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Rome in Summer - Thursday, August 10, 2000
My 12 days in Italy started with 3 in Rome in the heat of August.The first thing I noticed was the number of people around. I later found out that there was a big "young catholics" type convention there and a million teenagers had decended on Rome for the week.
I decided to splash out on this trip and stay in hotels rather than hostels. I chose a hotel near Piazza Navona. I was in a single room and it wasn't really up to much to be honest but at least it had a little fridge so I could have some cold water. Plus there were some rather obnoxius teenagers there for the convention thing who were playing loud music and shouting about at 3am. Luckily an Italian man staying there shouted at them before I got to the point of going out myself.
There are a tonne of sights to see in Rome and you can easily fill quite a few days. I definiately didn't get to see everything. I think my favourite places were the more ancient Roman ruins such as the Forum and the Coliseum. I didn't do a proper tour or the Forum with a guide but I overheard one and I think if I went back I would get a guide - there are loads of buildings and you don't really know what they are without someone giving you the info. There were some free tours around the outside of the coliseum (but they kept pushing you their paid tours) which were good.
A part of the Forum:
The Coliseum:
One thing I'd been warned about before I went was the pickpockets and low and behold some little kid tried to pickpocket me which I was waiting in line to get in the coliseum. The trick they have is to pretend to be begging - they put out a piece of cardboard over your bag pretending to bed while their hand is underneath is in your bag. Luckily this one went for the wrong bag that only had a guidebook in it. Then an American guy infront of me accidently elbowed him in the head and he ran off shouting at him.
One thing I took advantage of was the many street stalls around the tourist sites selling fresh fruit and frozen bottles of water - probably costs more than elsewhere but its very refreshing.
I think Rome is famous for its traffic - its true - its a nightmare crossing roads. The trick is to just walk and look assertive (or follow a local)
Another thing Rome maybe famous for is Roman men - if your a woman on your own like I was you may get some coming up to talk to you. I found that they don't take you "not interested" hints very easily so you have to be clear that you're not interested. I found telling them I had to go meet someone was the best way.
I'm always keen on walking ronud the places I visit but Rome can maybe be a bit big for this. I'd probably advise going in months when its a bit cooler or getting the buses for the longer distances - you can get tickets from shops.
I was going onto Siena next - not a place on the main train system so I was getting a bus. I managed to book my ticket in advance easily enough but finding the bus itself was a bit harder. For a city as big as Rome you would have thought a more organised system would have been in order but it was pretty much just a parking lot that the buses pulled into and no information or anyone to help at all. Luckily I was on my bus (with broken air conditioning) and on my way to Sienna.
- Created:
- Friday, October 22, 2004 at 2:36 PM
- Last Modified:
- Friday, October 22, 2004 at 3:14 PM