Beautiful country, amazing people, fantastic food & wine, crazy politics & insane drivers — Italy is a special, one of a kind tourist destination on the bucket list for just about everyone, and for good reason. It’s affordable, and the travel distance isn’t too taxing on the body. I visited Italy for the first time in 2019, during September. It was my first time traveling to Europe and I feel that Italy was the perfect way to dip my foot into it. I flew non-stop from NYC to Rome via Norwegian Airline, for just a $478 base fare. The flight itself was ok, definitely no frills, and it was delayed by at least two hours.
Trastevere was the perfect introduction to Rome. It’s a great neighborhood for any traveler to stay in, especially on a Friday and Saturday night, where you can listen to some street performances, drink for cheap, or mingle with the locals if you so choose. The neighborhood is close to the Coliseum, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps, and the Vatican City. You have all of the major tourist spots in Rome at your doorstep. On top of that convenience, you have a bunch of great restaurants in the area to explore. Air B&B’s make the neighborhood an optimal place to stay, on an affordable budget. It’s a great place to hang out, get a sense of what real Italy is all about.
During my time there, the first street performance I saw was of course a guy singing Wonderwall. Because, of course.
If you are going to Rome, especially if it is your first time going to this ancient city, you are probably hoping to see one of aforementioned tourist destinations. No shame in that. They’re all pretty amazing and worth going to Europe for. You could visit them all by yourself, or you could do it by booking a tour guide. If I am honest, I didn’t initially enjoy the idea of booking a tour, as I didn’t see the point in it, but I have to admit they made the experience for my first time in Europe better.
Through Eternity is the tour company I utilized during my time in Rome.
The Early Morning Vatican Tour With The Sistine Chapel offered invaluable insight about Rome and it’s history. It gave an unforgettable, personalized experience at the Vatican, and I felt as though I learned more about Italy from my tour guide than I did in all of high school history. Not only that, but the tour guide made sure that our group was the very first in the line to get inside the Vatican. Trust me, this is important.
Our tour guide had this gem to share:
“The Romans lived short lives. They didn’t believe in an afterlife. They believed in being remembered, immortalized. This is shown through their work – beauty with a Capitol B for Romans means creating things that live forever.”
Another tour I took part in from the same company was the Rome at Twilight tour – which guided you through the major tourist spots in Rome (the Pantheon, the piazza, the Spanish steps and the Trevi Fountain). It’s a fun way to kill an evening in Rome and you will enjoy being guided through secret routes in the city that no other tourist will typically find on their own.
Here is a tip for the hungry traveler: do not go to eat at a restaurant near any tourist spot. It’ll most likely disappoint you. Trastevere is the perfect place to make a trip to for a real Roman cuisine experience.
Augusto Roma in Trastevere is the perfect night out dining experience. You could enjoy a meal outdoors or you could enjoy it in doors, where you could see staff pull out amazing freshly baked pies. The chicken and pasta dishes are heavenly, and a good glass of wine tips it all over the edge. Some dishes are only available certain days.
Le Mani in Pasta has Carbonara that is simply to die for. Once you have dined there, you’ll never want to eat it anywhere else. You can also find amazing coffee and pastries in Caffè Settimiano, or amazing Italian pizza in La Renella Forno Antico Trastevere.
In Rome, tipping is not mandatory; unlike in Japan they will not refuse a tip though.
You are probably already paying for a tip through a cover charge or service charge.
the aforementioned Caffè Settimiano
If you want a coffee to start your day, and maybe a pastry for a quick bite, you have to pay at the register first, and then show the receipt to whoever is working behind the counter. If you want to enjoy your coffee and pastry at a table, you will often be charged extra as opposed to taking it to go, where it will be less.
Additional tips:
- Euro can be withdrawn at various ATM’s in public.
- You can buy a bus ticket at an “edicola”; the various newspaper stands you will see in Rome. These usually are open until around 9 PM.
- You don’t have to waste money on bottled water — the many fountains that you see in Rome have perfectly serviceable tap water.
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