The joys of self-catering in Greece and Italy
We know travelling long term around these regions can get very expensive, so people came up with a great idea, allow tourists to self-cater. Many apartments, studios and even hotel rooms will allow you to self-cater as much or as little as you want. Obviously facilities and equipment will vary from place to place, from providing an electric kettle to a full on stove with pots and pans, to a microwave, a mini bar or a full fridge. There’s a range of options to make your holiday cheaper (and healthier) so you can stay for longer or have a cheaper holiday. Shopping in supermarkets, butchers and local bakeries gives you the opportunity to not only save money but also sample the local produce and try local wines at a much more affordable price.
For example, in Greece, both on the islands and the mainland, a lot of places will provide an electric kettle or some sort of coffee making facilities also a mini stove with pots and pans, detergent, sponge, plates, cutlery, crockery, etc. Some places will also provide olive oil, vinegar, oregano, etc so it’s a good idea to check the place out before you go grocery shopping.
In Italy the focus is more on coffee making facilities, always a good coffee machine and most of the time good quality coffee is also provided. Some places will also offer a range of sugary treats for breakfast. Some places have a very well equipped communal kitchen, sometimes a private one and other times just coffee making facilities, so its a good idea to do a bit of research to find out what will suit your personal needs. These details should be included on the website you’re using eg. booking.com. You can save a lot and sometimes eat just as well or even better just by making your own breakfast, lunch or dinner, or just by having some wine and cheese on your apartment’s balcony instead of going out for drinks. We choose to self cater part time as we like to travel for longer but the choice is really yours.
