One of my favourite cities to visit is Rome. I love the food, the culture and the history. I'ts definitely a city I'll continue to return to. Flights from Dublin can be really cheap if you go off - peak and Hotels/Air bnb's are a lot cheaper too. It's 3 hours from Dublin, making it the perfect weekend break!
Rome is notoriously expensive, but it doesn't have to be! The Eternal City can be as cheap as you'd like it to be. You just have to be a bit clever with your spending...
Keep reading to see my Top Tips for Rome on a Budget
1: Getting There
As always, Skyscanner is your friend. Book in advance and you'll get a good deal. Depending on the time of year you're going; you can get flights for under €90.
They are 2 airports in Rome; Fiumicino and Ciampino. We flew Ryanair into Ciampino and our lovely Air BnB Host collected us, but you can get into the centre for as little as €4 so it's a really handy option.
2: Accomodation
We choose Air BnB and had such a lovely experience! We were about 20-25 minutes outside of Rome but really accessible via public transport. I think it cost €400 for 4 nights for the 2 of us which was one of the cheaper options for Rome for the June Bank Holiday Weekend.
BOOK LUIGI'S PLACE
BOOK LUIGI'S PLACE
Luigi went above and beyond and to date it's been my best Air BnB experience. He offered to take us about 30 minutes outside Rome to Braccino where we explored the castle and then had lunch by the lake (Still the best Gnocchi I've ever had) and then we went to the beach and hung out with his friends - to me it's what traveling is all about!
He also has an apartment close to the Colosseum if you're looking to be a bit closer!
If Air BnB ain't your thang, Booking.com is what I always use to find the cheapest accommodation in any city I go to. I find them reliable too with a lot of properties allowing you to pay on arrival too!
3: Getting Around
The Metro/Bus is the quickest and cheapest way to get around. Depending on the length of your stay it might be worth getting a multi-day pass. It worked out cheaper for us to get individual day passes.
It's quick and easy to navigate!
A lot of the Rome attractions are actually within walking distance, so keep that in mind! Walking is by way the best way to see Rome. Bring your comfiest shoes as you'll be walking miles and miles.
4: Food
Rule #1 don't eat at the first place you see, and from experience if they're asking for you to come in AVOID. Whenever I'm in a new city I always look up "Best Cheap Eats" on Trip Advisor and it's never veered me wrong. Our favourite meals in Rome we're :
Cajo Cajo: Cheap and cheerful and they do a delish anti pasti board to share!
Ristourante Baccano: (Cheap Pizza a coins throw from the Trevi Fountain) they also do a fabulous selection of desserts!
Meridonate: You're presented with a free Prosecco on arrival and they do amazing Carbonara & Tiramisu!
There's so many options in Rome for eats - but for the most part steer clear of the tourist traps. Trastevere is a great spot for food with plenty of choice with varying budgets! There's also plenty of bakeries and gelato stands all around the city if you feel your energy waning - I'd recommend trying them all!
5: Attractons
There's quite a lot of attractions in Rome that are FREE, here's a few of my favourite!
- Trevi Fountain
- Spanish Steps
- St Peter's Basilica
- Explore Villa Borghese
- Peek through the keyhole of the Priorato dei Cavalieri di Malta and you'll see St Peter's Dome through the keyhole perfectly shaped by trees
- Wander the gorgeous Guiardino Degli Aranci - perfect to chill and take in the views of Rome.
- Piazza Navona
- Monumento Vittorio Emmanuelle
- Bocca Della Verita - Mouth of truth - find out if you're a liar!
I usually like doing a Hop on Hop off Tour, but in Rome I don't think it's neccessary as walking is honestly the best way to see it - you can miss an awful lot when you're on a bus.
For the Vatican 100% book a ticket to "skip the line" it's well worth it as the que is so long all year round from early morning! It costs about €35.
I'm giving the opposite advice for the Colosseum! They'll be people offering tickets to skip the line everywhere you turn. I politely declined one and the ticket tout said "Good luck waiting in a 3 hour line". The line moved really quickly and we were in within 35-40 minutes! - so don't panic if you see a really long line - it moves!
Enjoy your time in Rome ~ have any questions? Leave 'em below and I'll get back to you asap!
