It is wonderful to be able to expose your children to other cultures. Taking family vacations to places like Rome, Italy can be an eye-opening experience for your children and can be done in a very affordable way. The key is knowing how to do it.
Rome is filled with churches and all of them are free. Many churches house works of art by famous artists and can all be seen without paying a museum entry fee. Rome also has a cultural week that takes place in April. During that week, all state run museums and monuments are free. While the Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel do not qualify, both places can be visited for free on the last Sunday of any month.
When it is time to eat, you do not have to break the bank feeding your family. Check out one of Rome’s ‘pizza al taglio’ shops where pizza, available with a wide range of toppings, is sold by weight. Make your choice and head to one of the many benches or parks to eat your lunch. Another way to save money on food is to rent an apartment instead of staying at a hotel. Apartments are available all over Italy and the cost of a rental is comparative to a stay at a hotel. The advantage is 1) exposing your children to more culture by shopping in the local grocery and markets and 2) cooking your meals instead of eating out. Even if you do not rent an apartment, you can head to the market and buy some fruits, cheeses and breads for an easy and delicious lunch.
Spend a day or two outside the city of Rome. Little towns like Lazio, Italy and give you a picture of real Italy. You can be at the beach in Ostia in 30 minutes. You can also check out some Roman chariot racing and other exciting cultural activities that the kids will love.
Buy a good local map of the city and just walk. Famous places like the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps are always open and are free. Spend some time with the locals sitting on the steps and watch people as they go by. Another advantage of walking the small alleyways is finding restaurants geared toward local and not tourists.
With just a bit of planning, your visit to Rome, Italy can be fulfilling without being expensive.