Rome... A city where you’ll never get bored.

My time here in Rome is almost finished. I live here now for five months and I have to say I still never get bored! Every time during the moment that I think: “Now I am used to all the crazy habits and different people” there happens something crazy again that turns my whole day around. I love it and I enjoy it even if it is not always a nice moment.

For this reason there are just some DO’S and DON’TS in Rome. I realized them by myself the last months.

1# DO take your time to relax

Believe me, you will need it. Rome is a big city and there is so much to see. Probably you will have the tendency to visit everything en to do everything that it offers you in a few days but please let it go! Even after 5 months in Rome I haven’t seen everything yet.

Choose the activities that are important for you and take your time. Maybe they will be different from the expectations that other have from you but I can assure you that your vacation will be a lot better and you will have a lot more relaxation. That is just the meaning of a vacation.

2# DO get off the touristic routes sometimes

Rome is beautiful and the touristic places are wonderful and impressive but besides these places there is so much more to see. Rome is more than only the Vatican, Piazza Venezia, Colosseo, Pantheon and Piazza Navona. Get off the road and visit some real Italian little streets and let you impress by the local people with their little shops and traditional restaurants.

3# DO NOT fall into the tourist traps

This sounds very easy but it can be tricky! Fake “traditional Italian products” and unexpected expensive restaurants can make your trip pretty sour. For good dinners follow my previous tip. Get off the tourist route and you will find the best traditional restaurants. Restaurants that are located next to big touristic places have a catering that is based on tourists. You pay a lot and the food is most of the time not even traditional Italian.

Also avoid the souvenir shops and street sellers if you are searching, for example, a real Italian made handbag. Most of the time you will find fake products. Only in the shops from the local Italians are the Italian made products. It costs a little bit more but you will definitely not have a made-in-Taiwan handbag.

4# DO not accept flowers, toys or maps from strangers.

They will definitely approach you because you are “beautiful” or they want to “help” you. They call it a gift but in fact it will only cost you trouble and money. When you take it, they want money from you and if you refuse this or you give less than they need, they will come after you till they get what they want.

5#DO dress well

One of the most common mistakes: It is summer, the temperature is warm and you want to get a tan. Of course you will not wear long pants with a sweater but if you would like to enter the churches you really have to cover your shoulders and knees.  It is a well-known dress code for men and women. This is also during the real summer days. Always take a scarf or a jacket with you and don’t try to sneak in with only a tank top and hot pants because this is just disrespectful and you will not make any friends with it.

6# DO NOT expect from Rome that everything is the same as in your own country

“In Rome is everything different” Do you know this statement? It is used a lot and it is true. Every day is different and everything happens in a different way than that you are used. Don’t worry, accept it and enjoy it! Welcome in Rome!

All these moments I have experienced by myself and I have learnt from it for sure. In fact it has only inspired me more the last months. The special way how the city and the culture are bounded to each other. This makes the city even more beautiful and which city has not a special description? For some cities like Rome the description is just a little bit longer than normal.

At least there is something that I definitely would like to add for your to-do list.

Roma durante la notte – Rome during the night

You will be amazed! Rome is beautiful and there is always life and enough to do but it really comes into its value during the night when the traffic is muted and the people are sleeping. It is hard to explain and that’s why you really have to experience it!