also known as a panetteria, panificio or forno. Depending on where you are in Italy, bakeries will typically sell sweet pastries in addition to savory baked goods, including pizza.

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A paninoteca is a sandwich bar and another fantastic option for a cheap and satisfying meal.

Lastly, if you pass by a place with “tavola calda” in the window, this is essentially a hot food bar in the style of a self-service buffet. It could be a full-service casual restaurant which serves already prepared foods.

🥖 How to Eat for Free in Italy:

The few hours before dinner time in Italy is when you’ll see many people enjoying an aperitivo. During this time, it’s normal to drink alcoholic beverages before dinner, which usually begins at 8pm.

When you order an alcoholic aperitivo drink, it is regularly served with snacks. These snacks range from a variety of chips, crackers to even open-faced sandwiches for free.

2. Avoid Peak Season in Italy

This budget travel tip applies regardless of the destination but is more relevant than ever when visiting Italy. During the months of June – August, Italy is insanely busy. As mass tourism spikes up demand for places to stay in this timeframe, the prices for accommodation can be unreasonable.

This primarily applies in big cities or popular locations in Italy such as Rome, Venice or the Amalfi Coast. An Airbnb apartment or hotel room located in tourist hot spots can cost 50% more in peak season. These figures are not an exaggeration which is why this tip is the main way to save money when planning a family vacation.

Choosing to plan a family trip to Italy in the shoulder or off-season also gives you an opportunity to book luxury stays on a budget. While many nice hotels or Airbnb hosts struggle to keep rooms full in January or February, savvy guests who know how to budget travel get to stay there for a fraction of the price during slow travel months.

It all comes down to simple math. If you can cut costs for a family trip to Italy by half simply by travelling outside of peak season, why wouldn’t you?!

Visit the Cheapest Destinations in Italy

The most well-known destinations in Italy happen to be the most expensive to visit. It makes sense, right? The more tourists = the more opportunities for businesses to charge more based on demand.

The most logical solution to this dilemma is to visit the lesser-known destinations in Italy which in return, will be much cheaper.

Hidden gems in Italy aren’t less popular because they’re not worth seeing. There are simply so many beautiful places in Italy that the untraveled corners have yet to be discovered by the masses, or in other words, non-Italian tourists.

You’ll even find a handful of big cities in Italy that are not frequented by outside visitors and don’t experience an absurd level of tourism.

Italy is a large place and for budget travelers, this means you have numerous options and opportunities for affordable adventures. Below are the best underestimated destinations in Italy for a family trip on a budget.

Cheaper Italian Cities to Visit

• Bergamo
• Naples
• Bari
• Lecce
• Parma
• Perugia
• Udine

Cheaper Beach Destinations in Italy

• The Trabocchi Coast
• Salento Peninsula
• Tropea
• Rimini
• Sicily

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3. Stay Away From the Amalfi Coast and Capri

Unless you are OK with visiting the Amalfi Coast or the island of Capri in the winter, do not include these destinations in your family trip to Italy. Tourist traps exist all over Italy, but they particularly thrive in these two tourist hot spots.

For comparison, one night and day spent on Capri during the summer months could cost you more than one week at a farm stay in the region of Abruzzo.

If you’re looking to plan a family trip to Italy on a budget, you likely value a good deal. The Amalfi Coast and Capri are two destinations in Italy where you are guaranteed to overpay and, as a result, will potentially feel underwhelmed.

A simple pizza in Capri can cost up to €25 and a pair of sun beds in Positano will set you back €100. Compared to the remainder of Italy, these are two examples of two very bad deals.

Visiting the Amalfi Coast or Capri on a budget while enjoying the beaches is only possible from late October – early November.

4. Know How to Visit Rome on a Budget

If Rome is a non-negotiable “must-see” on your bucket list, then by all means, you should go experience it as a family. There’s no denying that Rome is incredible, one of a kind, and iconic for many reasons.

Surprisingly, it isn’t too difficult to visit Rome on a budget, and there are ways to spend as little as possible. The most straightforward solution to saving money in Rome is to steer clear of paid attractions.

Skip The Line Attractions

Personally, there have been many times we’ve visited Rome and spent less than $50 per person each day, not including accommodation. The key to visiting Rome on a budget is to minimize (or avoid completely) the number of paid attractions or sites you visit.

Tickets to the Colosseum, Vatican Museums, the Forum and so on can quickly add up. Instead, we typically opt for a self-guided walking tour of Rome where we enjoy all of the major landmarks from their exteriors. We stop for coffee, ice cream, unfussy meals, and before we know it, we’ve barely spent any money but still feel like we thoroughly enjoyed Rome.

Give this method a try if your family doesn’t particularly care about entering any of the major sights.

Just because you choose to omit entrance to the top attractions in Rome, doesn’t mean you won’t see anything. Many first-time visitors to Rome do not realize just how much there is to see for free and out in the open.

Ancient Roman ruins can be found on nearly every corner and are often much less crowded.

Explore on Foot

Getting around by walking will save you money while touring Rome on a budget. Public transportation isn’t drastically expensive, but it’s still an extra fee that you must account for.

The public transportation passes are also only a good value if you plan on using the metro or bus more than three times a day. Often times, tourists buy the unlimited transportation cards without second thought, only to later realize that they didn’t utilize it as much as they thought they would.

Taxi travel is also comparatively much more expensive in the center of Rome. Hailing a taxi just to get you a few blocks will cost you around €15. Walking is always free and gives you the best perspective on experiencing the city’s feel.

Order Coffee at the Bar

Common in big cities, coffee varies in price depending on where you drink it. By sitting down and ordering a coffee with the server, your coffee is likely to cost 10-15% more.

If you’re just looking to get a quick caffeine boost, order a standard espresso at the bar while standing. This shouldn’t cost more than €1.50.

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Don’t Buy Water Bottles

Rome is sprawling with free drinking water fountains all over the city. Bring a reusable water bottle and take advantage of all the free water you could ask for instead of buying plastic bottles or water at the store.

The fountain water is completely safe to drink and intended for the purpose of drinking.

5. Utilize the Best Ways to Get Around Italy on a Budget

The cost of getting around Italy for a family trip can easily be a “make or break” factor to your budget.

If you are truly looking to keep the cost down as much as possible, it’s recommended to stick to a maximum of two cities during one trip and minimize long haul travel throughout Italy.

Bus vs. Train

Although train travel is wildly popular among Americans who visit Italy, it isn’t always the least expensive method of getting around. For families who are sticking to a budget, it’s worth price shopping between train tickets and bus tickets.

Getting across Italy by bus is the secret budget tip that many won’t tell you about. Yes, bus travel is far less romantic and charming than taking the train but often times, it’s cheaper.

As an example, you can purchase a bus ride with Flixbus for just €5 to Bologna from Rome. The same route via train will cost €11 – €18 one-way.

Flying

Since Italy is home to many international and domestic airports in every corner of the country, getting around by plane can also be very economical. At first, flying doesn’t sound like the obvious choice for traveling on a budget, but never underestimate budget airlines and their astonishingly cheap tickets.

If you are interested in getting from one end of Italy to another, it is worth looking into the cost of a flight for the much quicker method of transportation.

Driving

If you’ve decided to set off on a family road trip in Italy, the biggest expense to be mindful of isn’t the cost of the actual rental car. Renting a car in Italy can, in fact, be accomplished on a very low budget because of the many basic but functional rental car types.

Once you have booked an affordable rental car, it’s the cost of fuel that you must be aware of. Otherwise, (especially as an American) you’ll easily be taken by surprise when you see the price for gas.

While budgeting for your family road trip in Italy, take the time to map out your route and based on this, estimate your gas expenses. We use a basic gas calculator like this one all the time when budgeting for an upcoming road trip.

Additionally, you should also reference a toll calculator to get an idea of how much you’ll pay for tolls if you plan on using major motorways while driving in Italy.

6. Book Transportation Ahead of Time

Long journey train rides do not have a set price in Italy. They fluctuate based on a couple of factors including availability, demand, and shift in train routes.

If you are looking to travel from one city to another, book your train tickets at least two or three weeks ahead of time if you can plan for it. Last minute train tickets can be twice as expensive if you wait until the day before the scheduled train ride.

Additionally, if you have a really long train ride in mind, it’s worth checking the prices for flights instead. For example, travelling from Naples to Venice can be accomplished by a sizeable train journey but at that point, may cost more than a flight.

Domestic flights within Italy (and Europe, for that matter) are very affordable and it’s not unheard of for flying to be cheaper than train travel.

7. Take Advantage of Free Attractions

Commonly found in bigger cities, free walking tours with a helpful guide are the perfect activity for a family trip on a budget. Despite any scepticism, free walking tours are, in fact, free! The only thing you should be asked for in return is a tip for your guide.

Many times, free walking tours are just as informative as the paid ones and visit all of the same major sites. Whether you’re a budget traveler or not, choosing a free walking tour is a no-brainer for those looking to learn something while traveling.

If you can plan accordingly, try to line up your visit to any museums on a Sunday. In Italy, museums offer free admission on the first Sundays of each month. As a fair warning, you should expect longer lines because everyone, like you, will want to take advantage of a free deal.

Final Thoughts on a Family Trip to Italy on a Budget

Despite popular belief, it is very feasible to plan a family trip to Italy on a budget. The most important detail to not overlook when planning an inexpensive trip to Italy is choosing the right place(s) to visit.

If you only go to the most well-known places in Italy such as Rome, Venice, and the Amalfi Coast, it becomes very difficult to experience an affordable family trip.

Choose less popular cities and regions to explore instead where you’ll save 50% or more on accommodation, dining out, and small necessities like a cappuccino.

Research free or low-cost attractions when planning your itinerary. Italy is essentially an open-air museum with Roman ruins and historic medieval villages awaiting visitors for free.

Not paying for an abundance of activities, tours and admission will have a drastically positive affect on your travel budget. You do not have to always pay in order to experience incredibly beautiful sites in Italy!

More Family Italy Travel Posts:

• Things to Do in Venice With Kids
• Visiting Naples, Italy With Toddlers
• 20 Hidden Gems Towns in Italy
• The Trabocchi Coast: A Family Beach Destination
• Puglia Road Trip

Budget Family Trip to Italy: Travel Resources

☔️ TRAVEL INSURANCE: EKTA or VisitorsCoverage

✈️ FLIGHTS: Skyscanner, CheapOair or Kiwi.com

🚙 CAR RENTALS: Discover Cars or Rentalcars.com

🚊 TRAINS & BUSES: Busbud, Trainline or Omio

🛳 FERRIES: Direct Ferries

🛌 ACCOMMODATION: Booking.com, Agoda or Trivago

☎️ ESIM / CELL PHONE DATA: Airalo

📸 TOURS & ACTIVITIES: GetYourGuide or Viator