No matter what you think about Black Friday, it has become a worldwide phenomenon. The term Black Friday even made it into Treccani, Italy’s dictionary in 2015.
Now considered the official beginning of the holiday shopping season, Black Friday and the subsequent shopping days Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday are a great time to find deals on almost anything, from travel packages to stocking stuffers. With that in mind, I wanted to alert you, my dear readers, to some deals and discounts that will make traveling to Italy—whether physically or mentally—fun and cost-effective.
Bear in mind that some of these deals may not yet be active at the time this is published. Conversely, some deals may have ended before you read this. But all of these deals should be active on or around Black Friday and many will be available throughout the holiday shopping season.
Here, then, are the deals!
Travel Deals
Experiences are better than things. So with that in mind, there are quite a lot of travel sites offering deals this time of year.
G Adventures is offering customers 30% off tours through December 9th.
Great Value Vacations has lots of deep discounts during Black Friday and Cyber Week. For the Black Friday sale, which runs from 11/22 to 11/27, save up to $250 per person sitewide using code BF2022. On Cyber Monday (November 28), save up to $350 per person sitewide with code CYBER22. From November 30 to December 6, you can save an extra $125 per person sitewide using the code CYBERWK22.
Expedia Members get 30% off select hotels.
Insight Vacations is offering 15% off premium guided tours if you book before December 5.
lastminute.com Italy only deal: 50% off gift cards through November 28.
Scott’s Cheap Flights: From 11/21 to 11/28, the members-only airline deal-finder is offering $25 off one year of premium or elite membership. The premium membership is a steal this season after the discount—just $24/year!
Trafalgar Tours: Get 15% off 2023 guided tours worldwide.
Hotels
Booking.com is offering at least 30% off hotel bookings through December 1.
Gruppo Una: Get a 30% discount on Gruppo UNA hotels in Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan, or Naples if you book before December 1 for a stay before February 14, 2023.
Hotels.com: Save 30% of more with Black Friday member prices.
IHG Hotels: Save up to 15% on IHG hotels. The IHG brand includes Intercontinental Hotels and the Six Senses brand, both of which have opened new hotels in Rome this past year.
Homes and Villas by Marriott International: Homes & Villas by Marriott has a last-minute promotion that you can book from November 21-28 for stays between November 21, 2022, and January 31, 2023. Marriott Bonvoy Members can earn 10,000 bonus points on last-minute stays by booking a 3+ night stay, cash booking in a private home rental.
Radisson: Radisson Rewards members who book a stay at a Radisson property before November 28 can get up to 30% off and 2,000 bonus points. This deal is good for stays from December 5, 2022, to December 21, 2023.
Travel Packages
In addition to the general deals listed above, here are a few travel package deals that may interest you. These are just a few of the incredible deals available on travel package websites Bookmundi, Great Value Vacations, and TourRadar.
12-day Best of Italy independent tour – 25% off (Discovery Nomads)
10-day Rome to Venice independent tour – 25% off (Discovery Nomads)
8-day Best of Sicily small group tour – 35% off (Click Tours)
8-day Northern Italy Gourmet Luxury Tour – 25% off (Click Tours)
8-day Campania & Apulia self-drive tour – 25% off (Click Tours)
8-day Tuscan Treats small group tour – 25% off (Back-Roads Touring)
7-day Essential Italy group tour – 50% off (Indus Travels)
7-day Rome to Naples and Amalfi independent tour – 25% off (Discovery Nomads)
6+ nights Venice, Florence, and Rome by rail with hotels and flights included from $799 (Great Value Vacations)
5-day Italy City Break tour – 35% off (Click Tours)
Travel Essentials: Gear and Apparel
There are too many deals from clothing and gadget retailers to list here. But if you are looking for items that I have suggested in my articles What to Pack for a Trip to Italy and Best Shoes to Pack for Italy, then this is a good time to browse the sales. You may also find deals on soccer jerseys this time of year since they are a popular gift.
Canon Italy only deal: Save Up to 50% On Selected Canon Cameras, Lenses, Printers and More.
Intimissimi: The Italian undergarment and lingerie brand is offering up to 50% off from November 21-24. Their long-sleeve cashmere tops are perfect layers for winter travel.
New Balance: Current sponsor of AS Roma, New Balance is offering 20% off select styles plus an additional 15% off markdowns during the holidays.
Nomatic: Find collapsible luggage, toiletry bags, packing cubes, and more. Save as much as 50% on Nomatic gear from November 22 to December 11.
Puma: AC Milan outfitter Puma is offering 50% off plus an additional 30% off with code CHEER. Offer good from November 25 to November 29.
Samsonite: If you need new luggage, the Samsonite Black Friday & Cyber Monday Sale lets you take 30% off.
Soccer.com: Through November 20, soccer enthusiasts can get $20 off of $100 using the code WORLDCUP. The site has an ongoing promotion whereby jerseys ship free using code MYTEAM.
Feast of the 7 Fishes + Food Gifts
Here are some deals to help you prepare for La Vigilia, aka the Feast of the Seven Fishes, on Christmas Eve. I’ve also found deals on wine, coffee, food baskets, and other culinary items that you can give as gifts or stock up on in advance of holiday parties and Christmas guests.
DiBruno Brothers: Get up to 25% off on Italian food items from the renowned Philadelphia deli. Their Abbondanza Gift Box of Italian meats, cheeses, and spreads is a best-seller and a great holiday gift for friends or family. They offer “shop now, ship later” so your gift arrives when you want it to.
Lavazza: The Turin-based coffee retailer is offering up to 30% off its coffee collection and coffee makers through November 27.
Venchi Advent Calendar: An elegant Advent calendar from Venchi, one of Italy’s premier chocolatiers.
Wine.com: New customers can save $20 off orders of $75 or more using code SAVE20. Get a 10% discount on cases of wine using code STOCKUP.
Jewelry
Bloomingdale’s: Take 25% off items labeled “BLACK FRIDAY TAKE 25% OFF: DISCOUNT APPLIED IN BAG” from November 22-27. Includes most of Bloomingdale’s Made in Italy jewelry collection.
Toiletries, Cosmetics, and Perfume
Kiko: Milan-based cosmetics brand Kiko’s Black Friday deal is “Buy 3 Get 3” plus free shipping. Kiko’s Black Friday offer runs from November 18-27.
Sephora: Get up to 50% off make-up, skincare, and fragrances from Italian brands like Acqua di Parma, Armani Beauty, Dolce e Gabbana, Tocca, and more.
Books
Book Depository: Get 15% off thousands of books from November 24-27 using code BF15.
Bookshop: Save 15% off titles from this holiday page through December 18 using code GIFT15. Bookshop lets you shop from your favorite independent bookstores.
Stocking Stuffers, Ornaments, and Holiday Decor
Artisaly: A range of Black Friday discounts are available on Artisaly, the Italian Artisans’ Online Shop. Discover unique furniture, lighting, and décor from
Etsy: Get up to 60% off unique crafts from Etsy sellers. The sale ends on November 30. Check out my favorite Etsy shops for inspiration.
The Met Store: Save 25% off $125 with code EARLY22. Support The Met mission while buying something unique for yourself or a loved one. This is a great place to find stocking stuffers and host gifts. My Italy-related faves include this Roman cup and saucer set, this Boscoreale lacquer tray, this Neapolitan creche set, and so much more.
Neiman Marcus: November 26-27, get $50 off $200+, $100 off $400, $250 off $1000 and $500 off $2000+ regular price purchases with code THANKFUL. The Cyber Monday Gift Card Event, from November 26 to December 1, gives buyers up to a $1,250 gift card with your $200+ regular-priced purchase. Use code GC4YOU. As you can imagine, Neiman Marcus has some incredible holiday decor from Italian designers like Vietri and Fontanini.
Zazzle: Early Black Friday Deals! Get up to 50% off gift wrapping AND 50% off holiday cards & invitations with code EARLYBFSALEZ.
Digital Deals
Masterclass: Learn Italian cooking from Michelin-star chef Massimo Bottura or learn about Italian wine from award-winning wine critic James Suckling. The MasterClass 2-for-1 membership deal allows you to give someone a MasterClass subscription and get a subscription for yourself, too.
Udemy: Full courses, including ones on the Italian language, medieval paintings, etc., from $9.99 through November 25.
VPNs: Most VPN companies offer their best discounts during the Black Friday week, so check out these deals if you need a VPN to watch TV. I currently use Express VPN, which is offering 15 months for the price of 12 (get three extra months if you purchase a yearly subscription). Meanwhile, Atlas VPN is offering an 85% discount on its 2-year plan. That’s about $1.60/month.
