LetsTravelRome

When in Rome . . .: How to do it like a local

By Ken Dilanian
Special to the Chicago Tribune
Published May 22, 2005


ROME -- Seduced by those endless television images of sun-dappled St. Peter's Basilica during the papal transition? Thinking of booking a trip to the Eternal City?

You're not alone. Travel agents say Americans are heading to Rome in droves this spring and summer, thanks in part to the city's visibility during the pope coverage.

It's a great idea. I've lived here for almost three years, and I still discover something new to like about the place almost every day. For a visitor, Rome is a catalog of wonders that almost always makes for an unforgettable experience.

But Italy's capital, like Italy itself, is not all hearts and flowers. As any expatriate resident will tell you, there is a lot to dislike about living here. Luckily most of it—like the mind-bending bureaucracy or the paltry choice of non-Italian restaurants—is irrelevant to the tourist.

Still, there are a few things worth knowing to avoid common pitfalls and make your trip go more smoothly. Here's an insider's guide to a pleasant Roman vacation.

Where to stay: The first thing you'll notice when you start hunting for Rome hotels is that the old reliable chains are either exorbitantly expensive or nowhere near the historic center. And amenities like a fitness center don't exist in a decent location for less than $300 a night. Welcome to Rome's overpriced lodging market, made worse for Americans by the sagging dollar. Demand seems to be pushing prices ever higher this season, and many of the gems are already booked solid.

Unless you are prepared to spend a bundle, what you can hope for is a quaint place in a good location, like the basic, three-star Hotel Siena near the incomparable Trevi Fountain, where a double in late May is going for about $240 a night. If you have to go further downmarket, consider that you aren't coming here to hang around your hotel, anyway.

If you can, stay in the neighborhood known as Old Rome, where you can walk to almost everything you'll want to see. The ideal locations are near Campo di Fiori, the Spanish Steps, the Pantheon or the Trevi. Trastevere is also wonderful, if not quite in the very center. If I had to choose between a great hotel and a great location in Rome, I'd pick location. The dingy Metro often doesn't go where you need it to, taxis are expensive, and the overcrowded buses aren't easy to navigate.

There are a lot of budget hotels around the Termini central train station. Stay there if you must, but be warned that it gets a little seedy at night, and it's a hike from many of the sights. Likewise, staying near the Vatican or the Colosseum can be fine, but it means that you are not really within an easy walk of most of the tourist trail. Many travelers are willing to brave the Termini neighborhood, though, to stay at the new Radisson SAS. It's Rome's version of hip minimalism, and it has an outdoor pool.

If you are unsure about a hotel, see what other guests had to say about it on www.tripadvisor.com, which also links to Web deals. Use the link to the right of this Blog. For bargains also try the site www.venere.com. As an alternative, consider renting an apartment for a week.

When you land: Under no circumstances should you take a taxi into the city from Fiumicino Airport. There is a reason taxi drivers wait in line for hours for a single airport trip. Even an honest fare can easily run 50 euros, and honest airport fares for non-Italian-speakers are about as common in this city as a decent hamburger. A savvy investment banker I know was fleeced for 100 euros—$135.

You have at least two good alternatives. One, take the Leonardo Express, a comfortable 10-euro train that whisks you to Rome's central train station, Termini, in 35 minutes. You can even buy tickets with a credit card in the small machine outside the ticket office (don't forget to validate the ticket by inserting it into the yellow box near the platform). From Termini, you can take a much cheaper taxi to your hotel. The truly determined can try the Metro by following the signs.

Option two is a car service, which will send a driver to meet you in the airport arrivals hall for less than the cost of a taxi. Lately I have been using www.romeshuttlelimousine.com, which charges 35 euros ($47). It's nice to see somebody waving a placard with your name on it.

What to see and do: You already know the big stuff. This is a city of awe-inspiring ruins, amazing churches and compelling monuments—and it's a place where just walking the cobblestones streets is unlike anywhere else in the world. Save a full day for St. Peter's and the Vatican museum, of course. Your guided tour—highly recommended—will end in the Sistine Chapel, where the cardinals recently elected Pope Benedict XVI.

The three other "patriarchal basilicas"—St. John Lateran, St. Mary Major and St. Paul's Outside the Walls—are each stunning, and worth a visit. But my favorite church is St. Mary Over Minerva, near the Pantheon, with its gothic interior and striking blue ceiling.

Other places to take a tour include the Colosseum—the guide will find you in line—and the Roman Forum, where a good guide can bring that old marble to life with stories of treachery and glory.

My other favorite experiences include a stroll in one of the parks, either Villa Borghese to the north of the center or Villa Doria Pamphili near Trastevere; climbing the stairs to the Campidoglio, the Michelangelo-designed City Hall complex, where you are rewarded with views of the Roman Forum; and people-watching in and around Via Condotti, home to Prada, Armani et al. Which brings me to…

Where to shop—or not

With the exchange rate where it is, there are no bargains here. That Versace blouse is probably cheaper back home, even if you dutifully pursue your refund of the 20 percent sales tax on purchases over 155 euros. What's more, Rome is full of tiny stores with limited selection, inconsistent quality and often-indifferent service. Once you get their attention, many shopkeepers don't want you fingering their merchandise—they insist on bringing you your size, then hovering. My wife, for one, can't stand shopping here for that reason.

Still not dissuaded? Okay, it's true that the Italians are good with leather, ceramics and housewares. The biggest shopping streets are Via del Corso, which runs through the heart of central Rome, and Cola di Rienzo, across the Tiber closer to the Vatican. Funkier boutiques can be found around Camp di Fiori and Trastevere.

Rome now has a bona fide outlet mall called Castel Romano, but getting there by public transportation, which I did once, involves taking the Metro, then a bus; then being left by that bus on the side of a highway; then walking a mile. If you must, take the B line to the Laurentina stop, then a Cotral bus toward Pomezia-Latina to the Castel Romano stop.

Where to eat: Dining is an integral part of an Italy vacation, and you should peruse the Web for recommendations. It's easy to eat badly here, though, even at guidebook-sanctioned places. It is also possible to find yourself staring at the same menu every night. Romans are not known for culinary adventurousness, and this is a city full of tourist traps.

That said, just because the place is full of tourists and the menus are in English doesn't mean it will be mediocre. The best (and most expensive meal) I've eaten in Rome was at El Toula (www.toula.it), on Via della Lupa, which is probably in every guidebook, and which even served butter with the bread, American style. Order the veal.

My wife and I often take visitors to Girarrosto Fiorentino (www.girarrostofiorentino.it), at Via Sicilia 29 near the U.S. Embassy, because they serve a sumptuous Tuscan appetizer plate of cold cuts, buffalo mozzarella and grilled vegetables, and, if you have any appetite left, great steaks. I also recently ate a wonderful meal at Taverna Trilussa on Via del Politeama in Trastevere. L'Archetto, at Via dell'Archetto 26, has dozens of varieties of spaghetti, done up with all manner of cheeses, meats and spices.

For my money the best espresso is served at Caffe Tazza D'Oro (www.tazzadoro.it), near the Pantheon, and the best gelato, if you prefer the creamier kind, is at San Crispino (www.ilgelatodisancrispino.com), tucked away near the Trevi Fountain.

If you want pizza that clings to its historic roots, try the Verace Napoletana option at Pizza in Blue, overlooking Piazza Barberini. This wood-oven-baked variety uses just the right San Marzano tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella. The owner runs a famous Naples restaurant that was a pizza pioneer.

Since a 10 or 15 percent service charge is included in the bill, you need to tip only a euro or two, except at high-end places, where you can leave 5 percent extra.

Other trips: Rome is generally a safe city, but pickpocketing and purse snatching are pandemic, so guard your valuables, especially on a crowded bus or train.

People of color may find a less welcoming atmosphere in Italy than in northern Europe, though it often seems born more of ignorance than hate. Italians, especially in the south, tend to stare at people who are different from them. My wife, who is Korean-American, has had some unpleasant experiences here, and I once saw some young idiots scream mockingly at a group of Asian tourists in the street. But some people report no problems at all. For more information, check out the minority travelers' forum at www.ricksteves.com.

On a lighter note, waiting in line is seen as a sort of quaint notion in Italy: a nice idea but optional. So don't be afraid to assert yourself when somebody steps in front of you at a taxi stand or a bar. A sharp "mi scuse" usually does the trick. Bars, by the way, are where you go to get an espresso and a snack, and you usually need to pay first, then take the receipt to the counter.

Lastly, horde your change. Italian merchants never had enough in the lira days, and they don't have enough now. Don't even think of asking a small shop to break that 50-euro note you just got from the ATM.

Now that you know to be ready for them, none of these minor hiccups should detract from the majesty of one of the world's great centers of art, culture and beauty.

posted by Les Sheppard @ 10:53 AM