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he Romans have a saying:

‘you‘d need a lifetime to

see all that Rome has to offer'. This seemed a laughable notion as my partner and I only had a few days in Italy‘s capital. After not having taken a holiday in over three years. I was determined to leave feeling rested and recuperated. And we were on a budget. so we wanted to see as much of Rome as possible. for as little as possible. in a short space of time. and come home relaxed. A tall order‘.’ No way.

Arriving in the early evening was a blessing because we could dump our luggage at our hotel then go for dinner. We stumbled across a sushi place called llamasei. which was too expensive for us. but evidently not for BB(‘ period drama actors as the cast of Rome were dining there. Fortunately. next door at Pix/,a (‘iro (Via della Mercede 43) a beer and a pizza cost less than HQ. The restaurant was fast. friendly and frequented by locals always a good sign.

Next day. our first stop was the bus stop. As unstylish as you feel. the 12 all-day passes for the open- top buses are a useful way of getting your bearings and spotting potential sites for visiting.

The obvious place for film fans to start is the Trevi Fountain. Unfortunately. you won‘t find it occupied by one lone starlet. it la La Dulce Vim: it's usually packed with hordes of holidaymakers throwing pennies in it for good luck. (io back late at night when there‘s relative peace and the sculpture is illuminated.

The Pantheon is nearby and certainly worth a look. Run in during a downpour and catch the unique spectacle of rain falling into the middle of the church. While in the area. be sure to visit the infamous La (‘asa del (‘affe (Via l)eg|i ()rfani 85A). This is where locals get their caffeine fix.

The cheap lif

Andrew Borthwick does as the Romans do on a budget.

THE RESTAURANT WE EVENTUALLY FOUND WAS FAST, FRIENDLY AND FREQUENTED BY LOCALS - ALWAYS A GOOD SIGN

as they stand elbow to elbow sipping 90 cent lattes before hopping back on their Vespas.

It‘s worth noting. though. that even in reasonably priced cafes a cappuccino and pastry can set you back as much as €7. Budget travellers may want to consider breakfast at McDonalds where the same items cost l.5. As reluctant as I am to recommend

ROME AT A GLANCE The city centre is r g) dominated by the ‘Seven

Hills of Rome’: Capitoline,

Palatine,_Viminal, Ouin‘nal, Esquiline, CaeIian and

Aventine.

Rome surrounds the Vatican

City, a separate sovereign state, which includes St Peter's

Square, which is home of St

Peter's Basilica.

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