Thank you, Peter.

***

From a foreign currency standpoint, right now is a great time to visit Italy. If you’re in the UK, the pound is at its highest point against the euro since 2008 today (at 1.27) and stands a high chance of climbing still. In fact, some economists believe it could reach 1.35 inside a month! If you’re in the US meanwhile, then at almost 0.82 cents, the buck hasn’t been this high against the euro since October 2010.

In both cases then, you stand to get a great deal. So if you do decide to travel, how do you go about making the most of changing currency? How do you avoid needless fees, and get as close to those record-breaking exchange rates as you can? In this post, I want to illustrate some ideas.

1. Avoid changing currencies at the airport.

This is because you’re a captive consumer at the airport, and so can’t compare the available exchange rates with those elsewhere. It means airport bureaux de change tend to offer the worst deals.

2. Avoid using your domestic debit or credit card abroad.

This is because you could be subject to a host of fees, charged by most major banks. In the UK, this includes a £1.50 fee to withdraw cash, and a £1.50 fee to use the plastic in a foreign shop

To find out how much you could be charged for using your debit or credit card abroad, contact your bank or card provider.

3. Avoid using plastic to exchange currencies.

In the UK, services such as the Royal Mail offer reasonable exchange rates. However, if you do decide to use them, avoid using your debit or credit card to exchange currencies at the branch. This is because you can be charged a hidden fee for doing so, depending on your bank.

Instead, to avoid these fees, withdraw the total UK pounds or US dollars you intend to exchange at an ATM first, and use these to buy your euros.

If you’re outside the UK meanwhile, check with your card provider to find out if you’ll be charged for using your debit card to change currencies at the post office.

4. Compare exchange rates before you buy.

In the UK, you can use a comparison site to find out which service offers the best exchange rate.

If you’re outside the UK, it’s worth finding out which bureaux de change are in your local area, and giving them a call.

The difference in the available exchange rates can be substantial, so this is certainly worth doing.

5. Consider using a pre-paid card instead of cash.

The biggest drawback of buying foreign currency as cash is that you can lose it, and once it’s gone it’s gone. Instead, for more security, consider a pre-paid card such as those available from Caxton FX and Fair FX. You top them up with euros beforehand and, if you lose it, you can get the card replaced (euros intact) for about £10.

To find out the fees and conditions associated with using a Caxton FX card, click here. For those associated with using a Fair FX card, click here.

Hopefully, if you keep these tips in mind, you can find a great exchange rate for when you visit Italy. Have fun!

Peter is an economic commentator at foreign exchange specialist Pure FX.

Through our business, My Bella Vita Travel, travelers to the Catanzaro area can rediscover their ancestral roots, get a feel for the true southern Italian culture and walk in the footsteps of their grandfathers.

You can read about our ancestry tours here or email us today for a custom quote.

1. Calabria is HOT, HOT, HOT
Summer temps in Calabria can get pretty high, so when you are planning your packing list, be sure to include lightweight fabrics, light shoes and of course – your swim gear. You will also want to carry bottled water with you so you don’t dehydrate.

2. Catanzaro is the Windy City
Yes, Calabria is hot but Catanzaro’s nights can be nice and breezy. Depending on which month you are traveling in, you might need a light sweater to throw on for that evening passeggiata in Catanzaro Lido.

3. Take the Toy Train
Ok, so it’s not really a toy but both Catanzaro centro (in the park!) and Catanzaro Lido have a brightly colored train that you can ride for free. It is a nice way to relax and see the area without pounding the stone pavement in the heat.

Here are five other tips to help you plan for your summer vacation in Catanzaro.

I get constant e-mails from people wanting me to share with them my “packing secrets,” thus I was inspired by those emails to compile a list of tips that are essential for whatever luggage you are using. Since I have accumulated quite a number of tips over the years, I have decided to split this post into 2 parts, so keep your eyes open for Part two, coming next month.

1. Roll clothes: Most people are used to folding their clothes in squares, but actually the best way to save space and cut back on wrinkles is to roll them. Also, it makes it easier and quicker to find things.

2. Pack empty plastic grocery bags or baggies: These will come in handy for a myriad of reasons from containing dirty clothes to keeping receipts organized.

3. Pick a general color scheme: Choose one neutral color, like black or brown, which all outfits and shoes will match. Try to stick to either silver or gold with jewelry, shoes, and purses as well. White purses will go with everything!

4. Wear heaviest items on plane: The heaviest items, such as coats and sneakers, take up the most room in the luggage. Wearing them on the plane will not only save space, but will keep you warm on the typically cold plane.

5. Prepare a travel kit: This is actually not a space saving tip, rather something that will come in handy on the flight. Make sure to have a kit full of things that will make your flight more pleasant, such as earplugs, a sleep mask, noise cancelling earphones, an MP3 player, eye drops, sleeping pills, and a book/magazine.

Andi Perullo is a Chinese Medicine Doctor by day, travel addict by night. When she is not treating patients, she is exploring the world or dreaming of the next place to visit. She also writes travel features for MNUI Travel Insurance and blogs at My Beautiful Adventures.

But it isn’t always easy on first-time travelers. If you planning a vacation in Calabria, here are five quick Calabria travel tips you should know before you leave home.

1. Lose Your Expectations
I know it is easy to say, uhm write, but many travelers visit Calabria and expect it to be just like their home countries. It probably won’t be. Calabria is different. Embrace those differences and you’ll see an old-world Italy, with clothes hanging on the line, shops closing at lunch and little old men sitting in the piazzas talking about their little old wives. I’ts not like your home. But then again … isn’t that what international travel is all about?

2. Be Prepared to Hear Italian
Speaking of expectations, don’t travel to Calabria and expect people to be able to speak English. It isn’t that they are mean, grouchy old Calabrians with a wealth of English in their minds they just won’t speak … they just don’t know the language. Even in some of the busier tourist spots, English isn’t a given, so try to learn a few polite phrases and be prepared to pick up some Italian.

3. Rent a Car
Ok, so yes, I’ve discussed this over and over and over. The only way to experience a full Calabrian vacation and see everything you want to see while minimizing stress and frustration is by renting a car. If you absolutely can’t rent a car, then budget ahead and plan to hire a private car and driver for at least a portion of your trip.

4. Prepare to See “Old Italy”
While it is true “real” Italians live authentic Italian lives all over the country, you will probably get a better glimpse of that life in Calabria. In more travel-savvy areas, they are accustomed to catering to tourists and sometimes that drive has hidden some of old-fashioned Italian customs and traditions. Embrace this in Calabria, and you’ll be just fine.

5. Research Your Trip
I’m always amazed at the number of people who visit Calabria and haven’t take the time to research the area. Sure, as your B&B hosts, we can help point you in the right direction, but knowing Calabria and understanding what you want to see before you get here, is the most important thing you can do in your trip planning. If you need customized assistance, let us know. We have a range of travel consulting services that can help … and our B&B guests can save 30% on custom services.

Cherrye Moore is co-owner of Il Cedro B&B and a Calabria group tour consultant who has been living in Calabria since 2006. She writes about expat life for AffordableCallingCards.net, a site that sells-you guessed it-affordable calling cards to Italy. You can read her posts on expat life in Italy or get more Calabria travel tips in her eguide, “Don’t Get Caught with Dirty Drawers.”

Photo: Global Jet via Flickr

1. Itinerary
I know this sounds like common sense, but you’d be surprised at how many people over-pack because they don’t stick to their itinerary. If you are traveling to Calabria in the summer, you can probably leave your comfy sweats-yes, that super-soft, well-worn pair with the tear at the bottom-at home. When are you going to wear them?

Additionally, if you plan on spending your days walking along cobble-stone streets and climbing steep hills, you don’t need heels.

2. Multi-Use or No Use at All
When I plan my packing list, I brainstorm how many ways I can use a single item. If it can’t be worn more than once or can’t play double-duty with another outfit-I leave it behind. For example, a light neutral-colored sweater is great because you can wear it on the plane, use it as cover on the train and toss it on over a sundress on a windy night. That black sequin wrap you are dying to use … not so much.

3. Just Say No … to More Shoes
You know, it hurts me to write this, but it is true. You do not need an abundance of shoes when you travel. Again, look at your itinerary. If you plan on spending mornings at the beach and afternoons exploring-dress shoes are a waste of valuable space. If you have a formal occasion on your itinerary, such as a wedding, then pack one pair of formal shoes that go with each formal outfit you’ll need to wear.

What about you? Do you have any other packing tips for travelers visiting Calabria?

Cherrye Moore is co-owner of Il Cedro B&B and a Calabria tour organizer who has been living in Calabria since 2006. She writes about expat life for AffordableCallingCards.net, a site that sells-you guessed it-affordable calling cards to Italy. You can read her posts on expat life in Italy7 or read more about traveling in Calabria at My Bella Vita.

Photo: Highways Agency via Flickr

Italy is undoubtedly one of the most popular travel destinations in Europe and is the 5th most visited country in the world. Its rich cultural and historical features have earned Italy the greatest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites-currently 44-and draws over 40 million international travelers each year.

For many of us, traveling to Italy is a dream comes true and it’s not always easy for a budget traveler to make the most of his trip. With the strong Euro, high tourist demand and an elevated standard of living, traveling to Italy can be prohibitively expensive.

But don’t let that stop you! Here are five tips that may help you cut or maximize your Italy travel budget.

1. Spend more time in each city
Instead of rushing around the country from city to city, plan to spend more days in each destination … and cut your transportation costs. Day trips from one base hotel or B&B are often cheaper-and more fulfilling-than checking into and out of hotels every few days.

2. Eat like a local
Only tourists each out each meal-to maximize your budget, plan on purchasing food items like cheese, bread, fruit and cold cuts that you can leave in the refrigerator at your B&B. You’ll save money and have a more authentic experience.

3. Book local transportation and accommodations in advance
You’ve heard “the early bird gets the worm,” right? Well, he also gets the best deals. Book your local trains, rental car and B&B early to ensure you get the best price. Many family-owned hotels, B&Bs and agriturismi fill up quickly, leaving last-minute travelers with expensive hotel or resort options … so plan ahead.

4. Don’t Skip Breakfast
Breakfast is often included in the price of your hotel or B&B, yet many travelers sleep late or miss the planned breakfast hours. Plan to eat breakfast at your B&B every day and save your euros for things that really matter … like an afternoon gelato.

5. Avoid Tourist Traps

Locals know the best places, the least expensive pizzerias and the best bargain shopping centers and supermarkets. So ask them. Your hotel or B&B staff is a great resource, but also ask for local suggestions from friendly people you meet on the train or on the streets. Don’t ask where you should go, though. Ask them where they go – it’s not always the same thing!

I hope these tips will help you plan your next trip to my favorite country … bella Italia. What other tips do you have for maximizing your budget in Italy?

Cecil Lee is an avid traveler who is also a passionate travel blogger and travel photographer living in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He writes about travel for MNUI travel insurance and on his own travel photo blog, Travel Feeder.

*All photos courtesy of Cecil Lee, Travelfeeder.com

For the last four years, nutellaphile bloggers have united on this day to celebrate the creamy hazelnut-chocolate’ness that is Nutella. And this year, Il Cedro is getting in the game.

All of our guests this morning-and we had a full house-woke up to a slice of orange Nutella cake and were sent off to work with a Nutella-flavored treat for the road.

Yum … wish you were here.

Happy Nutella Day!

Photo: Bed and Breakfast in Calabria

See Catanzaro? That is us right there in the middle!

Here’s a close-up.

As if the geography lesson wasn’t enough to convince you to stay in Calabria’s capital city, here are five reasons why you should choose a Catanzaro B&B for your Calabrian vacation.

Photo: My Bella Vita

1. You can easily travel between the Ionian and Tyrannian Coasts

Located on the narrowest strip of land in Italy, Catanzaro is often called the “city between two seas” because of its easy accessibility to both the Ionian and Tyrannian Coasts. It is true. Nowhere else in Italy offers you the chance to swim in the Ionian Sea in the morning and relax on the Tyrannian Coast by lunch.

2. Explore forgotten cities

In July of 2009 an amateur diver went swimming off of the coast of Squillace, located just 15 minutes from our bed and breakfast in Catanzaro. What did he find?

Some rocks?

No.

An old artifact?

Not exactly.

Uhm. A forgotten city?

Oh yea.

The diver found remains that date back to 123 BC and are from the Greek town of Skylletium, the birth place of Roman writer Cassiodorus who claimed Ulysses himself founded this colony.

Photo: agescilocri.com

3. Visit Italy’s best preserved medieval villages

Gerace is one of the best preserved medieval villages in the country and is often referred to as the “Florence of the South.” Only 90 kilometers from Catanzaro, Gerace is best known for its Norman Cathedral-the largest religious building in the region-as well as its medieval streets and panoramic views of nearby Locri.

4. Emerge yourself in authentic Italy

Forget about tacky shops or tourist trap restaurants, Catanzaro is pure Italian. But don’t worry about finding postcards or Calabrian souvenirs-you can stock up on them when you are out and about on your day trips-to more touristy destinations-such as La Sila, Tropea or Le Castella.

5. Gelato, Gelato, Gelato

Not only is Catanzaro home to the award-winning gelateria Marrons Glacès, but Sottozero, Reggio Calabria’s famous gelato shop is now dishing it out near Catanzaro Lido.

In the mood for some tartufo? No problem. Just hop in your car and in half an hour you will be cooling down with homemade tartufo gelato-straight from Pizzo in Pizzo.

Need a B&B in Catanzaro? Contact us today regarding availability or visit our blog to learn more about living and traveling in Calabria.

Still not convinced? Here are 15 more reasons to visit Catanzaro.