Possibly more than anywhere else in the world, Rome is a true mix of old and new. It’s a city that proudly flaunts its ancient history while continuing to evolve. It’s a living and breathing city — which means it’s crowded, dirty, noisy, full of kamikaze scooter drivers, and is a little rough around the edges. It’s also beautiful and its narrow side streets and ancient ruins are certainly romantic and magical — so despite its shortfalls, Rome continues to be many people’s favorite city in the world.
THE GOOD
The Atmosphere and History: Rome has more spectacular museums, churches, squares, fountains, and ancient ruins per square foot than just about anywhere else in the world. Everywhere you go, you’ll see something amazing.
Art: Rome certainly has no shortage of art and museums — from contemporary to ancient.
Good Food: You don’t have to spend a fortune to eat well in Rome. All it takes is a little research!
Walking The Streets and Side Streets: Rome has been growing and changing for over 3,000 years so its streets also grew organically — which means lots of little alleys and side streets that are a joy to explore. For once, you’ll love getting lost.
The Nightlife: Like much of Southern Europe, Italians eat late and stay up even later. This means that restaurants, bars, and cafés are open late into the night (and then people head to the clubs even later).
THE NOT-SO-GOOD
Tourist Hoards: Tourists everywhere! Rome attracts millions of visitors each year, so expect to be surrounded by other people wanting to see all the sights. Expect long lines for most attractions — try to book tickets in advance so you can skip the multi-hour lines. Summer is the busiest time of the year, so try visiting in the spring or fall to help escape the crowds.
Pickpockets: Rome is known for being one of the worst cities, if not the worst city when it comes to pickpockets and other petty theft. It’s the worst at the Termini Station (Rome’s main train station), on the metro, and on buses. Be extra vigilant at all times. If you can, try not to carry anything valuable.
Tourist Restaurants: Rome has a ton of amazing restaurants serving great food at fair prices. It also has just as many crappy restaurants serving overpriced junk to unknowing visitors. Do a little research and try to go a few streets away from the tourist sites and you’ll find plenty of great options.
Dirty: Rome is pretty dirty. I mean, it’s a big city so it shouldn’t be too surprising. But a lot of people are surprised to see trash and graffiti all over the place.
Hot Summers: The temperatures in Rome can be fairly brutal in the middle of summer. Many hostels and hotels don’t have AC so that can pose a problem for some people .
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Traveling around the world 