Travelling to Rome on a student budget: top hacks from experienced travellers

Contributed article

In Rome, do as the Romans do. This well-known proverb, attributed to Saint Augustine, fascinates millions of people to visit an iconic capital of modern-day Italy. Rome itself has much to offer for tourists of all preferences, ranging from diverse architecture to appealing cuisine. Rome is often regarded as one of the most spectacular cities not only to visit but to live.

We are well aware that Rome, often called a cradle of the entire Western civilization, might be a bit pricey. That’s why we want to share with you the best life hacks on budget traveling to this fascinating city. If you were long thinking about traveling on a budget, our hand-picked hacks from experienced travellers all around the world would undoubtedly help you. For that sole reason, don’t hesitate to get acquainted with those best life hacks on a low priced travel to Rome, as follows.

Internship, Have you Considered It?

Although lots of recommendations and tricks can be voiced, Rome is still a fairly expensive city for a student on a regular student budget. That’s why the best decision before visiting Rome is to find an internship in Italy’s capital. Since you’re a student right now, Rome hosts some of the best European universities and colleges that also have English-speaking exchange programs. UK students, in particular, are eligible to participate in these exchanges that often have scholarship schemes.

To be admitted to such an exchange, any UK student has to stand out from other applicants. That’s why the smartest students who are looking forward to visiting Italy’s capital use help from professional personal statement writers. For that sole reason, don’t hesitate to use a personal statement writing service for your success in getting ready for an upcoming internship in Italy. The good news is that the best exchange programs offer hefty scholarships and help from locals that would simplify your stay in Rome considerably.

Eat Cheap, but Wise

The next recommendation that would save you tons of money refers to cuisine. Although the long-standing culinary tradition of Romans is certainly worthy of exploring, students can save lots of cash with our pieces of advice. Rome has a fair reputation for hosting thousands of restaurants, cafes, and bars of all assortments. The best recommendation we can make is to be picky and do some preliminary research before taking train travel in Italy.

One of the best travel cheap tips related to Italy’s capital is to avoid crappy tourist-oriented restaurants. The food there would certainly be overpriced, whereas the plain taste of meals you’d order has nothing in common with high standards of Rome’s unique culinary arts. Don’t be that lazy, do a little research, take a walk a few streets from the city centre, and you’ll find plenty of cheap and tasty spots to fill your stomach.

Water Supplies

Here comes a real hack from Steph Be from an iconic ‘Travel Break’ blog. During your casual stay in Rome, you’ll see hundreds of tourists carrying plastic water bottles with them. Due to the hot climate, all visitors should remember about hydration, whereas dozens of street sellers are willing to sell a bottle of water five times its regular price.

The best solution, which can be seen in dozens of Rome travel blogs, is to find the so-called “nasoni,” the drinking fountains that can be found literally everywhere in the city. Not only you will save a few Euros by doing that, but you’d also be able to enjoy the authenticity of this city, alongside saving our planet Earth from a few plastic bottles. What a combo-wombo!

Student Discount Coupons

One of the best cheap student travelling tips is to make the most of student discounts. The best thing about Rome is the fact that student discounts are fairly everywhere, ranging from cafes and restaurants to museums and excursions. If you’re a UK student travelling to Rome, don’t forget your student ID. By showing it, you’ll be granted a reduced fee in most notable places in Rome.

Another feature worth mentioning is the fact that dozens of Rome tourist guides on the Web and in the press have exclusive bonus discounts for students. For that sole reason, we encourage you to research the Web a bit and be attentive to street signs and press tourist guides. The chances of finding a coupon that would ease your overall travel budget are quite high in Rome. Use it for your advantage!

Accommodation

Like it or not, but the question of where to stay in Rome is one of the most relevant questions one might be interested in during a student trip. The options for accommodation are countless, including hundreds of hotels, student-themed hostels, and other ways to sleep. The good news about Rome and the Italian people is their openness. That means you can try yourself asking for accommodation on such platforms like Couchsurfing or Trustroots.

Alternatively, if you’re up for something different, don’t hesitate to consider hostels. Although they are not that comfy as a hotel room might be, the price-efficiency of staying in hostels is too tempting to resist for students. Please note that dozens of hostels in Rome offer their own parties, excursions, and other amusements to check out. That’s why we strongly encourage travellers on a student budget to consider hostels in favour of hotels and other pricey forms of accommodation.

Don’t Get Lost!

Unless you know the Italian language, finding a route to your hostel after having a few glasses of wine might be troublesome. For your convenience, the municipal government located dozens of stations across the city where you can take a Rome metro map. Instead of waiting for a cab, take a few streets and go to the nearest metro station.

The good news is that Rome has a decent infrastructure, allowing all tourists to navigate throughout the city easily. Some travel bloggers also extensively recommend checking out all Rome’s metro stations since they are regarded as one of the brightest underground systems in Europe. Even if you got used to a car since school, budget travelling involves lots of substitutions, including the means of transportation.

Final Remark

The good news about Rome is that you’ll never get bored there. Pay a visit to the Vatican, attend excursions to all notable fountains across the city, or see the artworks of Michelangelo in one of Rome’s museums. We believe that we’ve proven that travelling to Rome can be a relatively cheap decision. If you’re a student who wants to take a trip to Rome from the UK, be sure to follow all the manually picked recommendations from professional travellers we included in our article. Good luck!