The Amazing Bottle Musician of Torino, Italy

Cool Convent Stays in La Bella Roma

Rome, the "Eternal City," is a perennial favorite on many a traveler's must-see list. But with a twin-bedded room in a 3-star Rome hotel often going for 200+ Euros a night, our dollar doesn't go half as far as it used to. So, we encourage you to consider a more colorful, definitely less costly alternative:

"Hye thee to the nunnery!"

Yes, a convent! Granted, some of them have curfews and offer just basic lodging. Others, however, are a bit more heavenly in creature comforts and ambience. The glorious one in which we recently stayed was more like a villa! (We're saving the insider scoop for our book!) A few of the sisters will even cook up a dinner for you for a modest fee. A helpful website, created by the American Catholic Church in Rome, lists a number of convent accommodations both near the Vatican and closer to the center of the city:

http://www.santasusanna.org/comingToRome/convents.html

For monastery accommodations and convent stays all over Italy, check out:

http://www.monasterystays.com/

Buon viaggio!

Ann Lombardi & Wendy Swartzell
The Trip Chicks