If you can afford it, there are plenty of ways to spend money on a
vacation in Rome, but for the budget-minded (and who isn’t these days?)
it is still possible to experience all of Rome’s romance and glory
without needing the wealth of an emperor.
A visit to Rome, The Eternal City is (or should) on everyone’s list of great places to visit at least once in a lifetime. The beautiful and romantic city (don’t forget - they invented the word ‘romantic’) offers more to see and do than one can possibly experience in one trip, and visitors find themselves wanting to return again and again. If you can afford it, there are plenty of ways to spend money on a vacation in Rome, but for the budget-minded (and who isn’t these days?) it is still possible to experience all of Rome’s romance and glory without needing the wealth of an emperor.
The first step is to book an off-season trip to the city - and there are other good reasons to do this - when airfares are much lower and hotels offer off-season rates. Aside from saving a substantial amount of money, you’ll be in the city at a time when there aren’t so many other visitors clamoring to see the same sights and lining up in impossibly long queues to do so. The winter months are much less crowded (except for the Christmas season) and there is plenty to do in the city when the weather isn’t good, but Rome has relatively mild winters, so you’re likely to see some sun and temperatures should not be too extreme (although as I write this, Rome is experiencing its first snowfall in decades).
Eating out can be very inexpensive - be sure and visit some of the trattorias off the beaten tourist path to get a taste of real Italian food for a reasonable price - or grab a slice of pizza for a quick, cheap and filling snack.
In the off-season it’s easy to find cheap rooms - there are four-star hotels in Rome that start at well under 100 euros per night during the winter and if you’re really on a budget, you can book a room in one of the convents for a very small amount of money (and you don’t have to be a Catholic). Another alternative to Rome hotels that costs nothing is to join the website called Couchsurfing. There you’ll find hundreds of listings in Rome of people willing to put you up for a night or two for free and if you’re lucky, your host may show you around the city, as well.
Adrian Fisher is a London-based freelance journalist with a mission to make you a better and happier human being. Drawing attention to the peculiarities of life in the modern age is all part of the package.Check out his other articles for everything you need to know about travel destinations and hotels.
