A little bit of an inside scoop is always beneficial when trying to save your money, so here is a list of some of the free things you can enjoy while strolling through the eternal city:

Roma' n' Bike

• Roma’n Bike: a bike sharing service that has stations scattered throughout the city. With spots in multiple places including Via Nazionale, Piazza di Spagna, and Termini station, it is quite easy to find a place to grab a bike. The first 30 minutes are free and any additional time comes with a small charge.

• Tours: while you could take those overly expensive tours with non-native English speakers, it makes a lot more sense to do a free tour. Rome Free Tours offers at guide of the famous spots in the city starting at 5pm in Piazza di Spagna by the fountain every day – rain or shine. The guides are professional and very informative. Angels Tours also offers a free tour that focuses on the Pantheon. The guides show the group around the inside of the Pantheon (with the exception of Sundays) and give lots of tidbits of information that really brings this building to life. However, for these guides, a small tip is generally appreciated.
• Sites: sure, some of the sight entrance fees come with a hefty price tag, but there are also lots of free things to do. Dedicate one morning to a walk through Rome and you can see a myriad of important spots:

Piazza Navona

Piazza Navona, Campo di Fiori, the Spanish Steps, Piazza di Popolo, Bocca della Verita, St. Peter’s Basilica, San Clemente, Villa Borghese, Gianicolo, the list goes on. Always keep your eyes open as you walk because the streets are filled with unique statues and hidden artistic beauties. Street artists are also incredibly talented whether they are creating spray paint art or replicating a famous painting using chalk on the sidewalk.
• Famous keyhole view of the Vatican: St. Peter’s can be seen across the city. However, if you are looking for a unique way to see the basilica, head up to Piazza dei Cavalieri di Malta in the Aventino height and peek through the keyhole to get a great view. A little difficult to get to but worth the trek.

Fontanella Romana "IL NASONE"

• Water: while I would usually drop dead from thirst before sipping out of a city tap, the Rome fountains are famous for their cleanliness and great water. Just carry around an empty bottle (not recommended to use the wine bottle from last night though!) and you will be able to quench your thirst without opening your wallet all day long.
• If you are feeling super fit, you can walk everywhere, but everyone has their lazy days, so the public transport is always a good option if you want to see everything without dropping dead from exhaustion. The metro, buses, and trams, while not free, are dirt cheap (1 euro=1trip, 4 euros=1 day, 16 euros=1 week, 30 euros=1 month) and a great way to get around.

And while you are walking the city, be sure to take advantage of the free Italian practice. While you can learn a lot of grammar in class, the best way to build fluency is by talking to real Italians, developing an accent, observing how they form sentences, and understanding the general gist of their conversations. Don’t be worried about making a fool of yourself – you probably won’t see them again!

So good luck all you penny pinchers, and may all your free pursuits be successful ones!