Every year, millions of people visit Rome to see its famous sights and eat great food. But many tourists make the same mistakes that can ruin their trip. These problems happen to almost everyone – from first-time visitors to people who have traveled a lot before.
Travel experts and tourism workers in Rome have noticed the same issues coming up again and again. Most of these problems are easy to avoid if you know what to look out for. Here are the five biggest mistakes tourists make in Rome and simple ways to prevent them.
Mistake #1: Wearing the Wrong Shoes
The biggest problem tourists face in Rome has nothing to do with getting lost or language barriers. It’s wearing bad shoes.
Rome’s streets are covered in old cobblestones that have been there for hundreds of years. These stones are uneven and can be slippery when wet. Walking on them in flip-flops, high heels, or thin sneakers will hurt your feet within hours.
Doctors at hospitals near tourist areas see dozens of people every day with twisted ankles, bad blisters, and foot pain. Most of these injuries happen because people wore the wrong shoes for walking on Rome’s old streets.
Places like the Roman Forum and Colosseum are even worse. These ancient sites have rough stone surfaces and require lots of walking. The ground is uneven and can be dangerous if you don’t have good shoes with grip.
Many tourists pick shoes that look nice instead of shoes that feel good. This is a mistake that will make your entire trip painful. Your feet will hurt so much that you won’t be able to enjoy the amazing things you came to see.
The solution is simple: bring comfortable walking shoes with good support. Make sure they have thick soles and grip on the bottom. Break them in before your trip so they don’t give you blisters. Good shoes might not look as stylish, but they’ll save your vacation.
Tour guides always tell people that comfortable feet are the most important thing for enjoying Rome. If your feet hurt, you can’t walk around the city and see everything you want to see.
Mistake #2: Not Buying Tickets Ahead of Time
Rome’s most popular attractions get completely booked up, especially during busy times of the year. Tourists who don’t buy tickets in advance often can’t get into the places they most want to see.
The Vatican Museums, Colosseum, and other major sites only let a certain number of people in each day. During peak season, three to five times more people want to visit than can actually get in. This means if you don’t have tickets already, you probably won’t get to go inside.
People who show up without tickets often spend their whole day waiting in line, only to find out the attraction is sold out. This is especially frustrating when you’ve traveled thousands of miles to see these places.
Each attraction has different rules about tickets. Some require you to visit at a specific time, while others let you come anytime during the day. The Vatican is particularly confusing because it’s actually a separate country with different ticket systems for different areas.
You can buy tickets online, but be careful about which websites you use. Official attraction websites usually have the best prices. Third-party sites often charge extra fees that can add up to a lot of money.
The worst part about not having tickets isn’t just missing the attractions. It’s the stress and disappointment of realizing you could have easily avoided the problem by planning ahead.
Smart travelers now buy tickets as soon as they book their trip to Rome. This guarantees they’ll get to see what they came for, no matter how busy the city gets.
Mistake #3: Only Seeing Famous Landmarks
Many tourists stick to the most famous sights in Rome and miss out on the real city. While places like the Colosseum and Vatican are amazing, they don’t show you what Rome is actually like.
The areas around major tourist attractions are designed for visitors, not locals. They’re crowded, expensive, and don’t represent real Roman life. If you only see these places, you’ll miss the authentic culture that makes Rome special.
Neighborhoods like Trastevere, Testaccio, and Prati are where Romans actually live and work. These areas have local markets, neighborhood restaurants, and small churches that tourists rarely visit. Walking through these neighborhoods shows you what daily life in Rome looks like.
In local neighborhoods, you can see how Romans really live. You’ll find small grocery stores, local cafes, and residential streets that haven’t changed much in decades. This gives you a much better understanding of the city beyond the tourist attractions.
The restaurants in these areas serve real Roman food at normal prices. They cook traditional recipes that have been passed down through families, not the tourist-friendly versions you find near major sights.
Getting to these neighborhoods is easy using Rome’s buses and metro system. You can visit authentic areas in the morning and still see the famous landmarks in the afternoon.
Some walking tours now include visits to local neighborhoods along with the major sights. These tours help you see both the tourist attractions and the real Rome during the same trip.
Mistake #4: Not Using Rome’s Free Water
Rome has hundreds of public water fountains throughout the city that provide free, clean drinking water. Most tourists don’t know about these fountains and end up spending lots of money on bottled water instead.
Buying bottled water in Rome is expensive, especially near tourist attractions where vendors charge premium prices. A family can easily spend 50 euros or more on water during a week-long trip, money that could be used for better food or souvenirs.
The water from Rome’s public fountains is the same quality as what comes from the tap in hotels and restaurants. It’s tested regularly and meets strict safety standards. Often, it tastes better than bottled water you can buy in stores.
The fountains, called “nasone” by locals, are easy to spot throughout the city. They have a distinctive design and are always flowing with fresh water. You can fill up any bottle or container you bring with you.
Not staying hydrated in Rome can be dangerous, especially during summer when temperatures get very hot. Walking around the city for hours without enough water can make you sick and ruin your trip.
Environmental groups also encourage using the fountains instead of buying plastic bottles. Rome is trying to reduce plastic waste, and using reusable bottles helps keep the city cleaner.
The best approach is to bring a reusable water bottle from home and fill it up at fountains throughout the day. This keeps you hydrated without spending extra money or creating waste.
Mistake #5: Eating at Tourist Trap Restaurants
Restaurants right next to major attractions in Rome are usually expensive and serve bad food. These places make money from tourists who don’t know any better, not from providing good meals.
Tourist restaurants know that most of their customers will only eat there once, so they don’t worry about quality. They focus on getting people in and out quickly rather than serving good food or providing good service.
The menus at these restaurants usually have generic Italian-American dishes instead of real Roman food. They cater to what they think tourists want rather than serving authentic local cuisine.
Prices at tourist restaurants are much higher than normal, and they often add surprise charges for things like bread, water, or just sitting at the table. Your bill can end up being much more than you expected.
The service at these restaurants is often poor because they hire inexperienced staff and don’t train them properly. Many servers don’t speak English well, which can make ordering difficult.
The atmosphere in tourist restaurants is usually sterile and fake. They don’t have the warm, family-friendly feeling of real Roman restaurants where locals eat.
The solution is to walk a few blocks away from major attractions before choosing a restaurant. Look for places where you see local families eating, not just tourists. These restaurants will have better food at better prices.
You can also check online reviews before you eat anywhere. Romans are honest about which restaurants are good and which ones to avoid.
How to Avoid These Problems
All of these mistakes are easy to avoid with a little planning before your trip. The key is to research Rome before you go rather than figuring everything out when you arrive.
Use your phone to look up restaurant reviews, check attraction hours, and find local neighborhoods worth visiting. There are many apps and websites that provide real-time information about Rome that previous generations of travelers didn’t have access to.
Plan your budget carefully by understanding the real costs of different choices. Know that eating near attractions costs more, but walking a few blocks can save you lots of money.
Learn basic Italian phrases and Roman customs before you go. This shows respect for local culture and helps you have better interactions with people you meet.
Invest in good walking shoes and bring a reusable water bottle. These simple preparations will make your trip much more comfortable and enjoyable.
Do research about different neighborhoods in Rome, not just the famous landmarks. Plan to spend time in local areas where you can see how Romans really live.
Buy tickets for major attractions as soon as you book your trip. Don’t wait until you arrive in Rome, because popular sites often sell out.
The most important thing is to remember that Rome rewards visitors who prepare ahead of time. A little planning before your trip can prevent all of these common problems and help you have an amazing experience in one of the world’s greatest cities.
Rome has been welcoming visitors for thousands of years. The city has everything you need for a perfect vacation – great food, incredible history, beautiful art, and friendly people. But like any major destination, it helps to know what you’re doing before you arrive.
These five mistakes happen to thousands of tourists every year, but they don’t have to happen to you. With some basic preparation and common sense, you can avoid these problems and focus on enjoying everything Rome has to offer.
