"Roma, Roma, Roma" a Rome Travel Page by ema522

I have been to Rome several times now and I no longer feel like a tourist. Of course, the fact that I have my dear relatives there has something to do with it, but also because the people are so welcoming. At times they can seem like New Yorkers (who definitely get a bad rap - they are as nice as anyone else), which I suppose is only natural given that they live in a big, crazy city that gets overrun by tourists and pilgrims, but give them a little time and you will see how warm they are. The city itself is spectacular, the food is the best in the world - you don't need to throw a coin into the Trevi to keep coming back.

And you will keep coming back or at least want to if you approach this overwhelming place with the right attitude. Some people can't reconcile their romanticized preconceptions with reality, not only concerning Rome but Italy in general. I suppose it's easy enough to do since Italy has far more than its fair share of wonders, but it invariably leads to disappointment. Remember that you are not only visiting the world's most concentrated point of history and culture, but a real city where real people live and work. Keep an open mind and find the little surprises along with the big sights. There are delights large and small around every corner.

You know the rest of this old cliche`, but I quote it for a reason. To Americans and other foreigners, and even Italians from the north, the Romans can seem a bit lackadaisical (the northern Italians may not be so charitable). Aside from big hotels and restaurants in the heaviest tourist areas, you'll experience an approach to service that can differ greatly from what you usually expect. At first, you may wonder why the waiters don't hover over you and why you have to actually ask them for the check when you finish your meal, but then you learn that their idea of good service is to let you enjoy your meal in peace and not rush you. You may be frustrated by the lady who runs that lovely little shop because she closes up for a couple hours in the middle of the day, but later you'll be thanking her for sending clear across town for what you wanted. So in the meantime, relax! Park yourself in a cafe` with some gelato or better yet, follow their lead and return to the hotel for a nap. There is no way that you will see or do everything that you want in a single visit, so just accept it instead of spending your whole trip running frantically from one place to the next - but then make up your mind to come back.