Rome on a budget is definitely possible. It’s even possible if you’re traveling with children. Here’s a list of tips you can try to enjoy Rome on a budget.
1. Getting the 72 Hour Roma Pass
Getting the Roma Pass for 72 hours is definitely worth it. It will only cost you 38.50 Euros per person. Children under the age of 18 are free with an adult who holds a pass. You can purchase them in the subway station or other designated areas around the city. The Roma Pass allows you to take the subway and the public bus around the city for unlimited rides. The 72 Hour Roma Pass also allows you to visit 2 museums/archaeological sites for Free. Check out the Roma Pass site for Frequently Asked Questions.
2. Booking a Hotel Outside of the City Center
Staying outside of the city center will definitely cost you less for your stay. If you’re traveling with children having a hotel with a pool can be a life-saver after a long day of exploring. We stayed at Hotel Giardino D’Europa. The public bus was only a 2 minute walk from the hotel. The bus takes you to the subway, that gets you into the city center in 20 minutes. Book your hotel with Booking.com for really great deals.
3. Eating Lunch Specials
If you’re looking to eat on a budget, eating lunch specials in Rome will be your safest bet without going broke. For 13 Euros you could find yourself with a large meal that consists of an appetizer, a salad and a pasta dish. Some meals even include a drink.
4. Booking a Hotel with Breakfast Included
The one way to ensure you stay within your budget and save on meal expenses when you visit Rome is to stay at a hotel that has breakfast included. The breakfast at Hotel Giardino D’Europa definitely went beyond continental breakfast with several assortments of cakes, eggs, sausages and cold cuts.
5. Avoid Restaurant/Attraction Hustlers
Save money by avoiding scams at tourist attractions and restaurants. Some restaurant in tourists areas will tell passers-by about specials they off then when you sit down they give you a different price. The best way to avoid restaurant scams is to keep and eye out for the amount of people already eating there. Unless you’re willing and/or have the funds to drop 100 Euros or more in a restaurant like this, I suggest you avoid restaurant scams and eat where the locals eat.
6. Visit FREE Museums/Archaeological Sites
Visiting the free museums and archaeological sites on the first Sunday of the month can save you a lot of money when you want to make your Roma Pass stretch. If you are not in town around this time it’s best to be strategic about the locations you visit in order to save your wallet some heartache. The Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, and Spanish Steps can all be seen for FREE.
7. Book a FREE Rome Walking Tour
Get to know the city by booking a Free Walking Tour. My son is seen here holding up the flag for our tour leader, making sure the entire group is with us. I love doing walking tours. They’re definitely the highlight of my travels. I think it’s a great way to get to know the city without paying a fortune. Although walking tours are free it is polite to tip the tour guide with 1-2 Euros.
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We are contemplating a tour of Rome within the next couple of years. My husband has been there and loved it. I have not been there. This is great, helpful information for me, so thank you. I always love walking a city, too. It is a great way to see the city (and get your steps in at the same time).
You will have an amazing time visiting. Definitely try to get there soon. Prices are really good end of May early June. We got it over 15k steps per day and even though we ate everything under the sun, I weighed myself when I got home and found that I had lost 1 lb.
Great tips! Will definitely refer back if/hopefully when we plan a trip to Rome!!
Great tips! We will definitely refer back when we plan a trip to Rome!!
These are great tips for visiting one of the great cities of Europe with a limited budget. My daughter is planning a long summer in Europe next year, and these are perfect for her!
She will have a great time. You can really make your money stretch when you go to these places alone.
GREAT tips! Europe can be so expensive and its awesome that you’ve highlighted how it can be done on the cheap:) I love free walking tours of the city and I am always grateful when they are offered. And yes…. why wouldn’t we go to free museums! Best thing ever!
I always take free walking tours when I travel to different cities of Europe. However, I tend to tip at least 7-10 euros per person, as that’s the only income the guides are getting, and they have to pay half of it to the company that runs the tours. Rome is beautiful and it can definitely be done on a budget though.
Thank you for the hotel recommendation and the Roma Pass. I will definitely look into it as soon as we plan our trip to Rome!
Glad the recommendations were useful. When I travel I rely on the experiences of others to help me plan, I’m glad I’ve been able to do that for you. Enjoy your trip.