By Samantha Collins in Rome—

Things in Italy’s capital city are not always what they seem…

Here’s a fun sightseeing walk around Rome’s center that will illustrate the city’s penchant for illusions!  This guided walk takes you around the center, from Mount Testaccio, over the Aventine Hill, past the “Mouth of Truth,” and then along the banks of the Tiber to Palazzo Spada.

To start, take the Metro B Line or the 716 or 30 bus to Piramide and allow yourself an unhurried couple of hours.

Mount Testaccio – Rural Idyll or a Load of Old Rubbish?

Get to Mount Testaccio by walking behind Rome’s Pyramid and following Via Caio Cestio along the Protestant Cemetery walls. (It’s worth a peek inside as it contains the graves of Shelley and Keats amongst its illustrious residents.)

At the end of the street you arrive at the tree-covered hillside of Mount Testacccio. Look closely and you will see that instead of being filled with earth, it is actually made of around 50 million broken pottery jugs used to bring olive oil from Spain and Africa in 140-250 A.D. and subsequently discarded into a heap. Calculations suggest that this was equivalent to an annual consumption at that time of 22 litres of olive oil per person.

Through the Keyhole

From Mount Testaccio, follow Via Galvani until it crosses busy Via Marmorata, after which you can start the gentle climb up the Aventine Hill by taking Via Pollione and then keep bearing left.

This quiet residential area enjoys panoramic views of Rome with many viewpoints including the Orange Tree Garden. On arrival at Piazza di San Alessio head towards the dark wooden door set into the white stone wall on your left (see photo), place your eye to the keyhole and you will see…. No, sorry, you need to go and look for yourself.

Truth or Dare? Try your hand at the Mouth of Truth

Continue along Via Sabina descending down to Circo Massimo. Head left towards Piazza della Veritá and the Church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin with its distinctive bell tower.

This is home of Rome’s most famous manhole cover, the Mouth of Truth, immortalised by Audrey Hepburn in “Roman Holiday.” But beware: If you a person of a less-than-honest character and you place your hand inside the mouth, you are at risk of having it bitten off.

Palazzo Spada: A Question of Size…

Exit the church, cross the road past the round Temple of Hércules and climb the steps to the river. Turn right and follow the pleasant path along the Tiber turning at Via Giulia to reach Palazzo Spada Art Gallery in Piazza Capo di Ferro.

The Palazzo Spada is home to the private art collection of the Spada Brothers, as well as a clever illusionary corridor that appears to be three times longer than it is, due to some perspective trickery and a shrunken statue. Tip: You can see the corridor without paying the €5 fee to enter the gallery.

And finally… the Dome that does not exist

There is just one more treasure left to see on your illusions shopping list during your stay in Rome. Pop into the elegant St. Iganzio di Loyola Church, between Via del Corso and the Pantheon in the heart of Rome’s historic center, and then look up.

Then look again. The wonderfully ornate dome that you see above you is actually a clever optical illusion painted on a completely flat ceiling. The things these Romans did when the budget was a little tight!

About the author: Samantha Collins is a freelance travel writer and editor, who has lived in Rome for the past two years.  She is originally from Manchester in the UK.  Read all about her adventures by visiting her blog, www.samanthacollinsrome.blogspot.com.

Popularity: 5% [?]

Rent a bike for free in Madrid. Photo by sindandune.

By Cynthia Kane in Madrid–

Looking for things to do in Madrid that won’t put a hole in your wallet? If so, check out the following list of activities you can do for absolutely free!

Free Madrid walking tours

If you’ve just arrived in Madrid (or even if you’ve been here for a while but haven’t yet explored the city), take one of the two free Madrid walking tours offered daily at 11 AM and 3 PM. The tours are 3.5 hours long, and you’ll learn the history of the city, see the most popular sights, and uncover hidden treasures.

Note: Although the tour itself is free, tips are very much appreciated. For more information, visit the tour’s website.

Free bicycle rental

If you’re in the mood for some exercise or just want to take a nice stroll around town, head over to Juan Carlos I park to pick up a free bicycle. Yes, we said free! How does it work? Simply register for an electronic card at the tent next to the park’s first parking lot. And it gets better: The card offers you unlimited bike access for an entire year.

Parque Juan Carlos I, Avenida Manuel Azaña, Avenida Logroño, Via de Dublin s/n (Metro: Campo de las Naciones). Bike rental hours: Mon-Fri 10 AM-1 PM, 4:30-7:30 PM. Sat, Sun, and holidays: 9:30 AM – 7:30 PM.

Free museums

Ready for a day of art but not for a hefty admission charge? Then take advantage of these free times at the city’s most popular museums:

Head over to the Museo del Prado (Paseo del Prado Metro: Banco de Espana) on Tuesday- Saturday from 6 PM – 8 PM or Sunday from 5 PM – 8 PM for free entrance.

If Dali and Picasso are more your style, then head to the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia on Calle Santa Isabel, 52 (Metro: Atocha) on Saturdays for free admission from 10 AM – 2 PM.

For museums that are always free, check out the following:

CaixaForum. Paseo Prado, 36 (Metro: Atocha) Open daily 10 AM – 8 PM.

La Casa Encendida. Ronda de Valencia, 2 (Metro: Embajadores) Open daily 10 AM – 10 PM.

Museo Municipal de Arte Contemporanea. Calle Conde Duque, 9 (Metro: Noviciado). Open Tuesday – Saturday 10 AM – 2 PM, 5:30-9 PM, Sunday 10:30 AM – 2:30 PM.

Templo de Debod. Montana del Principe Pio (Metro: Plaza de España). Open Tuesday – Friday 10 AM – 2 PM, Saturday, Sunday 10 AM – 2 PM.

Free food!

Free food may sound too good to be true, but here in Madrid, if you order a drink, then olives, potato chips, or tasty tapas will be on their way! Some suggestions for great free food:

El Tigre. Calle Infantas, 30 (Metro: Gran Via)

Entretapas y Vinos. Calle Fuencarral, 93 (Metro: Tribunal)

La Bardemcilla. Calle de Augusto Figueroa, 47 (Metro: Chueca)

About the author: Cynthia Kane is the editor of MAPMagazine.com, a Madrid travel e-zine, written by native English-speaking Madrid experts.

Popularity: 9% [?]

When in Prague, why not spend a couple of hours walking the town with a local? And not just any local—a local who’s a history buff! “Free Prague Tours” offers just that. The organization, made up of English-speaking tour guides, offers twice-daily walking tours of the Old Town and Mala Strana. And yes, they’re free! (Although a tip is expected at the end.)

We’re big fans of guided walking tours, especially when you’re lead around town by somebody who knows their stuff. Of course, we also enjoy the “do-it-yourself tour,” with a Lonely Planet or Rick Steves book in hand. But a guided tour offers the chance for dialogue with a local who can answer questions that will inevitably arise. Walking tours also let you relax (stop reading and walking!), and give you a chance to focus on the subject at hand.

Free Prague Tours

Prague Walking Tours offers two free tours daily:

The 10:30 AM “Right Bank Tour” focuses on sights to the right of the Vltava River. It starts in the Old Town Square and astronomical clock, and hits the “Powder Tower,” Wenceslas Square, Franciscan Garden, National Museum, and Jewish Ghetto. Along the way, your guide will discuss communism, the “Velvet revolution,” and Franz Kafka, among other subjects.

The 2 PM tour focuses on the sights of Prague’s Left Bank. The tour also starts in the Old Town Square, then heads to the Rudolfinum, crosses the Charles Bridge and explores Malá Strana. You’ll visit Parliament, Prague Castle (the courtyard), St. Vitus Cathedral, and the Strahov Monastery, among other places of interest.

Both tours last two and a half to three hours (depending on how quickly you walk and how many questions you ask).

Taking a walking tour

No reservations are necessary to take a walking tour with Free Prague Tours. Tours begin in the Old Town Square, at the corner of Pa?ížská street. You’ll see a small brown sign in front of the Czech Tourism Office.

Note: Although the tours are free, tipping your guide is essential. The guides are students, academics, artists, and professional guides who give these tours to supplement their incomes.

Free Prague Tours also offers a nightly “Ghost and Beer Tour” of Prague for 200 Czk (about €8).

Also see: Our guide to budget hotels in Prague.

Popularity: 30% [?]

Sandeman’s New Europe, the travel company whose free walking tours have already taken Berlin, Munich, Amsterdam, and London by storm, has come to Paris. Every day, rain or shine, tours start at 11 a.m. in front of the St. Michel fountain (metro St. Michel, line 4). No sign-ups are necessary. Prospective tourers just need to show up at St. Michel at 11.

Tours last about three hours and are totally free. The only catch is that the guides work for tips only. We trust Cheapos can figure out that tipping a tour guide is much less expensive than paying outrageous fees to a traditional tour company. The tour is hilarious and hugely informative, and the guides are all Anglophones.

We view these tours as probably the most entertaining (and certainly the cheapest!) way to get to know Paris in an afternoon.

Popularity: 25% [?]

Photo by lylycat

There’s nothing worse than running to catch a tour that has already left without you—unless it’s paying for an unwieldy, uninteresting, or too-pricey tour, of course.

Dubl!n, the official online tourist office for Dublin, has made the frustrations of guided walking tours a thing of the past. Visitors can simply log on and download one of their iWalks for free.

iWalks are podcast audio guides to Dublin that guide the listeners to specific haunts and tell interesting stories along the way. The downloads even come with their own color maps and illustrations.

At present, iWalks exist on a variety of Dublin themes, including Georgian Dublin, The Historic Northside, Castles & Cathedrals, Viking & Medieval Dublin, Temple Bar to the Docklands, Ulysses, Kilmainham, Howth, Dalkey & Dun Laoghaire, and Malahide to Portmarnock.

Just remember to charge up your batteries before you go!

Popularity: 5% [?]