Many of us dream of visiting the Italian capital, but how can you make a trip possible without leaving your savings in ruins?

To unearth methods for seeing Rome affordably, WalletPop's Jason Cochran talks to Italy expert Reid Bramblett, whose exhaustive knowledge about Italy has been published in countless magazines and newspapers and in guide book series, including DK, Eyewitness, and both Frommer's and Pauline Frommer's.

In this 15-minute interview, we unearth some surprising tips for making a pilgrimage possible. For one, did you know that cruises are a lousy way to get much time in the Eternal City? Among other revelations: spending the night with nuns, a new genre of wine bars where the food is free, and an airline you've probably never heard of before. Òttimo!