WE ARE GOING TO ROME IN AUGUST AND SO FAR HAVE ARRANGED CHEAP FLIGHTS AND ACCOMADATION BUT WOULD APPRECIATE SOME GOOD ADVICE ON PRICE OF FOOD AND ALCOHOLL ETC.

The flight and the room are the biggest expense going to Rome. We found you could eat very well for about 30-40 euros per couple if you stick to the neighborhood trattorias, and get the house wine. The food was great every place we went, except by the Colliseum(?) where the pizza places were a rip. Just realize that a 'restaurant' in Italy is an expensive, formal place to eat. Stick with the trattorias and pizzarias and save a bundle of money!

It has been 10 years since I have been to Rome, so I don't have current prices. However, I have some tips that works well in any country to save a bit of cash:<BR>- Take along an insulated lunch bag, and buy some foccacia at a bakery and sandwich meat at a sausage store, and a beer or soft drink, and have a picnic lunch.<BR>- Fresh fruit for breakfast from Camp dei Fiori market.<BR>- Stand up or sit at the bar rather than at a table for lunch.<BR>- Wine and beer will cost the same as water and fruit juice and coffee. That means much cheaper for wine and beer than in NA.

Brendan-if you don't mind me asking --what did you pay for your airline tickets?<BR>Flying from where to where?<BR><BR>thanks

Hi Brendan,<BR>I live and work in Rome so know the city very well so thought I would help you out.<BR>First of all there are some small things that can help you keep your expenses down.<BR>Buy one bottle of water and then keep filling from all the fountains around the city. The drinking water from the fountains here is excellent, clean and very cold.<BR>Make sure you buy things away from the main sites eg the stalls at the Colosseum etc as they always charge you more.<BR>Order the house wine as in most restaurants this is usually quite good and very cheap.<BR>If you don't want to eat bread with your meal tell them when they put it down and make sure they haven't charged you for it on the bill.<BR>As your other post said, the market in Campo di Fiori is also a good option as the fruit and vegetables here are fantastic as they have not been injected with preservatives.<BR>There are also many good bread shops around who can make you a sandwich with ham and cheese for very little expense.<BR><BR>Hope this helps a little more but feel free to email me direct if I can help any further.<BR>Regards<BR>Marianna

Marianna,<BR><BR>I am also going to Rome in August, will be lodged in hostel planet 29, near Termini train station, could you recommend any trattoria over there to have a nice and inexpensive dinner?, is there any recommendable bar/pub where we can have a drink at night?. <BR><BR>grazie!<BR><BR>cristina

I just got back from spending a week in Roma. It was my first time there and it was, to say the least, a totally amazing place. <BR><BR>The advice about the bottled water is spot on. The fountains are everywhere. For food, we spent most of our time picking up some bread and cheese at any multitude of delis and eating in a piazza. <BR><BR>The Trestevere neighborhod has some cool little pizza shops and there are some good places (but a little touristy) on the streets that surround the Piazza Novano. <BR><BR>

ttt for Brendan<BR>

I stayed at the Planet 29 a few months ago, there is a wonderful restaurant across the street, and another great one called Africa, just up the street. Both fantastic food and very inexpensive.

We were in Rome last year and stayed on Via Cavore. There are several Chineese restaurants that have very inexpensive dinners. My wife and I ate for about $15 (total). Via Cavore is close to the Colliseum and the Forum. So, if you do not mind going to Rome to eat good chineese food, try it.

Just got back from Rome. Stayed at the Visconti Palace Hotel with buffet breakfast so ate well. Look for self service restaurants, bars, etc. for panini sandwiches, bruschetta, foccacia and pizza for lunch. Look for fixed price menus or menus turistico for set 3-4 course dinners otherwise everthing else is ala carte including bread and water. There is a Ciao Autogrill restaurant on Via del Corso not far from the Trevi Fountain area which many locals use for a quick dinner. When in the Spanish Steps area stop by the beautiful, airconditioned McDonalds for a huge salad. Enjoy.

I had a cheap roast pork sandwich to die for at a tram stop near St. John Lateran. And cheap pizza and fried cod also. See my trip report at http://www.ramtops.demon.co.uk/4rome.html