Rome City Break on a Budget, Rome, Italy

I remember a friend telling me about his city break in Rome: He went to a restaurant near his hotel but they wouldn’t give him a menu and just waived away his protestations and then when the bill arrived at the end of the meal – oh dear!

Even a short city break in Rome can be a pricey affair but here are some tips for enjoying the fun, food and culture of Rome on a budget.

In many ways all of Rome is a museum and an art gallery but there are a few free venues that are worth a visit, mostly small galleries and spaces exhibiting contemporary art. Check out Valentina Bonomo (in a former monastery) and the Monitor (near the Vatican).

Rome is the birthplace of the Christian church and its holy buildings have long been home to some of the finest art in the world, which is free to view.

The ceiling and dome of Sant’ Ignazio will leave you speechless. It looks like the roof has been blown off so you can look right up into heaven. Times art critic Waldemar Januszczac even admitted this is one of his favourite places in Rome (Piazza Sant’ Ignazio, open daily 07:30-12:30, 15:00-19:15). ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).