Tips & tricks Archives - Page 7 of 11

Five Frustrating Things Someone Coming to Rome Can Say

May 11, 2012 3 Comments

Over the years, I’ve spoken to a lot of people who are planning their trips to Rome—and I’m speaking to even more of them now. My goal: to help people have the best, most rewarding trip possible to this fantastic city.

So that means that, when someone coming to Rome says one of the five following things to me, I can’t help but feel a little frustrated. Here’s what they are, why I cringe—and how to fix it.

1) I want to eat the best, most authentic food Rome has to offer. Then I want to be able to walk the five minutes back to my hotel at the Trevi Fountain.

Why it’s frustrating: The biggest misconception about Rome must be that you can eat anywhere and still eat well. False. Rome is like any other city that receives millions of visitors a year: It has a lot of mediocre, overpriced, inauthentic restaurants. That’s especially true in the heart of the centro storico, where tourists tend to hang out. Can you eat relatively well there? Sometimes, and only if you plan your meals. Is it the best food in Rome? Not usually.

What you can do: If eating Rome’s most authentic food is important to you, then get familiar with public transportation. As I’ve written before, the #3 bus is the perfect “hop-on, hop-off” bus for foodies. Otherwise, take a taxi: That €10 cab ride might sting, but if you choose your restaurant wisely, you’ll save at least €10 over if you ate in the center. (Here, for example). And you’ll eat better.

2) I’m in Rome for two days. How can I see everything?

Why it’s frustrating: You can’t.

What you can do: Accept that you won’t be able to see “everything” in Rome in two days, and focus on your interests instead. If you get the most enjoyment out of wandering Rome’s quiet, cobblestoned backstreets, do that. If seeing the Vatican and the Pope is really important to you, schedule it in.

Just remember that there’s no “right” way to see Rome. And even if your friends seem appalled, when you return home, that you spent two days in Rome and didn’t see the inside of the Colosseum, you can always smile and say “No, but I did stroll down a 2,300-year-old road between ancient monuments on a gorgeous day/get a dress handmade for me by a Rome designer/see some of the world’s most beautiful works by Raphael, Caravaggio and Bernini. That was my must-do, and I loved it.”

3) I’ve rented a car for the time I’m in Rome. What’s the parking and driving situation like?

Why it’s frustrating: Although a car can be helpful for getting to Italy’s smaller towns and countryside, if you’re not planning on leaving Rome, there’s no reason to rent a car. The historic center of the city, where most of the sights are, is small enough to traverse on foot, plus most cars aren’t even allowed to enter the area. Parking in the rest of the city is tough. And public transport, despite the stereotype, is pretty good, especially in the center.

What you can do: Don’t rent a car. Walk. Take buses. Take the metro. You’ll save yourself a big headache.

4) I booked a hotel way out of the center/near the airport to save money. What’s a good way to get into town each day?

Why it’s frustrating: Hotels in central Rome are expensive. Absolutely. But when people go for the lower prices at hotels located way outside the center, they don’t always calculate in the cost of getting back and forth each day. The Rome Marriott Park Hotel, for example, is located 13 miles outside the center of Rome, and there’s no metro station right nearby. So to get into town, you’ll have to either pay €10 per person for the hotel’s round-trip shuttle (which only leaves at certain times a day), or about €15 for a cab one-way, which goes up at night and on Sundays.

What you can do: Look into your transport options into the heart of Rome before you book your hotel. Where there isn’t public transport, calculate the cost of a taxi or shuttle in advance to make sure the savings are actually worth it. Otherwise, remember that budget accommodation does exist in Rome.

5) We’re just going to play everything by ear.

Why it’s frustrating: Can you come to Rome, not have anything planned in advance, and still see a lot of the city? Sure. But will you wind up spending an inordinate amount of time in lines/money on mediocre meals out? More than likely.

Case in point: You know you want to see the Colosseum, but you haven’t planned how you’ll do so. You go to the Colosseum in the morning; the line is already two hours long (above). You get approached by an English speaker who tells you that you can skip the line by going on a tour—so you do. But the tour guide is terrible and barely speaks English, and you spend 30 minutes waiting for the whole group to get collected to enter anyway, and you feel rushed through the site. (By the way, this isn’t a rare worst-case scenario. It’s something that happens often).

Had you just looked into things in advance, you could have a) found out where you could get your ticket without having to stand in line or b) researched tour companies and found a Colosseum tour that best suited your interests and with a company renowned for having excellent guides.

What you can do: You don’t have to research everything. But for the sites that have big lines—the Colosseum, St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican museums—have a game plan. If you want to eat good food, and don’t want to spend an inordinate amount of money, look up some restaurant recommendations in advance. And if you want to go to the Galleria Borghese or Palazzo Valentini, remember that you must reserve ahead of time.

Also: what weather to expect, where to eat in Rome’s most touristy areas and what to know about crime in Rome.

If you liked this post, you’ll love The Revealed Rome Handbook: Tips and Tricks for Exploring the Eternal City, available for purchase on Amazon or through my site here! I’m also free for one-on-one consulting sessions to help plan your Italy trip.

Accommodation, Rome, Tips & tricks

Rome… For People Who Don’t Like Cities

April 25, 2012 3 Comments

Not everyone's a city person.

But lots of people want to come to Italy. And when they do, even those people who get hives from traffic and crowds, who break into a sweat taking public transportation or trying to cross a busy street, feel like they have to come to Rome. And I'll be honest: This city is so fantastic, that it's worth getting out of your comfort zone to see.

That said? You can experience Rome in a more tranquil, relaxed way—and there are parts of Rome worth seeing that don't even feel like a city at all.

Here, my top tips for how to fall in love with Rome… even if you don't like cities or crowds.

Come in the off-season

Yes, Rome is, obviously, a city year-round. But in the high season—which runs from Easter to October, with the peak in June and July—it's particularly intense. Thousands of tourists flood the streets. The Sistine Chapel is shoulder-to-shoulder, while you practically have to steamroll people if you want to get close enough to the Trevi Fountain to toss in a coin. So if you're not a fan of crowds, take it from me: Come between late October and early March. The weather will be chillier (and probably rainier), but the major sites will be much, much quieter. (Above: The Spanish Steps in May, or the start of high season. Just imagine what they look like in July!).

Stay in a hotel that really feels like an escape

In general, I strongly recommend that most people stay in Rome's centro storico. That's where you'll spend most of your time sightseeing, and even if hotels outside of the center seem more economic at first glance, the prices of taxis to and from them, or the time lost on public transport, will quickly nullify any savings.

But if you're not fond of cities or crowds, staying right in the heart of the center—in the Spanish Steps area, say, or Piazza Navona—can feel overwhelming. As soon as you step out the door, you'll be thrown onto a street busy with pedestrians and, in some cases, cars. So I recommend one of two things.

First, stay in a hotel in the center… that's small, boutique, and feels like an escape from the city. Don't book one of Rome's many big or chain hotels, where you'll be surrounded by people from breakfast on. Instead, look for hotels like Babuino 181, which, while a stone's throw from the Spanish Steps, is discreet, private, and has a (just-opened) rooftop terrace where you can get a drink, relax in the sun, or read a paper in solitude.

Or, as your second option, stay in a hotel off the beaten path. Like at the sleek Fortyseven Hotel, tucked into the lovely, ruins-sprinkled Forum Boarium area; it's a 5-minute walk from Piazza Venezia, but since it's in the opposite direction from where everyone else goes, it feels like a hidden gem. Or at Hotel Donna Camilla Savelli, a 17th-century convent, built by famed architect Borromini, that's tucked into the Janiculum hill, just a 5-minute walk from Trastevere (at top, the hotel's courtyard). Or, for a budget option, the RetRome Colosseum Garden B&B, which, while a stone's throw from the Colosseum, is on a tranquil, residential street that few tourists wander up. Don't go too far—having to deal with too much public transport will just replace all of the stress you're trying to get away from—but remember that you don't have to. Just a short walk from the main sites in Rome can get you off the beaten path.

Enjoy Rome's great outdoors

While you might not realize it at first glance, Rome has a lot of green space. So if the sound of sirens makes you wince, make a plan for how you'll get back to nature. I've written about three of Rome's prettiest parks, including Villa Borghese (Rome's "Central Park"), Monte Mario, and Villa Pamphili, before. Others to check out include the wild-feeling and forested Villa Ada; next to the Colosseum, there's the small but lovely Villa Celimontana.

And I can't say enough how much a stroll down the Appian Way will make you feel like you've traveled back in time—and to a Rome of greenery and parks and bikes and ruins and rambling villas. City? What city?

Chill out in churches

No, not St. Peter's Basilica. Many of Rome's (other) churches are hidden gems, and you just might be the only person there.

Don't deal with lines

This is advice I'd give anyone, but if you're crowd-averse, pay particular attention. Don't go to the Vatican museums in the morning, avoid them on a Saturday or Monday, and never, ever go on the "free day" (the last Sunday of the month). Visit St. Peter's Basilica in the evening, rather than during the day.

And when going to the Colosseum, don't get in the always-absurd line stretching out front; get your combined Colosseum, Forum and Palatine ticket from the desks at the Forum or Palatine entrances. (Before 2pm, especially in the summer, these, too, can sometimes be long. Go in the afternoon, and remember that you can use your ticket—one entrance per site only—for 24 full hours, so if you only have time to visit the Forum before it closes, you can go back the next day for the Colosseum and Palatine. No waiting in line necessary). (Above, by the way, is the line for the Bocca della Verita, or "Mouth of Truth." Frankly, there's no way to skip this line… but this is also never necessary to wait in, unless you just can't leave Rome without that photo op).

Give yourself time to relax and people-watch

I find a city most feels like a city—in the stressful, chaotic, high-pressure sense of the word—when I'm rushing around and trying to do a million things at once.

So, when in Rome… don't. Build extra time into your schedule. Plan to sit at a cafe (although be very careful which cafe you choose, and steer clear of those on main piazzas or at tourist sites). Or do like the Romans do and relax over a nice, long lunch. In the evening, enjoy a stroll through the cobblestoned streets, gelato in hand.

And even if you're not a city person, you will fall in love with Rome.

You might also like:

How Safe is Rome, Really?

The Best Gelato, and Best-Kept Secret, in Rome

Should I Use Public Transport? And Other Bus- and Metro-Related Questions

Rome, Tips & tricks

How to Travel Green in Rome

March 1, 2012 No Comments

Don’t let the moniker “Eternal City” fool you: Rome is changing, and not always for the better. Chain stores are replacing artisans’ shops, restaurants are cutting costs by buying low-quality, frozen ingredients shipped in from afar, and pollution is eating away, literally, at ancient monuments and Renaissance palazzos.

Luckily, even as a temporary traveler to Rome, there’s something you can do about it. Actually, a few things. Bonus: These tips—from staying at a boutique B&B instead of a cookie-cutter, corporate hotel, to eating the fresh, local food that Rome is known for—will make your trip more rewarding and fun, too. I promise.

Check out my tips at my guest post over at Traveling Greener’s Rome Green Guide.

Christmas, Churches & holy sites, Events, Rome, Shopping, Tips & tricks

9 Things to Do in Rome at Christmas (Updated for 2019)

December 9, 2011 1 Comment

If you’re in Rome at Christmas, you’re in luck! As always, there are absolutely tons of ways to get into the holiday spirit.

Here’s the best of what to do in Rome at Christmas. (And don’t miss my ultimate guide to visiting Rome at Christmas!).

1. See the Pope. Over the Christmas season, you’ve got lots of opportunities, from midnight mass (although getting tickets can be tricky) to “Urbi et Orbi” on Christmas Day (no tickets needed). Here’s more on how exactly to see the Pope throughout December and January.

In Rome at Christmas? Why not see the Pope? — Even if you aren’t in Rome at Christmas Day, you may get another chance to see the Pope!

2. Head to a Christmas market. They pop up all over Rome at Christmas. The most famous is, of course, that in Piazza Navona (both at top and below). Here’s a list of other Rome Christmas markets.

In Rome at Christmas, don't miss a Christmas market! — The famous Piazza Navona market, one of the most famous things to do in Rome at Christmas

3. Worship — in English. For years, the American Catholic church of Santa Susanna was the go-to for English Mass. But after being “evicted” by the cloistered nuns (well, okay then!), the community moved in August 2017 to St. Patrick’s Church, near the US Embassy. Once again this Christmas, they’re hosting a variety of Masses and other ceremonies in English. For non-Catholics, the Anglican Church of All Saints’ Church holds holiday services, including the Service of Nine Lessons with Carols, and the St. Andrews Presbyterian Church of Scotland has services throughout the Christmas season. Other churches with non-Catholic services in English during Christmas include the American Episcopal Church of St. Paul’s Within the Walls, the Methodist Church at Ponte Sant’Angelo, and the non-denominational Cavalry Chapel.

4. Go ice-skating. Skate underneath the iconic silhouette of Rome’s Castel Sant’Angelo (to be confirmed for 2018 — check here). Other skating rinks in Rome include those at the Auditorium, Re di Roma, Tor di Quinto, and Villa Gordiani.

5. Delve into the tradition of Italian nativity scenes. As well as Christmas cribs popping up in churches all over town, Rome boasts both a museum of more than 3,000 of them and, over Christmas, an exhibition of 200 presepi from artists across the globe (now in its 41st year). Here’s my New York Times piece on where to find presepi in Rome. (The article’s old, but the information’s still good).

6. Check out the Christmas lights. Decorations are getting more ambitious every year, with gorgeous twinklings (and light projections, and jumbo screens) lighting up not only the heart of Rome’s centro storico, but even Termini, EUR, and the Fiumicino airport. Don’t believe me? Check out my photo post of the prettiest lights and decorations in Rome at Christmas!

7. Hear some holiday music. The internationally-renowned academy of Santa Cecilia hosts several Christmas choral concerts in December.

9. Enjoy delicious Christmas sweets. Bakeries are brimming over with yummy holiday offerings like panettone, torrone and pandoro (above). If you’re in Rome at Christmas, make sure to taste the goods. It’s the one time of year that even Italians over-indulge in the sweet stuff!

Also: the 5 most overrated things to do in Rome, how to start planning your trip to Rome, and 11 etiquette mistakes not to make eating in Italy.

Archaeological sites, Events, Rome, Tips & tricks

Yes, You Can Buy Colosseum Underground Tours Online. But It Remains Closed

November 27, 2011 7 Comments

In mid-October, the Colosseum announced it would keep the hypogeum and third level open through the end of December. And then, just a few days later, it announced that, actually, the underground was closing—thanks to the flooding of the delicate underground area.

Let’s make one thing clear: Since late October, the Colosseum underground has remained closed. There has not been any announcement about when, or if, it will reopen this winter. [Update, April 5 2012: Colosseum officials just announced that the underground will reopen this Saturday, April 7].

But if, having done some research online, you’re confused about if that’s actually the case, I don’t blame you. Here’s why: You can still “buy” the underground tour online.

Different tour companies offer tours of the Colosseum underground. The first, Walks of Italy—which I freelance for—immediately stopped selling its VIP Colosseum tour, which included the underground as well as the third tier, Forum and Palatine, as soon as the Colosseum’s underground closed. In other words, you can no longer book the Colosseum underground tour on their site.

Confusingly, however, Dark Rome is still selling the Colosseum underground tour—and in their tour description, there isn’t any mention of the fact that the underground is currently closed (and has been for weeks). (Like Walks of Italy, their tour also includes the Palatine, Forum and the rest of the Colosseum). Even when I clicked all the way through to the checkout to buy the tour, there was no mention that the underground is closed.

To be fair, the underground could reopen, even in the next few days… maybe. But continuing to sell the tour as if it’s exactly the same, for €89, without a single mention that the underground is currently closed and no plans have been announced for its opening? Hmm.

To make sure I understood correctly, I emailed Dark Rome to ask if it was possible to book the tour to see the Colosseum underground for this coming week. The reservations agent replied quickly, telling me that yes, the tour was still running, although due to flooding, the underground would be closed.

I asked if the price of the tour was the same.”If you book this tour, we will refund 12% of the price of the tour after you have taken the tour. This is because we are unsure when the Underground will open,” she responded. But in a following email, she added, “This refund is only due if you take the tour and the Underground is closed. If the Underground is open you will not be entitled to a refund.”

So. Book now, and if—big surprise!—the underground is closed, something you’d have no idea of from their description, you get just 12% of your €89 back. Or about €10. After you take the tour.

Right.

You also can “buy” the underground Colosseum tour with Viator (which—can we finally clarify this?—is NOT a tour company, but a tour consolidator, one that sells lots of other companies’ offerings. In fact, I am 99% sure that this tour is the same one as Dark Rome’s). This description, too, makes it sound as if the underground tour is just fine and dandy. Even worse, the most recent comments that show up don’t mention that the underground is closed (at least they do on Dark Rome’s site). It’s sold as an “upgrade,” costing you, once again, €89.

Then there’s Tickitaly, which, from what I understand, sells the tour with an official Colosseum guide, charging more simply for the convenience of booking online. They’re still selling the underground tour, too.

At least, however, they have this paragraph: “Please be aware that it’s possible the dungeons may not be able to be visited. Recent flash flooding in Rome meant that the underground areas of the Colosseum were closed and as yet there is no firm news on when they’ll reopen—we expected it to be days, not weeks, and the authorities will give us no hard information. It’s usually the case that when something changes we’ll be given just a few hours notice and with this in mind we are still taking bookings for these tours, given that the upper levels are open and the dungeons may be open. We do not offer refunds if the underground areas are closed (for security reasons or due to flooding after heavy rain). Your guide will, nonetheless, give a full explanation and history of the subterranean zones.”

So… be aware. Even if you can “buy” this tour online, that doesn’t mean that Dark Rome, Tickitaly or anyone else has a secret access pass to get you into the flooded areas.

Underground-seekers, take heed. It’s tough to trust marketing these days.

Addendum: I thought long and hard about writing this, especially with the choice to include the names of the agencies in question. However, for purposes of transparency and delivering the most useful information to my readers possible, I’ve made it a policy on my blog to always include names of the places I’m writing about, including both places I love… and those that I think treat tourists unfairly. I don’t think vagueness serves anyone, least of all travelers trying to get a handle on a foreign city.

Finally, I’ve been following the Colosseum underground from the moment it opened. I have, for better or worse, helped create the buzz around it that there is. So I feel a little responsible for the marketing hoo-ha that’s ensued—and also feel that it’s my responsibility to expose when that marketing isn’t 100% honest. If you have any other questions, don’t hesitate to contact me.

Rome, Tips & tricks

The $10 Purchase That Can Save Your Italy Trip

November 25, 2011 No Comments

Rome looks peaceful at night… but looks can be deceiving.

First, let’s make one thing clear: I am a greedy sleeper.

Ask anyone who’s known me for a while, and they’ll tell you. Anything less than 8 hours of sleep and I become a grouch. That’s if I’m just sitting at home. If I actually have to do something—like move, think, write, or, worst of all, travel—then it’s simply impossible.

As well as annoying everyone around me, my underslept self is also one that could be in the most beautiful city in the world (like, say, Rome), and not even notice the little things that I moved here for, like the friendly barista at my local cafe wishing me “Buon giorno” (what do you mean, it’s a good morning) or the beautiful light on the Colosseum (ugh, what a *$&@!!!-ing tourist trap).

But here’s the thing. I may need more sleep than some most. But in not managing very well on a lack of sleep, I don’t think I’m that different from anyone else.

If you’re coming to Rome, I think that’s particularly important to keep in mind. After all, traveling can be stressful. Traveling in a city even more so. And traveling in a foreign city, one where you have to figure out everything from the local public transport system to how to order the kind of coffee you want? Still worse.

And for many people, the one thing that can dull your decisionmaking abilities, as well as your enjoyment of what’s going on around you, is not feeling physically up to snuff.

Making matters worse, it can be a little trickier to get a good night’s sleep in Rome than back home.

For one, if you’re not a city-dweller already, you might not be used to having such close neighbors. Even in that private-seeming apartment or B&B, you’ll be living practically on top of other Romans (above, the common sight of hanging laundry): I’ve written before about how common it is to hear everything from a babies’ cries to domestic spats while, say, cooking dinner.

That’s exacerbated by the fact that a lot of the walls in Italian buildings just don’t seem to be as thick and soundproof as those back home. Many apartment buildings and hotels in Rome were previously structures that belonged to one family; when they were later turned into housing for more people, walls were thrown up to create separate living spaces. Needless to say, these often can be paper-thin.

Aside from the noise from inside the building, you have what’s going on outside to contend with. Rome is (duh) a (wonderful, fascinating, beautiful, chaotic) city. With lots of traffic. And people.

And forget noise-blocking double-glazed windows. Hardly any apartments, B&Bs or moderately-priced hotels have them. In fact, I’ve done a lot of writing about hotels lately—with another article on them upcoming—and I’ve been consistently surprised by just how few of even Rome’s luxury hotels have invested in double-glazed windows.

(Tip: If your hotel is on a main thoroughfare, like Corso Vittorio Emanuele, Via del Corso or Via Nazionale, or if it’s near an area known for late-night festivities, like Campo dei Fiori or Via San Giovanni in Laterano, ask about the windows. If they’re not double-glazed, ask for a room that doesn’t face the street. And invest in the $10 trip-saver that I’m getting to).

So. All of this is to say: You could do as I’ve done many nights before, being awoken by anything from the person who lives upstairs who finds it necessary to walk in high heels across the wood floor at 3am, to the construction work that simply must start in the building’s courtyard at 7am, to the party on the street outside that continues to sunrise. Again, while these are the pitfalls of staying in an apartment or B&B, they’re more than possible at hotels, too—the last occurrence happened to me while staying at a nice business hotel in Naples two weeks ago.

Or… you could buy earplugs.

Foam ones work. My favorites, though, are wax earplugs, which (even though the idea is sound of gross) are great for molding right into your ear, and tend to fall out less. You can get them at any pharmacy in Italy (ask for “tappi per le orecchie”). Or, if you want to arrive prepared and have them for your flight, just in case you’re across the aisle from 3 screaming children under the age of 5 (…also something that happened to me two weeks ago), buy them before you go; you can even get these wax earplugs straight from Amazon.

You might not need them. But if you’re woken in the middle of the night by a sound that has no sign of stopping, you’ll kick yourself for not having thought of it earlier.

Finally <startrant/>: Please keep all of this in mind when you, yourself, are enjoying a late night in Rome. As annoying as the mysterious high-heeled person upstairs from me is, I’m also plagued, at least once a week, by groups of loud Americans and Brits staying in one of the building’s many makeshift B&Bs who think it’s appropriate to leave the windows open, play music, and have shouting conversations until the wee hours of the morning. On weekdays. Please, remember that not everyone else in Rome is on vacation <endrant>.

Happy sleeping… and happy traveling!

Christmas, Expat extras, Rome, Shopping, Tips & tricks

Where to Find Holiday Gifts in Rome’s Markets

November 16, 2011 1 Comment

Rome’s markets have the perfect gifts for foodies, trendsetters and more. Discover where to find what at my new post on Rome for the New York Times’ In Transit section.

Beyond Rome, Expat extras, Rome, Tips & tricks

Saving on Italian Trains, in the New York Times

November 8, 2011 No Comments

Taking the train in Italy anytime soon? Trenitalia has some great deals on right now. Find out what they are, and how to get ’em, at my first post for the New York Times’ In Transit blog. (Photo courtesy of Trenitalia).

Food & drink, Rome, Tips & tricks

Rome’s Best Bus… for Food: The Unofficial “Hop-On, Hop-Off” Dining Bus

November 7, 2011 8 Comments

If you want to eat at the best restaurants in Rome, you need to get out of the touristy center. And that's when most travelers to Rome balk.

But they don't have to. As overwhelming and confusing as Rome's public transport system can seem, there's only one bus you really need to know in order to hit nearly all of Rome's best food neighborhoods. Ladies and gentlemen… let me present:

The number 3.

Now, there are many things I don't like about the #3 bus. It makes lots of stops. It gets super-crowded around rush hour (avoid it from about 7am-9am and 5pm-7pm). And like any bus in Rome, it can be erratic, sometimes coming every 5 minutes, sometimes every 20.

But I find myself hopping on it again and again, just because, for the price of one euro, it takes me to nearly all of my favorite restaurants.

Update, 9/2012: The #3 bus is now a… #3 tram! (It actually started out that way, so I guess it's going back to its roots). The good news: There is now much more room, making the ride much more comfortable. And trams are fun. The bad news: The tram now stops in Testaccio, at Piazza Ostiense. From there, you have to switch to the bus to carry on to Trastevere. But if any neighborhood is worth stopping in, food-wise, it's Testaccio!

The #3 starts (or ends, depending on your point of view) at Thorvaldsen, a stop in the Villa Borghese right near the Galleria Arte Moderna. It then hits:

Parioli, a well-heeled neighborhood that's starting to come alive with equally-upmarket restaurants
San Lorenzo, a student quarter that has excellent, cheap trattorie and hip, grungy bars alike
the Porta San Giovanni down to the Colosseum
the Celian and Aventine hills
Testaccio, one of Rome's best food neighborhoods for cheap, traditional cucina romana
Trastevere, another great food neighborhood with both higher- and lower-end dining

But it's not just food that you can explore by hopping on and off the #3. There are sites, too—and (bonus) a lot of them are the slightly more off-the-beaten-path and, in my opinion, rewarding kind.

So… let's get on the #3 and see where, exactly, it takes us. (The neighborhood names are rough generalizations; I've just used them to make everything easier to visualize).

Parioli: Thorvaldsen to Viale Regina Margherita

Eat: End with dinner in this 'hood if you're looking for something a little more upscale and creative. The top restaurant is probably All'Oro, a pricey but excellent Michelin-starred restaurant serving up creative dishes like risotto with artichokes, vanilla and roasted calamari (they offer a tasting menu for 55 or 70 euros); it's a 10-minute walk from the Rossini stop. For something more moderately-priced, check out Anatra Grassa, which serves up Venetian-influenced food (get off at the first stop on V.le Regina Margherita after Buenos Aires). And if you just want a break from Italian, Duke's California Bar & Restaurant offers Angus steaks, sushi, foie gras, and other not-so-easy-to-find foods in Rome.

Do: From the first three stops on the line (Thorvaldsen, Galleria Arte Moderna and Aldrovandi), it's easy to stroll around the beautiful Villa Borghese, taking in museums like the Galleria Arte Moderna, Villa Giulia, and, of course, the Galleria Borghese. From Liegi, the 5th stop, you can explore the Villa Ada, one of Rome's largest parks, and walk to the Catacombs of Santa Priscilla, one of Rome's least-visited but most-rewarding catacombs.

San Lorenzo: Policlinico to Piazza di Porta Maggiore

Eat: Gritty and graffiti-filled, San Lorenzo couldn't be more different than Parioli. And since the diners around here tend to be a little on the more money-saving side (read: lots of students), the restaurants are much cheaper, too. One of my favorite traditional Roman spots is Trattoria Pommidoro, which has particularly good game meats, along with pastas (I love their pasta alla gricia); I've also heard good things about Tram Tram, a traditional and well-priced favorite decorated with pieces of, you've got it, a vintage tram. On the trendier and much more expensive side, there's Pastificio San Lorenzo, a restaurant located in an old factory that's an art gallery by day, serving up gourmet Italian dishes. Top it off with some chocolate at Said, a chocolate factory that's been around since 1923. And all of these eateries are a stone's throw from the Reti stop.

Do: Get off at the Verano stop to visit the Basilica of San Lorenzo fuori le Mura (below), a gem of an ancient church, and its atmospheric cemetery. At the Piazza di Porta Maggiore stop, check out Porta Maggiore, a monumental 1st-century Roman gate, and the huge 3rd-century Aurelian Walls. Don't miss the Baker's Tomb, an extremely unusual—and unusual-looking—tomb of an ancient Roman baker, honeycombed with holes that it's thought symbolize units of grain.

Esquiline: Santa Croce in Gerusalemme to Colosseo

Eat: On the higher end, Agata e Romeo is a Michelin-starred (and very expensive) Roman restaurant just a 10-minute walk from the Manzoni stop. For something more moderate, check out Tempio di Iside, one of the best seafood restaurants in Rome (get off at the first Labicana stop). But my favorite pick has to be Da Danilo, a fantastic, moderately-priced Roman trattoria just a 5-minute walk from the Manzoni stop. Whatever you do, don't miss their carbonara (above). Finally, after visiting the Basilica of San Clemente (see below), make a stop at Ciuri Ciuri for some of Rome's best cannoli and other Sicilian goodies (right at the 2nd stop on Labicana).

Do: Aside from, obviously, seeing the Colosseum, visit the Basilica of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, a church dating back to the 4th century that has a number of bizarre relics, including thorns from Christ's crown of thorns, wooden pieces of the cross, and (they say) the bone of the finger of St. Thomas that he put in Christ's wounds after he rose from the dead. Get off at Porta San Giovanni to stop at the Basilica of San Giovanni and the Holy Stairs. Or (my favorites) get off at the 2nd stop on Labicana to pay a visit to the Basilica of San Clemente, a 12th-century church built on top of the 4th-century basilica built on top of ancient Roman ruins (incredibly, you can descend down to see all of the layers), and to the nearby Church of Santi Quattro Coronati.

From the Celian hill to the Aventine

Eat: If it's the weekend, get off at the 1st Aventino stop and walk along the Circus Maximus to the Campagna Amica food market, a great place to sample local foods and even enjoy a cheap, delicious lunch. Just around the corner, pop into Cristalli di Zucchero, home to some of Rome's best gourmet (and not just Italian) sweets, pastries and macaroons.

Do: Get off at the Parco Celio site to (you guessed it) stroll through the lovely Celian park (in summer, you can catch jazz concerts here), as well as to check out the Case Romane; if you cross the street, you can access the Palatine and its ruins of the Roman emperors' palaces. At the 1st Aventino stop, take in the Circus Maximus or stroll around the Aventine hill, one of Rome's oldest and prettiest residential neighborhoods. Don't miss the incredible ancient basilica of Santa Sabina, the lovely Garden of Oranges with its view over the city, or everyone's favorite keyhole: the one at the Piazza of the Knights of Malta, where you can see the Knights' property, Rome, and St. Peter's—three countries in one glance.

Testaccio: Porta S. Paolo to Emporio

Eat: Testaccio is one of Rome's best, most authentic neighborhoods for food. Make the most of it. Check out the market at Piazza Testaccio, where locals go to buy their produce (along with shoes and sundry items). Right on Via Marmorata, where the #3 stops (twice), grab a Sicilian pastry or cannolo at Sicilia e Duci (above) or some (pricey, but delicious) cured meats or specialty cheeses at foodie favorite Volpetti. If you're in the mood for a full meal, beeline to Da Bucatino (one block from Via Marmorata) for classic Roman fare, Nuovo Mondo or Da Remo for pizza, or my latest favorite, Flavio al Velavevodetto, which serves up excellent food for moderate prices.

Do: Get off at Porta San Paolo to check out the pyramid of Caius Cestius, a tomb built to a magistrate in the 1st century B.C. that looks like a bizarre little piece of Egypt among Roman traffic. From here, you also can explore the Protestant Cemetery, resting place of expats like John Keats. Take one of the stops on Marmorata to head to the MACRO, a contemporary art museum in a reconstituted slaughterhouse.

Trastevere: Porta Portese to Staz.ne Trastevere

Eat: Like San Lorenzo and Testaccio, Trastevere is full of well-priced, good-quality Roman restaurants—but it's also got its share of tourist joints, so go prepared. Get off at the Porta Portese stop and walk north to enjoy delicious pasta, served fresh in the pan, at Taverna Trilussa, or grab cheap, traditional pizza at Ai Marmi (above). Le Mani in Pasta, a surprisingly elegant hole-in-the-wall, is another local favorite, while L'Asino Cotto serves up creative Mediterranean fare. On the highest end, Glass Hostaria is a super-modern (and expensive) Michelin-starred restaurant in the heart of Trastevere.

Do: If it's a Sunday morning, check out the goods (and junk) at Porta Portese, Rome's biggest flea market. Otherwise, get off at the same stop and walk over to the Basilica of Santa Cecilia, which boasts 13th-century frescoes by Pietro Cavallini, a sculpture by Maderno of Cecilia's incorrupt body as it was found in 1599, and excavations of two ancient Roman houses below that you can visit. Further in the heart of Trastevere, check out the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere along with the Villa Farnesina, home to some of Raphael's loveliest frescoes.

Expat extras, Rome, Shopping, Tips & tricks

10 Ways to Save Money While Living in Rome (And While Traveling, Too)

September 7, 2011 4 Comments

If you live in Rome, then you know: It can be expensive. Especially for those converting from another currency. But believe it or not, there are ways to save money while living in Italy.

And so, for expats, students, and others who are here for the long (or long-ish) term, here are ten money-saving tips. Note that some of these tips, like how to save on airfare, are also pretty useful for short-term travelers to Italy!

Have any other tips for how to live in Italy on a budget? Please share in the comments!

1. Take advantage of points schemes for your cell phone, grocery store, and more

Sign up for Vodafone One, for example, and you can earn points and get free minutes. (In the past, I’ve participated in a summer promotion that matched whatever ricarica I added to my phone, and another one where I was allowed to always call one phone number for free). Ask about loyalty cards at your grocery store. Even sign up for a loyalty card at stores like Sephora, if you shop there. It all adds up.

2. Make friends with your local grocer, pizzeria-owner… and everyone else besides

Yes, being a loyal customer can help you save money in the States, especially when it comes to things like airlines. (More on that later!). But it helps you even more in Italy. Why? Because everything here is based on who you know. And because, unlike in the U.S. or England, even (and especially) the smallest family-run establishments tend to, ahem, adjust their prices depending on whether they consider you a friend. Make one local pizzeria, restaurant, fruit and vegetable stand, or shoe cobbler your favorite, and you juuuust might notice that, by the third or fourth time you return, little charges will be knocked off your bill, the total will be rounded down, or you’ll get free items thrown in for free.

3. Sign up for Groupon

When it comes to a lot of things online, Italy’s a bit behind. Not so with Groupon. Groupon.it, the (duh) Italian version of the site, is pretty sweet. There are different deals every day (with usually five to ten daily in Rome), often 50-80 percent off of the normal price. You have 24 hours to grab it before it goes.

What’s available to buy, you ask? Everything from computer hard disks, to weekend breaks in Italy, to haircuts, to medical examinations. There are also lots of dinner deals, great for the expat who wants to try lots of different restaurants in Italy but doesn’t want to burn through all their cash. (Just always cross-check the restaurant with a site like DueSpaghi to make sure it doesn’t suck). The medical stuff (everything from dental cleaning to breast exam to laser surgery) can be a great way to save on necessary procedures.

One of my fave Groupon purchases: two nights at this castle, with lunch, dinner and a tour, for €200… for two people

And I don’t think I’m alone when I say that my friends in New York make me particularly jealous when they brag that they can get a great $25 mani and pedi, or a $30 hour-long massage, in the heart of town. In Rome, the prices are twice that—and with a euro symbol, not a dollar sign, in front of them. But with Groupon, I’ve gotten everything from 3 hour-long massages for just €39 total to a manicure, pedicure and facial for €19.

The one hitch is that to sign up for Italian Groupon, you need an Italian address (of course) and a way to pay that’s linked to that Italian address. If your credit card is linked to a U.S. account, though, don’t worry: Just sign up for PayPal and use that when you buy something. Even if PayPal’s got a U.S. address on it, Groupon can use it to pay for your purchases.

4. If you’re eligible, get a student card

Italy is big on youth and student discounts. Often, you need to be an E.U. citizen to take advantage—but not always. The Vatican museums, for example, cost €8 instead of €15 for all students who have an I.D. And you can get a pass for all of Rome’s public transport for €18 per month, not €30, with an I.D. if you’re under 26, as long as you’re a “resident” in Rome. (This means, though, that if you get checked, the checker could ask for your permesso di soggiorno as proof, although no one has asked me for mine yet).

To prove your “youth,” you need an ISIC card. Getting one is so easy, I kicked myself for not having done it earlier: All you need is a passport picture and €10. Obviously, you’re also supposed to be a student (I was taking language classes at the time), and you have to tell ISIC where you’re studying. Not that they seemed to check… or particularly care! You can do this at the CTS at Corso Vittorio Emanuele 297.

5. Know what to buy outside of Italy

Some things are cheaper in Rome than back home (public transport, Italian wine, ubiquitous ruins free for the gazing). Some are more expensive (basic pharmaceuticals like Tylenol, contact lens solution, certain beauty products and moisturizers, peanut butter, cans of Coke). Figure out what you can live without (I haven’t ordered a Diet Coke with a meal since moving to Italy, for example, and as a bonus, I’ve found I’ve completely lost the taste for it), and for what you can’t—like lens solution—consider bringing some from home.

Don’t want to give this up in Rome? It’ll cost you

But that doesn’t mean you should have friends or family send you the cheaper goods by mail. Lots of things have a tendency to get hung up in customs (if they make it at all!), and you’ll have to fill out a bunch of paperwork and then pay a lot of money to claim your package. (One friend of mine had to spend about $50 to retrieve an Easter basket of candy her mother sent her). If you can’t buy it while you’re in the States and bring it over yourself, in general, don’t have anyone send it to you.

6. Be careful with your credit cards in Italy

…and no, I don’t mean in terms of the usual, “always pay them off as you go” advice. First of all, remember that few places in Italy accept credit cards. And that even if a restaurant does, technically, accept them, that means the transaction is fully registered and taxed—so you have a higher chance of getting a “break” on your bill, and of making friends with the owner (see tip #2!), if you pay in cash.

Secondly, know that most credit cards charge you an “international transaction fee” for using your card abroad. One of the only ones I know of that doesn’t is Capital One. So when I have to use a card in Italy, that’s the card I reach for. (Although I’d love if Capital One had some competition in this regard!).

7. Save on all those airfares back and forth from Italy

One of the expenses that stings the most is going back and forth to your home country. First, forget the old method of just using a couple of U.S.-run sites, like Expedia, to do your booking. Sure, look at Expedia—but also look at Vayama and Mobissimo, where I’ve found some of my best luck yet on fares.

Secondly, sign up for any loyalty programs you can. If you’re planning on spending some time in Italy, those fares back and forth will add up.

Third, carefully choose what credit card you buy your airfare with. Thanks to its international transaction fees, I would never, for example, use my Citicard to buy anything from an Italian vendor. But I do use it frequently for online purchases from U.S. companies (like Amazon to buy for books for my Kindle) even when I’m abroad. And right now, through September, Citicard gives me 5% cash back on any travel or airline purchases. So you can guess how I’ll be buying my Christmas plane tickets home.

Fourth, keep watching your fare even after you’ve bought it. Most airlines let you do a flight change if the price drops. Most charge, but it can be worth it: Virgin charges $75, United $150, and Delta and US Airways $250. So if the price drop was more than that, give them a call to get your money back.

8. Tip like an Italian…

Tipping in Italy is always a touchy subject, but let’s be clear on one thing: Italians tip less than Americans. A lot less. We’re talking about rounding up to the nearest euro, not throwing in an extra two or three dollars, for a cab ride. We’re talking about rounding up on the bill at a restaurant and maybe putting another euro or two down, only if servizio wasn’t already charged. We’re talking about not tipping the person who cuts your hair or does your nails.

Yes, it might make you cringe at first, but Italy is a completely different system. Many Italians aren’t even happy about seeing Americans tip a lot, because that changes the local culture, and changing the local culture to be more like what you’re used to “back home” is the definition of invasive tourism. Part of living somewhere is adapting to the local culture. The local culture is not a tipping one. So instead of tipping 20 percent on a restaurant bill, save your money—and use it to return to the restaurant a second time.

9. …shop like an Italian: during the saldi!…

Even if Italy’s prices seem high the rest of the year (jeans for €60? Really, Zara?), that’s just because everyone is waiting for the saldi, that wonderful twice-annual tradition where every store in town slashes their prices. Generally taking place for six weeks, once around New Year’s and once in mid-summer, it’s the perfect time to stock up on clothes. It’s also when you should consider making pricier purchases, like leather boots, handbags, computer items, even a mattress.

10. …and try to eat and, well, live like Italians

At the risk of painting an entire culture with a broad brush, in general, Italians don’t eat dinner out every night, but cook (wonderful, big) meals for their families. They don’t drink, and they definitely don’t make a habit of shelling out for €10 cocktails at bars. So, when in doubt, take a cue from the people living around you. They’ve figured out how to live in Italy without going broke. You can, too. Really truly.

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