Entries Tagged 'Travel Tips' ↓

Rome is a great city to visit but not so great if you are on a tight budget. Certainly not as expensive as Venice Italy but this city does rank up there as one of the more expensive places to stay in Europe. If you are a college student then this can seem a bit daunting as your budget is probably tighter then most. So therefore you need the best resources to find a cheap hotel and fortunately I have scoured the web to find you the best resources when looking for a budget hotel in Rome.

The first and best resource I would recommend would be nycerome.com as this has the best selection of 3 star hotels that I have ever encountered. It is a great selection of hotels that makes or breaks a site for me and this site is as comprehensive as you can get. I am most impressed by the range of hotels that this website offers. Not only does this website offer hotel listings but it also offers apartments for short or long term rent so that will go along way in helping those that wish to stay a bit longer in this wonderful city.

The close second website I would recommend would be to check out holidaycityeurope.com as they have also a great selection of hotels. What makes this website more unique then the previous one mentioned is the fact that they break down each hotel by price range. I think it is needless to say that this feature is a boon to many budget travelers and those that can spend just a bit more.

Another favorite of mine is Europe-cities.com which is another great website to check out if you are hunting for that elusive deal on your stay ni Rome. This website claims to have more than 2100 hotels listed just for the city of Rome and like the previous website mentioned they also have apartment listings as well.

Whether you are staying for a short period of time or a longer time period these website are the cream of the crop in my opinion to finding the best deal on any hotel in Rome. Even if you are looking for a short term  apartment stay these websites will be able to help you out as well. Hopefully you will also find these resources as useful as I do but if you do not be sure to tell me about it because I would like to keep only the best websites listed on this blog so as to better serve my audience.

Rome can be said to be built on world trade. Many goods traveled to and from Rome and that is one of the reasons that all roads lead to Rome. This shopping tradition continues on today. However for the budget conscious Rome is not the best place to shop as it is more expensive then Milan or Florence.

There are four major retail networks in Rome and these are La Standa, Upini, Coin and La Rinascenta. La Standa deparment stores have the reputation as being the cheapest of the four and La Rinascenta is the most expensive of the lot so plan accordingly. You can always find goods of the most outstanding quality in these department stores however if you want to save a little money it is a good idea to hit some of the smaller shops in the area.

The most expensive streets to shop in Rome are Sistina, Gregoriana, Frattina and Borgognona where stores such as Armani, Gianfranco Ferre, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Valentine, Rocco Barocco andTrussardi are usually found. However if you are looking to negotiate or find a bargein on any of these streets do not bother as you simply will not be taken seriously.

The central shopping district for the entire city of Rome is Via del Corso and many of the common brands that you will find in America can also be found here as well. To continue your shopping experience you should also check out Via del Tritone, Via Barberinini, Via Vittoria, Via Nazionale and Via Cola di Rienzo as many of these streets are shopping havens.

If you are looking for a bargain then be sure to check out the shops near the Termini station as the people who live around that area are not the richest and the shops cater to the locals more then the tourists. I am sure you will find a bargain in this area. A note of caution though is that this area is frequented by beggars and thieves so always be careful and do not travel alone or at nighttime when you can get easily disoriented.

A great place to find whatever you may be looking for is the Rome flea market which takes place at Mercato delle Puici and is only open on Sunday mornings so this option is not the best for the hurried tourist or traveler that is just passing through.

The most shopped for items in Italy are leather goods and men and women’s clothing. Designer goods of Italian origin are not cheap but they are the cheapest in Italy and if you can find a good discount store you might walk away with a bargain. Shopping can be a fun way to spend part of your vacation. Just keep in mind that it is always best to keep safe in this city and keep watch of those around you because where ever there are tourists there are sure to be thieves and beggars.

For those history buffs out there this is for you. I consider myself a bit of an armchair archeologist and would love to spend some quality time with these ancient sites. You could say that the western world was formed in these sites as many famous events or people came from each and every one. History is dripping with each of these sites and I am sure that if you are at all interested in ancient history you will not be bored with what these top 10 ancient ruins in Rome have to offer.

The Coliseum in Rome is perhaps one of the best known sites in all of the world. I dare you to show a picture of this site in almost every country and someone is bound to know what is was and some of the legends of this ancient ruin. I have been to this site myself and have to tell you that it is well worth the visit if you go inside and take the tour.

Second to the Coliseum in Rome is the Pantheon or the temple of the Gods. The root of the ancient religion that founded modern western society this site contains so many relics it will take your breath away. It is now a converted church and one of the best preserved sites from the ancient time period.

The Roman Forum was the center of the ancient city of Rome. Here this place contained temples, markets, basilicas, and arches. One of the benefits of visiting this site is that the admission is free so be sure to take your time walking around and exploring what was once Rome in its earliest days.

Piazza Navona was originally built as a stadium for ancient athletic contests. It now contains some of the best fountains and cafes you will find in the city.

If you want to see where the ancient Roman emperors ruled then be sure to check out Palatine Hill. The Domus Flavia and Domus Augustana were built as the home to the emperors and served them for over 300 years. Remarkably these structures still stand today. With admission to this ancient site  you can also view the Palatine Museum as well so I guess you get a better deal if you visit this site.

Back in ancient Rome taking a bath was a social event and this took place at the Baths of Caracalla. This huge complex could hold up to 1600 Roman bathers believe it or not! This was also a place to buy food and drink and get a workout as well as this building contained a gym as well.

The world’s oldest shopping market or Trajan’s market is definitely worth checking out as well. Built over several floors this building contained marble floors and an extensive library as well.

If you wish to view ancient catacombs and explore how the people of Rome are buried then be sure to check out Via Appia Antica and Catacombs. Via Appla was the ancient road that lead to Rome and was started in 312 B.C.E. and on this road you will find many tombstones of ancient Roman Christians.

Finally the ancient port of Ostia Antica should also be on your list. Without this port of commerce Rome could have never survived as Rome existed on the surrounding areas in order to get enough goods to supply the city. This is a truly huge complex and in order to get the most out of y our trip be sure to plan for an extensive stay, perhaps a half day would be recommended.

These ancient sites represent the foundation of the city and of the culture of Rome. Without these sites many of the ancient history of Rome could not have occurred. You cannot consider yourself a history buff until you have visited all of these sites personally.

Rome is a large and exotic city and very safe however thera are some dangers that every traveler should be aware when traveling in and around this city. Like every large city Rome is susceptible to thieves, murderers and other nefarious types that will surely ruin your time if you are not careful.

Hanging your expensive camera equipment around your neck while traveling is a sure sign of an inexperienced traveler and you will be prey to gangs of thieves that hang around the various tourist traps of the city. It is better to keep a camera that is small enough in your pocket so you do not stand out too much as a tourist. Perhaps even dressing like a local might also be a good idea. This can be done with a help of a local friend if you are fortunate enough to have one.

The most dangerous areas for tourists are the Termini and bus line number 64 as these are areas that are especially prone to gangs of pickpockets. One way to counteract these gangs is by wearing a money belt. Also if you feel that your money or goods has been stolen do not pursue these gangs or you will be sorry as they are often armed. The best way to combat these gangs is to shout for help at the top of your lungs and hopefully there will be a police officer nearby who will be willing to help.

Many con men are around the areas of the coliseum and the circus maximus so be aware of the many tricks that they try on tourists. One of the tricks is to pull up in a car besides yours and ask for directions to some other tourist destination in the city. Once you approach the car these thieves will try to get you to accept a gift of theirs that they have in the car and once you approach they will start shouting and demanding money. Do not even approach people like this as these con men are very good at what they do and are sure to ruin any vacation.

One way to stay safe in Rome is by not driving at all and hiring a private driver but I do realize that is far out of reach for many budget travelers out there. However if you do insist on driving in Rome be sure you know about all the street signs and all of the traffic rules. The traffic in Rome is very dangerous and hectic and one way to get yourself hurt is by getting into a heated argument with a local regarding a traffic violation. Italians are not known for being calm, cool and collected by the way so it is never a good idea to get into an argument with them if you can avoid it.

Staying safe also involves not drinking too much. Drinking too much will most likely make you much more vulnerable to the very seedy people that prey on people who indulge in too much alcohol. So keep sober and this will most definitely keep yourself safe.

Would you go down a deserted alleyway at night at some major city in the United States or where ever you may be from? So then do not do the same for this city as well. You do not know what is down that alleyway or quiet street so do not venture alone anywhere near these areas.

Carrying too much cash around you is just asking for trouble so do not do this as well. Make sure you spread your money in different places on your person such as a wallet, money belt or even a sock would be a good place to keep money. Be creative when hiding money on your person and do not carry too much but carry enough to get back home to your hotel if you should encounter a thief. Also do not carry all your debit and credit cards with you as well. Store these in a secure locations such as a hotel room safe or other secure location.

Speaking of hotel rooms sometimes it is better to get a pricier hotel room that has more of a central location then a quiet out of the way hotel. This is because those quaint out of the way hotels are usually far from anything that many people want to see and therefore can be in dangerous neighborhoods.

I would also recommend that you purchase some really good quality travel health insurance from reputable sources. Make sure you do not buy your insurance from someone you have never heard from as they are most likely a fly by night company that is just out to take your money.

Staying safe while traveling can be done and many people do it on a daily basis. However using some common sense and good judgment you can keep  yourself safe and have a more enjoyable vacation.

Rome is perhaps chaos personified. The hussle and bussle of the city make it a vary vibrant and interesting place to visit and live. Every waking moment seems to be awash in cars, pedestrians and the all so popular vespers that occupy the streets of Rome. If you are visiting this city or the first time this experience can be a bit daunting to say the least. So therefore it is vital that before you visit this city that you become aware of how to get around.

By Subway

Perhaps one of the best ways to explore Rome is through the Metropolitana and can be found through the signs that display a big red M at most entrances. For a ticket to ride the subway it is relatively cheap only 1 Euro. These tickets can be purchased at all of the tabacchi or tobacco shops. You can also find tickets to the subway at many newsstands and most stations sell them as well so it should be easy to obtain a ticket to ride.

By Bus and Train

The Roman bus system is operated by the Azienda Tramvie e Autobus del Comune di Roma or ATAC. A ticket also costs 1 Euro and is valid for 75 minutes of use where you can get on and off as many buses that you wish. You may also use the subway with this ticket as well so it is actually quite a deal. Getting around Rome by bus is slow and painful as most buses are very crowded.

Also try to avoid the “wallet eater” or route number 64 which is very popular with tourists and pickpockets . Because many tourists travel on this route there is a greater chance that your wallet or purse will be stolen and that would certainly ruin your vacation.

For those that are staying for a longer period of time there are several options for you. There is a one day pass which costs 4 Euros and a weekly pass which costs 16 Euros and these tickets can be purchased at Stazione Termini. There is even a tourist pass which lasts for three days nd costs 11 Euros. Obviously you want to pick what ever option is best for you and how long you are going to be staying.

In order to get the routes that the busses take the best and only way that I know of is to pick one up at the bus information center at Piazza dei Cinquecento. Now you must keep in mind that these routes change all the time and most likely the map will be out of date but it should give some idea on how to navigate the city. The only routes that maintain pretty consistent are numbers 75 and 40 as these routes are also frequented by the many tourists that come.

By Taxi

Do not even bother with hailing a taxi as they will not come to your beckoning. Rather the best way to get a taxi is to have your hotel call you one or you can call one of these numbers yourself which is 06-6645 or 06-3570 or 06-4994. Either number will get you a taxi to arrive where ever you are located be it a restaurant, hotel or even a famous landmark if they can get close enough.

By Car

I would not recommend driving in Rome under any circumstances as the drivers are a bit wild and I honestly think you need to be born there to be able to withstand the traffic. Although recently some laws have been proposed to make the driving a bit safer I would still stay away from it. If you do choose to rent a car I would try to pick one up on the outskirts of the city and only drive in the countryside where the traffic is a bit saner.g etting around Rome can be very easy if you know what you are doing and how to get around. otherwise the traffic and people can be very overwhelming especially if you are not all accustomed to big city living.