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Lombardy’s churches are free, and contain some of Italy’s greatest art and architecture. The best chapels often require some payment, however. Italy’s gorgeous, palazzo -rimmed squares are free theatres of life, and the price of a cappuccino will get you a front row seat.

Discount admission to sights and museums varies greatly: the age cut-off may be 6, 12, 14, or 18, or just “students” and seniors (over 60 or sometimes 65). National museums are free under 18 and over 60 to everyone except US citizens. Many towns now sell tickets that combine several sights.

Under 18s can buy a Carta Verde for about €13 and receive 30 per cent discount on any train ticket; the same deal for over 60s is called Carta Argento. But none of Italy’s rail passes will pay off financially if you’re sticking just to Lombardy.

For periods longer than 21 days, a short-term lease is often cheaper than renting a car. Unlike with rentals, you also get full insurance coverage with no deductable, plus a brand-new car straight from the factory. The pioneers in this arrangement are Europe By Car and Auto Europe (see By Rental Car), though other agencies are starting to pick up on the concept.

Generally, prices rise the closer you are to the centre of town. Making do with a one or two-star hotel or taking a room without private bathroom in a central hotel is preferable to looking outside the centre or in the uninteresting but cheap train station neighbourhood. Also, avoid using the room phone and mini-bar – both are overpriced.

In food-loving Italy, price or category of restaurant has little to do with the quality of food, so a cheaper osteria or trattoria can be as tasty an option as a fancy ristorante. Be aware that appetizers tend to cost almost as much as first courses, but tap water (acqua dal rubinetto ) is usually free. Tavole calde and bars (see Bars and Tavole Calde) offer super cheap hot meals.

For little money, you can visit a string of small delis (alimentari ), greengrocers (fruttivendolo ), bread and pastry shops (panetteria/pasticceria ), and wine stores (enoteca/fiaschetteria ) and create your own picnic fit for a king. Then choose your location – overlooking a lake, or in a town’s main square, perhaps.

Cash will often get you a discount in shops and smaller hotels, as they won’t have to pay a credit card commission. However, make sure you leave with some kind of receipt, as by law you have to carry it 400 m beyond the store (a whole branch of the Italian police is devoted to financial fraud).

Spring and now autumn too are getting more crowded than summer, and hotels and airlines often extend their high-season prices accordingly. Mid-Nov to just before Easter is low season in Italy, when rates on air fares and hotels can drop considerably. However, facilities around the lakes (especially in resort towns) almost completely shut down in winter.

When possible, non-EU visitors should save purchasing for one store to hurdle the VAT limit and get a refund (see Tax Refunds). Go for artisan products rather than souvenirs, and, if you can, purchase directly from the crafts-people. Also, buy what you can’t get at home – look for local produce.