See Rome for free!

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Guest writer: Charlotta Rönn

A big city doesn't automatically mean a big hole in your wallet - not in Rome. Sure it costs to live and eat, but a lot is free in Rome and you can experience a lot in a weekend.

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It should be said from the beginning - a weekend is too short to see the whole of Rome, but with a little luck you can see the most important things, especially if you choose to go off-season and avoid hour-long queues. The city is ideal to experience off-season, even in November and December you can sit outside and have a coffee in the blazing sun!

Colosseum amphitheatre

What makes Rome so special is the sense of a time capsule, 3,000 years of history surprises the visitor everywhere. You pass ruins in the midst of today's bustling traffic. Rome's bloody gladiatorial scene, the Colosseum, is a gigantic ruin you can study up close even if you don't want to enter.

On the way there, you will pass the iconic late 19th century marble Victor Emanuel monument, popularly known as the 'wedding cake' or 'typewriter', and just before the Colosseum you will also see the ancient Forum.

Piazzas for chips

Rome is famous for its stunning squares such as Campo di Fiori and Piazza Navona with their theatrical settings and huge fountains. You can enjoy this for free. An espresso costs a few tens but is well worth it to enjoy the crowds in Piazza Navona in a relaxed way!

In Piazza de Pietra you can admire the 15 metre high columns that were part of Hadrian's temple from 145 AD. Piazza di Spagna is a selfie must because of the beautiful Spanish Steps. It is surrounded by the city's famous shopping streets if you want to open your wallet. Another classic selfie must is the Fontana di Trevi in Piazza di Trevi, but bathing like Anita Ekberg should be avoided to avoid heavy fines... no 'La Dolce Vita', then!

Mecca for Catholics

For a check on another state, visit St Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. The Sistine Chapel is expensive to visit and gives you a headache looking at Michelangelo's masterful ceiling paintings, but his works such as the marble Pietà are free to see in St Peter's Basilica. One of the largest churches in the world, it is said to hold 60,000 people.

Many Catholics make the pilgrimage here, so the security check of bags can take time but runs smoothly in the low season. Once inside the church, don't miss the stairs down to the crypt where popes and our own Queen Christina are buried.

After getting spiritual food, physical food is necessary. Skip the touristy places along the main streets and look for Via dei Penitenzieri 16. At Bar de' Penitenzieri, you can drink coffee and eat a sandwich on the spot (cheaper) with people who work in the neighbourhood.

Temple of the Gods

The Pantheon, the temple to all the gods, is a marvel of Roman architecture. Dating from 125 BC, the Pantheon is today the most complete Roman building in the city. It is worth a look even though it has been a church since the Middle Ages. Admission is free and it is located in the centre of the city in Piazza della Rotonda, one of the city's most charming squares.

Become a Roman in Trastevere

If you want to keep your budget in check and experience more genuine Roman life, the old working-class neighbourhood of Trastevere is a good place to stay. If you stay near the Tiber River, it is only a short walk across the bridge to the tourist areas.

Trastevere has many restaurants, bars and a lively nightlife that attracts tourists but there are also small streets with charming hole-in-the-wall places. They can be very affordable, for example a small bar in Piazza G Belli serves prosecco for a third of the price of a bar overlooking the Pantheon. In return, you can eavesdrop on the discussions of the 'locals'.

Top image in the article: Piazza Navona is one of Rome's many beautiful squares. Photo: Charlotta Rönn

Charlotta Rönn

Charlotta works as a freelance journalist and photographer. She started working as a journalist in the 80s and has been a travel editor at the magazines Amelia and Tara. Travelling is her great passion. She has visited 80 countries and all continents - people, nature and adventure are always around the corner...

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