Beating the Euro in Italy

Much of the best stuff in Rome is free. When I went to Rome with my husband, I had been there once before. We took a walk the afternoon we arrived, climbed Michelangelo's steps (the cordonata) up the Capitoline Hill and walked around to the rear of the Senate building for the astounding view over the Roman Forum toward the Colosseum. While taking it all in, I said that we'd go down there the next day. My husband looked amazed. "They let people in there?" It felt like the kind of place that would be behind glass, like art in a museum. But indeed you can walk around, sit on the ruins while contemplating history, and all for free.

The Pantheon, also free. Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona with the wonderful fountain of the four rivers. Innumerable churches, free. Walking across the pedestrian Ponte Sant'Angelo with the statues by Bernini and others and the great view of the Castel Sant'Angelo.

The Basilica San Clemente, with wonderful mosaics, is free, and it only costs three euros to go into the excavations of the twelfth century church, the fourth century church, and the first century house with its pagan temple to Mithras.

St. Peter's Basilica is free unless you want to climb the dome or go to the treasury. The view of the shafts of light streaming in through the dome: priceless.

Hi K,

In Florence:

A: The B&B Peterson and the B&B Cassia (www.bedinflorence.it) are well maintained, have AC and are only 65E for a dbl in high season.

The B&B stands for Bed and Bed. No bkfst, but the Peterson is located next door to a very friendly cafe, where bkfst (cuppa and a sandwich) is only about 4E.

Both are in a residential area, less than a 10 min walk from the SMN station, on a safe street.

See my trip report:
www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=2&tid=34451044

B: The no. 7 bus will take you from the SMN train station up to Fiesole for 1E (0:20 hr ride).

After visiting the town and the Etruscan ruins, you can watch the sun set over the city from the terrace of the Bar Blu for the price of a glass of wine.

C: The no 12 and no 13 buses (which stop right in front of the B&B Peterson) will give you a tour fo the city (including the Piazza Michaelangelo) for 1E.

Hope this helps.

PS,

If you do include them in the guide, please let the Ancillotti's know.

They will be thrilled.

Tell them Ira sent you and sends his best regards.

Stopping by a market to grab some fruit, meats, cheeses and wine, is always a cost effective way to enjoy dining al fresco.

A great way to end the day in Florence is by watching the sun set over the city from Piazzale Michelangelo. An amazingly beautiful sight that doesn't cost a thing to enjoy.

The drive to Volterra from San Gimignano is one of the most scenic we have taken in Italy. The vistas are breathtaking.

Once in Volterra, buy a bottle of wine, some cheese and crackers and enjoy a relaxing picnic in the lovely park that is adjacent to Fortezza Medicea, which still serves as a prison after hundreds of years.

Afterward, meander through Volterra until you reach an overlook where you can see the well-preserved remains of Volterra's Roman theater and baths.

With all the money you saved, pick up a gelato for the walk back to the car.

Oops, just read on another post that the Forum is no longer free.

-rent a apartment in Rome instead of staying in a hotel. Our family is paying €160 per night for 4, in the Centro Storico

-use public transit: €1 for bus, €29 train Rome-Florence

-picnic lunches: the meats, cheeses, fruits, wines, gelato etc available at shops and markets in Italy are extraordinary

Katie, Thre are really 2 secrets to impacting the costs in any significant way. The first is to go off season---I suggest March or November for better air prices and also accommodations. The other secret is to stay in apartments in the major cities, which you can rent for much less off season, and plan some of your meals in-house. Make the noon meal your biggest of the day and then have a small dinner in the apartment at night. Those 2 factors will have a big impact on total trip costs. Good luck !

1. Avoid the tourist restaurants next to main attractions or in main piazzas (Piazza Navona, for example) and turn round a street corner or two to find much cheaper places to eat.

2. Instead of the expensive and inflexible hop on-hop off torist buses, use public transport. Bus routes go everywhere, normal buses depart much more frequently than those tourist ones.

3. Bars always have two different prices: If you have your coffee at the counter it's cheaper than when a waiter serves it at a table.

4. Grocery shopping and having a picnic saves, as stated before. Learn a little Italian, at least a few phrases from a prase book that are useful for food shopping, things like "A kilo of apples please". Then try these basics at markets or in those little grocery stores where the Italians buy their food. Learn how to ask for a word ("Come si chiama questo?" and pointing) and try the new words in those phrases. Both you and the shop owners will have a lot of fun - Italians are, unlike the French, extremely supporting and helpful if a foreign tourist makes even the tiniest effort to speak their language. You'll get great quality of fresh food for locals' prices, and if you're lucky they'll even stuff in a little extra. I once got a full bag of exotic fruits from a really cute old merchant at the Mercato Centrale in Florence when all I wanted, and paid, were a couple of oranges and some veggies.

For the art lover on a budget: Most of the art that I saw that I fell in love with in Rome is free...where else can you see countless Caravaggios, two Michelangelos and even more Berninis for the cost of the wear and tear on the soles of your shoes? Not only are you seeing them for free, but you are seeing them in the environment for which they were built, both aesthetically and for the purposes of teaching the congregation the stories therein.

Caravaggio's Crucifixion of St Peter and Conversion of St Paul - Santa Maria del Popolo
Caravaggio's Madonna of Loretto - San Agostino
Caravaggio's Martyrdom of St. Matthew, Inspiration of St. Matthew and Calling of St. Matthew - San Luigi dei Francesi
Michelangelo's Moses - St. Pietro en Vincoli
Michelangelo's Risen Christ - Santa Maria Sopra Minerva
Bernini's Ecstasy of St. Teresa - Santa Maria della Vittoria
Bernini's Blessed Ludovica Albertoni - San Francesco e Ripa
Bernini's Angels - copies on the Ponte Sant-Angelo, two originals in Sant Andrea delle Frate

Greetings to all Fodorites, near and far! Rome, these days, can give your wallet a real wallop. But do you know any great ways to s-t-r-e-t-c-h those euros? Any can't-lose budget boosters? If you have any tips on saving money when in bella bella Roma, can you let us know? We'd love to get your suggestions into the next edition of our Rome guidebook! A thousand thanks---or as they say in Mamma Roma, "Mille grazie."

Consider an apartment rental from a company having a US office where you can pay in dollars. For example, our upcoming Paris rental is from Vacationinparis.com where we made the reservation months in advance and locked in the price in dollars, thus the declining exchange rate has no effect.

Think B&Bs. There are fine ones around in many major tourist spots in the 55-65 Euro range that also include breakfast. For example, Lut and Bruno Setola's B&B in Brugges.

Think outside the city. For example, rather than staying in Amsterdam we are staying in Haarlem, only a 15 minute train ride away with frequent service. A *** Hotel such as Stempels has doubles beginning at 85 Euro and singles for even less. What can one find in Amsterdam at that price.

BTW, I realize that I am not speaking of Italy, but the principles are the same.

good tips.
Once more, thanks, fodor's.

Here's a tip for airport transfer in Rome:

Instead of taking the Leonardo Express from Fiumicino to Termini, take the FR1 to whichever station is most convenient for you. The FR1 departs every 15 minutes (instead of every 30 minutes for the Express), costs only 5 euro (instead of 9.50 euro for the Express) and avoids the hullaballoo of Termini as well as the crush of disoriented, jetlagged tourists with way too much luggage. You can buy a ticket from the small window right next to the head of the tracks (remember to validate it in the machine at the head of the tracks).

So, for example, if you're staying near Campo dei Fiori, get off the train at the Trastevere station, proceed upstairs to the little shop that sells newspapers and buy a ticket for the bus & tram system (you can get a pass for the day or week if want---the weekly pass is called "CIS", pronounced "cheess"). Cross the parking lot to board tram #8, which will take you right to Largo Argentina (convenient to pretty much all of the historical center).

Therese

That is a great tip. I didn't know about the CIS pass. I think that public transportation in Rome doesn't get enough attention.

There is a lot of information out there about using public transport in London or Paris, but most of what gets discussed about Rome is how the Metro doesn't take you most places you might want to go.

Some good leads on information for using busses and trams in Rome would be great. Are there bus and tram route maps out there?

I have already copied things from this short thread, and I've been to Rome 6 or more times.

Hi Katie,

some things in Rome that we found that were fun and free [or almost]

st. cecilia's in Trastevere - only 3E to go down in the crypt to see the lovely mosaic chapel. and the garden in an oasis of calm.

the tour of mosaic churches in Rick steves' guide.

wandering the back streets of monti exploring the little atrisan shops and workshops.

the boat trips down the tiber, from the bridge by castel san angelo to isloa tibernia is only 1E [a great way to get from st. Peter's to trastevere or the forum]

regards, ann

In Florence the centrally located Leonardo Cafeteria (one flight up)has good honest Italian food at fast food prices.

There is also a cafeteria in Venice that is quite good and very inexpensive. Their rissoto was particularly good. Leaving the train station turn left and it is about 100 meters or so up the street on the left hand side. You have to walk through a coffee bar that faces the street to get to it.

We used Siena as a base and visited several Hill Towns including SanG by local bus. The schedules were convenient and the fares were very cheap.

Many towns and cities in Italy have a market day where bargains are to be had. In Siena we bought packets of vegetable seed. Arriving in the States we of course declared them with crossed fingers. The customs officials took them to a back room for examination, cleared them and that summer we ate fresh Italian vegetables that we could not get locally.

Hello fellow Fodorites -- I'm the editor of the Fodor's Florence, Tuscany & Umbria guide. Thanks for the tips here and elsewhere on the boards -- I've learned a lot from you all.

The thing that's killing me as I plan my next trip to Italy is the cost of getting there. In years past if I searched around I could find an affordable airfare, but that seems impossible now -- or at least I'm not looking in the right places. (I want to go to the Dolomites in July. The way my schedule has panned out this year, traveling off season isn't a possibility.)

So, as a subcategory for this thread, do you have any suggestions for finding the best deals on flights to Italy?

Where are you flying from? How about Eurofly?

I'm flying from New York, so Eurofly would seem to be a good option. But when I try to find flights into Venice, they're calendar for July comes up blank. Same holds true for Linate and Turin. I can get a fare on the site for Bologna, but it's over $1,000.

I haven't yet tried flights to Munich, which might be viable approach (though not on Eurofly).

Matt, if you find a cheap flight in July, you'll really be doing well. I started looking last November, checked www.kayak.com and others at least once a day. The prices were $1150 and up. They haven't moved at all, except to go up and then back down to that same range. I finally booked one a couple of days ago at $1150 because I really liked the times and connections and it's a direct flight on the way home. With the fuel prices the way they are, I don't think you're going to see the prices of a year ago, when I went, also in July, for $650!

I think you're right, Susan. (I may end up doing my hiking in the Adirondacks this summer.) But -- I didn't mean to get this thread sidetracked. We're still looking for money-saving tips for italophiles.

One way to save on the expense of guided tours is to register online at Sound Guides (http://www.sound-guides.com/) and download the various free self-guided tours to your Ipod or MP3 player. I did this for my recent trip to Rome and I enjoyed going at my own pace while listening to the history of the various sights: Roman Forum, Colosseum, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, the Vatican, etc. The web site even has audio tours for London, Venice, and Paris!

Another tip: Have your main meal of the day at lunchtime, as prices are usually less expensive than at dinnertime. Most restaurants have a menu of the day, which may include an appetizer, entrée and dessert or two food items and a drink or some sort of combination.

Monica

Hi Matt,

Have you checked the usual suspects, www.1800flyeurope.com, www.kayak.com and www.mobissimo.com?

How does one become an editor?

Can I do it from home, or do I have to move to the big city?

One way I like to browse for (but not buy) flights:

www.itasoftware.com

* Click on "search airfares using QPX."
* Click on the radio button for "month-long search"
* Enter the beginning date for the month you would like to search and the length of your trip (in nights).
* You'll get back a nice grid of the cheapest dates to depart, and as you select more criteria, you'll see the exact airlines and flight numbers.
* Take the info to your nearest booking site.

Happy browsing!

I've been to kayak, 800flyeurope, and ita software (an old favorite). I'll check out mobissimo.

It's true, Ira, you have to move to the big city to edit Fodor's guides -- we're all huddled together in an office building on Broadway. But based on your informed and articulate posts, I imagine you'd flourish at the job.

I do it by reading this list.
Airfare: I check several and use Yapta and Vayama and Farecast to get a feel for the price and when I see one I think is fair enough I buy it and forget it. You can go crazy trying to get “The Best Fare”
Ira suggested Peterson B&B a couple years ago and I have stayed there twice and my daughter is staying there this year. Ira’s advice has been great!
I learned enough Italian to shop in the markets and mom-pop shops and buy fixings for lunch and\or light dinners.
In Italy:
I rent an apartment if I am at a place more than a couple of days; eat breakfast and dinner in for the most part. I splurge and get one with a terrace in Rome. I Venice I go for the cheapest I can get. You can get double rooms for 70euro a day if you shop around. Makes eating at home much nicer. You can if you look find a nice one in Rome the 100e day range.
I eat at working folks places such as the "Goose" near the Vatican dinner 3 course runs 20e with wine if you leave hungry its your own fault, or the Chinese places along the via delle mura again near the Vatican I have had a 8 course meal for 13e. Also there are several markets in every area you will visit, just check them out. I buy one bottle of water then fill it up from the street fountains in Rome saves 2-3 euro every time. The Rome pass can be a good buy. If you go to the Borghuese and Vatican museums it pays for itself with just those two and with the week of bus fares bus fares and ½ price at other sites it can work for you. Ditto the Venice and Naples cards but you have to check out what these cards offer vrs what you want to do.
Venice is very expensive, I hit the markets, and again working class eating places. I buy snack and try to eat near the college area where the food is a lot cheaper. There is also a buffet near the train station
I take regional trains instead of the ES. As an example
Florence to Rome on ES is 32.50 euro, regional train is 15.80 euro ½ price so it takes 15 minutes longer big deal. Rome to Naples is even a better deal. ES is 32.00e regional is 10.50euro in this case ½ hour longer. You can also take the Sita bus from Florence to Seina and then transfer to another bus to Rome but the trip is about 4.5 hours but I have never done it.
Bus tours from Florence to Pisa are about 75e. You can take the train for appx 11euro round trip.
Do the free things:
Venice: stroll along the Zattere in the evening or Riva d Schiavioni visit San Marco and listen to the music just don’t take a seat and order coffee at Florians. Visit some of the church’s such as San Stefano. Go to the market, and just walk around you will be amazed at how much you will see.
Rome: has tons of free things The Spanish Steps, the fountains, the Forum, Pantheon etc. Do your homework and find them, some places and museums are free on Sundays.
Florence: P Michangelo is a great free view of the city and lovely in the evening with the setting sun in the background. Walk around take a side street or two, go to the central market, the ponte vecchico open your eyes to the free things.
Naples: don’t hire a tour take the train 3e to Pompeii, or stay on it to Sorrento and take the bus down the coast. They have a new thing this year a 5e 24 hour bus ticket for the coast routes. Get off at which ever towns you want to and walk around. You can still get the l trip ticket for 1euro

It boils down to doing some digging and rethinking what you really want\need. There is no right way to do a trip. If you like 5 star hotels then plan for that, if you like to eat at “name” restaurants then plan for that, if you want a combo then plan for that. If on the other hand your like me and simply want a clean bed, simple decent food then plan for that then enjoy your trip.

Visit wine fill-up shops in Italy; get table wine from the cask
for 2-3 euros a liter.

Order tap water instead of bottle water, saves money and the environment.

Great list, Joanne. Do you have a favorite resource for finding apartment listings?

And Susanna -- is the keg wine good stuff, or is it mainly just a bargain (and an interesting cultural phenomenon)?

Last summer's car rental with Thrifty Rent A Car was about a 1/3 price of the next one, if pick-up and drop-off were at an airport. An automatic 4-door compact with AC for 7 days was Eu239 total.

Put ira on the payroll and let him telework!

Matt; it's actually quite decent. I wouldn't say it's wonderful but if you are ordering the house wine at restaurants it is the same thing. It is also fun to bring any bottle that you happen to have empty to have filled .It's a wine I like to have around the apartment. The Italians know where to go and they tend to buy this wine in quantity for their homes and I think that since they know the wineries they probably get better wine.

I have to confess we don't have anything in our guide about bring-your-own-jug wine shops, and I've never been to one (though one of the old writers on the book used to speak fondly of them). You've found they're pretty welcoming to non-Italians, yes? Any advice for newbies about how to seek one out, and any protocol you need to follow when making your purchase?

Nothing beats an evening stroll by the Spanish Steps or Trevi Fountain. There always seems to be someone with a guitar and a beautiful voice. Watching the youth from all over the world connect through music is something that always touches me.

There are countless ways to save 5E but I would focus on ways to save 100s of Euros. Costs have increased about 18% in the past 2 years and that is well over 1000E. Think about that as you strategize. You have to impact air fares, accommodations, and food. The only way I know to do that is to go offseason and stay in apartments.

Our old strategy is to look for the law courts in any big city. Nearby you will always find small restaurants that are geared to serve lawyers and their clients who are in a hurry. Quick food at good prices. Usually a daily special priced well. If you find such a restaurant that looks good, come back off hours, either early or late. Then the places are relaxed and not crowded.

When we rented a house in Umbria three years ago, we were just up the hill from a wine coop. You could buy a jug (or two!) and then get it filled with wine for really very little. It was basically the same cost as bottled water. The wine was very drinkable, especially when you were sitting in a grove of olive trees admiring the sun setting behind the hills. We did the same when we rented an apartment in Rome many years ago - we got wine refills from the local rosticceria (where we also sometimes bought roasted chicken and potatoes for dinner). Ah. La dolce vita!

This November, in Venice, we went to the local jug or wine shop in the Castello District. We brought large water bottles that they would fill with our choice of wine. Love it and we felt it save a lot

A guide to all the free, public art in Italy would be helpful. Michelangelo's statues in simple little churches in Rome, Bernini's sculptures around the corner, etc.

I would have liked a list of these in each of the cities, and have them mapped out for me, for a walking tour. That would have been great, and cost-saving.

Also a list of the free admission days, if that applies to the Italian museums, parks, etc.

My tips:

The small cities can be less expensive but still fabulous. We were just in Assisi and all the sites were free, a delicious dinner for two with wine was 22 euros and our hotel was reasonable at 65 eu per night including a good breakfast.

Take the train between cities. It's very inexpensive, and upon arrival take the bus, not a cab to your destination.

If you are not planning to stay enough days at one spot, another cheap accommodation choice in Italy is renting a room at a convent.

Two of my aunts and uncles stayed in one. I visited them more than once. Pleasant but simple rooms. Rules for guests are usually minimal these days, such as a midnight curfew. (Rules do vary byconvent. Honestly, I have stayed in hostels with far more rules.)

You do not need to be Catholic to stay in convents, but obviously they are not the place to host a wild party either.

Santa Susanna, the church assigned to American Catholics, includes a list of Roman convents on its website. However, there are many more out there.

Hi Matt,

to rent our apartment in Venice, we used www.holiday-rentals.co.uk, which put you directly in touch with the owners. for easter we were offered some 2-bedroomed properties for as little as E700. [expect they've gone by now!] we've splashed out and are paying £1200 for 8 nights - for that we get 2 double bedrooms, a huge lounge/diner, full kitchen with dish-washer, washing machine, dryer, a/c [hope we don't need that in March] and a terrace. it seems expensive, but compared with 2 hotel rooms it's a snip and I'll be cooking at "home" some nights.

there is a "fill your own" wineshop up on Strada nuova which we are intending to use when we are there. [sorry I can't remember exactly where except that it's on the north/station side of the grand canal]. also along there are lots of good sandwich shops which are very cheap and a very good deli.

if anyone else has any money-saving tips for Venice, I'll be very grateful. I'm not sure about getting the Venice card yet - and if so, which one?

regards, ann

Hi M.

>we're all huddled together in an office building on Broadway. But based on your informed and articulate posts, I imagine you'd flourish at the job.

Thanks, anyway.

I don't do big city anymore, unless I'm travelling.

If something comes up where I can telecommute, let me know.

Hi, O great and glorious Editors, who's names are written in scarlet and accompanied by stars plucked from the firmament:

Also check out
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=2&tid=35111893

Yes, those wine shops are great. Everytime I'm in Italy I take an empty water bottle and have it filled with wine. In Venice, as Ann says, there is one on Strada Nuova. There's also one on via Garibaldi (head east on Riva Schiavone and left onto via Garibaldi); and one near S. Apostoli as you head north towards the Fondamente vaporetto stop.

In the grocery stores, you can buy boxed table wine for under 2 euros.

Monica

Re tuscanlifeedit's query upthread:

I agree, Rome's excellent public transit system doesn't get much play. In part this is because so much of Rome is easily accessible on foot (if you like to walk, like I do), and also because the metro doesn't serve the city center, and many of us are used to subways. Had I been alone on this trip I'd have probably walked everywhere, but I was with my 70+ mother and the buses came in very handy.

Trams and buses are actually better than subway for Rome, I think, as you remain above ground and so get to see things en route. They come frequently and many of the busiest stops have displays that tell you how far away the next, say, 8 buses are from your stop. There are maps, but I didn't bother to use any (apart from knowing how to get to our apartment), instead just figuring out which bus would get me where I wanted to go by looking at the list of stops at whatever location I happened to have landed at. If I couldn't figure it out I'd just ask somebody else waiting at the stop.

Lots of the buses in the city center have video displays that tell you what tourist sites are close to the approaching bus stop, and how far from the stop the site it. I also found bus drivers to be helpful when it came to letting me know when a particular stop was coming up if I wasn't familiar with the area (as I had to get my mother up and moving in preparation for the stop), and telling me which way to walk to find the location I was looking for.

The transity authority web site is at:

http://www.atac.roma.it/

It has a nice tool for calculating specific routes, and lists prices for various tickets (a CIS is 16 euro, so worth it if you'll take transit a lot, and even if you don't it's very convenient to never have to worry about having to buy a ticket). There are maps as well, but I find them pretty confusing and instead just trust in serendipity.

Matt: Like the others have said, you bring an empty water/wine bottle and they fill it, sometimes they have a few different kinds to choose from, sometimes not. In Rome we would get them filled at the Testaccio market, but as others said there are lots of places. I will usually ask at the local bar where I go for my coffee. In Tuscany there are just tons of wineries and coops, I think most will do this. My Italian friends tend to buy a whole cask( well, maybe a very small cask)for the home. The Italians are always welcoming, in fact in the wineries where there is often a choice it will turn into a small wine tasting to get just the right ones. I do speak broken Italian but I think that anyone can do this.
Now that you know about it you will be amazed how many there are and that you didn't see it in the past!

Everyone talks about going in the off season and mentions November or March. But in Florence and Venice at least, July is a shoulder season. I got hotel rooms in both cities for half to a third the cost of the same room during the high season. This is important to know if you need or want to travel during the summer (e.g. if you are tied to an academic calendar, or just want the longer daylight hours, flowers, etc that you won't get in November).

Book a hotel room with a mini fridge - you can keep tap water cold to save on buying bottled water constantly. You can also buy great food from the markets or small shops to have picnics in your room. If you aren't a foodie and don't care about having all your meals in a sit down restaurant you can really save alot this way. Many people mention picnics as a way to save on food cost, but having the flexibilty that a small fridge in the room allows can make a big difference.

For lunch, many local bars make good sandwiches that are usually nicely priced. I imagine they hope you'll have a few drinks while munching away.

I second Ira Telecommuting

There is no magic trick it’s a lot of surfing and double checking numerous sites. NO one site has the answer you have to make up your mind to a few things. Location, Location, Location as they say and start from there. I generally look for places out of or on the edge of the main areas but on bus or tram lines and within very short walking distance to either. Check if the building has a lift many don’t. Remember they have different floor system than we do their lst is our 2nd.

The wine shop suggestion is also a great one. I have done that a lot. I like the small shop off P. San Stefano because right across from it is a mom-pop shop that has a lot of great choices most at reasonable prices.

Venice Card: it can work for you or not depending on how long you’re going to be there. If it’s just a few days it’s not worth it on the other hand if your there a week it can work for you. You can buy the card on line but its only about 1 euro more at the airport. Almost every city in Italy has some kind of card. Here is a web site that lists a lot of them. Before you buy figure out what is offered and if these things fit into your plans. In Rome the Rome pass pays for itself in just the Borghese And Vatican museums not to mention the week long bus pass, and other ½ price entry fees.
http://www.comune.torino.it/infogio/itatasca/e/einfotour3.htm

In Rome invest in the bus schedule it’s at any place they sell tickets, cost is 4e. If gives you all the routes, how long between buses, hours they run. where you hop on off to transfer etc. The web site is good but you don’t have that while your wandering around Rome. The site is sometimes hard to find an address on due to the way they show streets and it never tells you where to transfer. Another great free thing is: Have some fun and hop on a bus going to the outer districts of Rome you will be amazed at what you see and find outside of the heart of the city.

Florence bus site is: http://www.ataf.net day ticket is 4euro

In Florence make a Sunday (or your lowest rate time) call to the Uffizi to make reservations you pay when you pick up ticket. Small booking fee vs. on line 7-9euro booking fees
011- 39 055294883

Train tickets: after learning the hard way I buy them in Italy they are much, much cheaper. There are two fares the Standard and Amica a discount fare that’s open up to 7 days prior to trips. You can do this at the station or on line with http://www.trenitalia.com but be prepared for some frustration in using the site stick with it or use an agent. In Rome lots of people use American Express (near Spanish Steps) in Venice there is an agency just across the bridge (where you photo bridge of sighs) on the Riva d Schiavoni.

Take the Train to Ostia 3.5euro site entry is 6.5euro. Well worth the money and many feel better and its far, far less crowded than Pompeii.

Double check you flight three months out and one month out for any changes in seats etc while you still have time to get it fixed. Reconfirm one month out hotel and apartment. Increase you withdraw limit on your ATM to keep charges for use down important now that for $500 you would only get 329 euro.

Bite the bullet that last day and hire the Rome Shuttle 30e to run you to airport. The airport is such a hassle no one needs the train, hauling the bags to the counter on your last day when your tired. If there are two of you its only 10e more than the train and 75% less hassle to get to your check in counter.

We try to book apartments whenever we can in Florence and Rome and in Tuscany we rent farm houses or something similar. Especially if you are traveling with more than 2 persons these are usually much more reasonable. We save a load of money by eating at a restaurant once a day - buying provisions at a market and eating the other meals either a the rental place or packing picnics. Useful websites have been www.vrbo.com and www.homeaway.com
And of course traveling in non-peak months helps tremendously on lodging and airfare. I think one of the reasons we love Italy so much is because there are endless possibilities that cost nothing. Renting a car allows you to explore more than you could otherwise...although car rental isn't cheap...it gives you more options. But honestly - if the "dollar" gets much weaker in Europe I think it's going to keep a lot of folks from traveling in Europe for awhile. Sad.

Agree with all the posters who recommend getting an apartment. We're traveling to Italy in October and have booked lovely apartments through VRBO.com for around 100E per night in very good locations in both Rome and Florence. This allows for the other Euro-saving plan of shopping and cooking "at home".

Matt, the past two summers we have flown to Italy from NY via Aerlingus through Dublin. Last year I found a notice that advertised a sale across the pond from NY to Dublin. So I called them and asked if I could take advantage of the sale and then continue on to Rome. No problem! So give Aerlingus a call and see what they can do for you. This doesn't come up on kayak or even their website. Gotta call.

We flew Aer Lingus on sale to Dublin, then continued RyanAir to Carcassone. At the time it was a big airfare saving, not to mention it encouraged traveling light.

so much great info here I have to bookmark. Thanks all.

If you intend to rent an automobile, instead of autoeurope.com, try one of the autoeurope European websites (e.g., autoeurope.fr).

The smaller restaurants in Trastevere also offer much better value for money than, say, the ones in the alleys near the Spanish Steps or any of the other areas in central Rome.

Here are my two cents on making the most of the dollar in Tuscany:

Florence:
This year we are renting an apt. After reading many rave reviews and doing much research, I have booked a 2 bedroom apt w/air conditioning, sat TV, a washing machine, and a fully equipped kitchen for 156euro/night. (no minimum stay required!) It is half a block from the Duomo. The rental is through Sleeping in Florence. Now THAT's a bargain!

Montalcino:
Yes, the Brunello is pricy (and amazing!), but we had bargain accommodations. Here's an excerpt from my trip report...

HOTEL DEI CAPITANO -- We loved it! The pool area and the views from our rooms, the pool, and the breakfast terrace were breathtaking. I can’t describe how lovely and peaceful it was. You would think you would get used to the views after seeing them constantly, but each time I looked, I was stunned. It was like a green and yellow patchwork quilt spread out below you, and you felt as if you were on top of the world. The rooms were very basic, but very clean and functional. Both of the rooms had small balconies that could fit a chair. The kids had a much bigger bathroom than us (201), but ours had an attached sitting room (202). The rooms were only 105 euros each in early July, breakfast included. A great value!

Also, visiting the beautiful S’ANTIMO ABBEY is free. This abbey is set in a lovely valley, surrounded by cypress and olive trees. We visited on a Sunday morning, mass was going on, and it was an unbelievably beautiful experience. We're not even religious, and it was very moving.

Probably the best way we save money in Italy, and the only way we have been able to afford long trips in Italy, is to use Starwood points to stay for free in really nice hotels. (this year, we're staying in an apt in Florence instead of a Starwood so we can use the points in Milan and Sardinia)

dina

I don't think this has been mentioned..so many travellers especially during the first couple of trips to Europe feel the need to buy souvenirs for so many people back home. I quit doing that ages ago. Even if you buy inexpensive items if you feel you have too many people to buy for (example, if I buy this for Trisha I must buy something for Joyce) etc., it can be surprising how all the items can add up. And often although people think it is nice to be remembered it was not their trip so the souvenirs really do not mean that much to them and often just adds to the "stuff" they already have in their homes.

Having said that there are exceptions of course. A dear friend brought me back a compact for my purse from Paris that even has a magnifying mirror. That rememberance is always in whatever purse I am using and still makes me smile when I use it. But if one is on a tight budget do think about how much all those inexpensive items will cost you. Sort of like shopping during the holidays.

I am loving this thread and taking tons of notes for our upcoming trip to Rome. Hopefully I can add a few items when we return at the end of May. However, just a couple of questions:

Please, does anyone have suggestions for the wine shops in Rome or Naples where you fill your own jug? We love that cheap house wine when we are in Italy and this would be ideal. Any specific locations in Rome or Naples?

The Rome Shuttle to the airport, do you reserve this in advance or call as your departure date nears?

Lastly, a comment, not a suggestion or question:

Hire Ira NOW! and let him work from home. His advice and suggestions are always spot on and very helpful.

On second thought I do have a great suggestion for saving money in Rome or anywhere else you travel. Spend a lot of time browsing fodors.com and pay attention. Just reading this thread I have learned about filling your own wine jugs and Rome Shuttle, thereby saving me money on my upcoming trips. I have garnered a ton of information over the years that has saved me a lot of money and it has all come from this site. Great hotels to stay at, taking the RER from the airport in Paris instead of a taxi, great restaurant suggestions, etc. Most of my money saving tips have come from fodorites over the years.

Adding this to
Helpful Information: Italy 2
www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=2&tid=34568596

Topping this in hopes of an answer to my questions of where there are wine shops in Rome where you can fill your own jug and in hopes of more helpful moneysaving tips for Italy. J

Make sure you have joined email newsletters to sites like Kayak and Fare Compare, and even the major airline(s) you frequent, that let you know when airfare to your destination has a sale. And when you punch in where you're flying from compare the price against all airports within your commute. You may be surprised to find a special price flying out of a smaller airport. That's how I found my fare to Rome and the airport happens to be in my backyard. I usually fly out of the NY airports, a 3-hour commute plus parking but this time they were more expensive.

If airfare is not yet posted for July the air comparison websites should let you know either generally or specifically if there is a good airfare to be had.

I recently read an article that said there might be an airfare war to Europe this month or the beginning of April. Several airlines are picking up new routes to Europe and will have deals.

I guess this is more of a tip for saving money overall than beating the Euro, but will still work. Being a Grad student, I'm always looking to save a few bucks (or Euros).

You really don't realize how much money you spend on museums, places of interest, tours, etc. since it's "6 Euros here" "10 Euros there", until you add them all up or worse yet, see the total on the credit card bill when you return home. When people ask me what I want for Christmas/my birthday, I ask them to purchase my tickets for specific sights/tours online, print them out and give those to me for presents. I just inform them the days that I will be there and give them the websites. It's easy for them and saves me money.

I also never get a hotel without breakfast included--saves money and I get to try authentic cuisine.

I also found if you are flexible in which airports you fly into, and take the train into the major Italian cities, you can also save money. For instance, for my trip to Italy in May, the flights into various Italian cities were around $1,300. But flying roundtrip into Munich was only $775. Even with a railpass through Italy, I am still saving money and hitting all the cities I was originally planning.

jdaper: I don't know specific shops but the Testaccio market is everyday in Rome and it has great local color...and you can get your bottle filled there.

I believe the cafeteria in Venice that basingstoke was refering to is Brek, part of a chain of self-service cafeterias in Italy. Food at Brek is a far cry from our paper wrapped, greasy fast food. Food at Brek is fresh and often cooked to order. Salads and desserts are excellent. It is a great choice for good, simply prepared food at budget prices. Italy does even fast food pretty well.

While the food is the same, the Brek in Venice (near the train station) is just ok inside and tends to run out of things late in the day. The one in Verona is very nice with outdoor seating with a great view of the colosseum. I haven't been to these, but there are also Breks in Turino, Milan, and a centrally located one in Rome.

Fattoria la Palazzina

very nice

http://www.fattorialapalazzina.net/

With the way the Euro is climbing against the dollar (€1 = $1.52 as of noon 3/3/08), about the only affordable way to enjoy Europe is to rob a bank and have your getaway already planned....

If you're looking for a more legal way to save money:

* You don't have to order the full 4 courses with the 1990 Brunello di Montalcino at a restaurant. Order only enough to make you feel full -- which for me is usually a primo (1st course) OR secondo (main entree) with an antipasto (appetizer) OR a contorno (vegetable). I'm 6'-3" and 220 lbs., and that is enough for me. Where all four of those would cost about €30 even in a cheap place in the boonies, you'd have to get the caviar-coated endangered species kabob grilled over moon rocks to surpass €20 with just two of those, and that's in Rome. Drinking wine is fine, and if it's a special occasion, go for the 1990 Brunello, but for just an ordinary meal, house wine (vino della casa or vino sfuso) is usually adequate.

* Buy your bottles of acqua minerale in the grocery store or salumeria instead of the rip-off-the-tourists pushcarts in front of major locations. Although this happened over Christmas in Portugal and not Italy, here is my point: in the ROTT pushcart, a 0.5L bottle of water was anywhere from €0.50 to €1.00. In the grocery store, it was €0.08. Yes, you read that correctly: eight cents. You can extrapolate that comparison to include other things available at a ROTT pushcart: Coke, fruit, sandwiches, etc.

Susanna: Thank you for the information on the market. Can't wait until May to fill that wine bottle and enjoy fabulous Roma.

You all are impressive -- there's a ton of great information here. The idea of catching a flight to Dublin and then taking Ryan Air to Italy suddenly makes a trip seem viable -- definitely a better deal than any other option I've tried, and a night or two in Dublin could be a nice counterpoint to the Italian experience. Whenever I'm in Italy next, I'll be seeking out a wine coop, jug in hand.

Buy snakcs and bottled water in bulk (usually comes in 6 packs) at a cheap neighborhood supermarket at the beginning of your stay and keep it cool in your apt or hotel refridge. Grab a bottle each when leaving in the AM and that way avoid buying expensive water or snacks near tourist attractions ....where prices are much higher.

Save your euros for espresso or gelato.

A potentially quite profitable topic---and all you great Fodorites came through with so many great tips! Mille grazie---these should help us combat the euro this year, and we will spread the word in our Italy guidebooks. Best, Robert Fisher

I must add my agreement with the 2 fold positives of renting (which I have done in Scotland, Italy and France). It is a cost savings and a sanity savings...especially if you are with a group you have the luxury of additional rooms. In Florence I used http://www.houseinflorence.com
and Venice
http://www.veniceby.com/homeinvenice/pages/apart.htm
Both great experiences.

In Rome, learn how to drink from the drinking fountains (generally FINE water on a par with anything you get in a bottle.)

The trick is hard to describe, but simply involves using a finger to re-direct the water into an arc for sipping. Or just refill your bottle. When it's not drinkable, there will be a sign, "aqua non potabile"

My plans for a typical week will include no more than 3 evening meals out - it's both budget wise and more relaxing to take some evenings in. A good bottle of wine, bread, cheese and meat ... who needs a kitchen? This can be preceded by a passeggiata or followed by a stroll for gelato or a nightcap. The downtime at the hotel is good for resting feet, catching up on CNN, watching dubbed American television programs, or just reviewing the past day and planning the next.

I second the motion re: not buying lots of souvenirs. I do pick up ephemera along the way: paper napkins, matches etc from cafes and gelaterie, ticket stubs from tours, free brochures, etc. Spend more on experience, less on stuff.

RE: filling the wine bottle at "the source" ...

In Sutri one day I was to have lunch with friends at their house - and we noticed there was no wine for the meal. Since all the shops were shuttered for the midday meal, my friend grabbed an empty litre Coke bottle and we headed to a nearby trattoria - really a four-table place in the living room of a little house on a narrow street. For about a buck the owner filled our bottle with his house vintage. It nicely complemented our peasanty pasta dish that day.

These were a few of the things that helped us stretch our money during a trip to Rome last year:

Renting a 2 BR apartment for our family of 3 definitely seemed to give much better value for our money than most hotels, plus the option of preparing meals if we wanted. We ate breakfasts in and had snacks and drinks at the apartment and ate most other meals out. we bought a lot of fruit since we felt our restaurant meals were low on fruits and vegetables. We didn't try--or know about--refillable wine bottles, but found that bottles of Italian wines at the supermarket were quite inexpensive.
The rental agency we used, realrome, gets consistently good reviews on this forum.

We used public transit including the local train from/to the airport (to Trastevere station) and buses. We would have had trouble trying to navigate the bus system w/o a good map, but with one found it quite easy. We quickly learned to get tickets in advance at tobacchi rather than trying to use the very unreliable machines. The tickets once validated are good for multiple rides within a 75 minute period. So it is possible to devise your own short hop on/hop off tours if you want to stop briefly at one site then continue on to another destination.

What do you think about Roman Holidays? www.romanholidays.org .. nice B&B near Vatican City! Small price...but it is like a 3 stars Hotel!

Well, we found a great bargain for dinner in Milan...there is an area that is popular with students near the university. The streets are lined with bar/cafes where you can sit down, order a drink and have access to a full buffet of food..for no additional cost. Essentially, we were stufffed for less than 18e (2 glasses of wine each). We also like to buy some proscuitto, cheese, bread etc and have a quiet picnic in the room on occasion, stay in an agritourismo when in Tuscany and really scour a lot of guide books (Fodors is always one of them) for a selection of restaurants where ever we go. Italy is our fav - but we just can't swing it again this year so maybe in 2009???

bookmarking all these great tips for kater--thanks!

Hi!



I have found the European versions of our Dollar Stores to be quite helpful..

Inexpensive bottled water, sodas, snacks and potential souveniers...

TUTTO 1 EURO!

I've posted them on our personal travel journal website if you are interested in them with a link to find the exact locations!

In Florence one store location I used daily is around the corner from the Hotel Centrale....and there are 2 locations in Rome

Our site is....

http://when.do.we.leave.googlepages.com/


then go into the journal section and then money!

Enjoy wandering through other areas too..

RE: recommendation on sound guides: the website recommended by Monica (http://www.sound-guides.com/) has not worked for quite a while now, so don't bother...

As far as savings in lodging, renting a place is definitely at the top. It branches out to savings in so many other areas.

On another thread, there's mention that some hotels are giving special discounted rates to Americans. One hotel in Paris, in particular. I don't have its name, though there are others.

Also in Florence, Italy, there's a special rate being made available to guests whose home currency is the dollar.

Anyone know how to find out which hotels are giving reduced rates because of the dollar:Euro situation?

nope,

but Harry's Bar in Venice is giving 20% off to Americans!

I found the other thread:

"In Paris the St. James allows Americans to pay at a 1:1 dollar/Euro exchange rate" Not sure if this is correct, but you can check it out:

http://saint-james-paris.com/

This article names places in other cities:

http://nymag.com/travel/2008/spring/45583/index1.html

Bookmarking

The venezuelan currency (where I live) has always been weaker than the Euro and even though I'm far from being a rich guy, I've always managed to travel to expensive countries for 3 weeks every year.

When looking up lodging, I mostly check the official websites of the cities I want to visit or italian websites aimed for italians tourists. I've been able to find very good deals on inexpensive and wonderful B&B's or hotels that I've haven't been able to find on regular foreign-tourist-oriented websites or bookguides.

When it comes to eating, specially in expensive cities, I usually go to these kind of italian fast-food restaurants where you only see locals (this is the best sign about the quality and price of the food) and where the meals are excellent (My family is from Apulia and I sure know about good italian food). The food is usually inexpensive and of home-made quality. Of course, these places lack of that italian atmosphere we're all looking for, but they're always packed with locals and I think they're good places to see local life and eating habits in modern cities. I speacially like "Brek" in Venice (Cannaregio) and Turin (Via Roma) and "Spizzico" in Milan (Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II) and Rome (Via del Corso).

I always use public transportation (trains, buses or ferries), I always book my plane ticket as early as I can and, when poissible and infact inexpensive, I always fly with an airline from a different country to the one I'm visiting.

I always buy bookguides of the places I'd like to visit and "study" them way in advance and use this forum as much as I can to get great tips and advice from the people who have already been to such places.

This is how I've been able to travel during 3 weeks for the last 10 years with the money I earn in a country whose currency has always been at the bottom.

I'm not the kind of guy who's happy staying anywhere as long as it has a roof and a bed and eating whatever as long as it's edible. I consider myself picky when it comes to lodging and eating, but I'm also concerned about how much money I spend without becoming obsessed or keeping myself from enjoying a trip.

I'm not saying I'm the best budget traveler that has ever existed, but I consider I do a good job planning great and inexpensive trips.

Castellanese.

A simple answer. Budget, plan, save. Start now: How much are you going to spend? How nuch time before you go? 10 weeks? put aside 1/10 of that amount in a money market account every week. Scrimp today, splurge tomorrow. I know folks who do an annual 'garage sale' and then use its proceeds to travel.

For Rome: a visit to St Paul-Within-the-Wall (Via Napoli/Via Nazionale)will almost always locate an inexpensive (even free) and excellent concert.

Because the church (American Episcopal connections) has ties to the opera school located just down the street, that is what is sometimes on offer (particularly in the summer).

In other seasons, the congregation's musical director arranges to have a visiting musician perform: the Sunday afternoon/early evening, candle-lit Luminaria series are especially charming.

The other good reason to visit this church is that it is one of the few in Italy to have a really effective outreach programme that assists the local community of refugees. (While in Italy, don't curse the pick-pocketing kids: do something to cure the source of the problem!)

We just got back from Rome, where we stayed in an apartment (through Sleep in Italy). Not only was it cheaper than a hotel, but we were able to eat a lot of meals much more cheaply than eating out. Italian food is so good, even when you cook yourself its wonderful. You can get fresh pesto at a supermarcti that's better than anything I've had in this country. The cheeses, salamis, ham, fruit & veg are also great. Also we could make our own coffee, which we seem to need more of than Italians.
Check at the tourist info offices for free things too. At the end of March there was a week when all national museums were free. Also you can get a Roma pass there, with booklets of what to do.
There's 3 days free transportation with the Rome pass & then we got a one week metro card.
And then a lot of things are free like most churches.

Tips! Tips! Tips!

Thank you for the tips!

Katie: Thank you for starting this thread. And thank you everyone for your input. I will be going to Rome in the autumn, and this will help a lot.

Great info!

another great place for free concerts in Rome is San Ignazio, one block off the Piazza Rotundo (the piazza in front of the Pantheon.) It's a fabulous church - check out the tromp d' oeil (sp?) dome - too cool!!. A group called Peter's Way arranges choir tours for churches in the US, and uses this venue quite a bit. Have never been to Rome yet that there wasn't at least one concert there per week (not counting the times I got to sing there!!)

This is FREE. If you are Catholic and have been married within the last 8 weeks apply for Newlywed Tickets (Sposi Novelli) if you plan on attending the Wed Papal Audience.

This is from Santa Susanna, the American Catholic Church in Rome.
"If you are planning to attend a papal audience following your wedding you may qualify for Newlywed or Sposi Novelli tickets. This is only available for couples who have been married in the Catholic Church within two months of the papal audience. There is a special seating section for newlyweds. Please know, however, that Pope Benedict XVI has not continued the tradition of blessing newlywed couples individually. Still you must request these tickets IN ADVANCE.

Newlywed (Sposi Novelli) Tickets: Newlyweds (within 8 weeks of your wedding) can sit in a special section. THOUGH IT IS PREFERABLY THAT YOU WEAR YOUR WEDDING ATTIRE, those without the attire can still sit up front but in a different section, but YOU MUST HAVE their Wedding Certificate with them. This does not mean that the Pope Benedict XVI will individually bless each couple as Pope John Paul II did. We have been told that this practice has been discontinued permanently."

My husband and I came to Rome on our honeymoon 5 years ago and DID NOT KNOW THIS! I wish we had.

If you are no longer "newly" wed you could look into attending Santa Susanna and having your vows renewed while visiting Rome. This is what their website has to say about that, "You are welcome to renew your vows at Santa Susanna at our weekday evening mass at 6 PM. It means that a congregation will be present to celebrate with you, and you can then go out for a romantic dinner afterwards." (look on the FAQ page for more info)

web site link, http://www.santasusanna.org/index.html.

If we take the idea of the main meal being at lunchtime then during the working week you can eat "meal of the day" which is served inside bars at the back (yes they often have hidden away restaurants designed to feed the locals) so at 12:00 look for any workers and trail them to these gold mines. No choice, freee cheep wine and only bottled water is extra.

Does not work at the weekend but if you need the calories at mid day a real winner

Always visit the tourist offices and get the free guides for what is going on.

Here is a list of FREE stuff in Rome.

http://www.enjoyrome.com/tourist/cityguide/rome.for.free.html

Forgot to add, before arriving in Rome check out Roma c'e online. It is free to search out events. In Rome you can buy the weekly guide for 1.50Euro.

http://www.romace.it/

Under the English Section you can download the "This Week in Rome". It is has interesting info.

The best way to save money in Rome and Florence, particularly Rome, is to rent an apartment if you are going to be there a week; you can really get excellent value for Euro paid that way, and particularly if you rent from an owner on the vrbo.com website-there are some great bargains on weekly rates (the longer you stay, the more willing the owner is to discount days over a week), that often break down to a one bedroom apartment for less than US 70.00 a night, fully equipped with washing machine, that can sleep 4 people or more. And DO NOT be afraid to ask for a "sconto"-on anything! It never hurts to ask, just think of some reason why you SHOULD get a sconto, and try it! I do this with apartment owners all the time-we're staying 8 days, can we get the 8th day free? I'm a solo traveler, how much of a "sconto" can I get? Invariably, I've been able to get at least $100, sometimes more, off a weekly rental because there is only one person, but it should be said that I ask for these "scontos" in the LOW season-and that's another way to save a LOT by way of both apartment rentals and hotel rooms, go to Rome, Florence and other major cities in Italy, like Venice, in the LOW season, where hotel rates are halved-this would include the month of August, which is an excellent month to travel in Italy. In the past few years, I've gone to Rome, Florence, Tuscany in August and not only has the weather been delightful, but I've had my pick of great hotel rooms, as well as having gotten better deals on apartments, and have been able to stay in 4 star hotels for the rate of a 2 star in high season. The 4 and 5 star hotels in Rome and Florence actually do lower their rates by over 50% during August in some cases, so I highly recommend going then because you can really stretch the Euros further and stay in a nice property that you might not be able to afford if you went in high season.

Another way to save money on both hotel rooms and apartments in Rome particularly is to stay in areas OTHER THAN Campo the most heavily touristed areas, i.e., Campo dei Fiori, Pantheon and the Navona area-where hotel rates and apartment rentals will be the highest. I think one of the best values in Rome is the area of Esquilino, right around Santa Maria Maggiore-it's close to many of the major sights: the Spanish Steps, Trevi, obviously the Colosseo, and Fori Imperiali, all of which you can reach by foot, yet it's a very authentic Roman neighborhood, one of the most ancient in Rome, with great local restaurants, and little known ancient landmarks that make it interesting to walk around at night. Sitting outside the cafe just across from SMM, admiring its beautiful frescos on the front of the basilica, which are lit up at night, while having a drink or a gelato is a mighty fine evening in Rome. It's a very quiet area as well at night. This is also true of the area right around the Colosseum as well, where you can sit in an outdoor cafe and look at the stunning splendor of ancient Rome lit up at night. Both areas are very close to Termini, but not right next to it-you can walk to Termini Station from these areas in two to five minutes, in order to get on a train to take a great inexpensive day trip to Ostia Antica, the alternative to Pompeii, or to see the beautiful gardens at Tivoli,(Villa d'Este) and Hadrian's Villa. To take the train to get to Ostia Antica is very quick-around a 30 minute trip from Rome, and by doing it yourself, as opposed to using one of the over-priced day trip tour operators, you can save many many Euros.

But I think one of the best values in Rome in terms of covering a lot of sights without a lot of wear and tear on the body, without spending a lot of time and money getting frustrated as to how to get from one sight to another in Rome, or to avoid spending a lot of Euros on an expensive tour is to take one of their three great hop/on sightseeing buses, all 3 of which can be picked up at their starting point-out in front of Termini station. The three sightseeing buses, the red 110 "city tour" double-decker, with stops at all the major sights, Spanish Steps, Pantheon, Colosseum, Bocca della Verita, Trajan Market, Circus Massimus-with commentary, or without-your choice, 10 stops, beginning and ending at Termini, all for 16 Euro, the yellow "Cristiana" bus that goes on a route to many of the major basilicas and churches of Rome, while at the same time, pointing out the other major sights co-located nearby, (I like the yellow Cristiana bus tour the most) which only costs 13 Euro, and then there is the "Archeobus" which takes you out to the Appian Way, to the catacombs of San Callisto and San Sebastiano, the baths of Caracalla and the Roman Aqueducts to see parts of underground Rome and the archeological areas. These 3 double-decker hop on/off sightseeing buses, to my mind represent the absolute best value for sightseeing Rome, if you want to see as much of Rome as possible without spending a lot of money on expensive day tours where you can't really control the itinerary. The bus tickets are valid for a 24 hour period from the time you get it stamped while getting on the bus, so it can be used for two days, if times right. These tour buses are also great for those people who have disabilities or who are otherwise physically challenged, to see all of the sights of Rome without having to get out and walk it, or for those who are just plain lazy and would rather ride around in a bus and look at the sights because they simply don't like or want to walk! And on a beautiful day in Rome, there is nothing quite like being on the top of one of these double-decker buses, looking out at all the glories of Rome-you can see ancient doors, pediments, and fountains that you would never notice or see by being ground-level; it's really fascinating. I think Rome is at its most glorious when it IS viewed from on high, so I recommend these buses both for their great value, but also as a hassle-free and very enjoyable way to get around Rome and see the major sights, both above and below ground. During holiday periods, you'll see just as many Italian tourists on those buses as you will tourists from other countries, as Italians come to Rome in droves during August, and they too are looking for great values to see the sights!

A lot of B&B in Rom, but not all are good. Perhaps http://www.romanholidays.org ....

ttt

ttt

Just read Viajero2's comment that the sound-guides.com no longer works. That's too bad!

Two other sources I've used are:

http://www.iaudioguide.com/

http://www.italyguides.it/us/italy_travel.htm

These look to be working and are still free.

Monica

Bookmarking

Hey!!

http://www.hotelclarin.it

it's a very nice and good price Hotel in Rome Center!

I'm happy!

Great info for the budget challenged (like me).

With out a doubt the Roma pass will save you money in the eternal city. Not only do you get unlimited transportation in Rome for 3 days you also get into two sites free and then a nice discount from there on out. All for 20 Euro. Couple this with staying out side the city a bit at Camping Tiber village for about 10-15 Euro a night (the Roma pass covers all the trains to and from the campground) and your saving bundles.
Another way to cut costs is to leave out the old fashioned guided/ group tours or paying for each member of your group to rent a audio tour. You can find downloadable audio tours for most major cities on line for a fraction of the cost. Split the 5-10 USD dollar charge and put the file on every member of your travel party's ipod.
noambit has just produced a good tour of Florence and more are coming
http://noambit.typepad.com/my_weblog/florence-audio-tour-essen.html
And more can be found at sites like walk-talki.com and audiosteps.com

For Rome use please this site:

http://rome.hotelexperience.it/

Cheap and luxury Hotels, on line booking reservation fast and sure!

Hey!

bookmark

If you will be in Venice for more than a day, buy a good map of the city, buy a pass for unlimited travel on the boats that ply the canals, and buy a Chorus Pass. The Chorus Pass, which cost 9 Euros in 2008, will admit you to sixteen churches for which single admission is 3 Euros each, and it will provide you with interesting destinations in most of the fascinating neighborhoods of Venice.

The easy solution to spending less on a trip to anywhere in Europe is to go off season, but sometimes that isn't possible. The first thing I do is book everything I can in US dollars in advance. Secondly, I do a lot of research and planning. I also utilize the internet, books (public libraries are great and free!), and advice from friends and discussion boards to research good budget hotels and how to get discounts (like the Amica fare on trains within Italy which gives you 20% off the standard rate). I do a lot of planning so that by the time my vacation starts, I'm not fumbling trying to figure out when to go where - I know when museums have discount rates, where the neighborhoods with less expensive (but still good, authentic food) cafes and restaurants are, etc. Don't hesitate to book accommodations a little out of the tourist center - if you're off the beaten path a bit, there are usually are great stores and restaurants frequented by more locals than tourists in the area, plus you'll have a great walk discovering the less-traveled streets of the city on your way to those Churches and museums (just make sure it's a safe are and not TOO far away - or at least accessible by public transportation late at night). I use websites for hostal bookings - but book a private room (sometimes with its own bathroom, sometimes with a shared bathroom) in a place that has been positively reviewed. Finding a place that includes breakfast is great - grab something like an apple at breakfast for a snack later that day.

One last tip that some people may not be aware of - different credit cards and banks charge different rates for foreign transactions (credit card charge or withdrawing cash at an ATM). Research this before you go! For example, I recently purchased 2 tickets to see The Last Supper in Milan with my Bank of America Visa card. The tickets are 16euros each, so 32 euros total which at an exchange rate of about 1.57 they charged me a total of US$50.25. Then a second charge showed up on my statement - a "Foreign Transaction Fee" of $1.50 - a 3% charge. This could really add up if I made big purchases with this card, or used it constantly throughout my trip. Bank of America also charges a $5 flat fee for foreign ATM withdraws, plus 1%. My American Express card increased the exchange rate by a few percent when I made a foreign pruchase - so my purchase was exchanged at a rate of 1.61euros/dollar (so 92.05 euros = US$148.71). Again, not ideal.

The moral of the story - bring cash/travelers checks, and get a Capital One card. Capital One uses wholesale rates to calculate foreign charges and imposes no surcharge. (Note: I just applied for this card and have yet to use it for a foreign purchase, but this is coming from lots of research. The card has no annual fee.)

Otherwise, don't worry too much - especially once you get there - afterall, you are on vacation - in Europe!

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Hi

Why not visit the incredible ruins of Ostia Antica? Entrance fee is E6.50 for each adult. For this fee you can exit and return as many times as you wish during the day. A cheap metro ticket will get you there. And there is even a free online guide here - http://www.ostia-antica.org/touristguide.pdf. All this for around E10 a day per person. What a bargain

Hello, you could consider using Hotwire or Priceline for your hotel stay. I got a 2 1/2 star hotel in Florence for $53 which really helped stretch the budget. It was perfectly fine and in a very convenient location. I had paid in dollars so had no increase as the $ dropped. I have been researching another Hotwire hotel buy for my November trip. Check on betterbidding or bidding for travel to see what hotels have been coming up. Hotwire now shows the tripadvisor rating for the hotel such as 4 out of 5, how many reviews and the date of the last review BEFORE you chose which gives you a lot more to work with.

Also booked prem ticket round trip Paris-Florence night train, 4 berth, for 70 euros
each way. Booked on scnf website directly.

That is of course sncf, not scnf.