Traveling to Rome for first time - advice, experiences, tips?

Question

Anything at all: what people usually wear over there, social customs, good places to go, restaurants, clubs, how many people speak English, is it easy to get lost, do they like Americans, is there much crime against tourists, etc.

Answer 1

Check out our travelogues - tons of great info for your trip: http://www.thetravelzine.com

Answer 2

hey me 2 going when u going

Answer 3

beautifull, bella, bellisima, ... buy in a COSTCO store or any bookstore a  DK EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDE - ROME-  it's all you need, really cheap ($ 12.50 U.S.) and comes in a very handy size. Plenty of pictures and places to visit ... My own experience > visit the villa Borgesse,-(if you are into paintings and sculptures..) nice, cozy , not to big , not to crowded- like the vatican museums- About CRIME and that stuff : My own advise : never use a hand bag or purse, keep all your documents in a wallet on your front pockets, leave a copy of your documents at your hotel. we travel on metro and bus as late as midnight and did'nt have a single problem, (me and wife), we walk a lot at night , not a problem. Metro can be unsafe on peek hours (at 8 am,2pm,6pm)and the TERMINI central is allways full of tugs... just keep an eye open...

BUS and LOCAL TRANSIT : buy a six day Metro and bus card, (about $ 9.00 Euro) its all you need. Bus and metro will give you free maps of the route.

Answer 4

dont get lost, keep a map with you.maybe look up some stuff on Italy, see what people are wearing, go to some of the common places for tourist, im sure they speak english. but i think it would be best to keep a italian translator book with you just in case.

Answer 5

It's a pretty hectic city. Most restaraunt staff, near the tourist areas, are not Italian. And multi lingual, if they dont speak your language the next guy will.  The locals you find in suberbs away from the center.  If you intend to go to Vatican City or into the main churches dress conservativly  Ie not shorts and reveling tops. And sensible shoes.

Most people you meet will be either tourists, officials and workers.  Over the summer months, like Paris the locals take thier vacations and leave the city to the outsiders.  Rome can be overpoweringly hot in July and August.  In the days before aircon even the papacy retired to Frascati for these months.

Answer 6

One of the beat things we did was invest in a 24 hour subway pass.  We could get on and off when needed and it saved so much time when we had to get across town from the Vatican to the Roman Forum.  Also, watch out for the "tours"  they are not always worth the money they charge.  We paid 20 euros for an English speaking one at the Colosseum and it was great since it included the Roman Forum, too.  The one for the Vatican was charging 40 euros, not worth it in my opinion.  We wanted to see that ourselves.  If you go to the Vatican, see the museums around lunch time, the line will be much smaller.  Also, see St. Peters in the evening, less people and so beautiful.  We managed to time our St. Peter's visit with a mass going on at the same time, it really added to the whole experience.  

A major thing, bring comfy shoes!  Ones you can walk in all day bc you will be walking and walking.  Cute ones that can hurt after an hour are not ideal and will ruin the rest of your trip.  

And we found it pretty easy to get lost, but luckily it only happened when we were trying to get back to the car.  The rest of the day was pretty easy since we started on side of the city and worked our way to the other.  Try to work your visit so you arent going back and forth and wasting time.

Answer 7

Ah La Città Eterna! Che una bella città. (Ah the eternal city. What a beautiful city!)

Congratulations! You are living millions of people's dream. You get to travel to the most beautiful country in the world. Italia! Lucky for you... I am here. An expert. I'll go through the list of what you have asked about...

What Italians Wear: It is not wonder that Italy is touted as having the greatest fashion in the world. And for good reasons. All the great fashion houses were born here. In fact some even say that fashion was born in Italy. One thing that you wont see a lot of is Blue Jeans. They are slowly growing popularity in the younger generations, but I find that Jeans are very hot and since Italy can be very hot it isn't practical to wear them. Whatever you wear you will not be looked at as crazy. They see millions of Americans all the time and know how to spot us out.

Social Customs: It is appropriate to see Italians kiss each other on the cheek when the greet each other. But Italians are a very emotional and temperamental peoples. They will be very formal with people they do not know very well. If you are planning on visiting the churches remember. Your knees and your shoulders MUST be covered or you wont be allowed in. You can carry a wrap for your shoulders. As for knees, it is customary for women to wear skirts and for men to wear trousers to enter a church. You can also do the wrap thing here. Some churches even sell wraps to the silly tourists who forgot about this rule.

Good places to go: Umm, here is the list of essentials...

The Colosseum, The Vatican, The Roman Forum, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona, The Pantheon, and Campo dè Fiori. It is also impossible to realize the amazing amount of history that has taken place in the city over the centuries. There are a million other things not to be missed but if you have to choose the top sites. These are the ones that a trip to Rome should not be without. You can also look to the Via del Corso to guide your way through the city. It is the main drive through the city and goes from the Forum all the way up to the River on the north end of town. (I think it is the north... At least it is in my head). Don't forget to throw a coin over your shoulder at the Trevi Fountain. One coin says that you will come back to Rome. This hasn't failed me yet. Two coins means that you will fall in love, and a third coin is a bad omen. So stop at 2! You can also visit the Rome Tourist Center:  Address: 5 Via Parigi.

Restaurants and Clubs: You can find these all over the place and they will live up to their name. You are in Italy and most restaurants are amazing. Ask the desk or the concierge at your hotel to recommend a place to eat. Or be brave and go somewhere off the beaten path (The prices will be cheaper but they may not speak Italian...it could be your chance to be brave and choose something on the menu that you have no idea what it is. My friend and I did this is Germany...choose the longest name on the menu and order that. It worked out deliciously every time.)

Clubs in Italy don't usually get hoping until 11 at night or even later, but they stay open until dawn. You may even find a breakfast club where you can continue your dancing once the sun comes up and order some breakfast.

English Speakers: Most younger Italians and those working in the service industry speak a minimal amount of English. You best bet is to carry a pocket dictionary and learn a few key  phrases. If you want some essentials message me. I speak Italian fluently and I can help you out a little.

Getting Lost: Italy is a town that has grown up over centuries so it doesn't exactly follow a grid system. Always remember which direction Via del Corso is and you wont have too much trouble getting lost. And if you forget where that is ask someone. Dov'e il Coloseo? (Where is the Colosseum) The Colosseum and the Roman Forum are at one end of Via del Corso. Or if you are really lost jump in a cab and tell them the name of your hotel (Carry a business card for your hotel they usually have them at the front desk).

Do they like Americans? YES! Despite what anyone may say, they do like Americans. We bring tons of money to their country every year. How could they not like us. They really love it when Americans try to speak Italian. At least give it a try and then they will admit that they speak English and help you out.

Crime against Tourists: There are pickpockets in Italy. Many people make a career out of it. I have never had any problems with pickpockets in Italy. I also don't use a money belt. I carry a purse that has several pockets and a large closure, like a buckle. Wish we could embed photos in here. Anyways, I am not saying that pickpockets don't exist, but that they haven't been a severe problem for me. A good way to keep your passports safe (and yes people steal them to sell them on the black market) is to keep them in a money belt. Small pouch that hides under your clothing. The BEST way to protect yourself from pickpockets is to keep your eyes open. Think like a thief, and suspect everyone.

I've given you a bounty of knowledge. I hope it isn't too overwhelming!

Have a great time on your visit to la città eterna.

Answer 8

Cover up for churches and the Vatican. You can not wear shorts and sleeveless tops. You're best with trousers, a shirt and comfortable walking shoes. Try to speak a little Italian as its good manners and the locals appreciate it. Lots of the younger Italians do speak English though. Take a look at where the locals dine and follow them. You'll need a good map but the city is easy to navigate. If you're going to the Vatican museums get there early as the ques are terrible. Crime is minimal and there are lots of police around but beware of pick pockets.

Here are a few sights that may be of help.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/italian/l...

http://mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/MV_Home....

http://ancienthistory.about.com/library/...

http://www.whatsonwhen.com/scripts/query...

Answer 9

Keep ur bag in eye sight at ALL TIMES!!!! Lots of pick pocketters. Si means yes NO is no. Have fun try not to look like a tourist and go see the coliseum

Answer 10

To get to the Spanish Steps, go to the train stop for Trevi Fountain and follow the sign.  If you take the Spagna train, you'll be at the bottom of the steps.  If you approach from the Trevi Fountain stop, you'll be at the top of the steps.  As much walking as you'll do in Roma, it'll make a difference.