Rome like most cities in Italy is not known for its nightlife. Italians it seems like to take things at a bit easier pace then other European cities. A typical night out would be with a group of friends having dinner together until midnight. Now I am not saying that this is the case all the time and certainly not the case for some in the city of Rome. I am just warning you that if you expect a kicking nightlife here you may be a bit disappointed.

However if you do insist on going on and tearing up the city these are just a few of the places that I would check out.

Alexanderplatz
Via Ostia 9, Rome, Italy 00153 •
Tel 06-39742171
This is one of Rome’s oldest jazz clubs. The crowd here is both local and foreign as many world famous jazz musicians play here. This club is also equipped with a full restaurant and bar  so you are sure to enjoy yourselves here.

Allen
Via Velletri 13, Rome, Italy 00198 •
Tel 06-8412212
This is one of the best places to dance the night away. This club is one of the longest running and most well run discos in the whole city. For those that are interested there is mostly house music, ambient or hip hop that is played here so be prepared for that experience.

Caruso Café de Oriente
Via di Monte Testaccio 36, Rome, Italy 00153
Tel 06-5745019
This is the place for all your salsa dancing needs and this club definitely attracts all of the locals as well. Much of the music is live Latin American music with some DJ’s mixed in the week.

Salotto 42
Piazza di Pietra 42, , Italy 00186 •
Tel 06-6785804
This club is unique in that it is located directly across from Hadrian’s temple. The walls are decked out with old books and art work and the place is filled with comfy sofas and chairs which makes it ideal as a cocktail bar. The crowd that attends this club is in the thirty something range so please keep that in mind before you decide to go. This place does have a bit of reputation of being a bit high brow for most people.

Romans do not share the love of the nightlife that many other European cities and countries might be known for. Rather I have found that because of the hectic pace of the city during the day that the city seems to take it easier at night. This is both a good and a bad thing depending on how you want to spend your vacation.

Italy is world famous for producing some of the best food that has ever been conjured up. Rome is perhaps the apex of this statement and because of this it is very easy to spend far more than you have budgeted for your stay. It is just so easy to indulge in all of the fine food that is served in this food that you can easily lose your entire budget in this one city. However with some planning and some of my tips you should be able to save your wallet some money and still enjoy yourself as well.

When having your morning coffee or any coffee for that matter make sure you are always standing up. It always seems to cost more if you choose to sit down while eating at your local café. Also a great tip would be to make your own lunches and breakfasts for the day by visiting the local alimentary or food store. Catering yourself a meal can save you a lot of money and you still have the benefits of eating the great food that comes from the same farms that are served at the most expensive restaurants.

 You can choose to eat lunch at a trattoria if you wish but the cheaper alterative would be to visit a local wine bar. A wine bar serves small sandwiches and appetizers that will definitely help fill your stomach while saving your wallet. You can even pick up a cheap slice of pizza in Rome as Italy is well known for producing the best pizza in the world. This will save you lots and will certainly enhance your experience in Rome. Also make sure you make lunch your primary meal of the day because many trattorias have a cheaper lunch menu then at dinner time. 

I would definitely avoid the tourist areas of the city as you are most definitely going to be over priced for the quality of food you will receive. And if you really want to waste your money be sure to eat American style food as this is some of the most expensive food that you can find in the whole of Italy. In order to save some serious money it would be a good idea to find a local budget saver guide that has an extensive listings of restaurants in the area as this will most likely save you some money as well. 

Eating out in Rome does not have to be a very expensive affair and you can save yourself some money if you follow these simple common sense tips that I have given you. The food in Rome is well known because many of the restaurant owners have a farm of their own in the countryside so they know about producing high quality food. With this dedication comes a menu and experience that many people do not experience in their lives but it is very worth it in my opinion.

Rome as a city should be savored and not rushed through as many tourists have the tendency to do so. For many the best time to go to Rome is when you are young and still a student. Let’s face it this is really the best time to go as you are not tied down by any commitments you may have when you get older.

However Rome is not one of the most cheapest cities in the world to stay. In fact it can be very expensive to stay for an extended period of time such as three months. This is especially the case if you are not prepared and have not planned ahead. Fortuntately for you I looked into obtaining a apartment in Rome on a budget and have some really great options for you.

The best place to look when you are planning on going for an extended period of time is on the Internet. This really saves the hassles of dealing with a realtor and pestering you may receive because you are using their services. Check out what area of Rome you want to stay in the most and then start your search from there. To do this I would first visit roma-hotels.com as they seem to have the most options and their listings are of quality places to stay. This site covers a wide range of available apartments that should really help with those strapped for cash.

The second site I would visit would be the CEA Global Education Solutions website because this is a website that is geared towards exactly what you are going for. I mean it is best to go for a company that caters to your specific needs. If you are older then this is not the website to use, rather go for a company that caters to your age group and I am sure you will be more satisified.

Lastly the website that I would recommend tor students wishing to stay in Rome is studentville.it which seems to have some of the best apartments and is again geared towards what you are going for when you visit Rome. Not only do they cover Rome but this website covers the entire country of Italy so you can stay in Florence or any other city that you want.
Each person has their own reasons for wanting to live in Rome for a longer period of time. I
know many art history majors and history majors stay in this city in order to finish research on a masters degree or do a senior thesis. Regardless of your reasons for wanting to stay in this city these resources that I have pointed out should help save at least a little money to make your life that much easier.

The Rome film festival is perhaps one of the more controversial celebrations in Italy in a long time. The reason the Cinema Festa Internazionale di Roma as it is known in Italian is so controversial is that this takes place just soon after the Venice film festival. Because of this there is some rivalry between the cities now.

The Cinema Festa Internazionale di Roma takes place between October 13th to October 21st and three major prizes are awarded for the best film, best actor and best actress. Now you have to keep in mind that these awards are given based upon a viewing of about 80 films in total.

Since this film festival is so new it is debatable if major stars and studios will pay it much attention until it grows in popularity and weight in the industry. This film festival has some
serious uphill battle in order to be considered a player in the international stage of cinema. However with a budget of anywhere between 7 to 9 million Euros it is certainly well funded. There is not much history to this film festival since it is so new. However that is not to say that there is not much to write about as the squabbling mayors of Venice and Rome certainly keep the Italian press busy.

I seriously doubt that you will see too many top notch Hollywood stars attend this event until there is some sort of news worthy event that will cause a lot of press to descend like vultures. Until that happens this will be like other local film festivals that are given in other cities around the world.

For savvy travelers, like my readers, the normal everyday routine is not enough. Nor should it be as the normal routine is usually followed by sheep who are too scared to try something different. In seeing Rome there are many standard ways to go about touring the city. This is about trying something just ever so slightly off kilter and different so that a unique experience can be created.

For many true travelers photography is a passion. And this is for good reason as you want to capture your memories on film or digital media so that they can be preserved for later posterity. For these wanderlusters I would recommend a photography tour in Rome by a famous National Geographic photographer. If you ever wanted to learn the ins and outs of taking really spectacular pictures then a tour with Anthony Boccaccio. Anthony has a company called Imaging in Italy and the recommendations speak for themselves.

If you want to splurge a bit then the next alternative I would recommend would be to hire a driver in Italy. This is well worth it as my family experienced this firsthand. Run by an American who moved back to Italy this company caters to the North American market and has some really good English speaking drivers who will give you a private tour of the city. These drivers are full service meaning that they will help you get into the attractions such as the Coliseum and the Forum without you having to wait in line. That alone is worth the price itself. Plus since many of these drivers grew up in the city they know all of the best local places to eat. The advice they give is priceless and can really save you a bundle.

Of course you can take advantage ot the various “hop on hop off” tour buses that travel all through the city. This is the best option if you just want to see a portion of the city and do this at your own pace. Moving at your own pace is really great for the newlyweds and also the older generation as they have more of an ability to catch their breath or to just absorb the city like a local.

 Group tours would be the last and worst option as these move at a glacial pace and you view many things that perhaps to you do not seem important. For me I am sick to death of the group tour unless it is a very small group that is geared towards a specific topic. I like to be focused on my travels so that I can get into some depth and not just gloss over something I consider really important.

One option that may be available to some is to contact your local University and see what travel options they have. Since many of the anthropology and archeology programs are not the best funded programs they usually put together a more unique experience then the average tour company. You want to make sure you are trying something different and new here as this is the only way to grow as a person.