Bargains aplenty in coronavirus-hit Europe – but there aren’t many takers

Travellers with a healthy appetite for risk can find bargains while airlines and hospitality businesses shrink, writes Simon Calder

Piazza del Duomo in Milan, normally filled with tourists, stands empty as the coronavirus outbreak continues to grow (Reuters)

With all this bad news around, you probably need a break. And right now, prices are better than ever.

On Thursday evening you can fly on British Airways from Heathrow to Rome (and check in a bag), stay for three nights in a three-star hotel (with breakfast) and fly home for £139 all-in. Similar deals are available to Milan, Venice and Pisa – a short hop from Florence.

“I have never seen the Uffizi so empty,” says the noted cultural tour director James Hill, who lives in Italy.