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The Fourth Plinth is located in Trafalgar Square, London and is traditionally used to display statues. This year it is being transformed into a space for living art as Antony Gormley shows off his ground-breaking “One and Other” project (until October 14th 2009).

The well-known artist has asked anyone who lives in the UK to come forward and “perform” on the plinth for one hour with the eyes of the world (via tv and webcam) gazing at them.

Many thousands of people applied for the 2,400 available places which have all been chosen at random. One person is standing on the plinth every hour (24/7!), for 100 days in total.

Each individual is free to do as they please on the plinth, providing it’s legal. A lot of participants are taking the opportunity to show the world everything they’ve got!

The artist’s own description of the project is shown on the London Hotels Insight blog (link below), which also links you to the live webcam showing the 24/7 “performance” in progress.

It is a truly path-breaking project and gives tourists visiting London an awesome perspective on Britain’s diverse, eccentric and fun-loving population. You can’t miss the opportunity to see it if you’re visiting London in summer or autumn 2009!

To allow you to stay as near to the event on Trafalgar Square as possible, here are a couple of suggested hotels that rate highly on TripAdvisor. They cover all possible budgets:

A 5 star hotel with great reviews

If you come to London with someone you wish to impress, you would be wise to consider One Aldwych. This is a hotel with amazing contemporary design (later copied by many others) but which also thrives on friendly and down-to-earth service.

From the moment you step into its impressive lobby, the hotel seems to caress you with its natural warmth.

I’ve been lucky enough to meet the hotel’s founder, Gordon Campbell Gray, who told me his goal is to make every guest’s stay “as exquisite as possible”.

There is more on One Aldwych at the London Hotels Insight blog, where you can also get the best rate from more than 30 different travel websites with a single click.

A cheap hotel with good reviews

If you’re on budget but still want to stay in this amazing area in the heart of Theatreland, you might want to consider the Travelodge in Covent Garden. It is only 10 minutes walk to Trafalgar Square.

You’ll feel smug about getting a functional, clean room in an amazing location for much less than other tourists with accommodation in the same area!

Guest reviews on TripAdvisor suggest that Travelodge Covent Garden is a steal for its modest room rate and unbeatable location.

The location of either of the above hotels is handy for checking out the Tate Modern gallery or to take a ride on the London Eye.

If you stay in this area you will also be in a convenient location for the fantastic markets and street performers in Covent Garden.

So if you intend to go to London in the summer or fall of 2009, make sure you visit the fourth plinth on Trafalgar Square!

Tags: europe, london, London hotels, London Travel, London trip planning, Travel, travel ideas
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Paris is without doubt the Capital of Romance. The city is a great place for romantic vacation with your partner or even a honeymoon. In Paris you also find lovely food, great shopping and some of the most interesting sites in Europe.

The Eiffel Tower is seen as the landmark of Paris. It was created in 1889 for the World Exhibition. The plan was to demolish it after the exhibition, but because of the popularity, the plan was changed. The Eiffel Tower is 319 meter (1047 feet), and until 1931, when the Empire State Building was finished, the world’s highest building.

You must be patience, if you are planning to visit the Eiffel Tower; especially in the high season. Here the line can be very long, because the elevator has a limited capacity. Instead of waiting a couple of hours, you can also take the 1.665 stairs instead. No matter what you decide, you will be rewarded with an amazing view. If you are lucky, you can see as long as 70 kilometers (43 miles).

The Louvre Museum was made famous by Dan Brown in his book The Da Vinci Code. But the museum is more than a crime scene in a famous book. It is also the scene of one of the world’s most amazing art exhibitions. Look for the Mona Lisa painted by Leonardo da Vinci and the ancient Greek statue Venus from Milo.

But the exhibition in the old building from 1190 is much more than a statue and a painting. You can also experience ancient are from Greece and Egypt; or modern fashion and design. So if you are both to old and modern art, one day is not enough to see it all.

Other great sight in Paris are Champs-Elyses and Notre Dame Cathedral. You might also want to visit Versailles about 30 kilometers (19 miles) from the city centre. Disneyland will certainly also make yourself and your kids happy.

You can also do some heavy shopping in Paris. You can find all the famous luxury trademarks in the department stores. When it comes to haute couture fashion houses, Rue du Faubourg-St-Honor on the right side of the Seine is the place to go. Look for Yves Saint Laurent, Giorgio Armani, Pierre Cardin, Chanel, and Christian Dior.

Paris does also have great markets. Gourmet food can be found at the Rue Mouffetard market, while the March de la Porte de Vanves market has old books, postcards, porcelain, and musical instruments. If you are looking for cheap souvenir, you should visit Rue de Rivoli.

In the end of the day, you should spoil yourself with some great French food and red wine; or you could go on a sunset cruise on the Seine. After that, visit one of the many nightclubs to party all night.

Tags: art, Champs-Elyses, Da Vinci, Disneyland, Eiffel Tower, fashion, Louvre, markets, museums, Notre Dame, paris, Paris Travel, shopping, sights, Versailles
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Even though London is preparing for the Summer Olympic Games of 2012, there is no reason not to visit the city today. In London you find many sights, superb shopping and pulsing nightlife. Even great food can be found in the city.

The newest (and one of the most interesting) sight is the London Eye. The 135 meter (443 feet) high Ferris wheel can be found between Waterloo and Westminster Bridge. It was originally opened for the millennium new year by Tony Blair. But because of technical problems, the public couldnt use it before March 2000.

The 32 cabins on the wheel have room for 25 persons each. It is a very popular attraction; and because one rotation takes about half an hour, you can expect long queues in the high season. But the view from the top over the central London (including Big Ben and the House of Parliament) is worth the waiting.

In the opposite end of the timeline is Tower of London. The royal fortress has a 900 year old and bloody history. Many people have walked through the Traitors Gate; but few of them have returned. Torture, rats, and not least executions killed a lot of the prisoners.

Today the rats have gone; and the torture and executions stopped. And the prisoners have been replaced with tourists watching all the ceremonies. One of the most exciting is the Ceremony of the Keys. At exactly 9.52 pm the head of the guards hands over the keys to the head of the night watchmen.

There are many interesting places to be seen on a tour of Tower of London. This includes the royal apartment as well as the dungeons. But the most popular sight is the British crown jewels in the Jewel House. Here you can see the scepter of the sovereign with Star of Africa; the worlds largest diamond.

Other must see sights are St. Pauls Cathedral, Westminster Abbey and the 106 meter (348 feet) high Big Ben. For a relaxing stroll visit the centrally placed Hyde Park. And if you are interested in art, you should visit British Museum.

A must thing to do in London is people watching. In the city you can see everything from punkers with safety pins through their noses and cock’s combs to businessmen with bowler hat sand stiff upper lips.

Have you heard that English food is not worth eating? And do you think to have to eat fish and chips all day? Well, it does not have to be this way. Famous cooks like Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsey have restaurants in London. If you like cheaper options, it is also possible. The city is a melting pot of multi-ethnic populations, so you can find cheap restaurants with exotic food from all around the world.

For shopping visit the famous department store Harrods; they brag about that they can provide everything. If you are looking for something for your home, you can find wallpaper and fabric in Designers Guild and minimalistic, Japanese design in Muji. Make the kids happy with a visit to the six story toyshop Hamleys of Regent Street.

Tags: Big Ben, Gordon Ramsey, Hamleys, Harrods, Jamie Oliver, london, London Eye, London Travel, nightlife, Olympic Games, shopping, sights, St. Pauls Cathedral, Tower of London, Westminster Abbey
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A holiday in Rome is a great time, but before you head off, you’ll need to know where you’re going to stay. Most people stick to a standard motel or hotel because they don’t know they have alternatives. After all, it’s pretty easy to find a hotel room, even though there are some real downsides to staying in one.

If you choose a hotel in Rome, chances are that you’ll have to deal with extensive crowding, tight quarters, and high costs. After all, the hotel is where everyone stays! However, you could avoid all those problems, save some money, and enjoy the privacy and comforts you’ve come to expect at home, all by choosing a holiday apartment rental instead.

Instead of spending a lot on a suite, or dealing with the cramped conditions that come with cramming everyone into just one room, you could enjoy attractive surroundings and your own space. A hotel stay means that you’re going to be experiencing Rome as a tourist, while an apartment lets you do it as a local. Most of us would prefer the more authentic option.

Choose an apartment with a terrace to dine outside over a beautiful skyline or classic Roman rooftops. The space and comfort are something it’s hard to match in a hotel, and you get the ability to control your living situation. If you don’t enjoy having cleaning staff in every day, and like the ability to spend time in your own space uninterrupted, a Rome apartment is the perfect option.

Of course, you can’t go into renting a furnished holiday apartment blindly - you have to be willing to do your research. After all, there’s a pretty good chance that most Rome apartments won’t be exactly like what you’d expect at home. Just learn about what you’ll be getting and what you should expect when you get there, and you’ll have no problems enjoying your stay.

Picking a holiday apartment lets you skip eating out unless you want to. Instead, take the time to check out local ingredients and cook some old favorites or new dishes in your very own kitchen. Don’t expect a stocked refrigerator, however - you’ll need to do your own shopping in the majority of cases.

Most apartments in Rome also feature their own laundry facilities, allowing you to avoid having to overpack and deal with additional luggage fees, or have to put up with the inconvenience of finding a laundry. Just bring the clothes you need for a short time, and wash them in your home away from home. You’ll be a lot more comfortable.

Independent travelers enjoy rental apartments on their holidays. Everything is under your control, and you get to make choices that will save you money. Extra services are optional, not required, and need only to be booked a day in advance.

If you want to see the real Rome for yourself and avoid the crowding, expense, and inconvenience of tourist hotels, an apartment rental might be just the thing you’ve been waiting for. Do your research and know what to expect, and you’ll soon see that Rome apartments are a great alternative to the ordinary holiday.

Tags: Accommodation, hotel, Italy, Rome, Rome Travel, Tourism
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Paris is without doubt the Capital of Romance. The city is a great place for romantic vacation with your partner or even a honeymoon. In Paris you also find lovely food, great shopping and some of the most interesting sites in Europe.

The landmark of Paris is the Eiffel Tower. The tower was build for the World Exhibition in 1889. The plan was to tear it down afterwards, but luckily enough the decision was changed. The tower is 319 meter (1047 feet) high, and until the Empire State Building was built in 1931, it was the highest building in the world.

You must be patience, if you are planning to visit the Eiffel Tower; especially in the high season. Here the line can be very long, because the elevator has a limited capacity. Instead of waiting a couple of hours, you can also take the 1.665 stairs instead. No matter what you decide, you will be rewarded with an amazing view. If you are lucky, you can see as long as 70 kilometers (43 miles).

Dan Brown made the Louvre Museum famous in The Da Vinci Code. But the museum is not just a scene of the crime in a famous book; it is also the house of an impressive art collection. Here you can see the Greek statue Venus from Milo and the famous painting Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci.

But the exhibition in the old building from 1190 is much more than a statue and a painting. You can also experience ancient are from Greece and Egypt; or modern fashion and design. So if you are both to old and modern art, one day is not enough to see it all.

Other great sight in Paris are Champs-Elyses and Notre Dame Cathedral. You might also want to visit Versailles about 30 kilometers (19 miles) from the city centre. Disneyland will certainly also make yourself and your kids happy.

When you have seen all the sights, it is time for shopping. You can find all the luxury trademarks in Paris department stores, but if you are looking for haute couture fashion, you should visit Rue du Faubourg-St-Honor on the right bank of the Seine. Here you can buy clothes from Chanel, Giorgio Armani, Pierre Cardin, Christian Dior, and Yves Saint Laurent.

If you are more into markets, Paris is a great city. You can find old postcards, porcelain, musical instruments and books at the March de la Porte de Vanves market. Superb food can be bought at the Rue Mouffetard market, while cheap souvenir is found around Rue de Rivoli.

Finish your day on one of the great restaurants with a typical French dish and a glass of red wine; or try a sunset cruise on the Seine. If you have more energy, you can party on all night in one of the many nightclubs.

Tags: art, Champs-Elyses, Da Vinci, Disneyland, Eiffel Tower, fashion, Louvre, markets, museums, Notre Dame, paris, Paris Travel, shopping, sights, Versailles
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If you are visiting the UK and are not a resident of the EU, then you can claim back all the tax (VAT) that you would have paid on your purchases during your stay.

Therefore countries that are in the EU do not qualify for this. These countries and regions include: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, The Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.

Different companies will usually offer different percentages of the VAT back and as the much valued international customer you will more often than not be able to choose how you VAT is refunded.

There are three easy steps to making your claim.

Step one: Pick up a VAT receipt when you make a purchase at any store.

Step two: When you’re leaving, present your VAT receipts, along with the actual shop receipts, the goods themselves and your passport to Customs so they can validate it.

Step 3: After validation from customs at the airport, collect your VAT refund from a cash refund office in the currency of your choosing.

As a non-EU resident you have a whole world of savings open to you with all of the UK’s leading brand names available free of tax, enabling you to generate massive savings.

The stores that use this tax free service also benefit in the following ways;

-A totally free tax refund service.

-Larger transactions through your cash registers.

-Increased profit because we return a portion of the VAT to you.

-Free online advertising and sales promotion.

-Easy and instant way to refund more money to your customers.

-Additional customer loyalty, the more money they get back, the more likely they will be to shop with you again.

-No VAT invoice we deal directly with HM Customs.

Tags: Britain, finance, legal, london, London Travel, misc, services, shopping, tax, tax free, taxes, Tourism, tourist, Travel, uk
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Sfida dei Borghi (Challenge of the Wards) - Monte Compatri. Imagine a medieval-style archery contest, people dressed in period costume surrounding the contest area and an attentive crowd following every shot of the competitors. This is what you will see if you go to Monte Compatri, a small town in the vicinity of Rome, in the middle of August. The interest of the townsfolk is particularly keen because each archer represents one of the towns 5 wards and a victory will enhance the “status” of a ward for the coming year. Before the actual contest starts, a long, sumptuously dressed procession easily wins the spectators admiration, thanks to the beautiful costumes worn by its 300 participants, who parade through the local streets packed with enthusiastic crowds. Street artists and other performers complete a truly interesting programme that is always enjoyed by the local population as much as by visiting tourists.

Mercatini del 600 (17th century Markets) - Bassano Romano. This is a town in the vicinity of Rome that, though already existing in Etruscan (i.e. pre-Roman) times, actually grew to become a sizable town in the Middle Ages and had its heyday in the 17th century. The event we are referring to is organized early in the month of July to recreate the atmosphere typical of a 17th century market day in Bassano. The whole town turns into an open-air museum, as a result of accurate scenic effects that are intended to reproduce the daily life and activities of the local people at the time. A number of people wear period costumes, while standards, banners, torches, flowers and a host of other decorations help to complete a lovely setting that has been drawing ever increasing crowds of visitors, particularly among those who are interested in history from the late Middle Ages onwards.

Gara dei Giochi di Bandiera (Flag Wavers’ Competition) - Piansano Romano. Ever seen a live show of flag wavers dressed in medieval costume drawing fantastic designs in the air, throwing their flags up above them, catching them as they fall back and exchanging them with those of other performers, all this being done to the rolling of drums or the blare of trumpets? If you haven’t had an opportunity of watching a similar show, we recommend you take a short trip to Piansano Romano in July. You wont regret it, we promise. This team, like many others, has taken part in many exhibitions and contests with other teams elsewhere in Italy as well as abroad. Among the countries where they have held their performances, we might mention Britain, Germany, France , Spain, Hungary and the United States.

Cena Medievale (Medieval Dinner) - Vignanello. Summertime in Italy spells night and day festivities and celebrations. Because the days are usually so warm, people normally tend to go out at night. So, quite a number of events take place in the evening. This is just what happens at Vignanello, a town located fairly close to Rome. On the third week of July a medieval dinner is held in town to enable guests to taste dishes prepared in accordance with old recipes of local cuisine. The setting definitely harks back to the Middle Ages and the sensation of having for a moment reverted to an ancient past is enhanced by a historical procession, where the participants wear period costumes. As a final touch, flag-wavers provide a splendid exhibition in which folklore and ability are equally matched.

Infiorata (Flower Petal Art Display) - Genazzano. This is one of Italy’s most famous street art displays. It consists of the artistic arrangement of millions of flower petals along the streets of Genazzano, near Rome, in such a way as to create all sorts of delicate designs on a variety of subjects. The whole display, which dates from over a century ago and takes place on the first Sunday in July, is well over half a mile long and demands great ability and dedication on the part of the artists involved, who plan their work well in advance. On Sunday afternoon, a solemn procession will follow the route of the infiorata to celebrate the Feast of the Sacred Heart. The procession too is extremely interesting from an artistic point of view. Over 400 participants are dressed in carefully prepared costumes to represent men, scenes and topics from the Old Testament, the New Testament and the history of the Church. Pharaohs, queens, maids, Jews, high priests, slaves and many other figures parade to portray a living picture of great visual impact.

Sagra dei Bucatini all’Amatriciana (Festival of Bucatini all’Amatriciana) - Nerola. You are no doubt familiar with many types of pasta. Have you ever tasted bucatini, though? This variety is quite common in Central Italy, particularly in the amatriciana version. The sauce is absolutely divine and its ingredients include pancetta, which is similar to bacon. The Festival that takes place at Nerola in late July/early August focuses on this specialty and the result is invariably superb. We suggest that, if you are in the Rome area on the date of the Festival, you visit Nerola and see if you agree with our opinion. If you have tried bucatini all’Amatriciana back home, you will probably notice a considerable difference in taste, which is mostly due to the ability of the housewives who prepare the pasta with their own hands, according to traditional recipes that have been handed down for generations.

Tags: Italian festivities, Italy, Rome, Rome Travel, Tours in Italy, Travel, Travel Suggestions, Travel Tips
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Are London hotels as expensive as people say?

Visitors to London often complain about the high price of hotels. Are they right to do so?

Expensive is a relative term. You can have a wonderful priceless experience or spend little and find it poor value. Value is not easy to define.

What then does the hard data say? London apparently has the 5th most expensive hotels in the world, after Moscow, New York, Dubai and Venice (source: Hotels.com survey).

Another survey by Hogg Robinson showed London hotel prices in 10th place (not as dear as New York, Mumbai and Stockholm among others).

London is only expensive because lots of people want to visit the city for business and pleasure, which naturally keeps prices high. That is the bad news.

But there is good news too. You can still grab value for money in London hotels but only if you search carefully. To achieve this, you should use independent blogs (such as London Hotels Insight) rather than hotel or booking websites which just want you to reserve any hotel as quickly as possible.

Ready for more good news? A separate survey (from the Economist) looked at the most expensive cities for all spending (beyond just hotel prices): this discovered that Paris and Copenhagen for example are a lot more expensive than London.

Hence although London (and its hotels) may appear quite pricey to visitors, this must be understood in comparison with other benchmark cities.

The most important advice is to always book your hotel in London after searching out the best price on the internet. If you book based on just one website’s pricing, you will almost always be missing out on the best rate.

Never be fooled by a best online rate guarantee. It is often hard to enforce this in practice (just try to read the small-print!) as well as being time-consuming.

This article’s writer is a London hotel market “insider” who personally meets hoteliers and regularly compares online hotel rates for London. There is no doubt that there is wide variation between London hotel rates between different websites so you can easily lose money.

There is just one way to ensure that you obtain the very best London hotel deal: you need to use a “meta-search” tool which compares lots of different websites at the same time (preferably more than 20 or 30 sites). It is now as easy to do a one-click search of many websites for the best deal as it is to search a single website.

For example, London Hotels Insight has a price comparison tool which checks more than 30 of the world’s most trusted hotel booking sites to find the best rate in one click.

A hotel meta-search engine lets you feel secure that you’re getting the best possible deal. It also means you’re left with more money to enjoy London’s amazing bars, restaurants and theatres!

Tags: Cheap Hotels, cheap travel, destinations, hotels, hotels in london, jobs in hotels, london, London accommodation, London hotels, London Travel, metasearch, price comparison, Travel
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Museo Nazionale Romano - Crypta Balbi (Roman National Museum - Crypta Balbi). When it was opened 9 years ago, this museum created a sensation since it approached the life of the ancient Romans from a somewhat different angle, compared to ordinary museums. In a historical and social sequence, it gives a true-to-life illustration of living habits and conditions of Roman families during the Imperial period and the Middle Ages. A section is also dedicated to commercial and manufacturing activities.

Musei Capitolini (Capitoline Museums). Suppose you are in Rome and you wish to visit a museum exhibiting some of the art treasures that you have always wanted to see, where would it be best for you to go? The answer is extremely simple. Take your pick. Rome has been called an open-air museum, with so many ancient buildings, monuments and archaeological remains to be admired everywhere around the city that you have an embarrassingly wide choice. However, if you are near the Capitoline Hill, we suggest you pay a visit to the Capitoline Museums. They are a complex of buildings hosting a fantastic collection of Egyptian, Greek and, above all, Roman sculptures, Roman artefacts, such as jewels and medals, as well as other works of art, including a bronze equestrian statue of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, which was restored in recent years.

Galleria Borghese (Borghese Gallery). Located inside the park by the same name, this is one of the most interesting museums in Rome. Its ground floor houses a collection of ancient statues and renowned sculptures by Bernini and Canova. Among the most celebrated of these works we might mention Bernini’s Apollo and Daphne and Canova’s Venus Victrix, representing Pauline Bonaparte. On the upper floor you will find famous paintings by Raphael, Titian, Botticelli, Caravaggio, Bernini, Canova and Rubens. Caravaggio’s Boy with a Basket of Fruit, Titian’s Sacred and Profane Love and Raphael’s Entombment of Christ are only some of the masterpieces on show.

Museo della Civilta Romana (Museum of the Roman Civilization). It is difficult to imagine a museum that may encompass the whole span of Roman civilization from its very start up to the 4th century (in other words, the complete story of the rise and decline of Rome). Yet, this is exactly the period of time covered by the exhibits at this museum. Of its three sections, the first one shows all the main stages of Roman history, the second one concentrates on all major themes of historical, social and religious interest and the third contains a model of the city of Rome in the 4th century A.D. Among other interesting exhibits you will find horizontal casts of the reliefs of Trajan’s Column.

Mercati di Traiano (Trajan’s Markets). The site offers an excellent opportunity to see how an urban area can over time be developed in completely different ways. This particular place was, at various times, a market, an office area, a residential suburb, a fortification, a religious building and military lodgings. Efforts have been made to illustrate as well as possible the different stages in the use of the area. In particular, archaeologists and researches have endeavoured to render everything clearly understandable to modern visitors.

Museo di Roma in Trastevere (Museum of Rome in Trastevere). This museum was opened 32 years ago to collect many paintings, prints and watercolors made between the latter half of the 18th century and the end of the following century. The overall picture of the city that you will gather from a visit to the museum will probably surprise you. The pre-industrial Rome was a picturesque, colorful city that had little to share with the bustling city you will notice all around you at present. The general arrangement of the museum is intended to reconstruct scenes of daily living in the Trastevere area of Rome. Among other exhibits, there are copies of some so-called “talking statues”. These statues were used by the Roman populace to pin leaflets containing biting lampoons and sharp criticism of Government officials and their administration.

Museo di Roma (Museum of Rome). Founded in 1930, the purpose of the museum was twofold: to link the increasingly more forward-looking city of Rome with its past and to ensure that ample evidence of its past be collected and handed down to posterity. You will find that the collection of works of art, ceramics, costumes, paintings, photographs, furniture and even trains and carriages illustrates the significant changes that have marked the life of the city from the Middle Ages right up to half-way through the 20th century. Obviously, the paintings and sketches will provide an ongoing description of the changes that affected the architectural structure of the city itself as well as the surrounding countryside.

Museo Barracco (Barracco Museum). This museum is located in an elegant Renaissance palace that a high French church official built in 1523 as his living quarters during his frequent visits to Rome. After a history of sales by various owners and finally a purchase by the Italian Government in the late 19th century, it became the seat of the Museum after World War II. The Museum houses a rich collection of ancient sculptures (Assyrian, Egyptian, Phoenician, Etruscan, Greek and Roman). The Museum is named after a wealthy gentleman from Calabria who donated the collection to the Municipality of Rome.

Tags: Antiquity, art, Culture, History, Italy, Painting, Rome, Rome Museums, Rome Travel, Tour of Rome, Travel, Travel Suggestions
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There are two airports available when traveling to Rome; there is the Fiumicino (Leonardo Da Vinci), and the Clampino. The Fiumicino is the primary airport and offers international flights from all over the world, whilst the Ciampino is a smaller airport that is usually used for budget airlines and for charter lines.

Subways, trams, taxis, and buses are only a few of the different types of transport to choose from once you are in Rome. If taking a taxi you should always insist on the metered fare rather than a negotiated fare. If you’re lucky enough to find a kind and knowledgeable driver, they might be willing to share their insights on the city and its sights, in exchange for an additional fee.

In Rome, you can choose from tons of hotels that are available in a vast array of price ranges. Staying at a hotel near the center of the city will allow you to walk to most places, despite Rome’s size. You could get a cheaper rate for staying in a hotel that is further away, and you can use a subway or bus to get to the destinations.

The history of Rome is awe inspiring and many tourists come for the historical sites, if you’re one of them you definitely want to take in St. Peter’s Basilica as well as the Vatican. For the most beautiful and awe inspiring ancient Roman architecture, visit Roman Forum, Coliseum, and Palantine Hill.

The Roma Archeologia card will get you into to lots of different attractions in Rome, so if you are looking to enjoy variety of Roman sites the card is a great investment.

Piazza di Spagna and the Spanish Steps, have to be visited, if you are looking for a place to shop when traveling to Rome. This Roman district has everything the shopaholic will require including places for refreshment as well as shopping. You will find everything you are looking for here, all within walking distance from each other. The center of Rome also has very lively markets that you cannot miss.

Tags: europe, Italy, Rome, Rome Travel, Vacations
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