Cheap Hotels in Rome, Italy

One lifetime isn't enough to take in the splendors of Rome. You could spend years admiring its hallowed churches, jaw-dropping museums and ancient monuments. But experiencing the "Eternal City" is about more than sightseeing. It's sipping macchiatos in sunlit piazzas, munching heavenly pizza and joining the stylish locals for evening aperitifs.

It's easy to get pleasantly lost amid the narrow cobbled lanes of the Centro Storico (historic center). Once you get your bearings, find your way to the 2000-year-old Pantheon, the ornate fountains of the Piazza Navona and the Campo de' Fiori, a daytime market that transforms into an open-air drinking spot by night.

Across the Tiber River lies the Vatican in all its glory. Go early to see the grand Sistine Chapel, then take in Michelangelo's moving Pietà inside St Peter's Basilica and admire the artistry from St Peter's Square. Peel back the centuries in Ancient Rome, exploring the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. Then end the day in Trastevere, home to Rome's trendiest wine bars, lounges and cafes.