Indy Chronicler

Italians can easily spot a foreigner in a crowd. Often, it’s not just about looks – a tourist’s behavior gives him away. So, if you see a person in Rome taking a coffee at the bar and then heading towards a table, it is almost certainly not a local. Italians will stay with a drink at the bar.

However, there is no tragedy here, it’s just better to be prepared and know the specifics of vacationing in Rome before you go. Below are my top 10 things not to do while in Rome.

Table of Contents (Top 10 Things Not to Do in Rome):
1. Buy Bottled Water
2. Sign “Petitions” from Pushy Promoters
3. Order Cappuccino with Pasta/Pizza
4. Order Just a “Latte” at a Cafe
5. Confuse Coperto with Tipping
6. Be Absent-Minded Around the Termini Station
7. Try to Buy Tickets from the Bus Driver
8. Not Smile or Say Hello
9. Look for Semi-Sweet Wines
10. Skip the Porta Portese Market

1. Buy Bottled Water

The Romans have been providing clean drinking water for the city since 2000 years ago, and thanks to modern purification systems, the water from the tap is truly drinkable. Although many people buy bottled water out of habit, you don’t have to spend a fortune.

You can find water for free, which is especially important in summer, when it’s hot and you get thirsty about every five minutes. Go to the small fountains (nasoni or fontanelle), which are numerous throughout the city, or to the Colosseum – there is a machine with free water in front of it, and there is also carbonated water.

In summer, there are a huge number of illegal vendors on the streets (the same ones who sell umbrellas when it suddenly starts to rain). They offer ice water, but inside the bottle you’ll find a single ice-cube waiting for you. So don’t buy into the alluring misted bottles, it’s a trick!

In addition to the sights, in the city center you’ll be waiting for promoters – guys who are very annoyingly pestering tourists to sign some petitions. As a rule, they are young guys, they speak many languages and will frantically persuade you to sign against drugs – they say it’s the right thing to do. It seems to be no big deal, but as soon as you sign, it turns out that you signed for a commitment to donate a certain amount of money.

When I naively fell for such a signature, I had to pay about $20. I had to make it up as I went along, saying that I didn’t have any money with me. If that doesn’t work, you can threaten calling the police – it should work. But it’s easier, of course, to pass by and not even start a conversation.

3. Order a Cappuccino with Pizza or Pasta

If Italians drink cappuccino, it is most often for breakfast. Locals believe that milk is less digestible after noon, and in the afternoon they mostly take espresso or macchiato.

Italian meals are very structured and conservative. For example, in a restaurant they order water, wine, beer and soft drinks first. Eating pizza or pasta with a cappuccino is unthinkable for an Italian. Coffee ends the meal, sometimes the final chord can be amaro or grappa. If you want to know more about the summer menu of Italians, we have already written what you should definitely try.

Sant’Eustachio Il Caffe

To enjoy a good coffee in the center, you can check out Sant’Eustachio Il Caffe (Piazza Sant’Eustachio, 82) near the Pantheon and Piazza Navona – the rare occasion when the coffee shop is open until 1 am. It’s also the only cafe in Rome where the preparation of coffee is hidden from visitors.

No one will give you the recipe, because the blend of coffee beans has been kept in the strictest secrecy since 1938! The prices in this bar are slightly above average: for an espresso at the bar you will pay $1.3 (average $1) and for a cappuccino you will pay $1.8 (usually costs $1.5). However, remember that the price triples if you sit down at a table. If you can’t decide what to order, try the Gran Caffè – this coffee is served immediately sweet, so warn the waiter if you don’t add sugar.

Pompi

For those who want to try the most famous tiramisu in Rome, I recommend Pompi (it’s a chain of several coffee shops). I first came to the institution, which is a stone’s throw from the Re di Roma metro (via Albalonga, 7). There are always several kinds of tiramisu with fruits and nuts, as well as classic, monoporations of cakes and macaroni, a large selection of drinks, coffee and even tea.

Prices for desserts are in the neighborhood of $4-6. Table service will be a bit more expensive, but not much compared to other places.

Meccanismo

Another one of our favorite places is in Trastevere. This is the cafe, restaurant and bar Meccanismo (Piazza Trilussa, 34). You can go here for breakfast, a snack during happy hour or a full dinner.

Meccanismo

4. Ordering a Latte at a Cafe or Restaurant

And that’s because you won’t be understood. In Italy, latte is just milk, often taken by children, but coffee with milk is called caffelatte. Latte is often confused with latte macchiato (latte macchiato), which has a lot of milk and little coffee.

5. Confuse Coperto and Tip

Yes, they are not the same thing. When tourists see the word coperto on the check (often $1-2 per person), they think that this is the tip included in the bill. In fact, it is the cost of table service, which goes exclusively to the owner of the restaurant. This practice is not typical for all restaurants, it is mainly for tourist places. About tipping: in Italy it is customary to leave about 10% of the bill.

6. Being Absent-Minded and Gullible (Especially Around Termini Station and the Subway)

The Termini Station area is crowded all the time, as it’s the central point of transportation. Thieves and scammers know this too and actively take advantage of the situation. I have seen many attempted thefts on the subway and buses that run on tourist routes.

The central metro stations near Termini have long been favored by Roma, most often underage Roma women or pregnant women – even if they are caught, nothing will happen to them (children are not criminally liable because of their age, and pregnant women are simply pitied).

So, they are not afraid of anything, they behave quite brazenly, but the Italians themselves are on guard. As soon as they notice Roma in a full carriage, they start shouting: “Attention, pocket thieves!”, warning foreigners to keep their bags close to themselves.

7. Trying to Buy a Ticket from the Driver

The other day I was waiting for a bus at Termini station, and two tourists asked me where to buy a bus ticket and whether they could buy it from the driver. Well, you can’t buy a ticket from the driver, so you have to buy bus and streetcar tickets in advance.

The ticket costs $1.5 and is valid for 100 minutes. During this time you can travel once on the subway and once on ground transportation. Tickets are sold in machines in the subway or kiosks and bars with a sign in the form of a blue letter T (which means Tabacchi). I do not advise you to take a risk and go without a ticket, control is carried out daily and fines for fare evasion are quite high.

Once I got a fine, and even together with my sister, when she came on vacation. We were very tired and got on the bus without a ticket, and there was a control. We were offered to pay the fine on the spot, but in general you can’t do that (according to the information on the official website). The controller has to give you a receipt. If you pay the fine within five days, the amount will be $54.9. The second option is from six to sixty days, but already $104.9. You can pay on the official website, at post offices or banks, or at atac cash desks.

8. Not Smiling or Saying Hello

Locals are very smiling and friendly, no matter if they met an old friend, neighbor or stranger. So forget the language barrier and just learn a couple of simple words: ciao, buongiorno, buonacera, and grazie. In return for a smile and a greeting, respond in kind. You’ll see how pleased your Italian interlocutor will be. And of course, a smile and friendliness will help you solve a question: ask a passerby for directions or clarify the menu with the restaurant staff. The main thing is not to forget to say hello and be nice.

9. Looking for Semi-Sweet Wine

I can say from experience that Russian tourists very often look for semi-sweet wine in Italy. However, mostly wines here are dry, so if you want semi-sweet, pay attention to sparkling varieties: Moscato d’Asti (white) or Lambrusco amabile (Lambrusco is also dry). They are available in most major restaurants, the price is in the neighborhood of $18-25 per bottle. Such wines are also sold in supermarkets – they cost about $5-7, which is quite democratic.

10. Do Not Visit the Famous Porta Portese Market

The Porta Portese market is a very atmospheric place. You can find everything from antiques to branded items, as well as souvenirs, shoes and clothes. Of my own finds, I particularly remember the silver earrings with crimson stones in excellent condition.

They cost me $15-20, I still wear them and constantly receive compliments. Once I found a small Gucci bag for $50 (second-hand and a bit shabby, of course). Sometimes you can find good shoes in the latest sizes or branded T-shirts for $10-20.

There are other markets in Rome, but they are far from the center and not as convenient to get to. Porta Portese is easy: from Termini take bus H (pronounced “acca”) to Piazza Ippolito Nievo or from Piazza Venezia take streetcar 8 to the same stop or the next one.

I hope my tips will help you avoid difficulties and enjoy the atmosphere of a city with so much history. Undoubtedly, it will take time to get to know Rome, but no matter how much time you have, you’re sure to have a great time. And you can always come back!