10 FREE Things to do in Rome!

10 FREE things to do in Rome! Plus some ways to save money on meals, accommodation and transport. 

Rome is our favourite European city. It has everything: The weather is wonderful, the food is fantastic and everything is so pretty! 

But it's very easy to spend a lot of money in Rome - most of the main sites charge an entry fee, there are people trying to sell you things on every corner and you're not going to want to miss out on anything! Don't worry though, we've put together a great list of 10 free things to do in Rome - which take the main sites into consideration too:

1. The Colosseum 

It's no wonder the Colosseum is one of the seven new wonders of the world. We were astounded by the architecture and even more amazed when we remembered it's around 2,000 years old. I mean, if people nowadays are astounded by it, imagine what the people back then thought of it!! 

You have to pay to go inside the Colosseum - and how much it costs depends on if you want to jump the queue/if you book online etc, but a stroll around the circumference is completely free and still awe-inspiring!

It's nice to sit and stare at it (and the people),  but the guys selling things (junk) can get a bit annoying. My approach was to be rude and shout 'no' any time they came close, so they'd back off. Tanbay's approach was to try and sell them things (his sunglasses, my plastic bracelet etc.) Both approaches worked well (mine was more effective, Tanbay's more entertaining). 

2. Roman Forum 

Situated next to the colosseum is the Roman Forum. It is an impressive bunch of ruins originally used as a marketplace, but over the years hosted many important events including elections, trials and gladiator fights! 

It's completely free to walk through, and so cool! 

3. Altare della Patria 

In terms of age, this is super-duper young compared with most of the other sites in Rome (it was completed in 1925)! So, unless you're Australian, you won't be impressed by it's 'ancientness' ;) - so why am I mentioning it? 

Firstly, it's the largest monument in Rome. It also holds the unnamed soldier - a soldier picked at random after WW2 to commemorate all the unnamed and lost soldiers. 

It is also pretty controversial (the locals hate its newness and its whiteness). Hence it's earned a fair few harsh nicknames such as the wedding cake. 

We thought it was impressive though, and worth a look on your way to the Colosseum.

4. Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary

Less controversial and far cuter is the Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary. This was one of my absolute favourites in Rome because it's where
archaic Rome meets cute, caring Rome.

Torre Argentina does what it says on the box and cares for cats. They collect the strays, neuter them and debug them. Then they are free to roam the ruins and wait in comfort for an adopter. 

They were so friendly and so gorgeous! Seriously! Most stray cats we've met have been (understandably) grumpy/stand-offish /scared but these guys were just so lovely and sweet :)

For more cute kitty pictures, check out Claire's post about the cat sanctuary on - World Traveler in Training 

5. Trevi Fountain

Photo credit: pixabay

Okay this one was a bit of a disappointment because it was under renovation! Yes the above photo credit goes out to pixabay.com. This is what it looked like when we were there:

There are two bits of bad news here, a) it looked bad and b) we didn't get to throw in a coin! Legend has it that if you throw in a coin you are destined to return to Rome (I did it when I was seven and it clearly worked). 

Luckily we believe in making our own fate, and will return to Rome! And see the fountain!

6. The Pantheon

This was my other favourite thing, we'd never heard of the Pantheon, but a couple of people recommended that we go there and it was easy enough to find on the map so off we headed. I'm so glad we went there, it is SO beautiful!

You can go inside, which looks great too.

But for me it was the outside that was marvellous. 

7. Piazza Navona

Piazza Navona is a great little spot. If you go in the morning it will be completely deserted and you can fully appreciate the fountains.

If you go in the evening it will be packed and you can enjoy the street artists and people watch. 

8. The Tiber

The Tiber is the main river in Rome, it's so beautiful! And not just the cute little bridges, even the water itself is a nice colour. Well done Tiber. Lovely to take a stroll along.

9. Castel Sant'Angelo 

Like the Colosseum, Castel Sant'Angelo has an entry fee, but is free to observe from the outside and, like the Colosseum, it has a good looking exterior.

Castel Sant'Angelo was built by/for emperor Hadrian! (Think wall.) I think it's cool. 

10. The Vatican City

Okay, okay our final free thing to do in Rome is actually not even located in Rome, because despite it feeling like you're still in Italy, and the border being a tiny gate, when you're in the Vatican City you are in a whole other country! 

It's the smallest independent state in the world, and it's beautiful.

This is where the Sistine Chapel lives, which does cost to enter, but the city itself is gorgeous and free to hop in and out of. 

So these were our 10 free things to do in Rome, 10 free things that will easily fill up about two days and leave you in love with Rome. But what about everything else? How can you save money in other areas? 

Tips on how to save money in Rome: 

Accommodation: 

Yes, we'll admit we weren't house sitting here (unfortunately, because house sitting in Rome would be the best). House sitting in Rome or cities in general is certainly possible - we've House Sat in Berlin, Helsinki and the Gold Coast, Australia, so we'd definitely recommend that you check out  this website where we find all our yummy House Sits. 

Failing that, you can do what we did and try AirBnB. We stayed in the most beautiful little apartment which had the nicest bathroom: 

It was like staying in a hotel, except it was cheaper, nicer and we had our own kitchen.

If you're new to AirBnB we are pleased to give you a AirBnB voucher - get 22 euros off when you spend 67. Yey :) 

Food: 

We have two tips here, the first one of which may or may not apply to you, so let's get that one out of the way first:

1. If you're staying at a House Sit or an AirBnB, you can make at least one of your meals at home (and save some dough). Eating home-made sandwiches at the Colosseum can't be the worst thing that's ever happened to you, right?

Of course, if you're only going to be in Rome once you're  probably going to want to have all of your meals out and soak up as much of that yummy Italian food as possible.

But for us (and maybe for you too) travelling long term means that our wallets (and growing bellies) can't cope with three meals out a day. 

So yes, if you are staying in Italy for a long time and/or have plans to return (we're here for a month and coming back in October), then consider having a few budgety meals in your AirBnB/House Sit. 

2. This one is for everyone: 

Eat away from the main sites wherever possible.

Like buying a croissant next to the Eiffel Tower, any quick, 'cheap' food bought next to the Colosseum will be a) over priced and b) not great for your taste buds. 

If you walk just a few blocks away, the prices will be cut almost in half, and the tastes will double in tastiness. 

Our favourite meal in Rome was at Carlo Menta. The pizzas there cost between 4 and 6 Euros, are massive, and are so, so, SO delicious!! Thank you so much Ashley and Alex from In Pursuit of Adventure for the tip!

Transport: 

We are massive advocates of public transport, and we love going on the underground, but when it comes to Rome, please AVOID TRANSPORT! You won't see half as much as you will if you just meander along at your own pace, get completely lost, and discover more fantastic ruins that certainly can't be found if you're on the bus/tube. 

But if you really, really hate walking, then we can highly recommend renting a bike and cycling round the city, you will still discover all the cool bits, and hopefully work up a bit of an appetite for more pizza. We really liked the company Bim Bim Bikes - why not give their wheels a whirl?

Time: 

This is just a general tip for the summertime - get up EARLY. Yes I know it's disgusting, but believe us you get to see things tourist-free (and generally native-free too) AND the weather is more agreeable. 

We actually got up early, did some sightseeing until lunchtime, had a nap and did more sightseeing in the afternoon/evening. Our favourite time of the day in Rome was early morning. 

Okay so what do you guys think? There is so much to do in Rome and 3 days is a great amount of time to get a good taster - we hope you enjoyed our highlights of a few of the things you can do for free!

If you did you may also enjoy our other European city guides - they're all about what things you can do for free in a short amount of time: 

• 22 Fun (and FREE) Things to do in Berlin
• Amsterdam for the day
• How Should you Spend Just One Day in Paris?
• Visit London on a Budget

For any questions you might have about Rome, or indeed anything else, please feel free to contact us on Facebook or Twitter - or leave a comment below :)

10 Reasons You Have to Visit the Azores

The Azores archipelago is Portuguese, but is situated very far away from the mainland in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. 

The Azores are ripe with delicious foods, geographical wonders and landscapes straight out of Jurassic Park. However, due to their isolated location and how expensive it was to reach them, they're sadly often missed out by visitors to Portugal, and even the Portuguese themselves. 

But this spring, cheap flights finally opened up from Lisbon, so we were able to visit. We loved it and ended up spending a whole month on the largest of the islands - Sao Miguel.

Sao Miguel pretty much has something for everyone so here are 

10 Reasons we think You Must Visit Sao Miguel and the Azores

1. Sete Cidades lake

The Sete Cidades lake was named one of the seven natural wonders of Portugal. Portugal is so beautiful that it had a lot of competition, but when you visit it you can see why it won: 

The lake is situated in an ancient, dormant volcano. You can walk all around the lake and all around the top of the volcano. If you do walk around the top you really notice where the lava has affected the earth (i.e. how the forest looks like four tongues).  

Even though it really looks like there are two lakes, there is actually only one. (It's divided by a bridge). The sunlight reflects differently on the opposite sides of the lake making one part look blue and the other green. 

This prompted a legend about a King refusing to let his daughter marry a shepherd. They cried so much that they filled up the lakes. A guy we met told us the blue lake is the daughter's because girls cry more, but he was wrong (and sexist). The blue lake is the SHEPHERD'S because his eyes were blue (and he probably cried more). 

Sexism aside, this kind of beauty was one of the main reasons we wanted to come to the Azores and it did not disappoint.

Tips for Sete Cidades: 

• DO spend all day there, you can hike round the bottom, walk round the top, even hike from the top to the bottom (that takes ages don't do that). You can also walk right underneath the volcano, but actually.. 
• DON'T walk in the tunnel underneath the volcano, it takes about 20 minutes, is pitch black and is a nightmare for anyone whose seen 'Creep' or 'the Descent' or any horror film really.
• DON'T now go and watch the trailer for 'the Descent' I'm now super scared. Okay, deep breaths..
• DO make sure you go on a sunny day 
• DO see the second reason to go to the Azores for the best view of Sete Cidades. 

2. Sete Cidades' haunted hotel: Monte Palace 

Okay, so speaking of horror films, how would you like to visit the set of a French one? 

Monte Palace was a French, yuppie, bad investment in the 80s. 30 years ahead of it's time it over-estimated the amount of tourists heading to Sao Miguel. Within a year it was closed down. 

For ten years or so, guards (and guard dogs) were employed to make sure no one broke in to steal the furniture/carpets/windows. But when the money finally ran out, nature was allowed to take over.

Photo credit: Petar Dimitrov, polygot

Well nature, the graffiti artists, and the annoying tourists:

Apparently a few years ago a French horror film was shot here, but we can't for the life of us find it's name :( or what it's about. We'd love to see it, so if anyone does know it (or can use Google.fr) please help!

It was creepy, but if you can, you MUST go on the roof. The views are the best. 

Tips for Monte Palace: 

• DO go in the rooms and imagine how luxurious the hotel would be with a view like this
• DON'T worry about being told off about going in there, there are no signs that say you can't, the doors are wide open and there are lots of other tourists there.
• DON'T go at night, unless you are super brave
• DO be careful, there are lots of old lifts you can fall down

3. Caldeira Velha

Located very close to Lagoa do Fogo (another volcanic lake) is Caldeira Velha - and it's the best! It's basically three hot lakes heated by the volcano.

This is the top one, it's about 25°C and has a waterfall

We (foolishly) went in this one first, thinking that it would be warmer than it was. 

Then we got in the next one (38°C) it was much warmer (duh). 

Having complained that the first one was too cold, we soon discovered that the second one was too hot (eat your heart out Goldilocks). No really, eat your heart out Goldilocks: 

Now who has the gold-iest locks?

It really was very relaxing, but because of the sunny weather we couldn't stay in for too long.

The third pool was a whopping 61°C! Drastically dangerous to go in, but perfect to dry off next to. 

Tips for Caldeirha Velha: 

• DO go in the 38°C one first and then the 25°C
• DO make sure you go in the water, it's very relaxing
• DO try and go on a colder day, it would be perfect if it was snowing!
• DON'T step in the 61°C one (duh) 

4. The Wildlife 

Photo credit: Petar Dimitrov

With a great environment and very few humans, there is a lot of wildlife here. Lots of unique birds, cute frogs: 

and absolutely abundant with one of our favourite animals - Lizards: 

As House Sitters, our favourite animals are dogs, closely followed by cats. But the dogs and cats aren't that great here. Okay some of the dogs are cute but most of them are actually SCARY. We walked across the island one day, passing lots of farms with lots of scary (thankfully chained up) dogs. 

The cats aren't a lot better, they're not really scary (what's are they going to do, bite my toe off?) but they are a bit skanky/underfed/flea-bitten/inbred. We felt a bit sorry for them so gave a couple of them some fish heads. It wasn't long before they came back with an army:

but at least it included their cute (inbred) babies!!! 

But maybe skanky cats,  scary dogs and lizards aren't your thing.. Don't worry the Azores save their best wildlife FOR THE SEA:

We saw dolphins and whales with the wonderful Picos de Aventura if you'd like to hear more about that perfect day, please check out this post. 

5. Furnas

The third volcanic lake of Sao Miguel is called Lagoa das Furnas and the volcano is actually still active (though it's last eruption was in 1630). 

Because of the activeness of the volcano, there are plenty of geysers (hot springs where water sporadically boils) hence all the steam:  

They boil eggs in these waters! 

But we didn't eat eggs, instead we opted for a traditional cozido which had been cooked in the ground: 

Yum

Even though it looks like a mud pie, it's a bit more sophisticated than that. Meats, veg and rice are placed together in a pot and then buried in the earth for five hours. The volcano heats them up and gives you a yummy mess of foods cooked in each others' juices. 

Photo credit: Petar Dimitrov 

These cozidos are cooked right next to the lake, which is beautiful

We mountain biked round the edge of the lake and then kayaked on it. It was a great way to see everything in an interesting way and from all angles. But for more on that check out our other post Canoeing and Mountain Biking on Furnas

Tips for Furnas: 

• DO go kayaking and mountain biking with Picos de Aventura 
• DO have the cozido cooked from the ground (unless you're a vegetarian). I can't say it was our favourite food on the island, but the novelty makes up for it. 

6. The Food

So what was our favourite food on the island? All our favourites were found in teeny tiny  place called Capelas on the north side. 

Firstly they have a bakery there which is to die for, not many tourists come to Capelas (there's nothing to do there) so the prices are kept low and the tastes are kept yummy for the natives:

This 'Pastel de Nata' was the best we've ever had. Pastel de Nata is apparently custard tarts, but I've never had custard tarts like this in the UK. I'm no tart expert (haha, far from it) but I think the difference between the UK ones and the Portuguese ones is the pastry. 

Anyway, Pastel de Natas in Lisbon will set you back about 70 cents. The Pastel de Natas in Capelas are just 39 cents! 

But our absolute favourite food came from our neighbours. They kindly invited us round to have food with them and their friends. It was one of the best meals we've ever had! They cooked most of the things in their wood oven:

We had bread, fish, potatoes, beef, chorizo, all cooked perfectly in the super hot oven. 

They also had home made cheese which wasn't pasteurised and may be the best cheese we've ever had.

There was also plenty of wine and homemade tangerine liquor.

All the food was either from their garden or from the island, or from the ocean. It was all delicious. 

7. The People
Our neighbours weren't the only nice people we met in Sao Miguel. We also managed to hitchhike 20 times on the island.

Hitchhiking was another reason we wanted to come to the Azores. Before the Azores we were pretty much hitchhiking virgins. In the Azores you have to hitchhike. Unless you hire a car or like walking for 3 hours. There are basically no buses and the taxis are expensive. 

It turned out hitchhiking was really easy and really fun on Sao Miguel. As long as you stick to the main roads (so you know lots of people will pass). 

We were picked up by a mixture of natives and tourists (German and America, no British I'm sad to say). A lot of the natives didn't speak English, but it was fine. The ones who did revealed that a lot of the natives dislike tourists, they raise the food prices for the locals and crowd up all the lovely nature things. Oops. 

8. The coast

Whilst Sao Miguel doesn't really have any 'proper*' beaches, you can't fault the coast for it's crystal clear waters. 

The sea is pretty rough and should only be ventured into by experienced swimmers, but there are still sections you can swim in, because they've cleverly built up the rocks to create a kind of 'sea swimming pool'. You get all the benefits of sea swimming, without having to worry about being swept out to sea! 

*by proper I mean white-sand, enjoyable to lay on type beaches, this is not the Algarve, but that shouldn't put you off visiting!

9. The landscape 

If you're bored of the coast, be sure to check out the inland, which is super green. There are lots of mountains/hills dotted across the island and most of them are in weird pointy shapes. 

We actually walked one day from Ponta Delgada to Capellas (i.e. from the south coast to the north coast). It took three hours but it was absolutely beautiful! 

10. The awesome activities 

Our final reason that we think you'll love the Azores is because of all the chances there are to do cool sports surrounded by beautiful nature. Alongside mountain biking and canoeing/kayaking (which we loved), you can also go fishing, bird watching, canyoning, hiking, horse riding, hang gliding, scuba diving and surfing. 

All in all we absolutely loved the Azores, it's one of the best islands we've ever been to and one of our favourite places in Europe. No matter what you're looking for, be it relaxation, excitement, wildlife, volcanoes, good food, nice people - you're guaranteed to find it in the Azores. So what's stopping you? Well maybe the practicalities, but let's look at those now

 

Things to know before you arrive:

Getting to the island
We flew from Lisbon and thanks to Skyscanner (a website that lets you compare all the plane prices) our flights were pretty cheap.

Getting around the islands
Like I said, we got around solely by walking and hitchhiking. We really recommend hitchhiking, it was loads of fun.

You could of course hire a car here (we recommend doing this on Skyscanner's car comparison site). 

Please do believe us though when we say buses aren't an option. They go about twice a day, if that,  and don't go to the places you want to go. 

Accommodation: 
House Sitting
Confession: we did NOT House Sit here! When we were booking our flights there were no House Sits on the island! 


Saying that, the moment we got back from the Azores, a House Sit popped up there! So it's worth checking out Trusted House Sitters - Portugal for House Sits before you book. 

AirBnB
Instead of House Sitting we opted for AirBnB, which was good because it meant we got to meet our real Azorean neighbours and share that lovely food. It also meant that we could be out all day, without worrying about being back to let the dog/cat out.

On the other hand, we missed having a pet so much! (Hence the attempted bonding with the skanky cats).  It also meant that our accommodation wasn't very fancy and we actually had to pay for it! Which we never really do. But if you'd like to use AirBnB we can offer you a discount here! 

Hotels 
A third option would be staying in a hotel! If you fancy staying cheap but nice accommodation in the Azores, try Agoda. Here you'll find good hotels at discount prices. 


The weather 
The Azores have some crazy ever changing weather. Sao Miguel is a pretty small island, but you can have bright sunshine on one side and torrential rain on the other.

Hence we recommend going to the Azores for at least two weeks if you can. There is so much to see and do there, and if you only come for 3 or 4 days, there is a possibility that all you will see is fog! 

Food prices
We were surprised by how cheap food was on Sao Miguel - especially outside Ponta Delgada. We'd (dimly) assumed that everything would be imported and thus expensive, but because of Sao Miguel's fertile lands and intermittent weather they can grow pretty much anything! The pineapples in particular were to die for. 

Sao Miguel has been one of the highlights of our last two years of travelling and we are busy recommending it to everyone. Our only regret is not being able to visit the other islands, but we will be back for that!! But what do you think? Would you like to go to the Azores? Let us know!