21 Rome MoneySaving Tips

great tips thanks Megan, just back from a four day trip and used many of these which weren't included in the plethora of guidebooks we have... my own tips scribbled down as we walked around were as follows

Google Maps invaluable for finding way round, though get a Three SIM to ensure data connection, we never got the supposed free city wi-fi to connect anywhere. Just click where you want to go and Google guides you to the nearest bus stop and tells you the time of the next bus, brilliant...
Transport - the Romacard gives unlimited use on buses and the underground, that said we never saw anyone use the ticket machines on buses, if an inspector got on I'm sure 90% would be caught. Underground has barriers, we always found it very busy (packed) so we always prefered buses using Google
Buy Romapass from Palatine not Colosseum, we got there 9am and the was a huge queue at the Colosseum but nothing at the Palatine booth just 100 yards down the road
Eats - we just flitted around the streets between Travi Fountain and the Pantheon, loads of walk in restaurants not needing booking. Just beware the 'upselling', the water/brochettes/meat tray/tiramasu/coffees can easily double the cost of the meal
Three pizzas and a bottle of house white was around £50 including 10% service charge added automatically, no need for separate tip
Borghese gallary good if you like art galleries, otherwise use Romapass on Coliseum and St Angelo's castle, a real medieval castle with loads of nooks and crannies and fantastic views of the Vatican and city
Beware the outside table, a smoker will light up when your food arrives
Take a battery back up pack for your phone
Terravision bus cheap for return trip to airport but need to print ticket (they need to sort that, even the Vatican allows you to show the barcode on your phone) and bus was 10mins late setting off and arriving

An alternative to the Roma Pass is the "Archaeologia Card", which for €23 (adults), or €13 (under 18s), gives entry to:

* the Colosseum, Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum
* the Baths of Caracalla
* Villa dei Quintili
* Mausoleum of Cecilia Metella
* the four National Roman Museum: Palazzo Massimo, Palazzo Altemps, Crypta Balbi, Baths of Diocleziano

for 7 days. No public transport, but Rome's good to walk around anyway. You can buy it from any of those sites, so it's a good idea to buy it from a less-busy site (e.g. the Baths of Diocletian).

Ooh, nearly forgot - visit the cat sanctuary.
Buy a gift or donate if you can, or just pet the cats. Nice opposition to all the commercialisation.