Traveling to Rome for the First Time – Are you planning a trip to Rome or thinking about it then you need to read this post? Now there are even more crowds the bill is very surprising. Rome is a city that ever everybody wants to visit. But with all that popularity comes a few challenges. In this Article you will learn 10 challenges of visiting Rome. And how to deal with them. Here we go.
How to Get Tickets for Colosseum and Vatican Museums?
Challenge number one Rome can get super crowded and getting tickets for sightseeing requires a lot of planning. But don’t worry. I’ll help you speed up your process by breaking down key elements of getting tickets in Rome. These are essential tips but it might be too much detail. If you’re not actively planning just yet feel free to skip to number two. So, you are actively planning your trip to Rome here are two things (Traveling to Rome for the First Time). You must know about getting tickets in Rome first off you. Completely need to book tickets online in advance.
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If you don’t want to end up on a line like this where do you buy tickets in advance go to the official website of each Landmark. I’ll say a couple of weeks or even a month before your trip. But here’s the tricky part. Most tickets are time the entries. So, you really need to have a specific itinerary planned. Visiting Rome is all about planning. Secondly you need to decide whether you want to  buy a regular ticket or the skip the line ticket.
I booked the regular tickets for the pantheon and  the Vatican Museum. Since we already have a ticket they scanned the ticket and we are going through the  security now. After a quick Security check which is required for any ticket holders, I believe we  were able to get in pick up our ticket. And go on with the audio tour at the scheduled. But when it comes to the Colosseum. You need to get a group tour ticket and be accompanied with a licensed tour guide.
If you really want to skip the line. So, 12 10 I think we’re still should be in some kind of a line here even though we bought the skip the line ticket. Now we’re getting in I hear the line can be as long as 40 to an hour if you’re not entering as a group. Now you might be actually surprised to hear the line at the Colosseum isn’t as terrible as you expected. That’s because the Colosseum no longer sells tickets on site.
Traveling to Rome for the First Time – There is no ticket booth nor extreme line anymore. In other words, everyone is required to have a ticket to show up. Which is also why getting  tickets online is more competitive. Now so if you can find a ticket from their official website. Don’t Panic you can still get tickets from a third party or a reseller or you can book a group tour. Like I did to minimize the wait and to learn more about these historical sites.
Cafe Scams
Traveling to Rome for the First Time – Challenge number two is restaurant and Cafe scams the bill is very surprising. This Cafe had a misleading menu outside the store and didn’t offer a full menu with the price a cup of Americano. Which Americans usually order it costs the same as these two pieces of Panini. I know tourist traps exist everywhere. But in Rome it wasn’t like any other European cities I’ve been to.
So, we are we’re staying in this like very touristy area near the Trevi Fountain. And we’ve been having trouble like finding a café. That offers menu with price that is not packed. When you are in tourist areas always check Google reviews and ask price for every single item. You order otherwise you might end up getting a very surprising bill.
Service Fees at Restaurants
Traveling to Rome for the First Time – Speaking of Bill Did you know restaurants in Rome charge a small service fee. It’s usually just a couple of Euros which is nothing compared to the 20 tips. I’m used to paying in the US. So, I just need to offer you a heads up. You can check your bill and see if the service fee was charged. And you can decide how much extra tip. You need to go away if you need to.
Diverse Food (Traveling to Rome for the First Time)
Challenge Number four It’s pretty difficult to find diverse food in Rome. Sure, people go to Rome to eat Italian food and they have great food. But sometimes I just want a simple avocado toast, with eggs, or a salad, or hot noodle soup. in comparison to the alternative massive towns in Europe. I definitely felt that I had much less Choice when it comes to the variety of foods.
So, if you’re like me I would highly recommend staying at an Airbnb with a kitchenette rather than a hotel room. So, you can make yourself small snacks and meals. I stayed in a hotel but we had a common area. Where we were able to have a little breakfast with the produce. We’ve got from a supermarket and that was a lifesaver.
Water Faucets
Traveling to Rome for the First Time – Challenge number five this isn’t much of a challenge. But I was surprised to discover that some of the water faucets don’t have a knob or handle. So, I went to this restaurant and went to The Powder Room to  wash my hands and I had no idea how to turn on. The water because I couldn’t find a knob or handle.
So eventually I asked the staff and the staff showed me that. There is a paddle underneath the washstand. So, you’re supposed to push the pedal instead of turning the knob. I wasn’t definitely the only person who had a hard time figuring this out. I saw another Foreigner standing in front of the washstand having no clue how to turn on the water. So, I had to tell her about the pedal.
Uber Without an Exact Quote
Challenge number six when you order a taxi using an app. You might not get an exact quote for your ride. And if you use Uber you’ll be redirected to the local taxi service. Rome had each own taxi app which I didn’t install. Because I already had Uber on my phone. I’m not sure if using Uber had anything to do with it.
But I ended up paying about two Euros more than the Uber’s quote. It’s not a big deal. However, I’ve used Uber in Paris and Lisbon. I never had to pay more than the quote from the app. So just something to be aware of maybe you should install the local app. And maybe you will get the exact  quote.
How Much Cash to Bring (Traveling to Rome for the First Time)
Challenge number seven, you probably need to bring more cash than usual. When we travel to Europe we usually bring just a hundred euros just in case. And we hardly use them because most of the time we pay with our credit cards and mobile payments. But in Rome we were asked to pay in cash more frequently.
For example, our hotel charged us a city tax when we were checking in which was around 20 euros. And they asked us to pay in cash only. So, bring more Euros when you visiting Rome.
Be Aware of a Big Crowd
Challenge number eight Rome turns out to be the most popular destination for field trips. So, I went to Rome in April instead of summer months to avoid a big crowd turns out. April can be even more crowded with students from all over Europe. So, if a crowded place is not your thing do not plan on visiting Rome ever just kidding. Make sure you are going to roam during the off season weather-wise and fieldtrip-wise.
Random Passport Check (Traveling to Rome for the First Time)
Challenge number nine be aware of random police passport checks. Well this didn’t happen to me in Rome but in Florence. So, who knows you see the police behind me. We were just walking around. First impression of Florence. Yeah, we were already like relaxed and more peaceful can I see your passport. So, we show them the passport and I asked. Wow okay.
This is not an airport why is this necessary and they said like, there are just like a lot of random passports like checks. I’m sure all of you are traveling um legally. But make sure that you have your passport near you. The takeaway here is keep your passport safe and within reach. For me I always carry my passport with a tile tracker. So, if I can’t find it for some reason.
Vatican Museums Cafeteria
Challenge number 10. If you are planning to visit the Vatican museum be sure to have a big breakfast. And bring some snacks with you. The museum is huge and you will feel quite exhausted and hungry at the end of the tour. The museum has a self-service food court and it was a bit below average in terms of quality of food and price. In comparison Ikea has a way better food court.
After looking at the tons of great artwork I have to say the cafeteria was a bit of a letdown. I’m all about sharing my personal and honest travel experience. If I come across as ranting about Rome. I want you to know that despite all the challenges. I was blown away by the incredible history and Rich culture of this city.
