The historic streets, piazzas and parks of Rome are free of charge because the doors of the churches are open to everyone.
We can show you how to visit many of the famous sights in Italy's capital city.
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It is an experience of a lifetime to enter the Pantheon and see the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world. Before Rome was the seat of Catholic power, the people here honored a different set of gods.
To be reminded of where the power is today, the city's largest, richest and most spectacular basilica leaves all other churches in the shadows and is free to enter.
There will probably be a queue to enter Rome's showstopping St Peter's Basilica, but after taking 126 years to build, maybe a little wait isn't so bad. Michelangelo's Pieta, Bernini's baldachin over the papal altar and his soaring dome are some of Italy's most famous masterpieces.
Piazza Navona can be enjoyed before the crowds or after dark when the fountains are illuminated. Come when it is crowded to watch the street performers and tourists hang out.
Piazza Navona was home to Rome's main market for over 300 years. During the holiday season, there is a Christmas market.
There is a drinking fountain in the north of the piazza.
You can still climb the Spanish Steps even though people are no longer allowed to sit on them. Chiesa della Trinit dei Monti is at the top of the staircase. There are frescoes, an astrolabe, and a pair of anamorphoses on the wall paintings.
Wild horses, mythical figures and cascading rock falls are depicted in the Trevi Fountain. When it is all lit up, it is an unforgettable sight, but it is even better after dark.
It's a tradition for tourists to part with a coin at the fountain, but with all that money comes crowds of people, so don't be surprised to be crowded. If you visit late in the evening, it could be a bit quieter.
You can take a walk down Via Margutta. The Italian Futurists met here in 1917 for the first time. Frederico Fellini resided here for a while. It was the location of the film Roman Holiday. It's picture- perfect.
Everyone is drawn to Rome's most famous park. Villa Borghese is a great place to visit because of its shaded walkways, verdant corners, and excellent museums. There is a copy of a Roman Temple on the lake.
If you want to get a panoramic view of St Peter's walk up Pincio Hill, go to the terrace.
There are many popular trattorias and kosher bakeries in this area. One of the oldest Jewish quarters in Europe is here. The majority of Jewish people came as slaves.
Look for brass cobblestones as you walk. Each memorial plaque has a name and location of the person who was deported and died. They are put outside the victims homes.
There are daily themed walking tours of the historic center. The guides will lead you through the maze of alleyways, Renaissance palaces, ancient ruins and baroque piazzas all while telling the story of Rome. This is a theatrical experience.
While there's no charge for the tour tips at the end, it's a good idea to book in advance.
One of Rome's most exclusive addresses has been Via Appia Antica. It's perfect for a free experience if you go on foot. It was here that the first Christians buried their dead and it was also where the slave rebels were crucified.
The Service Center Appia Antica is located at the north end of the road.
The non-Catholic cemetery in Rome is a place of peace and romance. Up to 4,000 people are buried here.
William Wetmore Story, an American artist, created a replica of the Angel of Grief for his wife's grave as a tribute to her.
Bernini's Ecstasy of St Teresa is one of the greatest masterpieces of the Italian baroque. There are four chapels on the north side.
The best time to view the artwork is in the afternoon when the light is soft.
Campo de' Fiori is a busy place that hosts one of the city's best markets by day and bars and restaurants at night. The field of flowers is a reference to the open meadow that stood before the square was built.
The tempietto is considered to be the first great building of the high renaissance. St Peter's crucifixion is said to have taken place in the courtyard of the Chiesa di San Pietro. The design is classically inspired and epitomizes the Renaissance.
The church is an ideal stop on a walking tour of the area. The tempietto can be found through the Spanish Royal Academy entrance. You can see Rome from the upper level of the academy.
One of Rome's most picture- perfect scenes is just off Campo de' Fiori. Go through the arch and you will find a small medieval square filled with rusty orange houses and cascading plants. Cats and bicycles litter the cobbles.
One of the most beautiful squares in Rome is the hilltop piazza.
The most dramatic way to get to Piazza del Campidoglio is the Cordonata staircase.
The church was built to hold the shackles of St Peter. At the 5th-century Chiesa di San Pietro in Vincoli, Michelangelo's muscular Moses is the real star of the show.
The church can be accessed via a flight of steps leading up from Via Cavour.
You can look through the keyhole at the Sovereign Order of Malta, even if you can't get into the Priorato dei Cavalieri di Malta. One of Rome's most celebrated views is St Peter's dome at the end of a hedge-lined avenue.
A typical Roman experience is the passeggiata. It's colorful at weekends when families, friends and lovers go to the streets to eat and shop.
It's a good idea to join in at Via del Corso at 6pm. On Piazza di Spagna you can see the dramatics.
The St Matthew Cycle, which embodies down-to-earth realism, is one of the earliest works by Carvaggio. The painter is known for his chiaroscuro, which is a bold contrast of light and darkness.
The frescoes of St Cecilia in the second chapel on the right were painted in the 17th century.
One of Rome's most extraordinary neighborhoods was conceived and built by a little known Florentine architect. There are palazzos with turrets, Liberty sculptures, Moorish arches, Gothic gargoyles, frescoed facades and palm-fringed gardens.
Trajan's Column is located over the Imperial Forum. The reliefs show Trajan's military campaigns.
The Pope holds an audience every Wednesday in the Vatican.
You could be doing some of Rome's best paid-for activities for nothing at all if you wait a bit. The Roman Forum and Palatino are free on the first Sunday of the month. On the last Sunday of the month, the museums can be visited for free.
There is a free concert on May 1 in the city.
The article was first published about a year ago.
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