Anyone got any tips, advice or suggestions about what to see and do with nights/3 days in Rome?

It would be very greatly appreciated...

cover yer butt. they like to pinch ass.

purplerein said:

Rome is very beautiful I want to go back one day.



1. Watch out for gypsies (they tend to work in packs to steal your wallet).
2. Keep plenty of change on you. You have to make a contribution into a basket for using a public washroom.
3. Keep a roll of toilet paper/tissue for toilet use always.
4. Use some Italian, they like that you try to speak their language.
5. Go on a tour of Rome. You can always go to these places later if you want more of an indepth sight see.
6. Keep a water bottle on you. The weather gets very hot.
7. When going to make purchases you can haggle the price down. Prices tend to be inflated. Haggling is fun.

luv4u said:

awesome... some good tips thanks luv we'll be there in very early Feb though so it won't be too warm nor overly packed with tourists

luv4u said:

let's not, mmk?

ok, so REALLY good advice:

go see the colesseum, it's beautiful, it even has an elevator
see the ruins, even try to get into the vatican to see the sistine chapel... it's a very humbling experience, take it from me!

no cameras allowed in there tho i almost had mine taken away

take tours, enjoy the life there, take lots of pictures everywere else!

have fun!

SammiJ said:

was that an insult of some kind?

SammiJ said:

thanks sweetie yep going to see all of that hopefully going to see as much as 3 days will allow us

I'll report back to you with the photo's

SammiJ said:

wait, what do you mean? is the term 'gypsie' considered offensive? is it offenisve that someone would consider a gypsie a thief or pickpocket? I've routinely heard of pickpockets and petty thieves in Italy and a few other europeam nations referred to as gypsies and no one's ever 'corrected' that. I'm asking an honest question...

Natisse said:

i take it as such... i unno
i'm not sure if it is, but *tidbit alert* if you've ever said "i've been jipped/gypped" it's taken from that certain situation bev brought up

so i've always kinda stayed away from that term

SammiJ said:

point taken thanks hon

CarrieMpls said:

not trying to start anything
i don't know
i just don't like the term being related solely to stealing/pickpocketing

SammiJ said:

My father was Hungarian and he and other relatives have told me that there are bands of nomatic peoples who travel in Hungary, Romania and Italy (as well as other European nations) who are truly "Gypsies" -- I actually had some Romania Gypsies living below me in a flat I rented -- and it is true that many of them are very poor and some can rely on less than savory means to make money -- desperation will do that. The people below me read "fortunes" and collected money for UNICEF (which they kept themselves) and I heard them discussing all of this (the walls were thin).

That being said, the Gypsies of Hungary make some of the most beautiful music that has come out of that country...and who knows...I may have a little Gypsy blood myself

Here's some information I found...

http://www.aliciapatterso.../Pope.html

http://www.logoi.com/note...music.html
[Edited 12/27/06 9:16am]

SammiJ said:

I looked it up in the wiktionary, and it mentions it being considered pejorative. I never knew! It is a common term, I would never have guessed it to be considred derogatory. I have read and heard it used in the same manner you would the word pickpocket, certainly not a positive occupation, but nothing offensive about the word itself, simply descriptive. Very interesting.

CarrieMpls said:

I've actually never heard it used in replacement of the word "pickpocket"

guys all I wanted was a few travel tips

applekisses said:

I guess specifically I've read it in travel guides and things... similar to watch luv4u mentioned, as a cautionary: 'gypsies and pickpockets operate here, so be minddful of your belongings', that kind of thing.

Natisse said:

im sorry hun, i shouldn't have said a word

Natisse said:

Well, don't call anyone a gypsy when you mean a pickpocket!



As for Rome, I had a wonderful time there myself and particularly enjoyed a night walking tour that told a few ghost stories and concluded with a pub crawl.

oh, and there's this church there that has several alters built out of human bone! It's a unique experience, to say the least. They are remains of cappuchin monks that the monastery didn't know what to do with when they moved locations from one chruch to another and so finally commissioned artists to build things out of the bones.

Rome, Goergia??? Stay away from the South side of town.

CarrieMpls said:

I think it's probably considered offensive if one uses it in the sense of "I got gypped"--one isn't referring to actual Gypsies. (There really are Gypsies like AppleKisses said.) If luv4u meant watch out for Gypsies then the comment was valid (although possibly still unintentionally offensive). But if s/he meant watch out for pickpockets then probably not the best choice of words. But Gypsies did live nomadic lifestyles in Romania and probably begged for money...I think that's how the term got started.




But in response to Natisse:

You must must must go see Michelangelo's Pieta at St. Peter's. It's absolutely beautiful...I'm agnostic and I still felt so peaceful looking at it.

Also agree with SammiJ--check out the Sistine Chapel. Bring a pocket mirror so you can look at the ceiling without craning your neck.

Other touristy things include:
Trevi Fountain
Spanish Steps
Piazza del Campidoglio (I forget if that's the name of the plaza--but estentially Rome developed between 7 hills and this one is by the Capitolino hill. It is a popular hang out--at least when I was there 10 years ago--and provides beautiful views of the city...I would make sure to go during the day though. When my friend & I were there at sunset, it seemed to get a little 'cruisey' after dark...)

thanks will keep it all in mind

...and luv get your ass back on this thread and see what you started

i personally would research Rome alil more ... (than i did the first time ----) if i was going back ...

i LOVED the experience i had at the SPANISH STEPS at night ... kind of a big "meeting place" at night .... you can sip wine and just chat ... .with anyone ... at least that was my experience ... it was a fun time ...

some of the more historic places, etc ... are what i was referring to above... when i went there .... i was like 21-22 and i didnt know ENOUGH about the history and didnt "appreciate" all the stuff ... til after i was in AWE... (the days following goin there ... when i was reading up on all the stuff .... the parthenon ... the roman baths ... the colliseum .... etc .... Italy to me was a big surprise ... a country i was not prepared for ... and one that i would LOVE to go back to someday soon ...

Rome is beautiful . I am sure you will enjoy it a lot . It helps a lot if you can speak/understand a little bit of Italian. In Italy hardly anybody speaks English or any other language (maybe they might speak Spanish, don't know about that).
Go to the Trevi Fountain. A traditional legend holds that if visitors throws a coin into the fountain, they are ensured a return to Rome. Among those who are unaware that the "three coins" of Three Coins in the Fountain were thrown by three different individuals, a reported current interpretation is that two coins will ensure a marriage will occur soon, while three coins leads to a divorce. A reported current version of this legend is that it is lucky to throw three coins with one's right hand over one's left shoulder into the Trevi Fountain. I wasn't totally aware of the legend and just threw in one coin and made one very bizarre wish and it came true the next day . So you should definitely try that and make a well thought wish ..

Oh you lucky thing

I'm gonna make that trip one day Have a wicked time over there, Nat

Serious said:

I was told that you must throw the coin from your right hand over your left shoulder (so behind you) as well. One coin means you will return to Rome, 2 coins you will fall in love and 3 coins you will get married and return to Rome. I think.
In any case I threw 3 coins and I've yet to get a date out of it, nor have I returned.

I was told that throwing coins in the fountain is bad because the metal is making the sculpture corrode.

CarrieMpls said:

I am not the kind of person who believes in things like that, so I threw in one cent and thought nothing would happen and I still cannot believe my wish came true the very next day in a way it was totally unlikely to happen .
So who knows what magic things might happen to you one day .