Traveling to Rome for the first time? Here are a few eternal tips that will help you breeze through the cobbled lanes and lap up the dolce vita lifestyle without falling into touristy traps. While most of these travel tips may come as a shocker, just go with it because it's simply the way of Roman life. Also, here's a quick one to get you started - you will need reservations for lunch and dinner, especially at small restaurants. So, start making your reservations while you read on.
Rome Travel Tips 101 - A First Timer's Holy Grail
#1 When in Rome, always carry cash
Most of Rome, in fact most of Italy still largely functions on a cash economy, not the card economy as yet. Make sure you carry enough handy cash at all points. Spicci ( coins) are more than welcome at small cafés and thrift shops, so use them instead of your euros for small purchases. While the sit-in restaurants allow you to swipe cards, they may not necessarily allow you to use multiple cards to split the bill. Hence, cash comes handy in such scenarios as well. All in all, carry ample hard cash on you. ATMs are easy to find, but if you'd rather not lose money in exchange rates, bring home a few bundles that will last you through your trip.
#2 Always order coffee at the bar
If you like leisurely sipping your coffee at a cafe while watching the crowds go by, know that this luxury ( yup! it is luxury in Rome) comes at a price. If you order your coffee at the bar, you can avoid paying a service charge. But, if you sit down and indulge your coffee, you're going to have to pay double the amount for the same mug of coffee. So, when you enter a cafe walk to the cashier and place your order. Take your receipt and collect your beverage and walk to the least crowded corner and quickly down your coffee. Italians don't really linger over their coffee and quite literally down it, so do it like the locals. So, stand to drink your coffee, and it’ll cost you 1-2 euro. Sit and it’ll often cost you more than 5 euros.
PS: If you ask for milk after noon they’ll shake their heads at you. Italians are fastidious about their digestion and milk being heavy on the stomach, is considered suitable only at breakfast. You can however order a caffè macchiato, an espresso with a splash of milk as an acceptable alternative order at any hour of the day without raising any eyebrows.
#3 Book all your attraction tickets in advance
I cannot stress this enough but, Rome is one of the most touristy city in Italy and chances are you'll spend your holiday in queues if you do not pre-purchase your tickets in advance. Especially if you're planning to hit up the famous ones like Colosseum, Vatican, Catacombs, Versailles etc, I would highly advice purchasing your tickets online before you get there.
PS : Skip the Line tickets are an absolute boon if you're in Rome for a few days. Even with ordinary tickets, you'll have considerable queues, so Skip the Line tickets are your best bet to breeze through the hour long queues in Rome.
#4 Keep your belonging closer than your heart!
The city is brimming with pickpockets! They are all over the city - from the monuments, to the buses to the piazzas. If anyone tries to distract you for whatsoever reason, be suspicious, especially if they are adamantly trying to get your attention. When you're in the metro or bus, keep your bags in front of you and keep your zips locked in an inaccessible position. The piazzas where people are flocking about are a notorious hotspot, so while you're gorging on your gelato; be aware of your surroundings.
#5 Get hungry for dinner only after 8:30 PM
If you're an early dinner person, you'll have to wait a little to get yourself dinner in Rome. Most restaurants start serving dinner only at about 8:30 PM or later and take the last order around 11:30 PM. However, if you can't wait until 8:30 PM, grab an aperitivo like the locals at around 7:00 PM. You'll find plenty and more places serving an aperitivo which is an open buffet and drink for about €10. Satiate your hunger with this temporarily and then go for a full fledged dinner at around 9:30 PM.
#6 Keep an eye out for the "real gelato"
Not all ice creams in Rome are gelato. Steer away from gelaterias that display pretty, puffy clouds of gelato as these are most definitely the fake ones. Real gelatos ain't fluffy. Their creamy. Also, real gelatos cannot be hot pink and powder blue, because that's just a lot of artificial colouring. If you were to trust the late Anthony Bourdain and his word, head to the Gelateria dei Gracchi in Prati district. He has vouched for it and I frankly consider that my holy grail!
If you're interested in learning how to make gelatos so you can maybe sneak the secret out of Rome, there are a few Gelato making classes you could sign up for. Trust me, they are super fun!
#7 Take rest on Monday since the locals do so.
Yes. After the tiring weekend, Romans consider Monday their rest day. Most museums and restaurants remain closed on Mondays. You can use the day to visit the parks in the city, go shopping or maybe head on a day trip from Rome on a Monday. Since you'll spend the day traveling, you're not really losing out on much.
PS: Vatican Museums are closed on Sundays, so they tend to be very crowded on Saturdays and Mondays. Plan your visit from Tuesday through Friday instead.
#8 Never pay for water. Use the water fountains instead.
If you're traveling to Rome on a budget or otherwise, don't eve bother paying for water. The city has water fountains, affectionately called 'nasoni' or little noses around every other corner and these fountains have good to drink water flowing from it 24*7. This is especially convenient during the summers as the water is refreshingly cold! Carry your bottle or flask around and fill it up from these water fountains as you make your way around the city. Water bottles are quite expensive, so save the money and have an extra gelato instead!
#9 Tipping is not obligatory, but it’s always appreciated
While tipping is not traditionally a part of the Italian culture, you can always indulge in a tip if you're really happy with the service. In Rome, a service charge is generally included in the bill as the coperto (cover) or bread basket, hence most people do not tip over and above that. Depending on your bill, the level of service you received and the number of people in your party, you can always leave anywhere from 5-10% on the table if you're content with the service.
#10 Get your bus tickets before you get on the bus
Stock up on bus tickets ahead of time because you can’t buy them on the bus. You can grab your bus tickets from any tabaccheria in the city, little convenient shops that are designated with a large T. Tickets are €1.50 each, or opt for a 24-hour, 48-hour or weekly ticket for a discounted price. These tickets are valid for all forms of public transportation in Rome (bus, metro, tram and local train).
#11 It's free museum day on ever first Sunday of the month
Rome’s state-owned museums, galleries, archeological sites, parks and gardens are free on the first Sunday of each month. However, this also happens to be the busiest day to visit these attractions, so show up early or visit a lesser known attraction on the day for free. If you're looking to explore an attraction with great thoroughness, steer clear of it on this day as you'll have to battle hordes through out.
#12 Bread ain't free in Rome
There is almost always a charge for bread, so if you don’t want bread (or rather, don’t want to be charged for it) tell your waiter as soon as you sit down as they mostly bring it automatically.
#13 WiFi is almost always WEAK
Don’t count on WiFi in Rome. It's almost always spotty and even in cafes, restaurants and hotels that advertise free WiFi, you cannot expect strong internet. Consider getting a data plan on your local sim or bring along a portable hotspot if you intend to work. Trusting the WiFi in the city is quite a grave mistake! Also, if you plan on relying on Google Maps, I would strongly suggest downloading the maps offline.
PS: Barnum Café and Analemma are two of the most popular spots for freelancers. Head here if you're in dire need of internet.
#14 Get out of Rome and take a day trip to Pompeii
If you're staying in Rome for over 3-5 days, hop out of the city for a day visit the nearby town of Naples. It's just 2 hours 45 minutes from Rome and you can visit the famous town of Pompeii on your visit. Even the town of Herculaneum if you're a fan of excavation sites. There are many organized tours that take you around and bring you back to the city in 24 hours, so it is just the matter of signing up for one that suits your budget.
#15 If you want wine, order the house wine.
Local house wine is one of the best things about dining out in Rome. Not only is it extremely affordable, it’s actually really tasty! House wine is available in red or white and you can usually order a ¼, ½ or full litre of wine for under €10. I know it's cheap, but pace your wine or you'll be drunk in no time!
#16 Acquaint yourself with some basic Italian phrases
While this may come as a shock to you, not everyone in Rome speaks English! You don't have to be fluent in Italian, but knowing a few words and phrases in Italian can definitely come handy. Here are a few commonly used phrases you can start with.
- Hello! –> Ciao!
- Thank you –> Grazie
- You are welcome –> Prego
- Excuse me! –> Mi scusi!
- Please –> Per favore
- OK –> OK
- Do you speak English? –> Parli Inglese?
- I do not speak Italian –> Non parlor Italiano
- How much does it cost? –> Quanto costa?
- Do you accept credit cards? –> Accettate carte di credito?
#17 Do yourself a favour and get the Walk On Walk Off Pass
Alberto Sordi once said, “Rome is not like any other city. It's a big museum, a living room that shall be crossed on one's toes”. To get the best of this big museum, there's a new pass in town that will put your legs to test but marvel the traveler in you, leaps and bounds. The Walk On Walk Off Rome Pass, also known as the Flexible Rome Tour Pass allows you to unlock Rome at your own pace with relaxed guided strolls through the history seeped lanes of Rome. Here's all you need to know about exploring Rome with the Walk on Walk off Pass
#18 Ditch the heels and get your walking shoes
The streets of Rome are unevenly paved, even in posh neighborhoods. Moreover, Rome is best explored on foot so leave the heels at home and bring your sports shoes, comfortable flats and the like. Your feet will thank you by the end of the trip.
#19 Do not take taxis from the airport
After a long flight you may be itching to fork out for a taxi for door-to-door service. While the city of Rome has enforced a set fee for airport transfers, many taxi drivers are known to rip off tourists. A taxi from Ciampino Airport into Rome city is fixed at €30 which is inclusive of all passengers, their bags, and one stop in the center. It’s illegal for drivers to charge more. From Fiumicino-Leonardo da Vinci Airport, the set fee for a taxi is €48. Don’t let a taxi driver bully you into thinking your hotel is not within the Aurelian walls.
If you do not want to shell out so much at the beginning of your trip, I would advice taking the airport shuttles or the shared van service. The shuttles should cost you about €6 and the shared van ranges between €16 to €20. You can even pre-book in advance online and skip the queues to get a ticket on the spot.
#20 Cover up while visiting Churches
If you're planning to visit the St. Peter's Basilica or any of the other 100 other churches in Rome, make sure you cover up. No matter how hot it is outside, your shoulders and knees must be covered to gain entry. The same rule applies, quite stringently at the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel as well. A quick hack could be wrapping a shawl around your waist/shoulder before entering. Though make-shift sarongs are not ideal, it is acceptable.
Read more about visiting the Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel and St.Peter's Basilica.
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