The Costa Meno: Italy (Updated!)

By now we’ve done Costa Meno* lists in France, the Caribbean, the Greek Islands, Spain, Mexico, as well as our Best Of (our 2025 end-of-year gift to our subscribers), in which we whittled down our absolutely favorite affordable stays of all! Italy was our very first one back in 2023, and our list, while good, wasn’t nearly as extensive and evolved as our later ones. So ahead of summer, we’ve updated our Costa Meno Italy, going way beyond the usual suspect areas and approaching it like we’re going to road trip the entire coastline. From Ligura to the Amalfi and the Venice Lido to Puglia, we’ve got the whole Italian coast covered, with over 200 charming, soulful, and approachable properties.

Our internal parameters required that any property had to be under 300 euros a night in high season (mid-July), and no further than a 15-minute drive from the coast. And we’re so happy with where we landed: a mix of tiny family-run albergos and chic modernist bungalows with great views, to rambling farmhouses and gently faded old-school hotels that once housed young travelers on their Grand Tours. Whether that beach you’re dreaming of is sandy or rocky, wild and secluded or home to an army of striped umbrellas, you’ll find actually affordable ideas for every kind of Italian coastal retreat. 

*If you’re unfamiliar with the “Costa Meno” (i.e., “costs less” in Italian), know that it’s not a real place (although we wish it were), but rather our fantasy vacationland where every stay is run by a nonna who is a great cook and her clever niece who doesn’t want to update the furniture of their little inn. They keep the 1960s tile and all the art from their great-grandparents. The meals are homemade, and maybe there’s a view, maybe not—it doesn’t matter, because it’s just a short walk to the beach, or into town. These are the places that show up on page 24 of a Google search—they aren’t in a small luxury hotel collection (although we were thinking maybe we should start one!), and tend to have no marketing budget. We know we highlight a lot of fancy places on Yolo, but these are the ones we (and we think you) truly crave—the authentic, the charming, the discovery; properties with both heart and soul. And, not to mention, hotels we can truly afford!

SICILY & NEARBY ISLANDS

We’re covering the perimeter (nothing further than 15 minutes from the sea) starting with Taormina on the east coast, and going clockwise around the island. 

Ionian Riviera (Taormina to Catania)

Hotel Villa Schuler, Taormina – Really lovely rooms here, with a beautiful terrace overlooking the coastline.

Hotel Lido Méditerranée is right on the sea and 900 meters from the cable car that brings you up to the center of Taormina in two minutes. Caught in time, modest, with insane views. 

Casa Turchetti, Taormina – Approaching the high end of our Costa Meno range, the rooms here are a bit decadent and feel like you’re staying at your nonna’s summer house.