On your college’s study abroad trip, you’re walking through a modern city with stores and restaurants lining both sides of the cobble-stoned street, and then you turn the corner. In most cities, another street with stores and restaurants would appear, but not in Rome. This is what makes Rome so unique and amazing. You will be eying a designer bag in an Italian store’s window, turn down what seems to be an alley, and find yourself at the Colosseum or the Spanish Steps.
During the day, Smart cars and Vespas (similar to mopeds, used the way Americans use motorcycles) whizz by following no explicit street directions. At night, a majority of the city sleeps. However, if you are planning a trip to Rome, I promise you – having been there twice – you will have the time of your life.
Rome – like the majority of Italy – is a city of historical treasures, with its main attribute being the colosseum. It used to be an amphitheatre where Romans would literally fight to the death as citizens watched from the stands. While it may seem like it’s listed on every tourist map (because it is), you really must go see it. It’s one thing to see the Colosseum on a post card, another to see it up close. Entrance is about 27 euros for a ticket, but you will also gain access to the Palitine Hill and Museum and the Roman Forum directly across.
Regardless of your religion, Italy is and has always been, very publicly Roman Catholic. There is a church or a\ cathedral on pretty much every street, totaling 900 Roman churches. Most offer guided tours due to their art history aspects and embedded architecture. If visiting churches isn’t your thing, you still have to see at least one since it’s such a big part of the city. A less well-known church to visit? The Santa Maria Maggiore. It’s cool because of its interesting history. The story goes that the Virgin Mary appeared to Pope Liberius (the pope at the time), instructing him to build a church on the Esquiline Hill. That night, the floor plan was outlined by a beautiful snowfall.
Rome, along with the rest of the European Union, uses the euro as its currency. Currently, about 1.50 USD is equal to 1 euro. You may feel like you’re spending a lot of money on small things with the exchange rate, but .50 euro cents for homemade gelato in its native country is worth every cent and every pound you gain while there.
It is true, Italy is not the place to go if you want to lose weight. Everything is jam-packed with carbs: pasta, pizza, paninis, pastries. Cafes, also called bars, in Rome, are not what you are used to in America. They are actually small lunch places, with paninis (sandwiches), thin, tiny slices of pizza (because all portions in Europe are smaller) and a coffee menu to die for. Yum.
While in Rome, I recommend staying at the Hotel Grand Palatino. It was very accommodating during both of my stays, though quite different than an American hotel. First of all, keep in mind the elevators in Rome (and throughout Italy) can fit three averaged-sized Americans at once (tiny!) and staircases are narrow as well. Be sure to pack accordingly.
Grand Palatino is 99 euros a night, and while there are cheaper places, this one has a great location. It is centrally located on Via Cavore, and places like the shopping district, the Colosseum and the train and bus stations are walking distances away. The other great thing about this hotel is there is a small pub close by, typically filled with locals about our age, as well as live music. You’re guaranteed to make some Roman friends who love Americans. Don’t be surprised if you end up with free drinks or invitations to join Roman bar crawls. My advice: just say YES.
The Romans I met at the pub – it’s called Finnegan’s Irish Pub on Via Leona – made my Roman experience 10 times better. They took us around the city during our stay and to clubs we never would have found on our own. They also took us shopping to places which were in the less-populated areas of the city, because that’s where locals shop.
Happy hour is huge in Rome, but binge drinking is not. Locals in our age group like to go out before dinner to have a drink, but after dinner, they casually sip on only one or two drinks. “Being drunk is ugly,” so drunk driving is not an issue, but try to not be that stereotypical American during your stay.
If you want to have a memorable stay in Rome, adapt to their culture. It’s a little classier than what we’re used to, but it’s fun to try out. You’ll probably leave saying, “Ti amo, Roma!”
