Looking to do Rome on the cheap? Sure, you can walk around aimlessly. It's more fun in Rome than maybe anywhere else on the planet. But here are the ten best attractions in Rome that won't cost you a lira, er, I mean Euro cent.
- WANDER THE APPIA ANTICA - Walk the old road out of Rome on Sunday, when no cars are allowed. There are lots of ancient things to see on the peaceful walk
- The BOCCA DELLA VERITA' was really an ancient sewer grate, but don't let that stop you. Place your hand in the mouth and legend has it that your hands will be bitten off if you've lied. Be careful. Located in Piazza Bocca della Verita.
- PITCH THREE COINS INTO THE TREVI FOUNTAIN - Gawk at Nicola Salvi's late Baroque waterworks influenced by an earlier try by Bernini, then follow the Roman tradition of throwing a coin into the fountain to guarantee a return to the Eternal City.
- SCALE THE SPANISH STEPS - The Scalinata di Spagna, steps extending from Piazza di Spagna to Trinita dei Monti, were originally named after the Spanish Embassy adjacent. Ascend further from the top of the steps to get good views of Rome.
- VATICAN MUSEUM - While the Vatican Museums usually exchange filthy lucre for entrance peeks, you can visit free on the last Sunday of the month.
- PARTAKE OF THE PANTHEON - Originally a pagan temple, converted into a church in 608AD, which saved the whole deal from being ravaged for building materials. You'll find it in Piazza della Rotonda, a favorite hang-out for young folks in the evening. It's the best-preserved monument of imperial Rome.
- PIAZZA CRAWL - Piazza Navona and Piazza Campo dei Fiori are the two most famous piazze in Rome. Piazza Navona, which follows the plan of an ancient circus and contains two famous fountains by Bernini, comes alive in the evenings, while the Campo dei Fiori is best experienced during the market hours. You'll eat much cheaper around the Campo dei Fiori, where there are take-out stands and delis everywhere.
Strolling the neighborhoods: TRASTEVERE - "Believe it or not, this is the "Italian quarter" of Rome. The streets are narrow and sometimes winding, although more often than not they will eventually lead back to the Piazza Santa Maria, home to one of the oldest churches in Rome. This piazza is the undisputed heart of trastevere, full of every kind of person imaginable.
Strolling the neighborhoods II: TESTACCIO - Testaccio is an old neighborhood built around a hill of Amphora fragments discarded by Roman era merchants who docked nearby at the ancient Tiber port . Recently, car repair shops and trendy clubs have been carved out of the base of this hill. Testaccio is rapidly becoming popular with the young, clubby crowd.
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