ROME: IMPORTANT DOS AND DON’TS OF THE ETERNAL CITY

When you travel to Rome there are certain rules you must be aware of. If you’re interested in reading about the dos and don’ts of Rome, you’re in the right place!

When you’re visiting a hugely popular city like Rome, there are obviously going to be some things you should do and some you shouldn’t. In this article, I’m bringing you my best tips for traveling and enjoying Rome.

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THE DOS AND DON’TS OF ROME:

THINGS YOU SHOULD DO IN ROME

1. CARRY CASH

There are many places in Rome where cards are accepted, so overall you shouldn’t worry if you’ll be able to use your cards in restaurants, museums, and most gift shops. Places in which you’ll need some cash are cafes, public toilets, and smaller, local gift shops. Also, most hotels and accommodations want you to pay city tax (a few euros per day) in cash so make sure you at least have some cash on you. It’s also going to be easier paying for small treats like gelato or a slice of pizza if you have cash.

2. BOOK EVERYTHING IN ADVANCE

Rome is a very loved city with millions of visitors throughout the year. Some parts of the year are less crowded than others, but I would still recommend booking everything a little earlier so you’re safe, especially during the summer.

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The most crowded places where you need to book in advance are Colosseum/Palatine Hill/Roman Forum and the Vatican museums. If you value your time, buy the skip-the-line tickets, and show up at the exact time you can enter!

3. DRESS MODESTLY

The city of Rome is famous for the abundance of churches. There are incredibly well-preserved and beautiful churches at almost every corner of Rome. The important thing is that you cannot enter the church with bare shoulders or shorts/skirts above the knee. This rule is especially important when you’re visiting the Vatican, but you also won’t be able to enter the Pantheon if your not properly dressed.

The solution is to bring a few modest pieces that you can wear that day or throw over your clothes when you’re going to the church, or just buy a cover-up. I bought a long scarf for 5 euros to cover my shoulders and then also had a souvenir back home!

4. WATCH OUT FOR YOUR BELONGINGS

If you’ve heard one thing, it’s to be aware of the pick-pocketers in Rome. Rome is very crowded and therefore every pick-pocketers dream. They’ve got various ways of stealing your stuff so be careful to always have your bag near your chest and be aware of your surroundings. Also, it would probably be the smartest move to leave your passports and larger sums of cash in a safe at the hotel.

5. WALK AS MUCH AS YOU CAN

One of my favorite things about Rome is the fact that it’s walkable, and that it’s so worthy of walking. The city is an open-air museum and the best way to experience it is by wandering around and exploring. Don’t use the metro or buses if you’re able to walk, and if you need some help along the way use an electric scooter!

Read more >>> THE ULTIMATE ROME WALKING TOUR: TOP LOCATIONS IN ONE GO!

THINGS YOU SHOULDN’T DO IN ROME

1. COME IN THE SUMMER

The weather in southern Italy is unbearable during the summer months. Funny enough, both times I’ve been to Rome were in July and August, so trust me when I tell you – skip these two months. The temperatures go up to 40 degrees Celsius and if you leave your hotel between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. you will get light-headed in a second.

If you’re there during the summer months try to get up early, explore, and get back to your hotel by 11. Use the middle of the day to relax because it’s safer to be inside than outside in the sun. The summer months are also incredibly crowded because everyone is on their holiday, and August is famous for being the holiday month for Italians, so you will not only be dealing with international tourists but other Italian tourists as well.

2. BUY WATER

If there’s one thing you don’t have to worry about in Rome, it’s where to get water. Since it gets incredibly hot in Rome, you can find drinking fountains called “nasonis” all over the city. The fountains basically give you ice-cold, fresh water at almost every corner of Rome. Bring your reusable water bottles and save your pennies!

3. EAT AT TOURIST LOCATIONS

Every city is notorious for its restaurants near the main tourist attractions, but Rome has an especially bad reputation when it comes to tourist traps. I’ve never eaten an ice cream as bad as the one I got near the Trevi fountain.

One of the places with the most amount of tourist traps is Piazza Navona. Many of the restaurants there are said to be expensive yet offering poor quality of food and service. If you’re interested in a good meal, wander into the surrounding streets or the Trastevere neighborhood.

An excellent restaurant I would highly recommend is Osteria da Fortunata near Campo de’ Fiori. While it’s a little overhyped online, they still serve really good food!

4. COME BY CAR

Rome is not really car friendly. As the city is a huge historical monument itself, there are only certain places and roads where you can freely drive a car. Rome has limited traffic zones (ZTL) mainly in the city center where you cannot enter with a car, or if you do you’ll pay enormous fines. If you do come to Rome by car, try and leave it somewhere in a parking garage where it’s safe and enjoy the city on foot or one of those popular electric scooters!

5. SIT ON THE LANDMARKS

Another way to get a very large fine is if you get caught sitting on one of the incredibly old Roman landmarks. As a way to stop tourists from ruining historical sites, there are policemen around all major landmarks carefully monitoring the tourists’ behavior, so make sure you don’t sit on the Trevi fountain or the Spanish steps!

Have you ever been to Rome? Tell me what you thought of it in the comments!