What scares more than anything else when traveling? The first thing that comes to mind is the language barrier, very present especially in Italy where the rate of knowledge of the English language is very low... But in reality the greatest danger is to squander all your savings during a long stay!
WillAge allows you to live a long stay 30 days in a very characteristic Italian village, or in the cities made famous for their lifestyle and for the increasingly special traditions.
We speak for example of Naples, a city rich in art, culture and equipped with many places suitable for savings.
In this section we want to teach tourists, both those interested in retiring to Italy and those just passing through for a long stay, to save as much as possible without depriving themselves of the authentic experience of the city you are visiting. How to avoid tourist traps, where to eat the best things at the lowest costs and so on... Make yourself comfortable!
Avoid high season.
If you are interested in visiting Naples and staying in this wonderful city for 30 days, know that the best choice to save is to avoid the high season. The low season in Naples is the late spring or early autumn, of the periods in which hotels, restaurants and other services for tourists greatly lower prices to meet a lower demand. Moreover it is in the autumn period that you can taste the real Vesuvian wine and other particularities not present in summer, where the heat and drought can cause problems. From the point of view of housing, prices are even 30% lower.
Avoid hotels.
Hotels in Naples are very expensive. Most of these, in fact, are a 4 or 5 star structure, and so this makes the price go up a lot. But it is also true that the best way to visit Naples is to rent a B & B, or a real house with all the comforts and also equipped with a small kitchen, so that you can cook products that you bought at the supermarket rather than resort to expensive take-away food or the expensive kitchen of a hotel. Many of these are also characteristic and traditional, especially those located in neighborhoods such as La Sanità or the Spanish Neighborhoods, typical of the Neapolitan culture that drives the world crazy.
Short-term rental.
If you do not like hostels or B&Bs because they are shared situations, know that one of the other solutions you can use to spend a period of at least 30 days in Naples is to rent a real structure in the short term. This solution is perfect for couples or large families, because the total cost does not vary according to how many people there are but is a cost resulting from the occupancy of the property (which is obviously already furnished and ready to use). In the last period, even applications such as Booking or Air BNB allow short-term rental.
Shop at the market.
A mistake that is often made when you are out for a trip is the fact that you always stop to eat in restaurants, pizzerias or kiosks that make street food. Although the latter is excessively cheap and affordable in Naples, it still remains a higher expense than the classic shopping market. There are real open-air markets that sell local and fresh products at affordable prices to cook the best traditional dishes at a low cost. These places are also perfect for those interested in getting to know the locals, making friends with them and so on. A different wealth than sitting at a restaurant table all day.
Buy discount cards for both transport and cultural tours.
If you are interested in discovering the Neapolitan museum culture (which has some of the most visited museums in all of Italy) you should make a subscription. This will save you some money. In Naples there is a card whose name is "Campania Artecard" that allows not only to enter the museums for free, but also to reach them for free as it is valid as a subscription for transport. The latter lasts three days, and allows admission to the National Archaeological Museum, the Capodimonte Museum and the Catacombs of San Gennaro: the total cost of these three museums alone exceeds 50€. Not to mention the fact that the same card offers 50% discount on many other sites even outside of Naples: it is convenient, isnt' it?
Day trip on the island!
The islands of Naples are the most sought after and visited, but staying for just one night could be a nightmare. If you want to visit Procida, Ischia and Capri, we recommend that you spend whole days exploring these islands by taking from Molo Beverello a ferry (the slowest and not the express one, to save even more) that can take you to your destination. Here you can safely see the islands on a day, maybe take a bath if you are interested, and return in the evening to your apartment in the city center. You will find that this mode is much cheaper than staying directly on the islands. Add a packed lunch and prices will drop even more!
Take a walk!
If you visit Naples during the low season and therefore between spring and autumn, you will certainly not encounter the torrid climates of summer. With the heat off, why not give up public transport for a walk? Naples has the good fortune to be connected not only through an underground subway, but also through buses, trams and trolleybuses. However, taking them daily could result in excessive spending. So why not walk? The city is very pleasant to observe even on foot, with the possibility of being able to get into some small streets that otherwise we will not be able to see if aboard a vehicle...
If you want to eat out, eat a pizza!
Naples is the city of pizza, so we are entitled that here costs more than in other places... it is absolutely the opposite. In Naples pizza is a food for the poor, costs a few euros and is made with ingredients of the highest choice and quality. If you really can’t eat at home, therefore, it is better to eat in a pizzeria than in a restaurant. Except for rare exceptions (such as very famous pizzas from particularly renamed clubs) a daisy will cost you 5€ and will be one of the best experiences of your life! Obviously avoid tourist places, always try to go to pizzerias that do not show outside signs in English. Look for authenticity away from the center! And if you don’t want to eat a whole pizza, know that many pizzerias offer pizza al taglio, aka pizza but the slice to be able to eat freely around.
Daily costs in Naples
Shuttle bus from Naples-Capodichino Airport: €5
Hostel dorm bed: €15–30
Budget hotel room for two: €40–100
Self-catering apartment for two: €30–50
Pizza: €4–15; slice €1–2
Metro or bus ticket: €1.50
Espresso at the bar/a table: €2/4
Dinner for two with drinks: €30–50
Spritz aperitivi: €1–5
