Going to Rome or Barcelona?

Question

Both very cheap on Rynair, going to stay in Hostels, was wondering what would be best for a 16 year old traveling alone,

Speak little Spanish, No Italian, going to explore and sightsee not clubbing etc

Answer 1

i love rome, so i would say rome! but i think you'll have a better time w/ one other person. i went w/ my best friend to rome and we loved it .. and its true many people do speak english there. have a great & safe trip where ever you choose!

Answer 2

I'm an Italian girl.. I think it's better Barcellona, because you can enjoy yourself more than in Rome; but Rome is more peaceful and if you're 16 and you'll travel alone, maybe you should come in Italy.. Moreover, there are many more places to visit, like Colosseo, Vatican, Roman villas and so on..

Have a nice journey!!..

Answer 3

Rome!!!!!!!!

Answer 4

I live in rome, i can tell you rome is perfect both clubbing or sightseeing. It's full of art, history, monuments, and everything you want to see or do. Come here, you'll have time to go to barcelona which i think it's more for older people. Anyway i think it's good to go alone cause you have to take the responsability, last year i was 16 and i have been in london for 10 days completely alone! Of course you MUST pay attenion at everything but you can do it.

Answer 5

I have been to both Roma and Barcelona and love them both. However, as a lone 16-year-old, I think Rome is probably safer, English will work fine and there is plenty of sightseeing to be done there. You can walk around the archaeological sites without being hassled. You might find some accommodation a little expensive, but don't stay around Termini as it is a bit dodgy.

There are some beautiful sites in Barcelona too, but Las Ramblas, the centre of Barcelona has a real problem with pickpockets and as a lone young person you will look like a soft touch to the criminal gangs.

Answer 6

I live in Rome so I can tell you that Rome is perfect in the summer (very hot), but you can go to the beach at daytime and enjoy the "estate romana" life. That's means that from June to august there are a lot of summer parties, concerts, park happenings, markets, art happenings and most of them are free. Look (not before may)  for the program at http://www.estateromana.comune.roma.it/.

I suggest you a hostel for young people:  go at the seaside of Rome http://www.litusroma.com/indexen.html

Otherwise a place with air conditioning (not expensive) is:

http://www.mclink.it/com/travel

Rome is not dangerous at all (In Barcelona I did not feel safe at all!) but because you are a tourist, as in all the big cities, be careful in buss es, metro, gypsies, and in crawded places). Because I am from Rome I never get pick pocketed. But I made the experience when I travel around I have my eyes wide open!!!

Answer 7

Barcelona and Rome are in two different countries ... I assume you know that.

Be very careful, you are young and travelling alone. Don't accept any coffees or anything like that from strangers. You would be much better off going with some friends.

Answer 8

Barcelona all the way baby =P I'd be wary though there are a lot of pickpockets! I'm not sure if it's wise you as a 16 year old travelling there alone, have you no friends you could go with?!?

Answer 9

I have lived both in Rome and Barcelona and Rome is my favorite. If you like exploring and sightseeing Rome is an absolute must. Barcelona is a newer city, nice, but a bit overstated. Some nice things to see there, like the "Fondacion Miro", but nothing as compared to the wealth of treasures you find in Rome.

Note that locals in Barcelona don't speak Spanish, but Catalan. Of course, you will always find helpful people who are ready to speak Spanish with you, either because they are immigrants from other parts of Spain, or just tourists like you, but most locals consider Spanish a 'foreign' language just as any other language, so you may end up speaking more English than Spanish there. Most Catalans do know Spanish, but many are becoming increasingly reluctant to communicate in Spanish. They feel they have a national identity to defend with an independent language (that is VERY different from Spanish, not just a dialect as one may think).

You don't mention where you come from (big city ?) or how much experience you have traveling alone. Big cities can be dangerous for someone traveling alone. Always keep in touch with someone at home and always mention where you are heading to (on a very regular basis). Some areas can become dangerous at night (some parts of Trastevere in Rome, and some side streets at the beginning of the Ramblas, in Barcelona, especially placa Reial (at night only). Both these areas are very touristic (and absolutely worth a visit), but some parts are just best avoided at night, especially if you are traveling on your own.

Answer 10

Rome, without any doubt. Barcelona is nice and very interesting, but it can wait... you have time to go there.

Rome is full, full of beauty everywhere! Not only are there hundreds things worth a visit (I mean, this city has an incredible history begun 2.700 years ago!), but it is very lively in the evening: you can walk around in the city centre and there are people everywhere, small cheap restaurants where you can eat delicious food, concerts and events, I mean a very pleasant atmosphere. Roman people are very friendly; the weather is nice the most part of the year. I think it is the right place to go, a place that will enchant you. As regards safety: the area around the railway station is not very safe in the night; pickpockets are on public transports as in all big cities (but there are more in Barcelona than in Rome). I went to Rome with two friends of mine (we were three girls) when I was 20... Older than you, but anyway we haven't had any problem!

Answer 11

i agree....u should go w/ some friends or something...b/c tourists get targeted and usually get stuff stolen from them, no matter what country or city ur in.....but i would suggest to go to rome....its beautiful there....there is so much to see there, and plus u can go to other cities in italy that are near rome, and can see even more (depending on how long ur staying there though)