Italy Beyond the Tourist Map: How to Get Around, Spend Less, and Explore Like a Local

Summary

Episode Summary: Italy Beyond the Tourist Map: How to Get Around, Spend Less, and Explore Like a Local

Release Date: July 16, 2025
Podcast: Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways
Hosts: Sally French and Meghan Coyle

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Introduction to Italy as a Travel Destination

In this episode of Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways, hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle delve into the intricacies of traveling to Italy, moving beyond the typical tourist paths to uncover ways to experience the country like a local. Drawing from Meghan's recent two-week trip attending two Italian weddings, the hosts provide firsthand insights, practical tips, and strategic advice to help listeners maximize their travel budget while immersing themselves in authentic Italian culture.

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Planning the Perfect Time to Visit

Best Seasons to Travel:
Meghan shares that visiting Italy in mid-May offers warm yet comfortable weather, ideal for exploring scenic gardens and bustling cities without the peak summer heat. She recommends shoulder seasons such as April, September, or October for fewer crowds and pleasant temperatures.

Visa Requirements and ETIAS:
For U.S. citizens, a visa is not required for stays up to 90 days. However, Meghan highlights the upcoming European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), set to launch in the last quarter of 2026. This system will require travelers to apply for authorization, incurring a small fee of approximately €7 for adults aged 18-70.

Notable Quote:
"Starting in the last quarter of 2026, you'll need to fill out an ETIAS application to visit Italy and other member countries." – Meghan Coyle [12:17]

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Navigating Italy: Transportation Tips

Within Cities: Walking and Public Transit:
Both Rome and Florence are highly walkable, allowing travelers to explore main tourist areas on foot. Meghan emphasizes the ease of navigating these cities without the need for a rental car.

Inter-Regional Travel: Trains vs. Rental Cars:
For traveling between regions, high-speed trains are recommended. Italy's Tren Italia and Italo operate efficient high-speed services connecting major cities like Florence and Rome in under two hours. Meghan advises pre-booking these trains to secure better prices and ensure availability.

Notable Quote:
"High-speed trains can get you from Florence to Rome in less than two hours. Pre-booking saves you money." – Megan Coyle [14:27]

Rental Car Considerations:
While renting a car is beneficial for visiting small towns and rural areas, Meghan notes challenges such as navigating tolls and the requirement of an international driver's permit, obtainable through local AAA offices.

Notable Quote:
"Figuring out the tolls was the hardest part, and you need an international driver's permit to rent a car." – Megan Coyle [13:48]

Train Etiquette and Fines:
Meghan recounts a cautionary tale about not validating regional train tickets, resulting in a €40 fine for not stamping her ticket at the station or on the train.

Notable Quote:
"We got fined €40 for not validating our €2 ticket. Always budget for unexpected expenses." – Megan Coyle [15:06]

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Budgeting and Managing Expenses

Currency and Payments:
Italy predominantly uses the Euro. While most establishments accept credit cards, certain services like gondola rides in Venice are cash-only. Meghan recommends carrying sufficient cash for such expenses.

Notable Quote:
"Gondola rides in Venice cost around €90 for 30 minutes and are cash-only." – Megan Coyle [16:07]

Accommodation Costs:
Hotels in major cities like Rome, Florence, and Milan average around $300 per night for a comfortable three-star stay. Meghan suggests alternatives to mitigate high lodging costs:

• Airbnb: Group travelers can benefit from larger properties split among multiple people, significantly reducing per-person costs. For instance, an Airbnb in Cinque Terre for eight people was less than $200 per person for three nights.

• Monasteries and Religious Guest Houses: Staying in a monastery offers a unique and affordable experience, often including breakfast and providing comfortable accommodations at a lower cost compared to traditional hotels.

Notable Quote:
"Staying at a monastery was an incredible experience with a private bathroom and free breakfast." – Megan Coyle [21:12]

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Enhancing the Local Experience

Authentic Dining and Avoiding Tourist Traps:
Meghan and guest Elle Colomarino emphasize the importance of dining at local restaurants to support the community and enjoy genuine Italian cuisine. They warn against overhyped, tourist-centric eateries that often lead to long waits and inflated prices.

Notable Quote:
"Supporting local restaurants not only enhances your experience but also benefits the community." – Elle Colomarino [29:28]

Exploring Neighborhoods Beyond Major Attractions:
After visiting iconic sites like the Coliseum and Vatican, the hosts recommend exploring neighborhoods such as Trastevere and Testaccio in Rome. These areas offer vibrant local life, food markets, and authentic experiences away from the usual tourist paths.

Notable Quote:
"Trastevere still retains its local flair and offers incredible food markets like Mercato di Testaccio." – Elle Colomarino [31:52]

Finding Hidden Gems and Alternative Destinations:
For those seeking to avoid the crowds of popular regions like the Amalfi Coast, Meghan suggests destinations such as Puglia and Umbria. These areas provide similar scenic beauty and cultural experiences at a more affordable price and with fewer tourists.

Notable Quote:
"Instead of the crowded Amalfi Coast, consider Puglia for a more authentic and affordable experience." – Elle Colomarino [33:08]

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Listener Engagement and Social Media

The episode concludes with Sally and Meghan encouraging listeners to share their Italy experiences and questions. They invite followers to connect on social media platforms, particularly Instagram, for more travel inspiration and updates.

Notable Quotes:
"Follow me on Instagram at Mig.com and Sally at SaveWithSally." – Megan Coyle & Sally French [34:16]

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Key Takeaways

1. Optimal Travel Timing: Shoulder seasons offer the best balance of pleasant weather and manageable crowds.
2. Efficient Transportation: Utilize Italy's high-speed trains for inter-city travel and consider rental cars for exploring smaller towns.
3. Budget-Friendly Accommodations: Explore alternatives like Airbnbs and monasteries to reduce lodging expenses.
4. Authentic Experiences: Prioritize local dining and exploring neighborhoods to experience Italy beyond the tourist trail.
5. Financial Preparedness: Always carry some cash for specific expenses and budget for unexpected costs like fines.

By following these insights and strategies, travelers can enjoy a more immersive and cost-effective journey through Italy, experiencing the country much like a local would.

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Produced by Tess Viglen.
Fact-Checked by Hillary Georgie.
Audio Mixed by Nick Karisimi.
Disclaimer: We are not financial or investment advisors. Information provided is for general educational and entertainment purposes and may not apply to your specific circumstances.

Transcript

[Megan Coyle]

Today's episode is sponsored by Fiji Water. No way. I love hydration same and Fiji Hydration no less. It really is from the actual islands of Fiji. As in 1600 miles from the nearest continent. It's bottled at the source and untouched by man until you unscrew the cap and you don't have to go all the way to Fiji.

[Sally French]

Although you have been to Fiji, Megan.

[Megan Coyle]

Yes. And I was living off the Fiji water. I would get out of the ocean, take a little sip of Fiji Water. It tastes so good.

[Sally French]

And it's easy to get it here too. Fiji Water is the number one premium bottled water brand in the U.S. it's.

[Megan Coyle]

My go to hydration for everything from beach days to jungle hikes, or even just a little water on the hotel nightstand.

[Sally French]

Oh, you know, I love my gallon challenge. I gotta say, if you are not doing the gallon challenge every day, my hot take is you are not hydrated enough.

[Megan Coyle]

Honestly, I agree. And did you know Fiji Water has more than double the electrolytes as the other two top premium bottled water brands? That's what gives it that extra smooth taste.

[Sally French]

Fiji Water is Earth's finest water, Megan. If I am doing an Orlando theme park in the summer, I'm like, sometimes two G challenge, baby.

[Megan Coyle]

That's a lot of bottles of Fiji Water and I love that they're travel size so that they fit in my crossbody bag.

[Sally French]

I'm plowing through my Fiji Water bottles and luckily, Fiji Water is environmentally responsible.

[Megan Coyle]

Yes. Since 2022, the 330 and 500 milliliter bottles are made from 100% recycled plastic. Fiji Water continues to lead the top premium bottled water competition on launching 100% recycled plastic bottles.

[Sally French]

I love water and you know, if I see a Fiji Water bottle available, that's definitely the one I'm going for.

[Megan Coyle]

Fiji Water. Earth's finest water.

[Sally French]

Stay hydrated.

[Megan Coyle]

Like us travelers, Sally, this destination we're talking about today is so popular that I literally ran into people I know on the streets of Florence when I was there a couple of weeks ago, everyone had the same idea. Let's go to Italy.

[Sally French]

Wow. Who did you run into?

[Megan Coyle]

So I ran into my high school math teacher. He was sitting at a table right next to me at a restaurant. And then my boyfriend ran into his high school friends while in line for Affogato.

[Sally French]

No way. Both of you. Wow.

[Megan Coyle]

Yeah. Italy is one of the most popular, popular European destinations for Americans to visit. And the huge demand actually means there's plenty of opportunities to save on your next trip there.

[Sally French]

Welcome to Smart Travel a deep dive into the tips, tools and tactics to maximize your travel dollars.

[Megan Coyle]

I'm Megan Coyle.

[Sally French]

And I'm Sally French.

[Megan Coyle]

And we're the travel nerds ready to help you plan your next big trip.

[Sally French]

Today we are taking our listeners to Italy with us. So grab your Aperol spritz, sit back and enjoy.

[Megan Coyle]

Wait. But before that, let's do the news.

[Sally French]

And before that, the disclaimer.

[Megan Coyle]

Oh, okay. So every episode we talk about some credit card companies that are nerd wallet partners in this episode, but that doesn't influence how we discuss them. The benefits, terms and fees mentioned were accurate at the time of posting, but things can change, and some offers may have expired by the time you're listening. For the latest details, follow the links in the episode description.

[Sally French]

Okay, Megan, we are finally entering a new era of travel where TSA checkpoints won't smell like feet.

[Megan Coyle]

TSA just updated its policy to officially allow all passengers to keep their shoes on during the security screening, even if you don't have TSA PreCheck.

[Sally French]

You know, it's funny. I was in the airport the weekend of July 4th, and they were just telling people not to take off their shoes. And I didn't really think that much of it at the time. But now this news has come out and I'm like, oh, it was not just a San Antonio thing. And I have to say, no one was mad about this. And then, of course, I realized that this was a slow phase in of the change ahead of the official announcement last week.

[Megan Coyle]

Whoa. So you got a little sneak preview?

[Sally French]

Absolutely.

[Megan Coyle]

Question is, where does that leave TSA PreCheck members? Because do you think it diminishes the value they've paid? They paid almost $80 to get benefits. Like not removing your shoes.

[Sally French]

Yeah, I mean, maybe it diminishes the value, but I would still say you get other value for things like not having to remove belts or light jackets and then the laptops or the small lotions. So maybe it does make the value proposition of TSA Pre check a little lower. But I definitely don't want to act like this is a bad thing. This news is a good thing. In speeding up airport security, taking off shoes always seems to be the slowest part. So if that makes the lines go faster for everyone, then I am all for it.

[Megan Coyle]

I'm here for it, too. Although that's funny. You think that taking off the shoes is the slowest part. I actually think it's the laptops.

[Sally French]

Okay, maybe.

[Megan Coyle]

I honestly doubt it'll change the decision much for most people. And I think most people pay for TSA Precheck just to get access to that faster line and like I said, to avoid removing that laptop. It's my least favorite.

[Sally French]

And plus you might not necessarily have to pay for it. Many credit cards actually cover TSA Precheck as a benefit for holding that card. So we might have to link to that in the show description.

[Megan Coyle]

We'll definitely link to that in the show description.

[Sally French]

All right. Built Rewards also just announced that they are launching a new suite of cards next year. This is a company that has made a name for itself by offering rewards for rent payments. It currently has a $0 annual fee that I know you have, Megan, and I'm nervous.

[Megan Coyle]

Anytime you hear card revamp, our smart travel listeners already know the benefits are changing and the annual fee is pretty probably going up. Bill already announced that the BILT 2.0 cards will still have a $0 annual fee option, but there's also new premium cards with a $95 and a $495 annual fee.

[Sally French]

Okay, so that's good. Hopefully they just don't nerf the benefits on that $0 annual fee option. Of course, we do not have many details at all about those card benefits. We do have a launch date, though. Biltcard 2.0 launches in February 2026, and current cardholders will be moved from Wells Fargo to Bilt's new card plat at that time.

[Megan Coyle]

And I hope anyone who has that $0 annual fee card like I have, don't get your hopes up. Like, things are not looking good because Wells Fargo's partnership with Bill was supposed to end in 2029. But the wall Street Journal reported Wells Fargo wanted to get out early because they were losing as much as $10 million a month on this card. Wow. And yeah, a lot of that was from Wells Fargo eating the card transaction fees from the rent. Transactions like that is costing that card company a lot of money. So this makes me think that there's no way that $0 annual fee card that I have will be able to offer the same benefits on rent earning. But, you know, I'm speculating. I don't know what's going to happen with this card either.

[Sally French]

Okay, we'll cross our fingers for you, Megan, and we will be watching closely for updates. Of course, we will break this news all down once it officially drops in.

[Megan Coyle]

Lounge news. American Express just announced it's building its first Centurion Lounge in the Netherlands at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.

[Sally French]

Construction is already underway. The lounge is Expected to open in 2026, it'll be located in the airport's main international terminal, which is good news since Amsterdam always seems to be a big layover airport. I've done a 12 hour layover there once, though I do recommend getting out and actually wandering the city if your layover is in fact that long.

[Megan Coyle]

Yeah, if you're flying klm, you'll definitely be laying over in Amsterdam. One of the unique features of this lounge that I'm excited for is a cool coffee bar that will pay homage to the drink's importance in Dutch culture. Maybe I'll go there instead of the Starbucks I usually go to Very here for that.

[Sally French]

I loved the tea bar at the Centurion Lounge in London, so this kind of feels like it has that same energy.

[Megan Coyle]

Yes. Other new Centurion lounges opening this year include Tokyo, Haneda and Salt Lake City, plus Newark, New Jersey in 2026.

[Sally French]

And then we have to talk about JSX. That's the air carrier that offers something of a private jet style experience by way of scheduled public charter flights using small jets. These are outfitted with around 30 seats. You also get to fly out of your own private terminal and you get truly nice benefits like free WI fi drinks and snacks.

[Megan Coyle]

So JSX just launched its first ever loyalty program called Club JSX. If you're a member, you collect 5% back on your fare. Aside from those things like taxes and fees, the rewards you earn can be spent on future flights.

[Sally French]

What's funny is Club JSX does not offer much more in the way of elite status benefits since everyone flying with JSX gets that elite status experience already.

[Megan Coyle]

Right, I like that. The reward system is pretty simple though. 5% back is a decent return rate, which is good since JSX is more expensive than flying coach with a traditional airline. There are also other benefits like bonus rewards during your birthday month and a referral program where you can give someone a hundred dollars off their first flight and you get a hundred dollars once they take it. So a lot of nice perks here.

[Sally French]

Now even someone in our travel team was like, what is jsx? I gotta say, JSX is definitely a niche carrier. I've never done it myself as the only flights they offer near me are either to Las Ve or Burbank out of Oakland. But I do know some people who have done it and they like it.

[Megan Coyle]

It's definitely for people who want that bougie experience but aren't truly bougie enough to afford a real private jet. Ooh, we're back in a minute. Stay tuned.

[C]

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[Megan Coyle]

Exhale. Feel your body relax and let go of whatever you're carrying today. Well, I'm letting go of the worry that it wouldn't get my new contacts.

[D]

In time for this class.

[Megan Coyle]

I got them delivered free from 1-800-contacts.

[D]

Oh my gosh, they're so fast.

[C]

And breathe.

[Sally French]

Oh, sorry.

[Megan Coyle]

I almost couldn't breathe when I saw the discount they gave me on my first order. Oh, sorry. Namaste.

[Sally French]

Visit 1-800contacts.com today to save on your first order. 1-800-contacts. Today we finally get to dig into the trip that we have been talking about on this show for what's felt like months. Megan, this is your two week trip to Italy for not one but two Italian weddings. I hope you are ready to recount a plate by plate of every dish you ate.

[Megan Coyle]

I will try. It's really hard. It was pasta, pasta, pasta, pasta, pasta, more pasta. The Italian version of pizza, which is not like American pizza at all, really. More pasta, seafood. And then when I got tired of all of that, I had a burger one day and I had Chinese food one day because I could not eat any more Italian food.

[Sally French]

How's Italy's Chinese food scene?

[Megan Coyle]

I think it's actually pretty decent. I actually know someone who's Chinese and grew up in Italy, so they gave me some tips on some spots. But yeah, I would love to go back and explore that more.

[Sally French]

Okay. Well, speaking of the places where you went, where did you go for this trip?

[Megan Coyle]

I went to Florence and I went to the first wedding in a small town in the Tuscany region called Garganza, then Cinque Terre.

[Sally French]

Oh, love Cinque Terre.

[Megan Coyle]

Yep. Then back to Florence, then Rome, then another small town for the second wedding, which was a town called Maturata.

[Sally French]

And you went to Italy last year, is that right?

[Megan Coyle]

Yes, I went on a cruise last year with my grandma, which I think I've talked about on the show before.

[Sally French]

I love that. So you are basically An Italian expert.

[Megan Coyle]

I wouldn't say that yet, but I can answer some of these questions we've got.

[Sally French]

And that's exactly what I want to talk about is for many people who have never been to Italy at all, they want to know when's the best time to go, how much it costs, all the things, things where to go. So let's start off with planning when to go. Megan, when is the best time to visit Italy?

[Megan Coyle]

So I went in mid May, and despite everything I was hearing about, this is going to be a crazy year for Italy, and it's the jubilee. I still think May was a great time to go. And the weather was warm, but it wasn't, like, so hot outside. In fact, I was wearing, like, my long pants and, like, my jeans some days because it wasn't hot enough. So that was nice. And then everything was blooming. Like, we went to some gardens and like, all of those, like, flowers over the archways or the windows, you know, that's so cute and so European. And I thought May was a great time to go. But honestly, any shoulder season, like, I think April would probably still be good. September or October, if you want to go after the peak summer crowds. I think those are all excellent times to go and you'll be very comfortable with the weather.

[Sally French]

All right, so there's a lot of chatter about visas. Do you need one? There's this new program coming out that's been delayed. Do you need a visa to get into Italy?

[Megan Coyle]

No, you do not need a visa. If you're a US citizen, you can stay up to 90 days without a visa in Italy. I was worried because there is something called etios, European Travel Information and Authorization System. It's usually written with acronym etias. That was supposed to go live this year, but it's been postponed again many times already. So starting in the last quarter of 2026, that's when this new program will go into effect. And you'll need to fill out an application for an ETIOS travel authorization to visit any of the ETIOS member countries, including Italy. So that'll apply to all travelers, regardless of age. And again, that's coming next year. And there is a small fee associated with it. It's about €7 for adults between the ages of 18 and 70.

[Sally French]

Okay, let's talk about transit. How do you get around Italy?

[Megan Coyle]

Right. So within the cities, I walked almost everywhere, especially in Florence, Rome, also very walkable, especially in, like, the main tourist area. But to get in between regions, that's when I was using, like, trains, rental Right, right, that kind of thing.

[Sally French]

But I really wouldn't even want a rental car in Rome or Florence because as you said, everything is so walkable.

[Megan Coyle]

I did get a rental car to go out to the small towns and I would say that totally worth it if you are, you know, gonna road trip and see some of the places outside of the big cities.

[Sally French]

How was it driving a rental car in Italy?

[Megan Coyle]

Well, I made my boyfriend drive.

[Sally French]

Oh, you didn't have to drive. Okay.

[Megan Coyle]

Yeah, but it was pretty easy. Like the signs were easy to read. Google Maps worked great. But honestly, figuring out the tolls was the hardest part. Like, you take a ticket and then you gotta like keep that ticket with you and then you put it back like when you exit. So be prepared for those kinds of things if you do get a rental car. And then the other thing I want to mention is that Italy does want you to have an international driver's permit to be able to rent a car there and so you can get one from your local AAA office. So that's what my boyfriend did before we left. It was super easy. I think we did it the week he left and it was very fast.

[Sally French]

Everybody loves trains in Europe. Let's talk about the trains in Europe.

[Megan Coyle]

Yes. So in between those cities, if you're not stopping in the small towns, I would really recommend taking those high speed trains. They go super fast. Like you can get from Florence to Rome or vice versa in less than two hours. But there are two major companies, Tren Italia and Italo, that offer high speed trains. So you can look online and just see which one offers the itinerary or the departure time that you want and then book that and you'll be good to go. It was great. On regional trains, though, I do recommend validating your ticket. I actually got a fine like five minutes into being in Italy, which was.

[Sally French]

You didn't scan your ticket ticket, you got fined.

[Megan Coyle]

We bought the ticket, but we didn't validate it, which is actually this little machine usually either on the train station track, like at the train station, or on the train itself that you have to like run your ticket through it and it stamps it with the time that you got on. Oh my gosh.

[Sally French]

So you couldn't play like the I'm a dumb American card. I didn't know.

[Megan Coyle]

Oh, I tried. I tried everything. I was like, I'm so sorry. We literally just landed. Like, I could show you my ticket from the airplane. We all got €40 fines, like immediately for a €2 ticket.

[Sally French]

Okay, listeners, we make travel mistakes too. Everybody does it. And I think that's the pro tip. You always got to budget for these little extra expenses because you never know when you're going to get a ticket on the train in Italy.

[Megan Coyle]

Yeah, that was definitely part of my travel emergency fund, which we've talked about.

[Sally French]

Okay, let's talk about money. So Italy is on the euro. Now. I have not been to Italy since before COVID and it seems like things have really shifted away from cash. So I want to know what was the payment situation like for you in Europe?

[Megan Coyle]

Yeah. So most places accept credit card, but you'll want some cash, especially if you want to do a gondola ride.

[Sally French]

Are gondolas cash only?

[Megan Coyle]

Yeah, they are cash only. The ones in Venice, it costs €90 for every like a 30 minute ride. And that's if you're going, you have.

[Sally French]

To carry a lot of cash. Okay. So plan ahead. This is not like the €5 of change.

[Megan Coyle]

Yeah. That was literally the only place that I really needed the euro cash. But everywhere else I could use cards, so that was easy.

[Sally French]

Okay, so have some cash on hand. Especially if you're doing an expensive €90 gondola ride. That's kind of expensive in my mind.

[Megan Coyle]

Well, there's a lot of ways you can save on the gondola. Actually, like a lot of people are down to ride with you. That's like €90 per boat. So, like we had people come up to us because my sister and I went together. So we were walking around town and people were like, oh, we can share. I think some of them can fit up to like five people.

[Sally French]

Oh, kind of fun, actually. Then you make some friends that way.

[Megan Coyle]

Yeah, totally.

[Sally French]

That's a great tip.

[Megan Coyle]

Yeah. And then my other tip for the gondolas is you don't have to go to the first gondola you see. There's literally gondolas all over Venice, of course, and I think some of the better ones are on like the quieter canals. Not the Grand Canal. Yes.

[Sally French]

Right. That reminds me of nomadic Matt's tip where he talks about eating and he's like, do not eat within five blocks of a tourist attraction. You got to go just like a little bit more past and it's a way better experience.

[Megan Coyle]

What I found hard about Venice is like, the whole city seems like a tourist attraction.

[Sally French]

So many people want to go to Italy, so it just becomes more and more tourists. Speaking of people wanting to go to Italy, tons of airlines have started new routes to Italy this year. What are some of the deals that you're seeing?

[Megan Coyle]

Our Friends at Going have actually been sending me all these airfare deals this year. Some of it is because those airlines have started those new routes to Italy. I've been seeing prices like in the $400 to $600 range for round trip flights to Italy. And they're not just in Rome, they're actually to Venice, Milan, like other cities as well. So if you're looking for a cheap flight, I would recommend, you know, setting your price alerts on whatever service you use or search aggregator. There are definitely a lot of deals to be had to go to Italy.

[Sally French]

And also, you know, you mentioned it's so easy to get around via train. So even if you're like, I really actually want to go to Florence sometimes, if you get a cheap flight into Rome, that's so much better. And taking the train versus trying to find a more expensive, expensive possible flight to Florence.

[Megan Coyle]

Yeah, that's a great tip. Honestly, the most expensive part of the trip is probably going to be the hotels or the lodging like it is on every trip.

[Sally French]

Let's talk hotels. What are prices like for hotels in Italy?

[Megan Coyle]

Well, hotels are expensive. In fact, According to the 2025 Hotels.com Price Index, hotel prices were up slightly in Rome, Florence and Milan last year. In 2024, the average nightly rate is $296 in Rome and it's about $300 also in Florence and Milan. These are not super fancy hotels either. In Rome, Hotels.com found that like $250 hotels will most likely get you a three star stay, which is probably gonna be comfortable, but it won't be the most luxurious four or five star stays that you might be seeing on social media. So I would just, you know, temper your expectations that way that you can find cheaper hotels in Italy, but it might not be like an amazing high value deal where you get all these like, amenities as well.

[Sally French]

That's such a good reminder of how expensive hotels can be. Because I think a lot of people when they're planning their vacation, they start by saying, wow, I got this $400 airfare. This vacation is going to be so cheap. But it's like 400 is small potatoes when you figure this average 300 nightly rate, if you're going to stay 10 nights, that's $3,000. Cheap airfare is kind of a drop in the bucket.

[Megan Coyle]

Anyway, I had a lot more success finding cheap Airbnbs. So yes, that was because it's really hard to find accommodations in Europe that fit more than two people without buying multiple rooms. Right. But at airbnbs they had some of these bigger properties, and they were much cheaper when you split it with a group. So in Cinque Terre, we had a group of eight people staying together, and the Airbnb was less than $200 per person for three nights. So that's way cheaper than $300 a night that you might be paying at a hotel in Rome or Milan or something like that.

[Sally French]

You know, I did a family trip. There were six of us, and we went to Italy, and every single place we stayed at was an Airbnb. I do think the experience can always be, let's say, an experience in Venice. It was, like, so sketchy to even find the host, and we were, like, standing in the bus station trying to get the WI fi to communicate with him. So do again, temper your expectations that, as is often the case with Airbnbs, the experience can be inconsistent, but almost always so much cheaper.

[Megan Coyle]

Yes. I also want to throw in a really affordable option that my family stayed in last year. You can actually stay at a monastery or a religious guest house.

[Sally French]

Interesting.

[Megan Coyle]

And you don't have to be that religion to stay there. But it was awesome. Ours was like this beautiful, really historic building. And, I mean, you'd see the nuns around, and the rooms were incredibly comfortable. You had your private bathroom. It was just like a hotel room. It was just very simple. And that's so cool.

[Sally French]

That feels like part of the Italian experience.

[Megan Coyle]

Oh, yeah. And like, they also had breakfast included every single day.

[Sally French]

You know, I love a free breakfast.

[Megan Coyle]

You can book these through some aggregators like monastery stays.com, but probably the cheapest option is to book directly. But that means you might have to do a little extra leg work in terms of, like, emailing them, asking about the availability, that kind of thing. So if that's like a real turn off for you, then maybe not. But I thought it was great. I loved it and I would stay again.

[Sally French]

Wow. I've never considered staying in a monastery, but I'm glad that I too, listened to the Smart Travel podcast. All right, let's talk about planning. Now, everyone dunks on things like Disney for the amount of planning required. But I'm sorry, I feel like Italy requires just as much planning, if not more.

[Megan Coyle]

Yeah, totally. I mean, you really have to buy things way ahead of time because it is just so crowded and all of these sites are so popular. So I recommend everyone who wants to do any of the popular touristy things in Italy to just figure out first when the tickets come out and book them ahead of time.

[Sally French]

Yes. So with Many of these things, it's like the tickets go on sale 90 days out, and you have to be there 90 days out to get your tickets. So do plan if you have some of these must see museums, what is sort of like your recommended cities you would go to? I know you make name so many cities. When I go to Italy, I'm like, boom, one city a day. I'm like a manic bunny. But how would you recommend someone break down their stay if they have like one or two weeks?

[Megan Coyle]

So I think you could take it a little bit slower and spend an entire week around one of the major cities and then maybe add on like a few little small towns or nearby destinations, but really base yourself in one place as much as you can. So I did Rome for an entire week last year, and we had little extra day trips to go to Austia, to go to the sea and stuff like that. But I thought that was perfect, especially if you like history. There's literally so many things to do in Rome. I also think you could do an entire week in Florence. Ish. If you combine it with several days exploring the countryside. Or you could even do three days in Florence and three days in another nearby destination like Cinque Terre or Venice. I actually did Venice as a day trip, and I came back to Florence that night. So all of those things are possible, but don't just take it from me. I also asked Elle Colomarino. She is better known as your Italian bestie on Instagram and TikTok. Here's what she said about planning a trip to Italy, her home country. Elle, welcome to Smart Travel.

[D]

Thank you for having me, Megan.

[Megan Coyle]

So tell me a little bit about yourself. You grew up in Rome. What was your attitude toward travelers and tourists that you would see in your city?

[D]

So I grew up in Rome, and it's actually a separate little town called Ostia. It's by the water, which is super pretty, but it's still part of Rome. And I remember actually my grandma and I, we used to travel to Rome city quite often just for a day out together. Yeah, we take the train, It'd be like 20 minutes or so, and we'd go in. And obviously there were always tourists because we'd go to like the Trevi fountain, the Coliseum, and all the of fun places. And I feel like tourists were there, but they were also kind of just in the background. You know, we were doing our own thing and it wasn't super busy. I feel like there is a bit of a comparison to now where, you know, before we Used to be the locals in our city, whilst now maybe it's a bit more. It's the tourist place a little bit. But, yeah, I. I loved growing up in Rome.

[Megan Coyle]

So how did you get into creating content about Italy?

[D]

Yeah, so I was made redundant last year from my corporate job, but it was a really big blessing, actually. And I thought, why not just jump in and just do something for myself? And I just started creating content. I'd also seen not great Italy advice, I would say. So I kind of went online and I did a little bit of competitor research and I thought there isn't really that many Italian really speaking about their own country. So I just thought I could be one of them. So I did it and the rest is history.

[Megan Coyle]

And what kind of content were you trying to make in terms of you wanted to help people find hidden gems? What were your goals or what was your niche in creating this Italy content?

[D]

I think initially it was how to experience Italy and how to travel within Rome, how to, you know, visit it a lot, but also don't get too overwhelmed. And then it became also sharing the local experiences, like local restaurants within the city, because there's so many good places, there's also very, very bad places or like, you know, more tourist traps. So for me, it's like, I really want someone that goes to Rome to have an amazing experience and see it the way I see it.

[Megan Coyle]

And you mentioned that you saw things on social media initially that. That weren't quite right or maybe not the best advice for Italy. What were some of those things you were seeing?

[D]

I think just really overhyped restaurants and itinerary advice that wasn't, for me, the most ideal. So I just thought instead of sending someone to a restaurant where there's a queue outside that you have to wait for maybe like an hour and a half, two hours. I know so many spots. My uncle owns a pub in Trastevere as well, like in the center of Rome. I'm like, he knows so many places. So we kind of bounce ideas back and forth. So that's where, like, I started to share all these local places too.

[Megan Coyle]

What do you think are the most common mistakes people make when visiting Italy?

[D]

I think over planning, like, you have five days and so many places you want to visit. And I totally understand, because you're overseas, you maybe want to see you going to Rome, but then you like, maybe I can do a day trip to Florence, maybe I can go to Venice for a night. And it just becomes such a long list of things and it just becomes overwhelming. I'd say strip it back and just plan. But also leave some time for some chill times. Because the times where you're strolling around Rome or you're strolling around Florence and you get lost in a little alleyway, maybe you find a little winery, those are the best memories that you're gonna actually be telling everybody.

[Megan Coyle]

Yes. 100. I think it feels good for the traveler too, because it's like a surprise for them. Like they weren't expecting some of little delightful moments you can have if you give yourself time to just happen upon them.

[D]

Exactly.

[Megan Coyle]

If people want to visit Italy like a local, I think the key here is that they want to go to local restaurants or take tours that are actually given by people who have lived in Italy their whole lives or something like that. What are your tips for finding those very local experiences?

[D]

I think if you just research the tours like you were saying, make sure they're local led. There are so many big corporations that actually run these tour companies that maybe they've hired someone local. But you're not giving back to the local community. You're just giving back to this corporation set in another country in Europe somewhere. So just really question yourself and ask, does this look like it could be local led? And look, it's pretty hard sometimes to actually make sure that that happens. But also ask the locals. So when you're around, you hear someone speaking Italian, you can ask them, hey, like, where do you go for food? And that way you know that you're supporting a local business.

[Megan Coyle]

That's a great tip. I love doing that. And also like just asking literally any local who will talk to me, every single one I interact with, I'm like, so where are you going next? Can I, can I also come to lunch? Can I also get a drink? Think. What are some ways that you think tourists overspend when they're on their Italian vacations?

[D]

Definitely going to overhype places. I love the Amalfi coast, but it is very, very expensive. And that's the reason why many Italians that either go in low season or they don't really go at all, to be completely honest. Or even like over hyped restaurants. There is, there's quite a few that come to my mind and like that's a way that you know, you can actually support with that money and you can spend half of the money you're spending on that restaurant into a local restaurant and you're actually supporting a local business. So that's definitely the two ways I think going to overhyped Destinations, but also overhyped restaurants.

[Megan Coyle]

One thing that I didn't struggle with exactly, but I found out there was a lot that I didn't know was taking the trains around Italy. I was wondering if you could help explain for people who haven't been there yet, kind of how the train system works. There's like these regional trains, there's some fast ones, there are some smaller local train systems. What should people know about taking the train in Italy?

[D]

I think two main things. The first one is try to pre book the trains. Especially if they're the high speed trains. I would pre book them in advance because the earlier you pre book actually you get better price and you get better deals. So you can get a business class from Rome to Florence maybe for like €35. Whether it's if you're trying to book it from today to tomorrow, if it's available, you'd maybe pay like €150. And then secondly, yeah, you have high speed trains and you have regional trains. The regional trains are inexperienced because you don't have a signed seat. You can purchase them on the day really, because it doesn't really matter. You can just get on the train without having an assigned seat. That means that if you're going from Naples to Sorrento, there is a chance the train will be completely full. And if you're going to like those really, really busy destinations, even between Cinque Terre, maybe get a private driver instead if budget allows. But yeah, those are my two main tips.

[Megan Coyle]

Okay, let's go back to Rome. Once people have hit all the main tourist attractions, you know, the Coliseum, the Spanish Steps, the Vatican, what is the next place you usually recommend people check out?

[D]

I always recommend Trastevere and it's just the next door neighborhood. It's really beautiful. Is now getting a little bit more touristy. So it still has that local flair. However, it is getting a bit bit out there, getting busier. And that's where actually my grandma lives, which is so nice. And then next door to Festival there's actually another neighborhood called Testacho. And Testacho has this nice food market that has so many different stalls and they're all local owned stalls of food so you can taste all the different foods. There is something from called Piadina from Emilia Romagna. You can taste Prosecco from the north of Italy. There's so many different things. Amazing pizza. So definitely check out Mercazo de Estachio for a very local experience.

[Megan Coyle]

Ooh, I love that. I love a food market. And last question, do you have any destination? Dupes. So this was a concept that one of our guests actually taught me a few weeks ago. And it's like, if you want to go here, but you don't want to deal with. With a lot of crowds or maybe how much it costs to go there, you can go to this place instead. We kind of talked about one for the Amalfi coast, but do you have any others?

[D]

I'd say yeah, for the Amalfi coast, I would go to Puglia instead. So much more local, much more authentic. I don't think you can really substitute Rome or Florence, to be honest. But if you want to go countryside and maybe Tuscany, you want something a bit cheaper and kind of similar style, you can go to Umbria, which is the next region over. So super easy to get to. It's just another maybe like 20 minute drive. It's like on the border. Really nice.

[Megan Coyle]

All right, well, Elle, thank you so much for coming on the show.

[D]

Thank you so much for having me. It was so fun.

[Sally French]

Okay. That was so fun. I like the idea of going on vacation where the locals go on vacation.

[Megan Coyle]

Same, actually. Both of the couples that got married in Italy did that. Of the two weddings I went to, one went to Sardinia right after and the other did Sicily with their friends. All right, let's hear from the listeners. Tell us about your Italy experiences. Send us your questions. And I kind of like this format of the show where we talk about the same trips we've just taken. What country or city should we do next?

[Sally French]

I think the listeners should tell us. They can email us@travel nerdballet.com or you might even leave us a voice memo.

[Megan Coyle]

We might play your voice on the show.

[Sally French]

Now, Megan, what if people want to stalk your Italy pics? And by stock, I mean just casually follow you on Instagram like a normal person. Maybe throw some likes on photos of you looking cool on a small Italian yacht. Where can they find those photos?

[Megan Coyle]

I would love that. It's Miles with Megan company. It's Megan with an H and co. Kind of like a company, but it's not a company. It's just the beginning of my last name.

[Sally French]

And you can follow me on Instagram at Save with Sally. I will do my best to hunt down some of my 2019 Italian picks and posts too.

[Megan Coyle]

Nice. Also, if you're following us, please rate and review our show. You can also leave a comment or a star rating. We know it's hard to find on Spotify. If you're listening there, you just have to click on the show and then open the menu with the three dots and click on Rate the Show.

[Sally French]

And don't forget to follow the show on your favorite podcast app. That includes Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and iHeartRadio. That way you can automatically download next week's episode.

[Megan Coyle]

This episode was produced by Tess Viglen. Hillary Georgie helped with fact checking. Nick Karisimi mixed our audio and here's our disclaimer.

[Sally French]

We are not financial or investment advisors. This interview info is provided for general educational and entertainment purposes. It may not apply to your specific circumstances.

[Megan Coyle]

Thanks for listening. We hope you're inspired to keep your passport full and your wallet even fuller. See you next episode.

[Sally French]

Ciao.

[E]

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