No bones about it, Rome’s Capuchin Crypt is an incredible (and intense) way to spend an hour. Located underneath the Church of Santa Maria della Immacolata Concezione on Via Veneto, this burial chamber is unique in its decorative technique—rooms are adorned extensively with human bones.

More than 4,000 monks are buried within the crypt’s six rooms, all of whom died between 1528 and 1870. The crypt got started back in 1631, when the Capuchin monks moved into their new friary upstairs and brought with them the bones of their brethren long gone. They arranged these bones in their new crypt, first lining them up against the walls, but eventually getting much more elaborate.

Over the next 240 years, until 1870, the friars would become experts at, shall we say, “interior design.” Bones, such as skulls, leg bones, pelvises and such, were separated and employed to make elaborate columns, arches, and floral designs with great flourishes. If you squint your eyes, you might be able to forget that you’re looking at the deceased.

Rooms include the “Crypt of the Skulls,” “Crypt of the Pelvises,” “Crypt of the Leg Bones and Thigh Bones,” and more.

Visiting the Capuchin Crypt

Church of Santa Maria della Immacolata Concezione
Via Vittorio Veneto, 27. Metro: Barberini
Hours: 9-12 PM and 3-6 PM daily. Closed Thursdays.

Although the crypt is free to visit, a donation is suggested. More information about the church and the crypt is available on the church’s website.

Also see: our list of recommended budget hotels in Rome.

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Let’s face it: We’re already big fans of European public transportation. But when a bus or tram offers a freebie historical tour of a city, we’re downright nutsy about it. Next stop, Rome!

In Rome, one of the best ways to get around the city (especially if you’re tired of walking) is to get on the bus. And, we don’t mean one of those open-air tourist traps. There are many everyday city buses that will take you past historic relics, major attractions, and lesser known sights in Rome, but our favorite bus is the #40 city bus.

Touring Rome by #40

The #40 bus is the express version of the uber-crowded city bus #64. If you take it from its starting point at Termini Station (normally leaving every five minutes), you’ll eventually end up at the Vatican. But, along the way, you’ll tour the historic city center, passing by the Forum before heading onto Piazza Venezia, Largo Argentina (where you can find the remains of Pompey’s temple and columns that date to 80 A.D.) before finally crossing the Tiber. Here, you’ll get a great view of Castel Sant’Angelo, the site of the first tomb of the Emperor Hadrian. Make sure you gaze left to check out Bernini’s Bridge of the Angels. Finalemente, you’ll pull up to Vatican City.

Get your ticket and get on board

A ticket costs you €1 and can be used for up to 75 minutes, including transfers and unlimited hop-on-hop-off action. Traffic can be wild, so find a seat if you can, and get comfortable. Just remember, in Rome, you always board the bus via the front or back doors, but you exit via the middle door.

For more information about getting around Rome by bus or metro, read our article on Getting around Rome.

One safety note: Beware of pickpockets and strange, sudden commotions (distraction anyone?). If you keep your wallets and passports close, you should have no trouble enjoying the—nearly—free ride.

Vatican bonus: Visit St. Peter’s Basilica for free once you get dropped off in Vatican City.

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Author, reporter, and NPR correspondent Scott Huler recently returned from an epic journey tracing the tale of Homer’s “Odyssey.” After reading “No-Man’s Lands,” his insightful recounting of the trip, we asked him for advice on planning a similar journey—on a budget.

Scott had some great advice:

When Odysseus set off on an epic voyage, he had some non-cheapo advantages: his ships were filled with treasure from the Trojan War, and if supplies ran low it was perfectly reasonable to come ashore and make a brief pirate raid on a coastal town.

That wasn’t going to work for me. When I set out to retrace his journey from Troy to Ithaca, I had little more than a backpack, a tight budget, and a pregnant wife at home. Just the same, I found the cheaper-than-cheap backpack route from Troy to Ithaca perfect for me. I had more than a dozen stops to make. Add to that Athens and the tiny Turkish town of Kesan, and my journey covered around 20 cities in Turkey, Greece, Tunisia, Italy (where I visited the catacombs in Rome), France, and Malta. Finally, I arrived on the western tip of Sicily.

Here are five things you should know if you ever make an epic journey on a small-scale budget:

1. Get your doner on!

In Turkey, if it’s spinning on a vertical spit, it’s probably doner, which is like Greek gyro and delicious almost beyond imagination. But beware: If it’s spinning on a horizontal spit it’s probably kokorec, which is sheep guts, and tastes like sheep guts. If you suddenly find yourself buying kokorec, just get them to put a lot of pepper on it. You can get a few bites down before you turn the corner and find a trash can. Be sure to smile and wave at the vendor. You’ll be a good story for them.

2. Use your words.

Don’t be embarrassed to take a guided tour in the language of your choice: you left home to understand people and places different from you, right? You’ll learn a lot more, and if you stick with trustworthy sources (the museum’s free audio guide rather than the guy who starts plucking at your sleeve after you walk in), you’ll pay only a reasonable fee augmented by, of course, a reasonable tip. I had a guided tour of Troy that got my journey started just right, and I might have missed some very cool stuff had I been too savvy for it all.

3. Buy cheap(er) overnight accommodation.

Here’s how. Take an overnight ferry and pay the extra euros for a room. If you’re traveling alone, pay the addition for a single. Defending territory on couches in saloon bars or hunkering down in chilly winds on deck sounds romantic in a post-college kind of way, but unless you’re absolutely destitute, the extra € 20 will be well worth it, turning a sleepless night into a night of almost delightful, private peace.

4. Take the bus (especially in Turkey).

Not only is the bus one of the cheapest—and greenest—modes of transport, but it’s civilized beyond measure. In Turkey, for example, where I rode the bus everywhere, there’s air conditioning, oriental rugs down the center aisle, free cakes, water, and orange soda. Plus every couple hours or so an attendant brings around a little dash of bergamot cologne. Talk about luxury for less! (Visit the main bus terminal in Istanbul to learn more or to get moving.)

5. When in Rome, stay near the train station.

In Rome, I loved the Hotel Stromboli. Tourist guides will tell you to avoid the hotels near the Stazione Termini, but I think they’re crazy. Cheap rooms abound (if you’re clever, you can get them at the Stromboli for 50 euros or so), and there are tons of paninotecas with delicious and cheap hot sandwiches that keep travelers fueled for a couple euros a pop. Plus, you’ll find plenty of nearby nasoni fountains to keep water bottles full for free and you have constant, convenient access to the train station. No place in Rome is too far to walk from there and when it’s time to head to the airport, that’s exactly where the cheap buses depart from. There are dozens of cheap, clean, and safe hotels in this unfairly maligned neighborhood. It’s where you want to be.

See EuroCheapo’s recommendations for hotels South and North of Termini Station in Rome.

About the author: Scott Huler has written for such newspapers as the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Philadelphia Inquirer, and the Los Angeles Times and such magazines as Backpacker, Fortune, and Child. His award-winning radio work has been heard on “All Things Considered” and “Day to Day” on National Public Radio and on “Marketplace” and “Splendid Table” on American Public Media. He has been a staff writer for the Philadelphia Daily News and the Raleigh News & Observer and a staff reporter and producer for Nashville Public Radio. He was the founding and managing editor of the Nashville City Paper. He sometimes serves as guest host on “The State of Things” on WUNC-FM. No-Man’s Lands is his fifth book. He lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, with his wife, the writer June Spence; they have a son and another child on the way.

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During his time in Rome, Michelangelo charged the ancient city with works of incredible beauty. His sculptures, frescoes, and architecture still inspire a city-wide love affair.

And, his priceless work is on view at no cost to modern admirers. Angela K. Nickerson, author of A Journey into Michelangelo’s Rome, takes us on a very cheapo-friendly tour of Michelangelo’s Rome.

The Sistine Chapel: (Viale del Vaticano, at the Vatican Museums)

The Sistine Chapel, the ceiling of which is known as Michelangelo’s lifetime achievement, is free and open to the public on the last Sunday of each month. As Goethe once wrote, “Until you have seen the Sistine Chapel, you have no adequate conception of what man is capable of accomplishing.”

St. Peter’s Basilica: (Vatican City)

Michelangelo’s Rome ‘Pieta’, the piece that cemented the 24-year-old’s reputation as a gifted sculptor, occupies a chapel just inside the church’s entrance. Soaring over the central altar, Michelangelo’s dome marks his last great work. Late in Michelangelo’s life, he was charged with reorganizing the architectural design of St. Peter’s. For a small fee (€7; €4 if you just take the stairs), take an elevator to the roof and enjoy a spectacular view of the city. From the roof, take the 300-some steps up the dome and bask in a vision of Rome that Michelangelo himself did not live to see.

Basilica Di San Pietro in Vincoli: (Piazza di San Pietro in Vincoli 4a, Vatican City)

Just up the hill from the Colosseum sits a small, non-descript church called San Pietro in Vincoli. Inside is one of Michelangelo’s most controversial works, a sculpture that depicts Moses with full beard and horns. The statue, and two others (Leah and Rachel) are part of Pope Julius II’s tomb, a project that took Michelangelo 40 years to finish.

Farnese Palace: (250 Via Giulia)

Via Giulia is a renowned street in Rome, and here sits Michelangelo’s Farnese Palace (now the French Embassy), was never bulldozed despite Pope Julius II’s best efforts. Stop here for an afternoon cup of coffee or glass of vino. The piazza and fountains in front are some of the best, and most inspired, in all of Rome.

Santa Maria sopra Minerva: (around the corner from the Pantheon )

Santa Maria sopra Minerva hosts Michelangelo’s statue of a ‘Risen Christ’. Beloved and highly acclaimed in his day, Michelangelo’s depiction of Jesus—as regal, muscular and triumphant—is often overlooked.

Piazza del Campidoglio: (on Capitoline Hill)

When Rome granted Michelangelo citizenship in 1537, the ceremony was held in the mud at the top of the Capitoline Hill. A year later, Pope Paul III asked Michelangelo to redesign the hilltop. Michelangelo transformed its summit into a lovely piazza and redesigned the buildings there as well.

Basilica dei Santi Apostoli: (at Piazza dei Santissimi Apostoli)

When the elderly artist died, at 89-years of age, his funeral was held at Santi Apostoli church and was attended by the entire city including the pope himself. Then, under cover of night, his body was whisked away in a wagon of straw, to be buried in his beloved Florence. However, a plaque was erected at the church in his memory. (Cheapo tip: Knock at the monastery next door and ask about Michelangelo. The plaque with a portrait of the artist is in the monastery’s courtyard.)

About the author: Angela K. Nickerson, author of “A Journey into Michelangelo’s Rome“ (Roaring Forties Press, 2008), married a Roman and fell in love with a country. She now leads small groups of travelers on trips to Italy, but her wanderlust is relentless. Living by the motto, “Just go,” Angela jumps on a plane wherever and whenever possible.

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Some items of note that flashed across our screen this week…

Cheap eats in Roma

It turns out we’re not the only ones blogging this week about cheap eats in Rome (read our post). Budget Travel’s blog is talking up cheap lunches in the Eternal City. Erica Firpo writes from Rome that we should say “Basta! to pasta” and reach for something a little less filling for lunch. She recommends picking up some triangular tramezzino. We’ll take two.

From Stansted for £4?

Checking in with “Less Than a Shoestring,” poetloverrebelspy has landed in London and is full of Cheapo-advice. First off, book that coach trip from Stansted into the city early, and use either easyBus or Terravision. On easyBus it’s possible to snag a seat (booked in advance) for as low as £4.25 each way!

Furthermore, we’re reminded that the Tate Modern and Tate Britain are not only free, but they offer free guided tours. Join in!

Dinner in London for £5

Meanwhile, Olivia from “High Culture on a Low Budget” is thinking London budgets, too. In this week’s installment of “Ask a Local“, she asks Mike from London where he would find dinner for £5 and £10. (Hint: The Best Turkish Kebab or an Amy Winehouse haunt.) Nice job with this series, Olivia!

Athens in 36 hours

Sunday preview: The New York Times takes us along for “36 hours in Athens.” We’re impressed by how much Joanna Kakissis can fit into a day and a half, including museum hopping, brunch taking, ruin walking, sunset strolling, restaurant sampling, bar hopping… But we have some better ideas for affordable hotels in Athens.

And, regarding our “Name that celebrity” quiz on Wednesday: We still can’t figure out who she is. Stay tuned for the answer and our winner.

Happy Friday, Cheapos! Should we all just head to Athens for the weekend?

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A reader asks:

“Do you have any advice for inexpensive, authentic Roman restaurants in the center of town?”

Annie Shapero responds:

Here’s the bad news: Rome is a gaping hell mouth of overpriced restaurants aimed at the hungry, innocent traveler.

The good news is that real Roman cuisine is actually a cucina povera, or poor man’s fare—a savory waste-not want-not approach to Italian cooking that utilizes the plant and animal parts you weren’t expecting. It’s hearty and filling, and like Southern soul food in the US, it’s tastiest at its cheapest… even in the center of town.

Near Piazza Navona, Da Francesco (Piazza del Fico, 29), Da Tonino (Via del Governo Vecchio,18 ), and just Alfredo e Ada (Via dei Banchi Nuovi, 14) offer no nonsense trattoria style dining that shouldn’t run you over €15 a person (including wine!)

In Trastevere, Da Augusto (Piazza de’ Renzi, 15) is the bonafide classic.

From Campo de’ Fiori, follow the scent of deep frying to Filetti di Baccalà (Largo dei Librari, 88), which is named for its specialty, fried slabs of salty cod served alongside puntarelle salad, a crispy curly hybrid of celery and romaine hearts, made from the stalks of chicory and garnished with garlic, oil, and anchovy paste.

In Rome’s grimier neighborhoods, you’ll spend even less. Testaccio and Garbatella (both within walking or busing distance from the Piramide Metro stop) have snubbed the made-for-tourists makeover and are well worth exploring for local “character.” Agustarello (Via G.Branca, 100) has been lauded by locals and the travel media alike as cheap and tasty. They do half portions too!

In Garbatella, Il Grottino del Traslocatore (Via delle sette chiese, 2) is best in the summer when tables spill out on the sidewalk. Otherwise, it’s a steamy basement setting serving huge portions of la cucina romanesca… which does include guts of all varieties in addition to the sumptuous spaghetti alla carbonara, matriciana, and gricia. This is not for the weak at heart.

Rules of the road:

1. At the Roman trattoria or osteria, portions are big and prices are low. You get what you pay for where service is concerned, but hey—you asked for authentic.

2. Order house wine only.

3. Ask for half portions.

4. Ask for their recommendations, not the menu.

5. Don’t ask for a receipt until they’ve quoted you a price. They often write it on the paper tablecloth.

Annie Shapero lives, writes, and eats in Rome. Annie wrote hotel reviews for EuroCheapo’s guides to hotels in Rome, Florence, and Venice. You can read many more posts by Annie in the EuroCheapo blog.

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At EuroCheapo, we’re all about hotels with a little extra flavor. And when in Rome, why settle for a normal night’s sleep?

These three hotels in Rome have traipsed through history, from ancient history to 19th-century, but all of them today offer modern amenities so you can sleep comfortably.

1) Casa Banzo
Campo de’ Fiori
Doubles from €110

This bed and breakfast, with just three rooms, screams, “location!” Housed in a 15-century palazzo near Campo de’ Fiori, this family-run establishment is far enough from the crazy Campo crowds, but close enough to easily walk to the Vatican, Spanish Steps and other Roman highlights.

Each of the Casa’s rooms are chockablock with vintage accoutrements. Think oil paintings, mahogany surfaces, and lots of marble. And, we haven’t even mentioned the frescoes! Just keep in mind, book early if you want to stay here. With only three rooms, the hotel fills up quickly.

If you do stay here, tell Antoinette (the owner) and her husband we say hello!

2) Hotel Navona
Piazza Navona
Doubles from €135

If you’ve ever dreamed about sleeping in ancient Rome (and who hasn’t?), this is your chance. The ruins underneath the spick-and-span rooms and bathrooms at Hotel Navona are literally the baths of Agrippa and date back to 33 B.C.!

Stucco walls, terra-cotta flooring, a family-run feel, and plenty of 18th and 19th-century antiques (many taken from the family’s palace in Venice) give the rooms a top-notch vibe. Near Piazza Navona and the Pantheon, you can start off your day by touring the hotel (whose main structure is a 13th-century palace). And yes, this hotel has frescoes, too.

3) Suore di S Elisabetta
Santa Maria Maggiore
Doubles from €64

The quiet Suore di S Elisabetta is a convent that offers low-priced rooms on a peaceful street south of Santa Maria Maggiore. If you don’t mind an 11 p.m. curfew or a bedroom ornamented in crucifixes and the like, then get thee to this nunnery!

Rooms are as simple as a nun’s habit. For example, none of them have televisions. But, the breakfast room sparkles under light of hanging chandeliers and a dome of painted frescoes. An added bonus? The rooftop terrace—with inspiring views of Rome—is quite simply, divine.

Also see:

Our favorite theme hotels in Amsterdam

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Alas, with Roman hotel rates higher than ever and the dollar at depressing lows against the euro, it can be difficult to find any budgetary relief for tourists in Italy’s capital city. Or is it?

This morning we were doing a little research on the value of “all-in-one” tourist passes in Rome, when we realized that quite a few sights in Rome are actually free to visit… or at least free to gaze at from outside. After all, most of them are located outside and are just part of the Eternal City’s street scene.

Some of our favorite Roman freebies:

St. Peter’s Basilica - Visiting the seat of the Catholic Church is free, and the Pilgrim Tourist Information Center, located along the colonnade on your way into the basilica, offers free brochures and information. Note that if you show up in the summertime wearing shorts, you may have to buy paper pants from eager vendors in order to enter the religious site.

Spanish Steps - Nobody will charge you to waltz your way down (or up) the famous outdoor staircase, nap in the afternoon sunshine, or pose for that postcard shot.

Trevi Fountain - The city’s most famous fountain is overflowing with visitors night and day, and the most it will cost you is whatever coin you flip into it.

Pantheon - The oldest intact structure from the ancient world, this domed temple is an absolute must — and absolutely free.

Some other Roman freebies include the Baths of Diocletian, Capitoline Hill, and walking around the exterior of the Colosseum and the Castel Sant’Angelo. Of course the city’s famous squares are also free to hang out in, including the Piazza Navona and Campo De’ Fiori.

What do you need to pay to visit? Several big sights, including:

The Colosseum (interior) - €9
Borghese Museum & Gallery - €8.50
Vatican Museum (and Sistine Chapel) - €13
Capitoline Museum - €6.50

And, as of March 2008, the Roman Forum is charging admission (€10). Certain all-in-one cards allow discounts to multiple sights (including the Forum), although it’s not quite as well organized as in other cities. For example, the city’s “Archaeologia Card” provides admission to the Colosseum, the Forum, Palatinum and Palatinum Museum, National Roman Museum, Terme Di Caracalla, Cecilia Metella, and Villa dei Quintili. It costs €23.50 for adults. For EU citizens between 18 and 25 years of age, the Archaeologia Card costs just €13.50 and is valid for one week.

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When in Rome, do as the locals do and attend the city’s annual film festival, which kicks off this Thursday, October 18th, 2007. The opening night will be celebrated with a screening of Second Wind, a wild French film about bank robbers. We’re there.

You can snag screening passes for the 10-day event online or in person, with most tickets going for between €3 and €10. Dozens of screenings happen daily—with 11 premieres lined up—and are presented around town in fabulous venues. We took special note of both the temporary space erected by IKEA and the Byzantine-style Parco della Musica, which can seat one gazillion spectators.

This year’s film fest also celebrates Indian and German culture through series of special programs, screenings, and break-out discussions. Check out the festival’s official website for more information.

We always wanted to see Brad Pitt in lederhosen. We’d take him in a sari too.

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We’re big fans of the city-wide all-night party trend in Europe. Paris seems to have come to the party first in October 2002 with its “Nuit Blanche” of performances, gallery openings, monument tours, and late-night shenanigans.

Rome followed the next year, launching “Notte Bianca” with great success. Indeed, according to party planners, the party has become an event the Italian capital “can no longer do without!”

Rome has just announced that “Notte Bianca 2007″ will take place the night of Saturday, September 8th (with some events happening the day before). This year’s show will promote a message of cultural difference and understanding, and will feature hundreds of acts performed by artists all night long throughout the city.

Which kind of events? According to the event’s website:

For Saturday September 8th the programme includes performances, concerts, plays, dance shows, magic and circus arts, contemporary art installations, fireworks, even a concert of church bells, all characterised by tradition and experimentation, merging together for one night an ensemble of artistic capabilities, cultural scope, knowledge, techniques and ways of expressing art and entertainment, all very different one from the other, and that is both multifaceted and harmonious.

We’re there. More information and event schedules: official site.

Meanwhile, Paris has only said that this year’s event will take place in October. For more info, the mayor’s office is already hyping it on their website.

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