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For the budget conscious traveler an Italian vacation may seem far out of reach. But many people are surprised to find that visiting this destination may be well within the cards. One of the most expensive aspects of a vacation is usually the airfare and hotel. So what are the options available for those who want to enjoy Italy and save at the same time?
Well for starters you may want to go on your vacation to Italy during the off season. This will mean that you will find cheaper airfares. There are great prices to be found for airfare, especially if you plan to fly directly from a major international airport such as New York or London. All airfare rates drop dramatically after the summer. Hotel rates per night will also be more affordable. After the summer many hotels are recovering from the large numbers of people that came through their doors. You will find out that most places are happy for customers that provide them with business during the off peak season.
Service could be even better simply because there are fewer people to serve and focus on. The lines are also shorter for almost everything. Peak season is the summer months of June through August. So why not plan to go in September if you can? You will still enjoy all the sights and the remnants of great summer weather. For example Rome in July can go up to 92 degrees but may be 80 degrees in September. The advantage of going on your Italian vacation during the off-peak season is that the crowds are not there, the weather is slightly cooler and Italy becomes more of itself. You can really experience Italy and its people if you go in the off season and you will save some money too. Not only are hotels and airfares cheaper in the off season but you will also find discounts available for guided tours and concerts.
Another way to save on your vacation is to take public transportation whenever possible rather than a taxi. Of course this needs some planning in advance, or you could spend numerous hours lost and wasting valuable time. But with an adventurous spirit and an Italian pocket dictionary in hand it can be done! Italy is well known for its extensive rail network. You can get a rail pass or buy tickets as you go. Either way, this option will help you save if you are on a budget.
Another great tip for a cheap Italy vacation is to forgo the hotel altogether. Rent a house or an apartment for a few days and you will save tremendously. This is especially true if you also factor in the presence of a kitchen that can allow you to make some of your meals rather than rely on dining out for every meal. Even if you have to stay at a hotel you should also consider fixing some simple meals such as sandwiches when you can especially if you come across a grocery store.
There are many things you can do to save on a vacation. For more information on Italian vacations click here or visit Italiantourism.com.
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Apply for a passport here.
When traveling to Italy there are several things you must have. The least of these are a passport and maybe even a visa. If this is your first time traveling out of the US, you will need to apply for a passport. You may also need to apply for a passport if your old one has expired, is damaged or lost. Applying for a passport is a fairly simple process which may be as simple as a trip to the post office, but be sure to start early so you can be ready. There are stories of people who have had to cancel vacations because their passport was not ready.
The US Department of State asks that you allow six months for them to process your passport application, however some travelers have found it only took a few weeks. You can apply online, however first time applicants must apply in person. The main supporting document that is required is a valid original US birth certificate. Passport applicants are sometimes surprised to find that their original birth certificate needs to be submitted to the Department of State with a promise of it being mailed back. Many people tend to be leery of this especially because they have found how difficult it is to get a replacement birth certificate. However, most report that within a short period of receiving their new passports, their birth certificates arrive in the mail safe and sound. For all the details on where the 9000 passport application accepting facilities are, and how to apply for a passport for your Italy vacation you can go to www.travel.state.gov/passport
If you are a US citizen, you will not need a visa to travel to Italy. However, you must show that your airline ticket includes a return back to the US. If you are planning to travel to Italy for reasons other than a vacation, the requirements are different and usually stricter. When on vacation in Italy, you can stay for a maximum of 3 months at a time, but remember that this is a combined period to include any time spent in several other European countries. Italy has an embassy in Washington DC that can process visas for non-US citizens. They must go to the embassy for personal interviews. If you are going to Italy for a vacation the prime concern of the Italian government is that you plan to return to your country. Therefore they always ask for proof that you have a full-time job especially if you are a non-US citizen.
The Department of State recommends that during your Italy vacation you register your presence there with the US embassy. This is important in case someone needs to contact you for an emergency, or in case of a disaster abroad so your whereabouts can be confirmed.
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Italian food will be very important to you during and after your vacation in Italy. Most people are usually surprised by the diversity of food in Italy, especially if they expect to eat pizza, pasta and spaghetti during their time their. You may get your fill of these classics while you are in Italy, but you will also want to make sure you get your fair share of local delicacies too. Make sure the food you eat is made from locally grown ingredients, and make sure you pair the food with some great wine and you will be experiencing Italy at its best.
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Italian food is classed into 3 regional types. Northern, Central and Southern. While visiting Northern Italy, you will find that the food here is less “Italian” than you would expect. For example they use less olive oil and more butter. They also eat more rice and corn polenta here than pasta, and tomato sauce is not used very often. Northern Italian food also includes a lot of wild game found in the countryside. These include wild fowl, rabbit and quail. Northern Italy also has some coastal towns as well as some towns and villages near streams and rivers. So if you visit Northern Italy during your Italy vacation, you may eat a lot of seafood and fish.
What we know as “Italian food” comes from Central Italy. Olive oil, cheeses and rich tomato sauces all hail from central Italy. The coastal areas here are also well known for seafood. Italian cooking was said to have been born in Tuscany, which is a region in Central Italy. Some of the best olive oil comes from Southern Italy. But very little of it is exported so make sure you sample the olive oil here during your Italy vacation. Naples, a city in this area is well known for its pizza and southern Italy as a whole grows a lot of citrus fruits and has many vineyards. Some of the best wines in the world come from Southern Italy.
You may eat at several local restaurants during your vacation in Italy. However one of the best ways to sample some of the different food that Italy has to offer during your vacation is to take a cooking class, or make your vacation a culinary one. Many of these classes and culinary vacations include going on a winery tour or wine tasting events. Cooking classes can range from a few hours, to half a day and they range in price from about $150 to $250. Many of these are hosted by families in homes or small inns. Some of these classes are taught by excellent chefs many of whom have written Italian recipe books and manage restaurants. They will teach you which food goes with which wine to make for a delicious meal. During your Italy vacation you can also learn how to make your own homemade spaghetti and authentic tomato sauce.
No matter which region of Italy you find yourself in, you are in for a culinary treat. Remember to book your vacation at myroadtotravel.com
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During your Italy vacation you will find that wine is very important to the country. It has some of the oldest vineyards in the world and some of the best wines are produced here. About 20% of wine in the world is produced in Italy. While you are on your Italy vacation you will find that wine is served with every meal and sometimes in-between meals. It will be offered to you almost everywhere you go because grapes are grown all over Italy, and wine is made by everyone, from the villagers to the large commercial wineries. It is said that there are over one million vineyards in Italy!
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So what are some of the wineries you should visit on your Italian vacation? The Enthusiastic Traveler offers winery tours in May, September and October. This tour is in the Tuscan region which is the home of the Super Tuscan. Super Tuscan wines do not follow the rules of wine making. Blends are made using non-traditional methods of combining certain grapes which are not normally combined. The tour will take you to a farm called Castel Pietraio in a beautiful hillside town near Siena for a simple wine tasting of wines made by squeezing grapes in barrels. There is also a visit to an ancient castle complete with a wine making baron who has discovered some very rare grapes to use in his wines. For your vacation in Italy “The Enthusiastic Traveler” may be contacted through its website at theenthusiastictraveler.com
Ca’Bruzzo Italian Winery is found in Northern Italy close to Venice. They grow 5 varieties of grapes here and produce about 20,000 bottles a year. This is a small family owned winery and they believe their close physical contact with the vines make for their especially tasty wines. During your Italy vacation, you may want to take this tour because not only do you get to taste wine at its different stages of development and see the wine cellar, but the family will also teach you how to make wine and care for a vineyard. There is a lot of focus on the benefits of organically grown grapes. If you enjoy this vineyard, the Bruzzos can even ship their wine to you so you can continue to experience the amazing taste. This winery can be contacted through its website at cabruzzo.com
One of the most memorable wines that you may come across during your Italy vacation is called “Est! Est! Est!” It is a semi-sweet white wine from Montefiascone. It has some effervescence and a mildly fruity flavor. It is said that this wine got its name from the story of a German bishop who needed to go to Rome and sent someone ahead of him to mark the doors of inns serving the best wines along the way. He marked the doors with the word “Est!” in chalk and when he got to Montefiascone he liked the wine so much that he marked the inn door with “Est! Est! Est!”
Wines are a centerpiece of Italian culture. No matter where you land in Italy, you are bound to find some of the best wines on earth. Remember, for all your travel needs visit us at myroadtotravel.com
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When you travel to Italy you can be rest assured that accommodations will not be a problem. Remember that this is one of the biggest tourist destinations in the world, so there is a healthy helping of hotels, villas, inns, and bed and breakfasts to choose from. You may be on a budget, you may want to live in luxury, you may want to experience Italy in the home of an Italian or you may be traveling in a group and prefer to stay at a place that can accommodate everyone. All the largest international hotels chains have a place in Italy, so if that is what you prefer then there will be plenty of choices – especially in Rome.
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During your vacation to Italy, you will find that there is something to suit everyone’s needs. However, to completely experience Italy on your vacation it is recommended that you stay at a small bed and breakfast if you can. Most of these are family run and you will hear all kinds of stories, folklore and little known facts that may not be in any of the guide books you may have with you on your Italy vacation.
If you are traveling in style and you are visiting Venice, you may want to consider staying at the Novecento Boutique Hotel. It is a chic bed and breakfast that is family run and offers luxurious accommodations. 30 minutes from the airport and offering free internet services, this hotel is modern but still maintains the old Venetian feel to it that will be appreciated by even the most discerning visitors. It is very close to many of Venice’s main attractions and with only 9 rooms, it is most suited to smaller groups or pairs. Most of the rooms have antiques collected by the owners through their own world travels, and the bathrooms are especially large. The food here is said to be excellent and this boutique hotel is noted for its peaceful setting even for being as close as it is to all the action in Venice. This is the perfect place to stay if you are in Venice for your Italy vacation.
If you are visiting Florence, you should consider staying at a place called The Artist’s Residence. Florence is the seat of Italy’s artistic soul and this bed and breakfast is the perfect place to experience the renaissance. It is in the middle of old Florence and is furnished with 19th century sculptures created by Giovanni Dupre. The present owners of the bed and breakfast are his descendants. You will find original florentino tiled floors and even the bar counter was a confessional from 1500AD. Some bedrooms have terraces, and you may be able to see the courtyard gardens from your terrace. Breakfast here is also said to be excellent and there are numerous restaurants close by to choose from for your other meals. There are 45 air-conditioned rooms here and also a gym and a solarium. This hotel also provides access to the Internet if you cannot go without it on your Italy vacation.
No matter where you stay in Italy you are bound to have a fantastic time. Remember for all your vacation and travel needs visit us at myroadtotravel.com. For more on Italy click here. For our own persona Italy pictures click here.
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