VATICAN CORNER
Things not to do when visiting The Vatican / Rome (continued)
- Don’t expect to get tap water at your restaurant table. Most locals and visitors buy inexpensive bottles of water when dining out, either acqua natural or acqua frizzante (sparkling). Roman tap water is perfectly safe, clean and fresh, and there are many free places to fill a water bottle outside when wandering Rome. So don’t buy water, instead carry a water bottle. Don’t order cappuccino after noon, it is considered a breakfast beverage and ordering later in the day is a big social gaffe. Instead order an espresso or caffe macchiato (espresso with a dollop of steamed milk). Never order a latte, it just means milk. Don’t feel obligated to tip at a restaurant. Most Romans do not tip and the price of the meal generally includes a service charge (servizio). If you feel you must tip, anything over a couple of coins or five to 10 percent of the bill is considered extravagant.
- Don’t try to go to the Vatican museum on Sunday, it is closed except for the last Sunday of the month, when admission is free and the museum is packed. Don’t look for the entrance to the museum in St. Peter Square. It is a good 10 or 15 minute walk to the right around the perimeter of Vatican City. When going from the Sistine Chapel to St. Peter’s Basilica, don’t miss the shortcut which saves about 30 minutes of walking. Otherwise its walking back to near the main entrance of the museum to then exit and walk back around to St. Peter’s. The shortcut is sometimes used just for tour groups or closed off completely.
- The Roman Colosseum always has a long line, but the Roman Forum does not. So don’t stand in line at the Colosseum tickets, instead buy a tickets at the Forum which include admittance to both places and skip the line at the Colosseum.
- Don’t take pictures with costumed fake gladiators who loiter outside the Colosseum. They are tempting photo subjects with their golden helmets, red capes and shiny swords. But they can be aggressive and have been known to demand exorbitant fees for being photographed. Some deliberately photo-bomb unsuspecting tourists then demand payment. Others offer to take your photo then hold the camera hostage until you pay. Their operations are illegal but difficult to shut down, so steer clear.
- Don’t choose a hotel without considering how long the commute will be to Rome’s historic center. Rome is huge and you don’t want to be stuck with an hour-long commute. Don’t visit Rome and the Vatican without a game plan, otherwise you will be wasting a lot of !me in lines and spend a lot of money on mediocre meals. Try researching tour companies and find one known for its excellent guides. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and to see it all you may need to return, so throw a coin in the Trevi Fountain to ensure you will return again.
Sources: revelerome.com, rome.info/tips/avoid, Rome. Info, landloper.com, blondvoyage.com, revealedrome.com, millenniumhotels.com, destinationtips.com