And then there's the added psychological barriers to travel erected by our favorite bureaucracy, TSA. For an organization that has never caught a single terrorist, they have certainly made what was once a rather pleasant experience unimaginably unpleasant. But, of course, they are bureaucrats, and bureaucrats are instinctively lacking in vision and common sense.
I remember reading some time ago about a young lieutenant in the Royal Marines during World War One. When the bureaucrats in London sent his troops the wrong caliber ammunition and the wrong clothing (summer uniforms for the winter months) he complained loudly. The response? "You must be in error. We don't make mistakes." The lieutenant's comment, which I will never forgot, was priceless: "Alas, no insecticide has ever been discovered for the parasites of bureaucracy." It would seem that some things haven't changed much in 100 years.
OK...I got that out of my system...
International travel has certainly changed since those halcyon days back in the 1950s when my parents would fly to Europe accompanied by their travel bible, Europe on 5 Dollars a Day, published in 1957 by Arthur Frommer
. And, believe me, as my father proved on many such trips, the title was no joke. As you can see above, a reprinted version of the book is available today, presumably marketed either to complete masochists or to time-travelers who have stumbled on a convenient wormhole to the 1950s. Today, even if you stay at a reasonable, rather basic hotel and eat out only infrequently, you would still probably spend $150- $200 a day in Rome, and even that would be real challenge.Diane and I were hoping to return to Rome once again this year, but after emptying our pockets we decided we had insufficient funds for the trip. Maybe next year, unless we go instead to the UK with some old and dear friends -- something else that seems to be under discussion.
What got me started on this was an article about something called an "Omnia Card", apparently developed to make visiting the key sites in Rome less expensive and slightly more convenient. Briefly, the card is a cooperative effort by the Vatican and the city of Rome that allows the tourist and pilgrim to pay one fee for a card that provides entry to a wide range of the most popular Vatican and Roman attractions. Good for three days the card also gives the holder free public transportation, no-wait access, and will include audio-guides at many of the sites. Although the €85 ($120) cost for an adult might seem a bit steep, it provides a substantial savings in both money and time. It sounds like a great idea, and I can see no real downside as long as you plan your days well to make maximum use of the card. For details, click here: Rome's Omnia Card.
If the faltering (collapsing?) economy is giving you second thoughts about making a pilgrimage to Rome, you might consider a little cost-saving advice from someone who has made several trips in recent years:
Once you decide how long you plan to stay, book your flight first. Unless you plan to stay in a 4-star hotel, flying will probably be your biggest expense. Take your time and search online for deals. If, like us, you're retired, you have the advantage of being able to travel on off-peak times and can save hundreds of dollars. Use an alert service like that provided by kayak.com to inform you of good deals to your chosen destination. Most travel sites offer such alerts, so go ahead and select several. Once you find a flight that fits your schedule and your budget, go ahead and book it; otherwise you'll end up conducting a never-ending search that will probably end up costing you more. Just be aware that low-cost flights usually (but not always) involve one or more stops or change of planes, adding hours to the overall trip.
Decide what's important to you in a hotel. For me, it's location, a comfortable bed, a breakfast included in the room rate, and free Wi-Fi; and so in my search for a hotel I look for these amenities. I suggest beginning your search by checking multiple third-party sites such as hotels.com, booking.com, or getaroom.com.
In Rome, a hotel's location often means the difference between a pleasant and a tiring visit. If you are too far from the places you intend to visit (e.g., the Vatican or the ancient city's center), you will end up spending far too much time traveling on subways or buses. Rome is a great city for walking, full of wonderful surprises you would otherwise miss, so I recommend looking for a hotel within walking distance of most of the places you hope to see. Once you've narrowed your hotel selection to a few candidates, use Google Earth (especially its street view feature) to get a sense of distance and the sort of neighborhood in which each hotel is located.
Read the hotel reviews left on the booking websites by other travelers. They can prevent you from making a mistake. Just don't be overly influenced by the one bad review in the midst of fifty good ones. Some people simply cannot be pleased. I also recommend visiting the websites of the hotels you are considering, since a hotel's own website usually offers far more information than you'll find on a third-party booking site.
A day or two after booking your hotel -- even if you book it through a third-party site -- send the hotel an email or call them. Let them know when you'll arrive, mention any special needs you might have, and ask about the room they plan to assign you. On our last trip I was able to convince the hotel to move us to a much larger, nicer room with no increase in rate. Politeness, friendliness and a few phrases in Italian often work wonders.
Avoid Roman taxis. They're expensive. Use the city's buses or subways, or even better, walk. Walking is also great exercise. On our last trip we walked everywhere for 12 days. We ate too much and drank too much wonderful Italian wine; and yet neither of us gained a pound. We also slept soundly every night.
If your hotel offers a complimentary breakfast, take advantage of it. You can then have a late lunch as your main meal at a much lower cost than an evening meal. Before returning to your hotel, stop by a local grocery store, pick up some bread, cheese, prosciutto, wine, and anything else that looks tasty and enjoy a nice, light, romantic meal in your room. You might also try a self-catered picnic lunch in one of Rome's many parks. The Romans do it, why not you? It's also nice to splurge once or twice during your visit and enjoy a special dinner at one of Rome's many excellent restaurants.
Visit the websites of all the places you want to visit. You can schedule your visit and arrange tickets, etc. well in advance of your trip. Of course if you purchase the Omnia Card mentioned above, you just might be able to do much of this from its website. I suggest making your first full day a light day since you might need some extra time to adjust to the time-change and to reset your sleeping habits after a long flight.
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| Orvieto Duomo |
Another short (one-hour) train ride will take you to Orvieto, a beautiful medieval walled city perched atop an Umbrian hill. You can visit Orvieto's breathtaking 14th-century cathedral built to celebrate a Eucharistic miracle and then roam through the nearby archaeological museum filled with artifacts from the city's ancient Etruscan past. Arrive early and just enjoy strolling through the streets and alleyways of this remarkable little city famous for its painted ceramic pottery. And be sure to buy a few bottles of Orvieto's excellent white wine to enjoy after your return to Rome. Here's a link to the Eurorail website where you can check schedules and fares from Rome to Oriveto: Eurorail.
It's still possible to visit Rome and not have to take out a second mortgage. And if you decide to make the trip, Buona fortuna!
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