Rome Warnings Or Dangers Tips by Jenniflower

Bogus tour guides?

This was our tour guide for the coliseum.

She was good.

Very good in fact.

Likeable, spoke coherently and we understood her well.

There are so many tour guides for the coliseum... the trick here is to stand in the queue, and get the guide that is about 3 euros... NOT use the guides standing outside the coliseum, that charge you about 17 euros!

You then still have to stand in the queue anyway! A total rip off.

Pickpocket ploy! Pickpockets and Purse-Snatchers Review

On the street, they have the 'theres been a spill on your shirt madam!' trick:

Someone draws your attention to a mark on the back of your jacket (usually tomato sauce or mayonnaise squirted on by them) and offers you a tissue to wipe it off.

While he is helping you, he is also helping himself to your wallet.

Lovely huh?

So best thing to do is to defer any help, say thanks and move on as quickly as you can, never mind how pushy they might be!

Looking like an obvious tourist?? Proper dress Review

Try and avoid looking like an obvious tourist when in a strange city.

As a foreigner you will stick out like a sore thumb anyway and there is little you can do about that, but use discretion to try and make it less obvious, especially when you are alone and unsure of your directions!

It's always a good thing to rather be too cautious than not, because when it does happen to you, it will be unexpected, and upsetting, and might ruin your holiday!

So walk around trying to look as you know exactly where you are going... even if you dont! haha

Not buggy/pram friendly Handicap Accessible Review

In ancient times, there were no buggys and prams.

So, when laying the stones for the walkways in the city, this didn't have to be considered. For us modern folk this does pose a problem however.

The many steps, sharp inclines and cobbles make it quite hard (especially around the coliseum and forum areas) to get baby around in the pram.

So your two option are:

~ Carry baby (we had a back carry-thing, which was really helpful)
~ Carry the pram (with baby in it!)

Fun and games :)

It was all done in good spirits but did slow us down somewhat.

A little money sir? Beggars and Cons Review

There were two kids we noticed who were sitting on skateboards and getting around the city like that. They had malformed legs and sturdy arms.

They had an old and dirty shoe in front of them for the coins from passerbys.

I didn’t feel in anyway threatened or uncomfortable with the beggars, although have heard some shocking stories.

There are beggars in all cities though, some more than others.

A fact of life.

Cough cough!

If you enjoy a cigarette, then Rome is the place to enjoy the habit!

I personally find this habit quite disgusting, and taking into the fact I am asthmatic, I make every effort not to be in cigarette smoke, one of the biggest triggers of asthma attacks!

A colleague of mine is typically Italian in this way? he has been smoking since he was twelve, and knows nothing else.

He says it is just the way things are done in Italy.

No questions asked.

Anyhow, we had a good time in Rome, and smoking was far less of an issue actually than it is for us non-smokers in London.

Vatican dress code Proper dress Review

I am not sure why people dont take the time and effort to read up on this type of thing before going to view it.

The Vatican has a certain dress code which needs to be adhered to. It's not nearly as strict as other temples I have been in.

They like you to have covered shoulders, no shorts or mini skirts.

Also no buggys/prams or daypacks.

I saw quite a few people that shouldnt have got in, but did, so I think the security has slackened the rules somewhat.

Human traffic! Traffic Review

Traffic on the roads and onthe pavements, wherever you go, there are people people people.

And with so many people, this can only mean one thing.

Queues!

Wherever you go, whatever you see, be prepared for loooooooooooooong queues, and hope and pray that it isn't in the direct sunlight (which it normally always is), and that it will move quickly (which it generally doesnt).

Ensure you have a bottle of water on you and headache tablets for the inevitable.

Alternatively? Go at odd times, when people are less likely to be around.

Silly warning!

I am just writing this here as it is so funny how sometimes custom and local knowledge is so different between people :)

My sister and sister-in-law ordered a hot chocolatee, and got this very thick and very dark drink, and upon tasting it, realised they had been given very strong cocoa!

So they called the waiter, and he, in his broken English, explained that it WAS hot chocolate.

We didnt want to cause a fuss so left it and ordered something else as well... when he came to collect the cups later on, his face got quite red when he saw that the two 'hot chocolates' had not been drunken!

He was muttering away and ws clearly quite put out that they had not been drunken.

It was probably a sign of disrespect we gathered... but I also tasted it, and it WAS foul. Not everyone's tase, that's for sure!

But at least we still paid for them....

Always wear a hat or cap Proper dress Review

No matter what your skin tone, I would wear a hat most of the time I am outside.

The sun is very hot and with cancer scares being what they are today, one shouldn't take any chances!

A hat, sunglasses and sun cream.

ALL the time (More info in my packing list tip).