You can enjoy Rome at a low price. Yes, walking the streets costs nothing, but there are things you can do beyond that. There are great attractions in Rome that cost nothing. Some are iconic tourist stops, some are great museums, and some are just for fun, but they are all worth it when you visit Rome.
The gardens of Villa Borghese
Villa Borghese is the largest public park in Rome and access to the gardens is free. There are several ways to access the gardens, but visitors especially like the approach from Plaza de España. If you want to rent a bike to tour the gardens, they are available for a fee at various locations in the park. You will also find places to eat something, from restaurants to ice cream vendors. The gardens are open from dawn to dusk.
The Villa Borghese Gallery is worth a visit, but there is a charge. Since they limit the number of people who visit the art gallery per hour, it is necessary to buy a ticket online. Stroll through the gardens before or after your visit to the Villa Borghese Gallery.
The ancient Appian way
The Via Appia ( Via Appia Antica ) was the first motorway in Europe. Built in 312 BC, the Appian Way connected Rome to Capua running in a straight line for much of the way. Part of the ancient road near Rome is part of a natural and archaeological park, the Parco Regionale dell’Appia Antica.
Walk the old road that leaves Rome on Sunday, when cars are not allowed. There are plenty of ancient things to see on the quiet promenade, and the park has detailed routes and maps of the best walking and biking routes. While you’re there, see the ruins of Roman monuments, two great Christian catacombs, and the Domine Quo Vadis Church. In the nave, look for the footprints that are supposedly those of Jesus.
The mouth of truth
The Piazza Bocca della Verita ( Square of the Mouth of Truth) is a square between Via Luigi Petroselli and Via della Greca. Outside the Church of Santa María, you will find the famous Boca de la Verdad album. Put your hand to your mouth and legend has it that your hand will be bitten if you have lied. There may be a line and they close promptly at 5:30 pm
In the square there is much more to see. Two Roman temples, the Tempio di Potuno and the Tempio di Ercole Vincitore, and a pretty fountain, Fontana del Tritona, are worth a while.
Toss three coins into the Trevi Fountain
No trip to Rome is complete without a visit to the beautiful Fontana di Trevi. Take a look at Nicola Salvi’s late Baroque hydraulic works influenced by an earlier attempt by Bernini, then follow the Roman tradition of tossing a coin into the fountain to guarantee a return to the Eternal City.
The source dates back to Roman antiquity in 19 BC. C., when the Roman aqueduct was built. The aqueduct brought water to the Roman baths and fountains in central Rome. The fountain was built at the end of the aqueduct, at the crossroads of three roads. The three streets ( tre vie ) give their name to the Trevi Fountain, the Fountain of the Three Streets.
Climbing the Plaza de España
The Scalinata di Spagna, steps that run from Piazza di Spagna to Trinita dei Monti, were originally named after the adjacent Spanish embassy. From the top of the steps, you can get good views of Rome. The steps underwent a major restoration in 1996, and the once popular art of eating lunch on the steps is frowned upon and fines may apply.
At the foot of the steps, see the Keats-Shelley Memorial House. The area around the steps offers designer shops, restaurants and bars.
Vatican Museums
While the Vatican Museums generally charge, you can visit for free on the last Sunday of the month from 9 am to 12:30 pm An interesting tour under the Vatican is also free to see the excavations and Wednesday’s audience with the Pope.
The Vatican Museums contain a vast store of works of art ranging from ancient to contemporary, including the world famous Sistine Chapel. As you would expect, there will be lines and crowds.
Part of the pantheon
Originally a pagan temple turned into a church in 608 AD, the Pantheon is one of the important sites to visit in Rome. You will find it in the Piazza della Rotonda, a favorite place for young people at night. It is the best-preserved monument in imperial Rome, completely rebuilt by Emperor Hadrian around 120 AD on the site of an earlier pantheon erected in 27 BC. C. by the general Agripa de Augusto.
Track the Piazzas
Piazza Navona and Piazza Campo dei Fiori are the two most famous piazze (public squares) in Rome. Piazza Navona, which follows the plan of a former circus (venue for public events) and contains two famous Bernini fountains, comes alive at night. Piazza Navona is a wonderful pedestrianized square where many locals take their evening stroll.
The Campo dei Fiori (the field of flowers) is best experienced during market hours during the day. Numerous cafes, restaurants and bars surround the Campo. You’ll eat much cheaper around Campo dei Fiori, where there are take-out and delicatessen stalls everywhere.
Stroll through the neighborhoods
Trastevere, the current “Italian Quarter” of Rome is a recommended place to explore. The streets are narrow and sometimes winding, although most of the time they will eventually lead back to Piazza Santa Maria, home to one of the oldest churches in Rome. This square is the undisputed heart of Trastevere, filled with every type of person imaginable, both elegant and unsavory (a firm ‘no’ and a stern look will shake up any unwanted attention).
The church is famous for a Byzantine mosaic behind the altar, so drop some coins into the light box (it will illuminate the mosaic for 60 seconds) and spend a few minutes there. Worth it
Testaccio is an ancient neighborhood built around a hill of amphora (clay pots) fragments discarded by Roman-era merchants who docked nearby at the ancient Tiber port. Auto repair shops and trendy clubs and restaurants have been carved into the base of this hill. Testaccio is quickly becoming popular with the young club crowd. You can eat organ meats there, as true Roman cuisine is found in Testaccio .
In the northeast corner of the Testaccio district, which it shares with the Aventine Hill, you will see the entrance gate of Porto San Paolo, the Pyramid of Gaius Cestio and the Museo della Via Ostiense and the Basilica of Saint Paul.
Art in the National Gallery of San Luca
Located in Piazza dell’Accademia di San Luca , this art gallery is open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. and on the last Sunday of the month from 10 am to 2 pm The Accademia di San Luc a was founded in 1577 as an association of artists in Rome, with the purpose of elevating the work of artists in the eyes of the community. At the museum, you can enjoy selected works by Raffaello, Canova, and Van Dyck, among other famous names.
Discover a hidden treasure of Rome
The Aula Ottaganale is located in Via Romita (Piazza della Repubblica) and is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 7 pm This is one of the “hidden treasures of Rome”, according to Select Italy. It houses ancient Roman sculptures in the “Octagonal Hall of the Baths of Diocletian”, more commonly known as The Planetarium. This Roman octagonal room was used as a planetarium and, when it opened in 1928, it was called the largest planetarium in Europe.
Take advantage of the last days off on Sunday
On the last Sunday of the month, you can visit a long list of popular Roman museums for free. Free entry participants include the Borghese Gallery, the Roman Forum, Terme di Caracalla (Baths of Caracalla) and the National Gallery of Modern Art (Galleria Nazionale Arte Moderna ).
Things to do with children
