Rome is one of the most beautiful, breathtaking cities in the world. It’s also one of the most tourist-trappy places in the world. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to avoid this and have a more authentic experience. Here is your guide on how to properly visit Rome with some tips to help you enjoy your vacation. So, let’s have a look at some things you should do when visiting Rome.

Breathe

Breathe. Rome is a hectic city. You’ll be surrounded by locals, commuters, and tourists. You’ll be surrounded by extravagant artwork and architecture, and surrounded by pastries and gelato. But you’ll also be surrounded by the smell of urine from the street urinal, the smell of gas from the nearby cars, and the smell of cigarettes from the people smoking outside of the building.

It’s important to remember to breathe and enjoy the experience for what it is: a unique and beautiful city that’s worth exploring.

Don’t be a Tourist

Rome is a popular tourist destination for good reason. It’s full of history, culture, and great food. When there, don’t just walk up to the first café you see and order a cappuccino. That’s what tourists do.

Tourists tend to head to the most convenient café or restaurant. Instead, look for a place that is full of locals. It may not be on the main street, but you’ll get a much more authentic experience.

A proper visit to Rome should be more than just walking around the city while following the red line on your map. Stay off the beaten path and get to know the city, its people, and its culture.

Plan Ahead

Take the time to read up about Rome before you get there. Use the guidebooks certainly. They’ll give you an idea of what is important to see in the city.

Once you’ve narrowed down the attractions, then go to the websites to get up to date information about visiting them.

This will include the entry prices, as well as the average waiting times.

For example, when we went to Rome, I had researched the Vatican Museum. I knew how much the ticket prices were. I also knew, that despite the lines stretching back 400-500 metres. Once the doors opened, the wait times were relatively short.

So, when standing in line you will get approached by touts that are trying to sell you a tour. They will point out that you will be stuck in line for ages, but their tour will get you in within 10 minutes of opening. The prices were 4-5 times the actual entry price.

We declined, and as the doors opened the line steadily moved forwards. In the end, we got in about 5 minutes behind the tour, purchased the audio tour, and still had lots of money left in the budget.

The tours got lots of sales that day, and I couldn’t help to feel sad for the people who had spent so much more for the same basic experience.

Tipping

Tipping is not customary in Italy, which is great news for me. We Aussies are not used to tipping for everything, as it’s not something that occurs in Australia either.

That being said, if the service is very good, then I will happily leave something for the server. But, I just object to a blanket tipping policy.

I would prefer to see service staff paid a decent living wage from the start, rather than having to rely on handouts from customers to get by.

What to Wear

Neat casual or smart casual is the way to go in Rome. During summer it can become very hot and humid. So lightweight breathable fabrics are a good choice.

When you select your clothes for the trip, you don’t have to be a fashion guru. Just a few sets of pants and shirts that can be mixed and matched will be fine.

Wear some decent walking shoes. It is inevitable that you will end up doing a lot of walking so be prepared. Stay away from thongs, as they can get very slippery on cobblestones.

Find the Best Pizza in Rome

Rome is known for its pizza. It’s one of the best places to grab some authentic, delicious pizza.

The thing is, if you’re looking for some of the best pizzas in Rome, you’ll have to do your homework. One of the best pizzas in Rome is found at L’Antica Pizzeria da Baffetto, which is located in Campo de’ Fiori.

You want to order the Margarita pizza – it’s a classic and a must-try. They also offer a variety of other pizzas, so you’re sure to find one that suits your taste.

If you’re looking for a place to eat near the Colosseum, try one of the many pizzas from Pizza Al Taglio.

Walk on the Other Side of the River, Away from the Major Attractions

If you’re looking for some peace and quiet, it’s best to stay away from the more popular, touristy parts of Rome that are on the other side of the Tiber River. That’s the side of the city with the Vatican, Coliseum, and Pantheon. These are some of the most photographed attractions in the entire world, so they’ll never feel “local” or quiet.

But if you want to get away from crowds of people, head to the opposite bank of the Tiber. There are plenty of quieter neighborhoods on this side, like Trastevere and San Giovanni, which are more affordable and have a more authentic Rome feeling.

Visit a Coffee Shop and Get a Cappuccino with an Artisanal Croissant

The best way to start your morning is with a delicious cappuccino and an artisanal croissant. You can find both of these at any of the city’s coffee shops, with the exception of Starbucks.

Finding a coffee shop is easy – they are found on virtually every block, and they are always packed. The most popular coffee shop is Caffè Greco, with locals and tourists alike coming in to enjoy a warm beverage in the morning. One of the best parts about the coffee shops is that they are all filled with people sitting outside, which gives you a great opportunity to explore the city while you sip your cappuccino.

What makes Caffè Greco so different is that it’s located on Via dei Cinque Lune, which is home to some of Rome’s most famous antique stores. It’s also close to one of Rome’s most famous landmarks, the Pantheon. So if you’re looking for a great place to start your day, come visit Caffè Greco and while you’re there, why not pick up some souvenirs?

Eat Gelato Every Day (or as often as possible)

The best gelato in Rome is in Trastevere, near the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere. If you are visiting, you have to go.

Gelato is so much better than ice cream because it tastes more natural. You can’t get it everywhere, but in Rome, you can get it at every corner.

Visit the Colosseum

The Colosseum is easily one of the most recognizable landmarks in Rome. Indeed, it’s almost a symbol of the city. Like the Eiffel Tower is to Paris, or the Opera House to Sydney.

So, it’s definitely worth a visit. As mentioned earlier, while in line you will get offered tours, that get you in quicker and offer a better experience. Do your research and make your choice.

Remember, an audio guide can be put on repeat if you didn’t catch what it said the first time. It will also allow to move through the site at your own pace.

Unfortunately, the Colosseum is partially in ruins now, so it can be difficult to imagine it in its glory days. Actually, that’s more like its gory days.

If you want to see what it would have looked like, head to the Provence region of Southern France. They have Roman built Colosseum’s that are still in use today.

Click here to check out the official website.

The Trevi Fountain

You’ve no doubt seen pictures of the Trevi Fountain, or maybe seen it in some movies. What really gets you when you get up close is how much bigger it is than you expected.

However, despite the size of the fountain, you’ll still have trouble seeing it. The crowds are huge. And everyone wants to get up close for a better look.

Even in December when it was seriously cold, the crowd was still 5 deep. My best suggestion here is to get up early and try to beat the crowd. Good luck.

The Spanish Steps

Okay, so full disclosure. I wasn’t blown away by the Spanish Steps. It’s a nice set of stairs. But I’m not sure that I’d be terribly upset if I missed them.

But I guess each to their own, and lots of people rave about them. So I suppose they must have some appeal.

Ride the Hop On Hop Off Bus

All the major cities have various brands of these buses. That’s because they work. It’s the ideal way to get your bearings in a new city.

I’d get a 2-day pass, which would help me get to a decent chunk of Rome’s sights.

To be fair, their train system is pretty good in Rome. And you can get almost anywhere in the city that you need to go.

One word of warning though. Unless you’re Italian, don’t attempt to drive in Rome. Their style of driving is probably passed on at birth. I consider myself to be a pretty confident driver, but it scared the hell out of me.

Take a Tour

The history of Rome is such that a tour can be a pretty good investment. Just seeing the sights without getting some background flavour is going to leave the experience a bit flat.

There are several tour companies that run guided tours throughout the city and getting on to one of these would be well worth while.

Final thoughts

The history of Rome has shaped a lot of our culture today, and I always consider that finding out where we came from, makes it easier to know where we’re going.

So, go and see Rome, and discover just how far we’ve come.

If you’re in the area then check out these posts as well.

My favourite things to do in Athens

How to travel the Greek islands

The best things to do in Paris

Cheers and happy travels.