Italy on -125
SIR,—It is sad to see Janus's grumble about £25 holidays on the Continent in last week's Spectator. My husband and I have just returned from a holiday in Italy, lasting nearly three weeks, with some cash left over, and without having practised any " poor relation " - austerities. Of course we did not stay in hotels. But there are plenty of good, cheap pensions and convent guest-houses; our beds and food cost us an average of about 1,500 lire a day; the lira is about 1,750 to the £. We bought postcards freely (they are much cheaper in Italy than in England), also sweets and small presents and some books; every evening we drank coffee and liqueurs in some cheerful little bar. In Rome we went to the opera; three of our party made an excursion from Florence to Ravenna, spending a night there. We visited all the galleries and museums we wanted to see. We found it quite unnecessary to take taxis; Italian trams and buses are excellent and cheap. It is quite absurd to say that " national prestige " is involved. In Switzerland perhaps more difficulties would arise, because prices are higher, but there are plenty of countries besides Italy where it is possible to have a good holiday on the £25. The return fare is paid in sterling, and the authorities seem reasonably lenient in making extra allowances for purposes of study. My husband obtained leave to draw an extra £20, but in fact we did not use it.—Yours faithfully,
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