The Vatican is not really part of Rome or Italy for that matter. It is a separated country in itself. For many Catholics this is the reason to visit Rome in the first place. Some come as a pilgrimage to Rome just for visiting the Vatican and the various sites surrounding it. However are there any cheap places to stay near the Vatican? With so many people visiting the prices for hotels would be expensive as there is a high demand. However there are a few gems you can stay in that will not only charm you but save you some money as well.

Hotel Arcangelo
Via Boezio, 15 – 00192
This hotel is in the center of the city and is one of the closest establishments to the Vatican. An old home built around the time of Umberto I this is now a modern hotel that has been updated with modern air conditioning and fire suppression. A very safe and quaint hotel to stay in.

Hotel Bramante
Vicolo delle Palline, 24/25 – 00193
This hotel was recently restored and opened again in 1999. This hotel offers some modern comforts such as satellite television and of course air conditioning as well as private bathrooms for each room.

Hotel Emmaus
Via delle Fornaci, 25 – 00165
Only 100 meters from Saint Peters square you will find this hotel to be very close to the Vatican. This hotel offers a small bar that is open to all the guests and a buffet breakfast for all guests.

Hotel Spring House
Via Mocenigo, 7 - 00192
Also only 100 meters away from the Vatican’s museums this is an ideal place to be close to the Vatican. Larger then some of the other hotels this hotel is 6 floors large with an elevator that should accommodate some disabled or elderly travelers.

You can stay near the Vatican without emptying your wallet. It is much better to enrich the soul by enjoying the art work that is near the Vatican then emptying your wallet. I would much rather keep the money I earn then lose it for frivolous luxuries.

The Pantheon is one of the greatest wonders in Rome. Why not stay close to it and see the surrounding area in greater detail? I know I would love to stay around this area as the architecture and history is just amazing. Truly a sight to see in Rome. However like most o f the other great Roman wonders this area is also quite expensive for many travelers and if you are on a budget then it may very well be out of reach for some. But do not give up as there are some options for this area and some offer quite an enjoyable stay.

Hotel Montecitorio
Via delle Convertite, 5 – 00187
This hotel is only 200 meters from the Pantheon so you will not find a closer location then this one! This is one of theup scale destinations as this hotel has plasma televisions in most rooms and the bathrooms are equipped with a hydromassage showers. You will probably pay slightly more then your standard budget hotel but the luxuries may very well be worth it.

Hotel Abruzzi
Piazza della Rotonda, 69 – 00186
A entirely renovated hotel in 2003 that lies in the center of Rome this hotel is not to be missed! Unlike many other hotels in Rome the continental breakfast is included in the price of the room.

Hotel Cesari
Via di Pietra, 89/a – 00186
This hotel is located in Rome’s historical center. Since this hotel is located between the Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon you can have your choice as to what you want to spend the most of  your time at. However since this hotel is near the Termini station it might be best to go out with someone at night just to be safe.

Hotel Adriano
Via di Pallacorda, 2 – 00186
This hotel is centrally located and is near the Pantheon, the Spanish steps and Navona square so this is an ideal location for the sightseeing traveler. A smaller hotel of only 4 floors this hotel still has an elevator so they may be accommodating the handicapped or elderly tourist.

I have stated many times that Rome is not for the cheap. There are some budget hotels out there that are worth staying in but you must look carefully. Some hotels however will offer some luxuries that you will not find anywhere else and it is okay to splurge now and then.

Finding a long term job in Italy can be a rough proposition. The unemployment rate in Italy is unusually high most of the time. Many of the jobs that are open are usually open to Italians first and then to others who may or may not be qualified for the job. The key to finding work in Italy is to network, network, network as those that know you are more likely to hire you.

There are many factors you should consider before seeking some long term jobs in Italy. Do you have the skills that are valuable enough for the Italians to hire y ou? Do you have more experience in your field then a local Italian? Have you made yourself known on an international scale in order to be sought after in Italy? If you can answer any of these questions with a positive response your chances of finding work is greatly improved.

For many getting a foot in the door in Italy would be to teach English as a foreign language. There are numerous schools in every city that offers this service. However, again you are facing a lot of competition in this market as well. So then what do you have that makes you different from all the other teachers out there? Answer this correctly and you have just found your niche and your way into the job market over there. The following industries seem to be more open to foreigners and they are media and communications, tourism, finance, and international business along with some education jobs as well.

The best way to get your foot in the door is to use some of the temp work agencies that serve the Italian market. Many of these companies also are based in America so you can have your foot in the door already. Some of the better companies to work for are Kelly Services, Manpower, Adecco, Randstad and Sinterim. This is a great way of getting your feet wet in the Italian working culture and to really find the best jobs that are available in the area. Not only will you expand your network but you may end up with some life long friends.

Once you are in Italy and are looking for work it is a good idea to start your job hunt online as many other Italians also hunt online as well. Here are some of the better Italian job hunting web sites:

www.lavoroinrete.it
www.europa.eu.int/eures/index.jsp
www.jobpilot.it
www.intoitaly.it
www.kangaroo.it
www.stepstone.it

So that should get you started on your hunt for some long term work in Italy. Now ideally you want to have some sort of passive income before you go to even out the rough times when you cannot find work. There are several options for that type of income stream and I will discuss that in later posts.

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.