Our Opinion

There is so much to see and do in Rome that we could fill this page many times over with recommendations. Our best tip is to buy a good guide book and follow a pre-planned route so that you maximise your available time.
Food and drink is certainly not cheap in Rome however, if you get away from the tourist hot spots there are numerous small cafes and restaurants where a good meal can be found at a reasonable price. As with most places in Italy the quality of the food is excellent, as is the local beer and wine.
Once outside the city, however, we found that food and drink prices reduced considerably - lucky for us that we chose to stay on the coast!

Further Details

Travel
Blackpool - Stansted - Rome  with Ryanair
Typical Ryanair flight where no frills equates to almost complete lack of service (although since this trip, one of our number has actually experienced total lack of service from them). Our advice regarding Stansted Airport - avoid it like the plague.
Rome Metro and local buses
As we chose to stay on the coast we used the Metro system frequently to get into and out of the city. Trains were fast and frequent although not the cleanest we have ever travelled on. Graffiti appears to be a particular problem.
There is a large, and generally efficient, public bus network. As is usually the case in Italy, you need to buy your bus ticket prior to boarding, usually from a newsagent or tobacconist close to the bus stop. 

Accommodation
Hotel Sirenetta, Lido di Ostia
A good hotel with great views out to sea. The hotel is fairly centrally located about a 5 minute walk to the centre of Lido di Ostia and a similar distance to the nearest Metro station