Rome can be pricey for travelers, which is why many choose to stay in a hostel ( 旅 社 ). The hostels in Rome offer a bed in a dorm room for around

$25 a night, and for that, you'll often get to stay in a central location (位置) with security and comfort.

Yellow Hostel

If I had to make just one recommendation for where to stay in Rome, it would be Yellow Hostel. It's one of the best-rated hostels in the city, and for good reason. It's affordable, and it's got a fun atmosphere without being too noisy. As an added bonus, it's close to the main train station.

Hostel Alessandro Palace

If you love social hostels, this is the best hostel for you in Rome. Hostel Alessandro Palace is fun. Staff members hold plenty of bar events for guests like free shots, bar crawls and karaoke. There's also an area on the rooftop for hanging out with other travelers during the summer.

Youth Station Hostel

If you're looking for cleanliness and a modern hostel, look no further than Youth Station. It offers beautiful furnishings and beds. There are plenty of other benefits, too; it doesn't charge city tax; it has both air conditioning and a heater for the rooms; it also has free Wi-Fi in every room.

Hotel and Hostel Des Artistes

Hotel and Hostel Des Artistes is located just a 10-minute walk from the central city station and it's close to all of the city's main attractions. The staff is friendly and helpful, providing you with a map of the city when you arrive, and offering advice if you require some. However, you need to pay 2 euros a day for Wi-Fi.

Your 2018 Reading List, Provided by Bill Gates

    Most of us can't live like billionaire Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, but we can read like him. Gates recommended four books in 2018—though some were published earlier.

    Leonardo da Vinci, by Walter Isaacson (2017)

    The bestselling biographer of Steve Jobs and Albert Einstein researched deeply into da Vinci's contributions beyond art, highlighting the breadth of his scientific, technological, and creative output. “Leonardo nearly understood almost all of what was known on the planet at the time. That's mostly because of his curiosity about every area of natural science and the human experience,” said Gates.

    The Best We Could Do: An Illustrated Memoir, by Thi Bui (2017)

    Gates calls this graphic novel “really impressive”. Bui is the daughter of Vietnamese refugees who came to America after the fall of Saigon, and becoming a parent inspired her to look into her own parents' miserable history. “I was struck by how the experiences Bui illustrates manage to be both universal and specific to their circumstances,” said Gates.

    Lincoln in the Bardo, by George Saunders (2018)

    Saunders, a long-time short story writer, won high praise for this novel. The book imagines the ghosts that haunt (萦绕) the basement of Willie Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln's son, who died at 11 in real life. “Willie's death after the Civil War made the president have a new understanding of the grief he's creating in other families by sending their sons off to die in battle,” said Gates.

Origin Story: A Big History of Everything, by David Christian (2018)

    This new book is by the creator of Big History, a free, online social studies course. It traces history in wide, sweeping movements, starting with the Big Bang, and it provides, in effect, a short course in modern science. This is a brief history of the universe. “David gets a little stuck on the current economic and political problems in the West, and I wish he talked more about the role innovation will play in preventing the worst effects of climate change,” said Gates.

Natural World Photography Competition Now Open！

Now in its 10th year, Big Picture encourages photographers from around the world to contribute their works to this competition that both celebrates and illustrates the rich diversity of life on Earth and inspires action to protect and conserve it through the power of imagery. Click here and enter your work for a chance to win cash prizes and be exhibited at the California Academy of Sciences！

Prizes

Big Picture is open to all photography worldwide to compete for a chance to win the $5, 000 grand prize. Winning images include images named as grand prize, first place, and finalist images. They will be displayed at the California Academy of Sciences for all visitors to enjoy.

Competition Period

The Big Picture Photo Competition begins at 12:00 am on December 1, 2022 and closes at 11:59 pm on March 1, 2023.

Entry Fees

Each photographer can enter photos as follows:

$ 25 for up to 10 single image submissions in any category.

$ 15 for each 6 - 8 image Photo Story submission.

Photographers are limited to up to 10 image submissions per registered email address and may register an unlimited number of email addresses. Entry fees are used to provide the competition prizes and help the Academy in its mission and can not be returned.

Participants

Big Picture is open to all photography enthusiasts and professionals alike worldwide, except employees, volunteers and Board Members of the Academy （as well as their sponsors） and the immediate families and individuals living in the same household.