Top Tips for Your First Trip to Rome

A trip to Rome ranks high on many people’s bucket lists, thanks to the unique experiences this iconic city has to offer. If you’re thinking of touring Rome, you’ll love the fact that it’s possible any season, but of course, there are other things to know and plan. Consider Vatican tours for this services. 

As you await your chance of getting lost on those winding cobblestone streets, here are tips to remember:

They take a rest on Mondays.

Restaurants, museums and other tourist attractions are open through the entire weekend, so rest day falls on a Monday. Be sure to take note of this so you don’t end up disappointed. Set your Monday or Mondays aside for shopping or just relaxing in your hotel.   

Know the Italian meal time.

If you usually have dinner early in the evening - around 6:00 or 7:00 - don’t be surprised if restaurants in Rome aren’t quite open yet on these hours. Italians usually start dinner at 8:30 or even later. Restaurants usually close well past 10:00 so you probably won’t miss out. If 8:30 is too late for you, have an aperitivo as the Italians do. There are open buffets and drinks at bars that open at 7:00.  Click here for more info: https://theromanguy.com.

Have some house wine. 

When dining out in Rome, order the house wine or vino della casa, which usually tastes just as great as bottled wine but cheaper. You’ll probably get it by the liter in a carafe.  

Tips are not expected but always appreciated. 

Tipping has never been part of the Italian culture. In restaurants, for example, the bill almost always includes a service charge, but a few extra coins left on the table would be nice. Even taxi drivers don’t expect tips, but if you feel like it, there’s no reason not to give a tip.

Take advantage of free museum entrance days. 

The first Sunday of every month is free entrance day in most museums and archaeological sites, such as the Colosseum, Baths of Caracalla, Galleria Borghese and the like. In fact, this isn’t true solely for Rome, but for the rest of Italy as well. 

Book online. 

Lastly, while you can never entirely skip the line, booking tickets online sure does cut your waiting time, not to mention rates can be cheaper too. Or you can always arrive early in the morning or late in the afternoon when the queues are more manageable. Discover more here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tour_guide.