Rome is a very expensive city to visit. It is like New York in that there are plenty of very up scale places to stay but finding quality budget hotels can be a challenge. Fortunately I have been scouring the Internet and asking some of my friends who live in Rome for some of the best budget hotels in the city. Some considerations were made when I ever write something on hotels in any city. First I always consider the location of the hotel. It does not make a whole lot of sense to find a budget hotel but then have to spend half the day traveling to where you want to visit. So that is why I created a series on budget hotels broken down by location to the major tourist attractions so that you can find where you really want to stay.

Many of the following hotels are clean and high quality. Some lack some of the amenities that you would find in some of the higher class hotels but that is something you can expect from a budget hotel. I made sure to only select the 2 and 3 star hotels so that most budgets can be accommodated.

Hotel Colosseum
Via Sforza, 10 – 00184
One of Romes better hotels as this hotel is topped with a terrace on the roof affording the guests a unique 360 degree view of the city. The hotel is on one of Rome’s highest hills so the view is quite spectacular and will surely enhance your stay here. Consisting of seven floors this is one of the larger hotels around the Colosseum.

Hotel Borromeo
Via Cavour, 117 – 00184
Being so close to the Coloseeum this hotel is in the heart of the city and where all the action is. A smaller hotel then the Hotel Colosseum this hotel still can accommodate disabled and elderly tourists. Equipped with a elevator it should be easier to get to your room after a long day’s walking around the city.

Hotel Edera
Via Angelo Poliziano, 75 – 00184
A larger five storied hotel that is equipped with an elevator this hotel is also very near to the Colosseum. This hotel also has a terrace that overlooks the city and parking is available for only 20 euros a night so you can park your car as well.

Hotel Saturnia
Via Ruinaglia, 6 – 00184
This is one of the better budget hotels to stay in Rome. It is family run with all rooms coming equipped with a private bathroom and television set.

Hotel Adas
Via Cavour, 233 – 00184
A recently renovated hotel this is very close to the heart of the city and all of the attractions. This hotel is unique in that it is separated on two floors of the building. The hotel occupies the second and sixth floor and the elevator only goes up to the fifth so if you are unlucky enough to get a room on the sixth floor you will have to climb up one flight of stairs. Also this is one place that offers wireless internet connections so you can stay in touch with friends and family back home.

Most of these hotels are up on the higher hills in Rome so if you get an opportunity to stay in any one of them be sure to pick the hotels with the rooftop terraces as that will surely make the stay even more enjoyable. Nothing is better then seeing the sun set or rise in this glorious city and to do so from a unique vantage point makes it all the better.

For many that visit Rome it is time for vacation. A time to get out of your routine and just relax for a week or two. For others however their definition of relaxation might be a bit different. Keeping fit for many is a passion and fortunately Romans also have that passion as well. So you may wonder where is a tourist able to go to in order to keep fit. Well there are a few choices available and I have found some to be quite good and affordable.

Farnese Fitness
Vicolo delle Grotte 35
Tel: 06-687-6931
This is a gym that is centrally located and offers aerobics classes each day. A 10 Euros fee per day is required and the entire gym closes in the month of August so be warned.

Fitness First
Via GiolittiGiovanni 44
Tel: 06-4782-6300
This gym is very close to the rail station . You have your usual classes but also some other more advanced classes such as Thai kickboxing is offered here. A fee of 16 Euros per day should get you into this place.

Fitnext
Piazza Mignanelli 23
Tel: 06-679-6003
This is more of a yoga and pilates studio. You can choose either one for a low price of 20 Euros per day. You are also only limited to one class per day.

Roman Sports Center
Viale del Galoppatoio 33
Tel: 06-320-1667
This is Rome’s premier fitness facility. There really is nothing that this place does not have. A full sized Olympic sized swimming pool and many classes make this the place to be. It is surely reflected in the price of 26 Euros per day however.

Many people find exercising relaxing and a great way to relieve stress. This may be what you need on your trip to Rome as your family members get on your nerves. Nothing is better at relieving a stressful day then a good run on the treadmill or pushing some iron around and now you know where to go in Rome.

When staying in Rome for any extended period of time it is very important to know about “the essentials” of living there. That is to say the health care, laundry service and other mail services that you may need to make your stay even possible. For many EU citizens this should be easy to understand and cope with as there are already agreements in place to make any EU citizen’s life easier.

Health Care

If you are EU citizen you are pretty well covered here. There is already in place an agreement between your home country and Italy in order to take care of your medical needs. However if you are outside of the EU then that is another story altogether. For many people from the United States there will be a need to purchase some supplemental health insurance.

I would shop around at home before you leave in order to get the best deal. Also make sure of the quality of the insurance you are receiving as there are different levels of customer service that you can expect from each company. Do not just buy what ever is the cheapest plan as that may not cover all you are doing while in Italy.

Here are some of the more important emergency numbers to know and memorize before you go:

• For Local Police Dial 113
• For National Police Dial 112
• For Ambulance service Dial 118
• For Fire Emergencies Dial 115
• For Road Assistance Dial 116

For some English speaking Doctors that are of some high quality I would go to AlphaMed at Via Zanardelli 36. This facility is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday. Also recommended is Tobias Wallbrecher who runs a small family oriented doctors office at Via Domenico Silveri 30. He is also open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. since he is a family oriented doctor this would be a good place to go if your child should become sick while away.

Not all hospitals have emergency wards in Italy which I find to be a bit shocking. However I have compiled a list of some of the more centrally located hospitals that offer some emergency care.

• Rome American Hospital at Via E. Longoni 81
• San Giovanni at Via A. Aradam
• Santo Spirito at Lungotevere in Sassia 1

Laundry Service

Many hotels and even some hostels offer some sort of laundry service to their patrons. However this is really cost prohibitive way of washing your clothes. The best way is to find the nearest Laundromat at the many Onda Blu chains all throughout the city. Alternatively you can try the Wash and Dry at Via Della Pellicicca 35. They offer a wash and tumble dry for the low price of about 10 Euros for a hefty 15 pound load of laundry. That is quite the deal considering the service involved.

Mail Service

The Italian mail service is perhaps the slowest in the entire EU so I would recommend going with a speedier carrier such as UPS or FedEX if your package is urgent. In order to buy stamps you will need to go into a local tabacci or tobacco shop. In order to find you nearest post office I would recommend going to the website for the Italian postal service at www.poste.it as it will contain the most up to date information on the hours that each location is open and the services they may offer.

Alternatively you can have your mail delivered to any of the local American Express offices if you are cardholder. This is really convenient and also much cheaper as this service is included in your card.

Rome has some fascinating historic tourist attractions which lend a vivid glimpse into ancient Roman Empire life and attitudes.

The History of the Catacombs
The catacombs are some of the interesting burial places in Italy. Mazes of underground tunnels were used to bury thousands of bodies in several parts of Italy. Burials were forbidden inside the walls of Rome as early as the fifth century BC. Miles of tunnels were cut into the tufa to be used as burial chambers. The Roman catacombs contain thousands of burial niches as well as some good examples of early Christian art. Rome also has interesting catacombs beneath some churches and streets. One of the most impressive is the Capuchin Crypt beneath the Capuchin Church of the Immaculate Conception, built in 1645. The crypt contains bones of over 4,000 monks, many arranged in patterns or even forming objects such as a clock.

Location

The catacombs are located at the end of Via Appia Antica, which used to an ancient Roman Empire road but, now is a converted regional park. Tourists are advised to take a bus along the road, get off at the end of the park and walk or bike along the catacomb area. You should take bus 218 from the San Giovanni Metro Stop or take the Archeo bus. The catacombs are visited with a guide. Guided tours usually lasting 20 minutes to an hour are given in several different languages. The three catacombs easiest to visit have different closing periods. Visiting hours generally range from 8:30-12:00 and 2:30 to five in the evenings. You can buy tickets for the tours at the entrance to each catacomb. The St. Priscilla’s Catacombs are positioned at Via Salaria 430. Via Salaria is another ancient road of Rome heading out of the city at the Salaria gate, Porta Salaria, towards east to the Adriatic Sea. The catacombs are closed on Mondays. They are also closed for viewing to the public in the month of January.

Major Attractions

Tourists must visit the three major catacombs of the city. St. Callixtus catacomb is the biggest and most popular one. It has a network of galleries about 19 km long and 20 meters deep. It also has a wide transport linkage route with hordes of buses. Highlights of the catacombs include the crypt of nine popes and early Christian frescoes, paintings and sculptures. St. Callixtus is closed on Wednesdays and in February. St. Domitilla has the oldest catacombs. Entrance is through a fourth century church. Tour groups at St. Domitilla tend to be smaller. One of the main highlights is a second century fresco of the Last Supper. St. Domitilla is closed on Tuesdays and in January. The catacombs at St. Sebastian have a tunnel route of approximately 11 km. Highlights of the catacombs include early Christian mosaics and graffiti. St. Sebastian is closed Sundays and during the month-long Christmas holidays – from November 11 to December 13.
Visitor Information The Roman catacombs offer the serious and academic tourists the opportunity to revisit ancient Rome. Exploring the catacombs on foot with a map and guide is strongly encouraged. Tourists usually go in for week-long passes which allows them to explore the site at various time in peace. The price of admission is 5 euros. The reduced fee is 3 euros while, the full price of entry is 5 euros. The reduced fee holds for school classes presenting a certificate from their School — for groups of catechetical instruction in preparation for the first Holy Communion and Confirmation — for children and youth under 15 years and, for soldiers and police in uniform or with identification card. Free entrance is granted
o    to children under 6 years
o    to teachers of School groups and attendants of groups of Catechetical instruction, 1 every 15 pupils
o    to the seriously disabled
o    to the group leader and to one driver of the other groups

Eating and Fun

The tourism site is no place for children to have fun. The Cecilia Metella Restaurant located on the road of Via Appia Antica is a great place to eat lunch. It offers spectacular views serving dishes on the patio. Tourists can choose from a wide variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes with beverages. Cars and private coaches are not allowed access inside the catacomb area. Tourists are also not allowed to take any food items inside the complex. Photography is strictly prohibited.

Pantheon comprises of two Greek words, pan and teon. ‘Pan’ means everything and ‘teon’ means divine. Pantheon is one of the most visited and admired sites in Rome. People visiting this monument are left with an overwhelming impressionable experience. Pantheon is an incredibly large building with magnificent interiors and exterior walls. It has been kept in good condition by kings, popes, and now the government of Italy.

Piece of Art in History

Pantheon means temple of all the Gods. Pantheon, the monument was constructed as a temple dedicated to all the Gods of Ancient Rome. It was constructed around 2000 years ago and is still considered as one of the best-preserved building of the Roman period, till date.

It was the second dome in the entire world to have been built until 1436, when Florence Cathedral was constructed. The dome of the Pantheon has a diameter of about 43 meters. The Pantheon is also the final resting place of many kings and noblemen. Pantheon is presently a Christian Church and masses are celebrated in the church.

Origin of Pantheon

The first and original Pantheon was constructed in 27 to 25 BC under the reign of Emperor Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa. It got destroyed in 80 AD due to a huge fire. The date stamps of the bricks on the current Pantheon indicate that it was reconstructed in 125 AD under the reign of Emperor Hadrian. Although Pantheon was totally reconstructed, an inscription from the old Pantheon was added to the façade of the new Pantheon. The inscription states, “Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius, consul for the third time, built this”. Septimius Severus and Caracalla lately repaired the monument.

Classic Roman Temple

Michelangelo termed Pantheon, ‘angelic and a not human design’. Besides being divinely protected, Pantheon’s built with strong concrete ofpozzolona cement. It is a great masterpiece of architectural craftsmanship and art. Tourists from all over the world visit this classical Roman Temple.

Visiting the Site

Pantheon, one of the Rome’s top tourist attraction, is located near Piazza della Rotonda. There are various ways of commuting in Rome. These include bus, trams, shuttles, or trains. Rental bikes and cabs are also available for tourist convenience. The metro station, the Largo Argentina bus and tram stops are located near the site. Pantheon, one of the masterpieces of Roman period, has no entry fee for its visitors. One can also opt for a professional guide for a detailed view of the site. Pantheon is closed on 1st May, New Years day, and Christmas day. Many guides and local people will suggest that you visit the temple in the morning when sun is behind it.

Best Season to Visit

Tourist season starts around Easter and continues till October. The best season to visit Pantheon is spring or autumn basking in sunny skies and a mild temperature. Sometimes, late autumn can be rainy. July and August are unpleasantly hot. The best time to visit Pantheon is in the morning and then spending the afternoon shopping and dinning at the Piazza della Rotonda, a square that has a variety of shops, bars and restaurants.
Prices of food and goods near the Pantheon are quite high as compared to other places in the city. For the convenience of the handicapped, many transport facilities are available. The newer trams and trains are made accessible to people with disabilities.

It is truly a mesmerizing experience for tourists to visit Pantheon to feel the history and legacy of the building. Roman structures have always been mysterious and rich in culture. The innate history of this place attracts many tourists from different parts of the world.