10 Tourist Traps You Should Avoid in Rome

Hardly any other city has as many antique buildings and sightseeing attractions as Rome: Every year, millions of visitors make their way to the Italian capital to see the Spanish Steps, the Colosseum and St. Peter’s Basilica. When travelling to Rome, you’ll witness the contrasting combination of the hustle and bustle in Centro Storico and the locals that live according to the motto “Il dolce far niente” (“sweet idleness”). To help make you feel like a real Roman, you’ll want to avoid the following tourist traps.

#1: Going to Rome in the Summer

Roman Forum © www.flickr.com/rusticus80

Though it may be tempting to visit the Italian capital in the summer months, you should cross July and August off of your itinerary. During this time of year, many Italians go on holiday, and they typically spend the days around Ferragosto at the beach with their families. Ferragosto is celebrated on the 15th of August and is considered Italy’s most important holiday: Hardly any locals will still be in Rome, and many businesses will be partially or totally closed. Rome is also no stranger to boiling temperatures in the summer, which is why it’s much more comfortable to visit during other times of the year.

#2: Booking Accommodations That Are Too Far Away

Camping in Rome © Camping Village Tiber

Rome is expensive, and hotel rooms and holiday homes are no exception. Some tourists decide to stay outside the city in the hopes of stretching their holiday budget. This tends to backfire, though: Rome is a very walkable city, so staying near the historical centre will save you money on tram tickets or pricey taxi fares. Some campsites located outside the city offer a shuttle service for excursions to Rome. The Roma Camping campsite, for example, has a shuttle bus to the Vatican during peak season.

#3: Not Wearing the Right Footwear

The Spanish Steps © www.flickr.com/Sonse

High heels and Rome seem to go hand-in-hand, and if you’ve seen models practically float down the Spanish Steps in them, you might think that everyone can walk through the city in them. That’s certainly not the case, though. The experienced Roman is a master of staying upright in stilettos, but if you have inexperienced feet, you will probably have to cut your city tour short. Since you’ll be walking a lot in Rome, flat shoes that are comfortable and that you can walk in for multiple kilometres are your best option. Flip flops are also a poor choice of footwear: After an hour of walking across cobblestones throughout the city, your feet will be black.

#4: Overdoing Your Sightseeing Tour

Sightseeing in Rom © www.flickr.com_rusticus80

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and you shouldn’t push yourself to see the whole city in just a few days, either. The Italian capital has so much to offer that it won’t be possible to see it all in one short trip. If you try to cram it all in at once, you’ll miss the gorgeous areas that pop up when you leave the well-worn paths and explore at your own pace. It’d be a shame if your tight schedule soured your sweet trip and prevented you from fully enjoying this historic city.

#5: Carrying Around a Water Bottle

Roman fountain © www.flickr.com/Kai VvV

Rome is in southern Europe — a fact you will inevitably notice in part because of the intensity of the sunshine. How convenient, then, that the ancient Romans set up fountains almost everywhere in the city. These aren’t just nice to look at, either, but they’re a great source of refreshing drinking water, so you don’t need to carry around heavy water bottles. Plus, you’ll also save quite a bit of money, because water bottles are generally sold at high prices in tourist areas.

#6: Not Adapting Your Eating Habits

Coffee and cake © freestocks.org

Southern Europeans dine differently, and that even includes breakfast. Instead of a table spread with eggs, sausages, cereal, toast and jam, the Italians stand, drink their coffee and enjoy in a small pastry. That’s why hotels rarely offer a generous breakfast buffet. But no need to worry, because as long as you adjust your eating habits, you’ll be rewarded with Italian culinary delights! A small breakfast to start the day, a light lunch so as not to starve, and in the evening, you'll be rewarded for your day-long deprivation. In Rome, meals are served up late but great: Pasta as an appetizer, saltimbocca or fish as a main dish and a delicious dessert as a finishing touch.

#7: Falling into the Food Tourist Traps

Italian cuisine © Dana Tentis

Eating in Rome can lead to many pitfalls, so we’ve got another food-related tip for you. You could stand out as a tourist for several reasons. Your coffee order could give it away, for example. Romans typically only drink a cappuccino in the morning, and most Italians would never consider sipping a latte in the evening after a three-course meal. Another trap: Tourist menus. Restaurants, especially ones near sightseeing attractions, draw in tourists with so-called tourist menus. All we can say to that is hands off and stay away! Usually the food is overpriced, and the meals aren’t even that enjoyable.

#8: Randomly Looking for the Sightseeing Attractions

Of course, every tourist in Rome should visit the Colosseum, the Vatican and the Roman Forum. As you can probably imagine, most tourists make similar plans. You don’t want to waste valuable time queuing in front of the sightseeing attractions, so make sure to go online ahead of time and book tickets and tours for all the sights you definitely want to visit. Sometimes you’ll even get discounts. At the very least, with a pre-ordered ticket, you’ll be able to skip to the front and use the time you’ve saved to really get a good look at the sights.

#9: Revealing Too Much at the Vatican

As with most places of worship, there’s a dress code in place at the Vatican. Sleeveless shirts and short shorts or skirts are not only frowned upon, but if you’re unlucky, you may not be allowed into the holy halls if your outfit is deemed to be too revealing.

Do yourself a favour and make sure to wear appropriate clothing if you plan to visit the Vatican. It'll save you from having to buy clothing from the travelling salesmen that set up shop around the cathedral to sell to underdressed tourists.

#10: Swimming in Trevi Fountain

Jumping into Trevi Fountain might not sound like a bad idea, but resist the urge! This fountain is probably the most famous fountain in the world, and it’s been opened again only after costly renovations. There have always been people that misuse the fountain as a little pool: The city of Rome counteracts this by enforcing steep penalties for those who do. Nevertheless, Trevi Fountain is a legendary attraction: Supposedly, if you throw a coin over your shoulder into it, you’ll come back to Rome. If you throw two, you’ll fall in love with a Roman. And if you throw in three, you’ll marry them!

With these tips under your belt, you should be fully prepared to discover the Eternal City of Rome. Camping.info can help you find campsites in Rome and the surrounding area. Buon viaggio!