Middle Aged and Touring Rome

Just a couple quick tips that may help you if you're planning a trip to Rome.

In front of the Colosseum.  As usual, I am wearing sunglasses, which makes it difficult to take out my tour guide and maps to read about what I am seeing and navigate where I am headed to next.

Like I said in a earlier blog, it pains me a bit to say this - but I am middle aged.  For those of you in the same boat and touring Rome, there are two things I would recommend to make your trip a bit more enjoyable.

1. Sunglasses with readers built in.
2. If taking tours (and I highly recommend them), your own ear buds.

Most of us over 40 need reading glasses.  I was able to put off using readers till my later 40's, but now that I need them - I really need them.  I am also sensitive to light, so sunglasses are always a must.  When touring Rome, I was frequently taking off my sunglasses, putting on my reading glasses and looking at maps and reading tour guide books....very frequently in fact.  So much so that if I were to tour it again I would purchase sunglasses with readers in them so I wouldn't have to hassle carrying another pair of glasses and wasting time with changing and eyes adjusting from light to dark and back.  It didn't spoil my trip by any means, however, it is something I wish I had thought of before going. If you're not reliant on reading glasses, this won't be an issue for you of course.

We took several guided tours, some using audio systems that make for a great experience.  However, all ear buds are not created equal, and some were uncomfortable.  If you're extra sensitive to such things or particular about your earbuds you might find it better to bring your own.  The companies give you new pairs, wrapped in plastic, so I was never afraid I was using old or dirty earbuds, but some just were not as comfortable as my own pair. 

Booking tours in Rome

Our first tour in Rome.  An afternoon in the Roman countryside at a vineyard of a prince where we learned about Italian Wines.  This was a great experience. 

When Mom and I booked our trip, we did not take a full guided tour approach even though neither of us had ever been to Italy.  We wanted to explore the city, at our own pace and allow plenty of wiggle room to see whatever caught our fancy when we arrived.

That being said, I wasn't opposed to taking small tours while there, and I am so glad we did as they offered insight and access to things we wouldn't/couldn't do on our own and enhanced the time we had exploring on our own.

Before leaving home, I pre-booked a Roman countryside vineyard/wine tasting tour, Ostia Antica tour, and the Vatican.  Also read  http://tipsforrome.blogspot.com/2017/05/is-it-worth-prebooking-tickets-to.html . I spaced these apart for Saturday, Tuesday and Thursday which allowed for plenty of time in between to do our own thing.  While there, I bought my guided tour ticket to Borghese museum (which was on my must-do list) and added a crypts and catacombs tour through the same company we did the Ostia Antica tour on Tuesday.  I did both of these added tours on my own, while Mom used the time to relax or explore on her own.

All the tour company tickets were printed, and they all indicated that I need to show I.D. and were non transferrable when I bought them.  In reality, I.D. was never necessary.  In all five tours I took, not once was I asked to prove who I was.  In fact, I didn't even need the tickets for the independently run tours, but did for the Vatican and Borghese museum guided tours.  I showed my tickets there, but no I.D. (as asked for on the tickets) was required.  I always had my passport safety tucked away, but there was no need to show it. 

The independent tour company (City Wonders) guides had a list of names and once you gave the name, they crossed you off as there and that was it.  No need to even show your ticket and was as easy as it can get.  At the museums I had a printed ticket and presented it as you would at any venue.

Borghese museum is very popular, and I highly recommend you book as soon as you can commit to a date or you may not get in.  I saw many people being turned away.  Additionally, the other tours can fill up during the busy time and they limit the number of people (which makes for a wonderful tour) but I did not get my first choice of times for either of the two tours (Borghese and crypts and catacombs) that I waited to book while there.  I was fortunate that they had other times that worked with my schedule that I had kept pretty open, but be warned that waiting too long may eliminate the possibility to see something you want. 

Another bonus of taking some side guided tours is you connect with other English speaking people in Rome.  While I found that many people in Rome spoke English, taking a tour automatically gives you something in common with those around you and our groups were small so you get to talking to others who are on vacation like you.  While they speak English, they are not necessarily American.  At the vineyard tour we visited with four people from Dublin, Ireland, a couple from Finland and  young couple from Chicago.  On another tour I talked to a mother and son from Serbia for some length.  I found these experiences enhanced my travel adventure. 

Mom and I at the vineyard getting ready to learn about and sample Italian wines.

Our Best Meal in Rome

We saved the best for last.  Friday was our last day in Rome before an early departure on Saturday morning.  I had read about a pizzeria not far from our hotel and it was on my top 10 list of things to do in Rome.  That is saying a lot, since there is so much to see and do in Rome.  I was a bit apprehensive, since I had read such rave reviews about this place that I was afraid it was like the movie that everyone says is a must see and you get your expectations up, only to be disappointed.  Surely, I was setting myself up to be let down.

I am happy to report that I was wrong.  It was even better than anticipated.  The pizzeria is Pinsere, and it lives up to its great online reviews.  My mother, who is not a pizza fan,

Standing is your only option at Pinsere.

loved it and like me, claims it is the best pizza she has ever ate.  (My previous nomination for this title is Lombardi's in New York).  The toppings are very unusual and the pizzas are slightly oval, not round.  We selected two and shared, which was more than we could eat.  The price was great at 5.00 for one selection and 5.50 for the other (euros of course, not dollars) and for 10.50 euros it was the very best meal we ate in Rome.

Don't expect fancy dining.  After getting your hot pizza you eat standing up either inside or out, and even then there are only a few places to stand with little shelves.

Mom and I split our two selections.

  The guys running the place are very nice and will help you decide what to eat and speak English well enough to cater to tourist, though I think this is more of a "local" place.  Given the great reviews, I am sure it gets its fair share of us tourist though.

We went early, and got there right around noon and it was not crowded.  However, by 1 pm this place had a line out the door and down the street.  Do yourself a favor, and go early. 

After eating this slice of heaven on a plate (seriously, it was delicious) we went to the restaurant across the street called La Grande Belleazza Ristorante.   We wanted to sit and people watch.  This is how we saw the lines start forming at Pinsere.  We ordered a cherry pie, which was more like a tart, and house red wine.  I know little about wines, except the tiny bit I gleaned from our wine tasting vineyard tour the week before, but the wine with the pie paired very well in my opinion and was the perfect end to the best pizza we'd ever ate across the street. 

There is a hotel a couple doors down from Pinsere.  Mom and I stepped in and checked it out thinking that on our next trip we might want to book at this hotel to be that close to the best pizza ever.  We are half serious about this...I

I highly recommend Pinsere for your trip to Rome.  Even if it is slightly out of the way from your hotel, be sure to take the time to look this up.  Top it off with dessert and wine across the street.  It may just be your best meal in Rome! 

The restaurant we stopped for dessert after the perfect pizza for cherry pie and perfectly paired house red wine.  We sat outside and watched the crowds form around Pinsere.

The selection of pizza on the day we visited.  We selected a two different pizzas.  One had pumpkin on it.  Both were delicious.

Rome Dining

For our 8 day stay in Rome, we only had one waitress.  From a casual tourist perspective, it appears that waiters are much more prevalent than waitresses.  We very much enjoyed our dining experiences while in Rome and they were different than what you experience in the United States (after all, isn't the reason you travel to experience new things?)

One of the biggest differences is in all 8 days, we never once had a waiter bring us our check until we asked.  You always had to find your waiter and usually using a hand gesture combined with verbiage ask for your check.  One of our tour guides gave us a great demonstration on how to get your check and I was then able to do it with confidence.  You don't even need to call them to your table.  Just grab their attention from across the room, make the gesture and your check will come. If you don't ask, I wonder just how long a person has to wait if they don't ask.

My daughter works for a local café here in the U.S.  Her manager/owner has a policy.  If a table has to ask for a check, then the waitress (yes, it is all women at her café) has waited too long to give them their bill and (in theory) the waitress has to pay for the food (I'm not sure it is really enforced, and is more like a threat to keep the waitresses from not giving the bills quick enough).  This is the exact opposite of the mind-set of dining in Rome.  You are not rushed out and dinner can be a nice, relaxing, and long process. 

One of our favorite places we ate was an outdoor table at a restaurant right next the to the Pantheon.  It was evening and the sun was about to set.  We sat at a table and ordered a drink.  Forty-five minutes later we ordered our dinner.  There was absolutely no feeling of rushing through dinner.  It was a two hour dinner as the sun set and the lights came on the Pantheon, and it was as Roman feeling as you can get.  Dinner was excellent and our waiter, like we'd experienced at other restaurants, gave Mom lots of attention, including a few pecks on the cheek.  Nothing like making you feel beautiful while you sip wine and enjoy the view.  Now this is a Roman holiday at its finest!

Waiters in Rome seem to be both super attentive, and also out of sight at the same time.  If you need something, don't expect to look up and your waiter be hovering over you anticipating your every need.  Patience is the key, but once you slip into that mode, it really becomes a vacation - relax, people watch and talk.  If you're looking to eat quickly, grab a sandwich to go (take away as I saw it called) somewhere.  Dining is a huge part of your experience there, and while there is so much to see, don't underestimate this essential part of your holiday in Rome by trying to rush through it.

My picture taking skills are very lacking here, but this is Mom and our waiter at the restaurant in front of Pantheon.  He showered Mom with attention and our meal there was delicious, relaxing and fun.  The perfect Roman meal.

Wine is inexpensive, good and always part our meals in Rome.

Our last evening in Rome.  We found this place just down the street from our hotel and the food was incredibly inexpensive and good. 

Is it worth prebooking tickets to the Vatican?

In my opinion - yes, yes, and yes!

I debated doing this.  Just by chance, we happened to be in Rome during the last Sunday of the month which is a free day for the Vatican.  I love to save money and initially thought "what a great idea".  Upon reading into it more, I decided the crowds and waiting just might not be worth the small savings.  If you're really, really going on a tight budget and are young and/or have good stamina, the free day might be worth it.

I am middle aged (kind of pains me to say that) and my travel companion was my mother, so fighting the crowds during the one free day a month didn't feel like a wise idea.  So free day was out, and now I had to make a decision - to stand in line and pay for tickets on a regular admission day and leave our schedule in Rome more open, or pre-book tickets.  I went into planning our trip thinking I didn't want to pre-book too many activities because, after all, it is vacation and I don't want to be under a set schedule.  Also, there is an additional fee for pre-booking tickets through the website and that goes against my other travel philosophy of saving money where I can.

In the end, after reading many articles about lines I went ahead and pre-booked our tickets.  I also decided to book the guided tour since I knew our stamina would run out as it is such a large place and I wanted to be sure to hit the highlights.

The tickets were purchased directly through the Vatican website.  There are multiple guided tours with other companies that I will discuss in a moment.  I chose this option because it was the least expensive and felt official.  The website has many options, but it is pretty straightforward to book your choice.

For a guided tour, including earphone charge, reservation fee, guide and full ticket price was 74 euros for two people.  This is about the price of one guided tour with other companies. 

A small sample of the crowds, most places were so crowded I didn't even get out my camera and just enjoyed the moment.

Our tickets were for a Thursday at 9:30 am.  I thought that was early enough, but I thought wrong.  It was extremely crowded.  Was I happy I pre-booked tickets?  I cannot tell you how trilled I was.  The lines at Disneyland on the most crowded summer day for the most popular attraction do not rival the line going around the Vatican with people waiting to purchase their tickets.   We were escorted to the right side of the rope since we had tickets and walked past everyone.  (That pre-booking fee of 4 euros per person seems very worth it at that moment).  We had a short delay going in with the masses (no pun intended) through security, but nothing as long as airport security and since we had a guided tour, we went to the left, up a short staircase and presented our tickets and waited with about a hundred people (more then one group) while hoards of people filtered through the downstairs area. 

Now, was the guided tour worth it?  I think so because I wanted to catch the highlights.  It would be great to think I had a whole day there to wander, in the middle of January when the crowds were slimmer and really see things, but we wanted the better weather (and could not have gotten any better weather) so we went at the end of April to beginning of May, so you're going to have to deal with the crowds. 

I'm sure each Vatican guide could be rated individually with some better than others.  Ours did not hold her microphone the proper way so there was issues with her voice cutting out sometimes.  Additionally, she had a bit of an accent, though spoke perfect English.  I had no problems with this, but my mother had trouble understanding her sometimes.  Our only other critique of our guide was she was short, and did not carry a flag like many of the other guides we saw.  She held up her water bottle for us to find her.  Really?  The crowds there were the most intense I had ever seen.  A few people got from our group got lost and it is easy to see why. 

Additional tour companies offer the same guide for about 71 US dollars per person, so about twice the price.  In hindsight, I'd say it was a decent way to get the tour without the additional fees, but if I were to do it again I would try another (perhaps my favorite - City Wonders) tour as I found the tour guides to be more informative, entertaining, and with accents that my mom doesn't have to decipher. 

Either way, pre-booking is a necessity in my opinion.  I don't want to spend my vacation standing in a line for hours.  I wish I had taken a photo of the lines, but unless I had a drone you cannot get a sense of the length of them.  There was also a very long wait to get in St. Peter's Basilica, which we bypassed since we were on a guided tour, saving even more time. 

Don't let these photos fool you, while outside areas may seem rather spacious, inside you will be packed in very tightly.

If the Vatican is on your must see list while in Rome (and if it isn't, you should rethink that list of yours) I would recommend pre-booking your tickets.  There are many options of tours, some are even semi-private or done in off hours to avoid the crowds, but of course these come at a higher cost.

Bathrooms in Rome

Bathrooms in Rome are the most hit and miss thing about our trip there.  Either they are very nice with marble and sparkling clean or...they're not. What they are is a notch above a hole in the ground. 

One thing I found that was very nice was the stalls felt more private.  I felt this immediately upon deplaning and using the facilities at the airport.  The doors on individual stalls go all the way to the top and bottom so you felt you were in your own small bathroom and not just a "stall".  This trend continued throughout my bathroom experiences in Rome (never thought that would be a sentence I would utter in my life) and now I am wondering why in America we insist on leaving a foot gap at the bottom and several feet at the top.  We only cover from shin high to just over our heads.  That is kind of weird and now that I've used the public restrooms in Rome, I would like to start a campaign to change our public restrooms here.  Well, change them to the ones that that are better than a hole in the ground.

Some of the worst bathrooms had doors that didn't lock (these were one stall type bathrooms) and several did not have toilet seats.  No toilet seats!  As a woman, your only option was to squat.  These were not in bad establishments, just your run of the mill places to grab a quick bite. Bathrooms were not always in convenient places either.   In one place my mom had to walk behind a wall and down a spiral staircase to get to the bathroom.  I did feel like the nicer restaurant (not more expensive always) the nicer the bathroom. 

Another thing I noticed was the sinks in about half of the public bathrooms I used had a lever on the floor to push with your foot (instead of a handle to turn) on and off he water in the faucet.   Genius.  I've only seen this a couple times in the states, but really, why don't all public bathrooms have this?  It feels cleaner when I don't have to touch a faucet that someone else just used after they used the bathroom.   I am wearing shoes, so nothing is touching my skin and think that should be another campaign I should launch.

I had read about the bathrooms in Rome, and I followed the suggestion to always carry a small amount of toilet paper in a zip lock back in my purse.  It was only called for once, and wouldn't you know it,  I didn't have my purse on me after having to mandatory check it when going into the museo e Galleria Borghese.  In hindsight, seeing the Bernini sculptures there was well worth that minor inconvenience.

Some bathroom facilities were just a few notches above these first century toilets in Ostia Antica (this is a fabulous tour, and I highly recommend - there is much, much more to see than just toilets).

My take-away:

• All places we found to eat or get a drink had a bathroom and there are more establishments to eat then you would ever imagine.
• Carry that extra toilet paper and take it with you if you have to check your bag at a museum.
• Practice your squatting skills before leaving if your a girl.  If your a man, you've got it made.
• Although I was also warned about needing change for bathrooms that you have to pay for, we never ran into that during our trip though a few bathrooms had attendants that you can tip.

Breakfast in Rome

Everything you may want to know before a trip to Rome....
      Sure, it is fun to wing it and go on your own, but if you can pick up a bit of information before you go, your trip will be smoother.   I have many topics to explore having just come from my Rome trip and I hope you can glean a bit of knowledge before your trip.  So be sure to check out my other blogs for more information.

****************************************

I had read, and found it quite true that breakfast in Rome is very different then what we experience in the United States.  Rome breakfast generally consists of a pastry (very tasty) and espresso or other type of coffee drink.  Since we were on vacation, sleeping in was our normal mode and we easily slipped into the Roman way of doing breakfast.

About six days in, we thought an "American style" breakfast sounded good.  Despite warnings that these are hard to find, we saw them quite often advertised in our walks around the city.  They all appeared to offer the same things. We went around the corner from our hotel, picked a place and went in (the only time we didn't eat outdoors).  There were two choices and we picked one.  Choice A.

Eggs - no choice in how they are cooked.  It ended up being scrambled.

Bacon - Italian style, something similar to ours but not so delicious

Toast - no choice in type of bread and no butter

Salad - yep, you read that correctly.  Lettuce and tomato.  No dressing (typical in Rome)

No salt or pepper for your eggs - again, typical in Rome

A much more typical breakfast in Rome. 

It  is difficult sometimes to go many days without the feeling of home, so if you're tempted to get the American style breakfast, don't - Or do so with caution.  There is really very little like home about it.  We never did walk into a McDonalds, but perhaps they have Egg McMuffins, but I wouldn't count on it.  Enjoy the pastry and espresso on a sidewalk restaurant and savor being in Rome.

Hailing a taxi in Rome

Everything you may want to know before a trip to Rome....

      Sure, it is fun to wing it and go on your own, but if you can pick up a bit of information before you go, your trip will be smoother.   I have many topics to explore having just come from my Rome trip and I hope you can glean a bit of knowledge before your trip.  So be sure to check out my other blogs for more information.

****************************************
Taxis.  For those of us who don't live in a city where their use is common they can be a bit intimidating.  I've managed to live my entire life and never hail a taxi, though oddly it was on my bucket list.  Such a trival thing I know, but it sort of fills you with power.  I picture myself hanging with SJP in NYC on Sex and the City and dressed oh so stylish and hailing my own taxi.

I always envisioned it being so much more fun than going to my garage and climbing in my SUV and heading to the local grocery store.  No, jumping in a taxi and asking them to take you to your hotel is so much...sexier.  I guess that is why that particular show comes to mind.

In the interest of full disclosure, it is not that I have not rode in a taxi.  I have, but I've never actually hailed one.

After a few days in Rome, and riding the Metro several times, it was time to step out of our comfort zone and take a taxi.  The Metro is great, and cheap, but it doesn't hit the center of the city and we were beginning to get a little tired of walking (though still one of my favorite things to do in Rome).  Getting the taxi was easy.  We went to our front desk at the hotel and asked if they could get us one.  They pushed a "magic button", we sat in the lobby and two minutes later, they told us our taxi was there.  Nice!  And easier than Las Vegas for sure where I have waiting in line for one.

I had read some pretty scary stories about Rome's taxi drivers.  Rudeness, taking the long way around to run up your fare, and short changing you (my friend gave 50 euros and taxi driver claimed it was 20 euros and refused to acknowledge the difference) were some of the complaints I had heard.  So I was a bit nervous.  My fears were completely unfounded.

I found the drivers pleasant, honest and the cars were so much better than taxis I've taken in the states.  One was a Mercedes.  It helped that by the time I was there a few days and took the taxi, I felt I knew my way around the main streets (that and studying the map for a few months before I left - which is great, but really helps once you get there and walk them), so I didn't feel we were taken for any extra rides.  Fares were decent and displayed and while not huge conversationalist, the drivers were pleasant and spoke a bit of English. 

Once out there and away from the hotel, I knew I would have to do that thing on my bucket list...raise my hand and hail a taxi.  We were leaving the Trevi Fountain and I rounded the corner, saw the taxi and did just that.  Climbing in, we gave the name of our hotel and for one euro more than the Metro, we were delivered to our hotel front door. 

I don't know why this was so fun to me.  I've been in taxis, but I've just never hailed one before and it just added to the ambiance of being in the city and I am so glad we decided to face our fears of Roman taxi's and go for it.  We took a few other Taxi rides during our trip, and found them equally pleasant.

So, don't be afraid of taxi's in Rome.  Be smart. If you hand them 50 euros (which we did), I made sure I announced it was a fifty.  If you've never been there before, the streets are crazy and nothing is square, so it may feel like your driver is going in circles, but likely is not. 

Trevi Fountain, where I hailed my first taxi

Some fine points:

• There are signs everywhere saying "take only official taxis".  I am not sure I saw an unofficial taxi.
• I also saw a sign stating that UBER is illegal in Rome and there is a huge fine for the passenger (not the driver)
• Tipping - as in other areas of Rome it isn't like the U.S.  We tipped sometimes, and other times didn't due to currency we had on hand (cannot tip 5 euros on a 6 euro ride when that is the smallest denomination you have...however, in the US that would be expected).  Not a word or even a frown from the driver with no tip on that ride - how refreshing!
• All the taxi's look similar style, but car makes are from Mercedes, to Fords and Nissan. I did see a few that looked larger for groups, but we had no need to use this so I cannot offer any advice on how to hail one of these.
• The taxis were so much cleaner than what you usually find in the US.  In my state, my last taxi I took had cigarette butts and reeked of smoke so you have to hold your breath the whole ride.(though it is illegal to smoke in buildings, so that is mind boggling)
• I have no idea if all hotels have that "magic button" to summons a taxi.  Hotels are rated for services by stars.  We stayed at a four star hotel.  Perhaps lower starred hotels do not have this service.

Ice in Rome, or lack thereof

Everything you may want to know before a trip to Rome....

      Sure, it is fun to wing it and go on your own, but if you can pick up a bit of information before you go, your trip will be smoother.   I have many topics to explore having just come from my Rome trip and I hope you can glean a bit of knowledge before your trip.  So be sure to check out my other blogs for more information.

****************************************

With 8 full days in Rome, eating at minimum of two different places each day I feel I can say this with some authority.  Don't expect ice.

Or straws for that matter....of course, without ice, are straws even necessary?  I always use a straw when dining out in my normal daily life in the US.  I didn't really need them in Rome, because there is none of that annoying ice to get in your way while drinking.  

If you really like ice, you will be missing this when in Rome.  I didn't even see an ice machine in the hotel as are standard fare in the U.S. at all class of hotels/motels.

It isn't that Rome has no ice, as I did have it in a cocktail so I know it is possible to get it and I am sure if you really must have it, you can ask for it perhaps.  However, my philosophy when traveling is to experience things as locals, as much as possible,  which in this case means no ice. 

Our table after a typical meal in Rome. Wine and espresso along with water glasses (on right) with no ice.

In the United States, many times water comes to the table (with ice) before you have even ordered your drinks or dinner.  I am used to always getting water, even if I ordered a glass of wine.  This is very different in Rome, as they will sometimes ask you if you want water (mineral or fizzy, or gas or no gas) and there is always a charge. It is usually just a couple euros.  While I don't relish paying for water, as I am accustomed to getting it for free, I didn't mind it too much as the prices quoted for food is the price you pay and not added onto by taxes and tips.  If your pasta is 6 euros, that is what your check says (when you ask for it, and you will always have to ask).  If you have your own water bottle and take a table on the sidewalk at a café (which it is not really called a café there, but is what it reminds me of) for lunch you can drink from that bottle and nobody will say anything. 

While I've heard you can ask for tap water, to avoid the charge, I felt the unspoken nudge from waiters that made me a bit uncomfortable doing so.  So I didn't.  Bring your own and unless you're eating at a high end restaurant I don't feel like you'd feel uncomfortable at all drinking it.  Save your euros for some wine and espresso.