Are you short on cash but need some time away from assignments, exams and deadlines or do you just need a simple change of scenery for the weekend? Well, it is certainly possible and most encouraged if you need a little short getaway to clear your head and get some mind space before the breakdown begin around the spring term.
Being located in the UK, we are so incredibly blessed to have so many cultures and beautiful sights situated right at our door step. France, Greece, Italy and even the Netherlands. You name it! Being an Aries with an impulsive nature, I plunged into online deals for holidays and had a look at some last minute options. I recently felt I just needed a simple break. We all do at some point, right?
After clicking through some amazing deals and places on travel sites, it was so unbelievable to think that I could literally be tanning on a sun-bed sipping on Mojitos next week in Portugal for just £130 — I really started getting carried away then. Visiting Malta was definitely the runner up in my decision-making process as the hotels looked so luxe on the oceanfronts.
Despite needing the sun on my blindingly pale legs, my partner and I opted for a city break as we both have a passion for history and of course, food! We also wanted to have relaxing walks through old passing streets where the lights sparkle and light up the city at the night.
Going away in March isn’t as warm as the summer sun but you’re still sure enough to get some lovely sunshine and good travel deals. In my opinion, Springtime is definitely the best time to take a mini break! My recent trip to Rome is proof for that statement!
As I am a full-time University student and a full-time mom, you can tell I really don’t have the cash or time to splurge on a two week trip to Ibiza. So here’s how I travelled on a budget spending less than £300 for a fabulous mini-break weekend trip.
1. Really take the time to look through travel deals - DO NOT GIVE UP!
1. Really take the time to look through travel deals - DO NOT GIVE UP!
When researching deals, it's important to use trustworthy sights that offer Trip-advisor reviews. These are where you can see other tourists experience with not only the hotel but the service provided. You don’t want to spend a relaxing holiday arguing with the front desk to get your hot water turned on if it somehow tends to stop working. I especially found that “breakfast included” hotels were a great deal so you can just wake up, eat and crack on with your day of touring about the city. I managed to snag a £170 deal for four nights in the city of Rome which included both flight and hotel on LoveHolidays!
2. Cut travel prices whilst exploring the city!
Similarly to finding hotel deals, I found it extremely important to stay in the actual city. This meant we only needed to pay €3 for the train and bus journey into the city where we then walked everywhere we needed. We tried to keep the prices down and this seemed to be the most important way to keep down our travel budgets. Although hotels in the city are a but more pricier — its important to price juggle the whole value of needing to travel into the city rather than just finding accommodation in the city!
3. Price Bargain!
Although it is a bit cheeky, you can always bargain prices on anything abroad. Tours, taxis or even souvenirs at gift shops. You will need to be realistic and confident when trying to talk the prices down. In experience from being in Rome, my partner took advantage of this as he managed to bring a Vatican City tour guide down €30 off the original tour price! It was a great deal! Also, if you seek a tour experience in any sights, it is highly recommended to take part in the last tours of the day as it is always so much quieter and you can have the whole sight to yourself! Whilst seeing the Vatican Museum, we managed to get the last tour of the day and it was an awesome experience to see it so empty and wander the halls on our own.
4. Do your research on tours!
If the colosseum is on your list of things to do whilst in Rome and you happen to be a European citizen between the age of 18-25, tickets for the attraction are only 2€ – AND seeing the Roman Forum and Palatine is also included in the price (an absolute bargain if you ask us!). It’s a much better deal than paying around 20€ for a fast track ticket however the only advice we can give is to make sure you arrive early to purchase tickets because there will be queues! The box office (which is a small brown ticket office to the side of the colosseum) opens at around 8:30 so if you aim to get there for this time you should be fine. The great thing about arriving early is that you can reserve your entrance for a later time which means you can even arrive early to book your tickets and go back to the hotel to nap (if you’re really not a morning person).
5. Be food savvy!
Trying Italian food in Rome is a must! But be careful to not dine in the super-touristy places as not only is the quality of the food poorer, but you’ll end up spending a lot more too! Try restaurants around the Trastevere area (the area of the city across the river from central Rome) – here, you’ll find a range of cute places selling classic Italian cuisine. It’s also worth trying some of the more authentic Italian bakeries for lunch or a snack. There’s one called Antico Forno Roscioli which is a popular hit for the locals and sells take-away pizza fresh from the oven at a ridiculously cheap prize. 1.50€ for a slice of pizza? Yes please!
To be extra price cautious with food, you can always food shop before-hand to keep some extra bits of snacks in your hotel room so you won’t crave any extra meals!
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