Tips 1 - 3 of 3 Rome Tourist Traps
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Tourist Trap: The Lure And Trap Of Summer
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If Rome is the world's eternal city, then Lido di Ostia is Rome's eternal water. The tie between the beach town and the capital city exists not only because they belong to the same comune, but also because they both share an ancient ruin and a not-so-ancient tradition.
Since the 1920s, generations of Romans have been flocking to Ostia on long holiday weekends and during the summer to escape the city heat. The short trips promised freedom and new romantic adventures to the younger crowd while offering the older generation an easy way to attain their summer idea of la dolce vita. In spite of the polluted water and the unpleasant black sand, Ostia has served as the getaway destination for city folks who could not afford to leave town to exotic locales.
With the growing population of Romans moving to the suburb and a fast rail connection from the city, the modern Ostia is packed all four seasons. The large Cineland complex in Ostia Lido Nord holds a 14-screen movie theatre, a bowling alley, an arcade, and a discoteca, plus restaurants and shops to provide enough attractions for throngs of local youth. In the evening, pedestrians jam the sidewalks and long lines of cars with rolled-down windows and blaring music slowly cruise Via delle Baleniere. That's the seaside's version of passeggiata.
Lido di Ostia is the Mediterranean answer to Rimini. Regrettably, it's also like Rimini in that it is not pretty and it will never be.
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Tourist Trap: Worth Its Weight in Gold?
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Almost everybody who has visited Italy or who is going to visit Italy talks passionately about gelato. In their mind, gelato is the utmost Italian thing. By listening to them, I was under the impression that the best thing about Italy is not Dante Alighieri the father of literature or Giuseppe Garibaldi who united the nation, not Sistine Chapel, David, or The Last Supper, and certainly not the multi shapes and sizes of pasta. Ask anyone who has been to Italy what his or her best memory of Italy, and the answer would likely to be gelato.
Well, I just happen to be one of the few people who do not care much for gelato so you are not going to find in this tip the location of the best gelateria. Of course, I could ask around or cull information from the Internet and guidebooks and tell you about it, but then what I write would not be from my experience, and that would not be honest, would it?
Therefore, all I am going to tell you here is watch out for the price of gelato.
The gelato everywhere in the country is made with the same ingredients, but according to the gelaterie owners in Rome centro storico, their products are so much more supreme than the same thing across the Tiber or in another town. To prove it, they price their product five times higher than shops in lesser-visited areas do.
The average price of a small cup is € 1.20. In Rome centro storico, I have seen the same cup sold for € 5.50. Imagine a family of five -- Mom, Dad, and their three children -- who all want gelato after meals. The children, of course, want large cups. I don’t know about you, but I would rethink my priority when the bill for gelato is € 70 a day.
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At Least Do This: To recap: Love gelato if you must, but ask for the price before purchase or make sure you have a pre-approved bank loan reserved for this particular indulgence.
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Tourist Trap: The Princess And The €5 Note
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I have seen many children including my great-niece and great-nephews running toward this woman while shrieking with joy, “Principessa, principessa!”
Well, this principessa (princess) or regina (queen) or whoever she was, and her companions the gladiators who stood in front of the Pantheon, all of them were not very regale or generous in their manners. Instead of giving the children a hug back, or even just a slight pat on the head, they immediately pushed them away.
My great-nephew came back, crestfallen, “They said I need to pay €5 for a hug.”
That’s very, very sad.
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Join a Discussion 10 year old girl in Rome in August...What side trips? What to do in Rome?
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 Comments for Ciambella about Rome | | | | |
Paisleypaul Sun Jun 7, 2009 11:30 UTC
Tremendous Rome pages, really like how easy it is for us all to discover our own little niches for cafes and ristorante. Can't believe it's been nearly 3 years - we'll be back by ferragosto | jbrown8512 Sun Apr 12, 2009 18:42 UTC
I have seen similar. This is their "job" and no human kindnesses are included. They are afraid you'll get a picture. | HotCarpaccio Fri Jan 2, 2009 11:16 UTC
Roman taxi drivers including the authentic ones are generally crooked. They often travel extra distances, or try to short change you. They were the single worst thing about our stay. | mareilla Fri Dec 12, 2008 10:57 UTC
Mom and I often went to Cafe Greco to star gaze. We were most enchanted by the spectre of an aging Maestro Di Chirico ensconsed on the love seat reviewing the drawing portfolios of the eager young artists as he took his morning coffee. |
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