Now, before you ask “what were you thinking?” or say “that doesn’t sound particularly Cheapo, Pete,” let me explain further.

Yes, the villa we rented was admittedly off-the-charts decadent. It had seven large bedrooms, five bathrooms, a kitchen nearly as large as my current apartment, a billiard room, a dining room, a massive living room area, an in-ground pool whose gorgeousness was eclipsed only by its vineyard view, and—somewhat inexplicably—a separate, small chapel on the grounds. And just to round it off, there were also large stone lion statues adjacent to the front doors, greeting us upon our return from schlepping around the countryside.

But did we mention the entire week-long stay cost each person roughly $70 per night? Sure, you can beat the pants off that price at a number of our Editor’s Picks in Florence (while actually being in Florence rather than a 45-minute drive outside) but for everything that the villa had to offer, we felt the price was reasonable. And for the sheer experience of the endeavor we were willing to shell out a few extra euros.

Related: Our favorite affordable hotels in Tuscany

But looking back on our trip, there are a number of tips and recommendations that would have been helpful to know when we were planning our stay. Here are some things to consider when renting a villa in Tuscany:

1. Prepare to “hub” it.

If you’re planning to explore a particular region – rather than just one specific city – renting a villa makes sense. Our villa was located near the village of Traversa, making it easy to “hub it” and visit Florence, Pisa, Siena, Cinque Terre, Bologna, and even Venice during our trip. Which brings us to our next tip…

2. Get ready to drive.

Rent a car and plan on driving it a lot. This might seem obvious to most, but prior to our trip we didn’t really consider how frequently we’d be driving around the region. Fortunately we had several eager drivers among us who were particularly adept with manual transmissions. Otherwise, we likely wouldn’t have strayed too far from our residence. Which, again, brings us to our next tip…

3. Get cooking.

While most villa rental agencies offer decadent, home-cooked meals on the premises at an extra cost, part of what made our experience so special was handling all meals ourselves (plus it saved a whole lot of money). There was never any shortage of ingredients at local markets for our nightly dinners and we found that a large part of our daily routine revolved around dinner planning. And we loved it.

4. Get ready for some family time.

For our group, part of what made renting a villa so special was traveling as a big family. Sure, we experienced our fair share of “I think it’s your turn to do the dishes” moments, but we still frequently reflect and laugh about our hysterical experience of sleeping in the Tuscan castle.

When renting a villa in Tuscany might not make sense

1. You don’t like your in-laws. Just kidding. Promise.

2. You don’t like driving through twisty, turny, slightly nerve-wracking roads. If this is the case, you might be better off staying in a city rather than in the winding hills.

3. When the math doesn’t work out. Budget wisely and consider all the incidental expenses of renting a villa. While the per person price of accommodation itself can be similar to that of  2 and 3-star hotels, you’ll also pay for food, car rentals, gas, electricity, a cleaning fee, and any other incidentals that spring up.

Websites that specialize in renting villas in Tuscany and elsewhere

There are many helpful websites that provide reservation services for villa rental throughout Europe. Most offer large format, high quality photos that should stir up your excitement. Here are a few that we recommend checking out:

Parker Villas – Specializes in villas through Italy. Parker Villas was one of the first villa rental agencies we discovered when we started our search.

Tuscany Now – Large listing of villas for rent in Tuscany, Umbria, Lazio, Sicily, and other regions in Italy.

VRBO – While not technically a villa reservation agency, VRBO does feature many properties in Tuscany and beyond, plus the rates tend to be a bit more reasonable.

Cuendet – Offers villas in Croatia, Italy, France, and Spain (and was the website we used when booking ours).

Tell us: Have you ever rented a villa in Italy or elsewhere? Share your experience with other Cheapos by leaving a comment below.

The post How to rent a villa in Tuscany. Is it right for you? appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

If you’re an adventurous traveler, you might consider seeing the city like a local — on a cute little euro-scooter. But should you?

Pros

Renting a scooter in Florence makes sense if you want to take scenic drives through the countryside. If you rent a typical scooter (like a Honda SH 125 cc or the smaller Cagiva Cucciolo 50), you’ll be able to drive along country roads and scoot your way through Chianti country. Sounds romantic, no?

The hilly countryside (and even immediate environs of Florence) are much less strenuously traversed on a scooter than trekked on a bicycle.

Cons

Renting a scooter is not practical if you simply want to speed up your city sightseeing. Sure, the locals zip about town, but they also are trained to avoid the busiest streets and pedestrian zones, and know how to stay alert for tourists and car doors.

Even if you plan to limit your scooting to areas outside of Florence, you will need to exercise caution, as small roads have their share of blind corners, speeding autos, and other scooters. Also, consider that most of central Florence is a pedestrian-only zone, and scooter riding is relegated to the busy side streets.

Legalities

To rent a scooter in Florence, you simply need a passport, valid driver’s license, and the willingness to plunk down your credit card as a deposit.  Anyone riding on a scooter must wear a helmet (which is included in rental). Also included in scooter rental are liability insurance and unlimited miles.

Both agencies below require that drivers have previous experience driving a scooter. As Florence by Bike states in the FAQ, “we suggest not to rent a scooter if you are a beginner.”

Note that you will not be allowed to drive on highways and freeways unless you rent a motorcycle. However, small country roads are just waiting for you.

Where to rent

Alinari scooter rental – Via San Zanobi 38/R. Located near the main train station, Alinari has lower prices than its competitor and offers more types and sizes of scooters. Prices range from €30 for a one-day rental of a Cagiva Cucciolo or Honda 50, to €55 for a Honda Bali 100 cc and €55 for a Honda SH 125. The shop also rents bicycles and motorcycles.

Florence by Bike – Rents the same Honda SH 125 for €65, but offers much helpful advice. Additionally, the shop offers a wide variety of bicycle rentals and organizes bike tours, including a Chianti bike ride that it claims is not terrible strenuous. Florence by Bike encourages tourists to opt for bikes over scooters for visiting the city. Daily bikes rentals run from €14 for city bikes to €35 for fancy racing bikes, with many options in between.

Have you ever rented a scooter in Florence? Tell us about your experience!

The post Florence: Renting a scooter (should you do it?) appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Ready to roll? First, grab a good map. The tourism office facing Centraal Station offers a bike-specific map with highlighted biking paths and touring suggestions.

Then, go get a bike! Where?

Mike’s Bike Tours
Kerkstraat 134

One of the most popular bike rentals in Amsterdam, Mike’s (along with other rental agencies) requires you to leave some sort of deposit when you rent a bike:  your passport, an imprint of your credit card, or a deposit of €200. They provide you with two bike locks, and will even demonstrate how to use them!

(A word of caution: Mike’s also has a location in Munich and it can be a bit tricky to navigate their web site, so if you decide to book online, make sure you’re on the Mike’s Amsterdam page!)

Rates – 1/2 day: €5 (€8 with insurance); 1 day: €7 (€10 with insurance).

Frederic Rental Bike
Brouwerstgracht, 78

All bikes go for €10 a day (no hourly rentals) and Frederic requires a deposit of either a credit card or passport. Insurance is included in the price.

The advantages of renting from Frederic are simple: It’s cheap, you don’t have to deposit any money, and the bikes are free of giant logos that make them look like dorky, commercial rental bikes. These bikes are “originals,” and thus great for cycling hipsters. Also, Frederic’s staff claims they are “gastronomical freaks” and will fill you with their culinary expertise before you speed off.  While we don’t recommend eating your meals on wheels, you’ll at least know the best places to stop for a meal.

Canal Bike
Weteringschans 26- 1 hg

Ok, so this isn’t a traditional bike company. Canal Bike only rents “canal bikes,” which are pedal boats for two, three, and four people. With pedal boats, you’re free to tour the city via its famous waterways. Canal Bike holds onto a €50 deposit due at the time of your booking. Dock your boat at the Rijksmuseum, Anne Frank House, or countless other city attractions.

Rate – €8 per person for 1-2 people;  €7 per person for more than 2 people.

Mac Bike
Multiple locations around the city

If you’re making a group booking (10 people or more), we think Mac is the best plan of attack. They offer great rental discounts and even lead some of the most unique tours in town, grouped by interest (gay, architecture, even Hans Brinker).

Rates – From €6 (3 hours) to €25 (1 day), depending on type of bike and length of rental.

Bike City
68 – 70 Bloemgracht

Bike City is great if you plan to rent for more than a day. They offer really reasonable 5-day rates (€34-44.50) and prices are significantly reduced if you rent for more than 5 days.

Rates – €10-14.50 per 24 hour period.

Note: Prices are shown for half-day and full-day rentals, although multiple day rentals are available through most bike agencies.  A half-day rental makes sense for a fun tour of the town, although real cycle nuts (we see that Lance Armstrong bracelet!) and tourists looking to use their bike for daily transportation will want a longer rental.

The post Amsterdam: The cheapest bike in town appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.