Travel Tips
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| A nun watches the church entrance where Pope Benedict XVI is giving a sermon in Rome. |
When staying in Rome, Italy, work local habits into your daily routine to separate yourself from stumbling tourists and fit in with the locals. Embrace the lifestyle of everyday Italians, which I found to be fresh and simplistic during my six-week stay in Rome.
During your Roman holiday
TRANSPORTATION: Learn the local bus routes, which offer quick and cheap transportation. Just watch out for pickpockets. When traveling to another Italian city by train, book tickets with regional companies ,which are often cheaper than state-wide lines, such as Tren Italia.
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| Customers browse items in Campo dei fiori, or Market of the Flowers. |
DAILY DIET: Traditional markets often sell cheaper (and tastier) food than the local supermercato, or supermarket. Check out one of my favorite’s— the market in Campo dei Fiori, a public plaza near Rome's historic Jewish ghetto.
CLOTHING: If you want to fit in fashion-wise amongst the Romans, leave your tennis shoes at home. Unlike many Americans, most Italians only wear tennis shoes when actually exercising. Shoes serve solely their self-labeled purpose in Italy.