Do As The Romans Do

Are you planning a trip to Rome? Even if you're not, here is my step-by-step guide of how to survive in the Eternal City. It'll come in handy if you ever visit. The first thing I want to talk about is the buses. In order to 'legally' take the bus, you have to buy a ticket for 1 Euro at a news stand or tabacchi and stick it in the little yellow machine on the bus. This machine will stamp the date and time on the ticket to prove that you've paid for your ride. 
The second thing is to always act like a Roman. Just follow them. This is especially smart when crossing the street. Sometimes there aren't lights at crosswalks. There's no hesitating, no 'maybe I'll cross...' You decide whether or not you're going to do it. If you do, look in the direction of oncoming traffic, stare into the eyes of the driver, and they will stop without any problems. Then you move along. 

The nice thing about Rome is that there are a lot of clues around the city for what area you're in. For example, if you want to get to Piazza di Spagna (Spanish piazza), look around at what you see. There is a very famous hotel close by called Hotel Madrid. Madrid, as in the capital of Spain - so Piazza di Spagna must be close by, right? Right! 

Food. How many times in your life will you get the chance to eat true Italian food? Do as the Romans do and savour every bite. Italians take great pride in their food, and for good reason. Also, one of the best experiences you will have with food is dining alfresco. Italians like to enjoy their food while also enjoying the weather, the scenery, and people watching. Also, dogs are welcome almost everywhere, so don't be surprised if you see a Yorkie or a beagle sitting alongside their owner at the table.

It is said that the best art museum in Rome is actually Rome itself. There are beautiful fountains, statues, monuments and paintings everywhere you look. You will notice in Rome that there are many different depictions of the Virgin Mary. The interesting thing about this is that it is not to honour her, but because the Romans believed that if thieves were around and saw the Virgin Mary, that they would have a change in heart and behave like a good Roman should.
Italians are very laid back. This is sometimes a problem for me, because I grew up learning how to do things quickly - this is why we have places like Walmart, because we don't want to waste our time going to different stores. We would rather one-stop-shop and get it over with quickly. Italians like to take their time. I remember going to my favourite bakery in the centre one morning and saw on their sign that they opened at 9 am. Well, it was just past 10 am, and the owner was outside carrying boxes inside. I asked how soon they would be open. She said, "Whenever these boxes are finished moving. Anytime." Italians do not care about time. It means nothing to them.

They take religious and nutella seriously over here. While living in Milan last year, a friend of mine was at the dinner table with the Italian family she was currently working for. You know how sometimes if someone asks you a question with an obvious answer, you reply with a sarcastic question back? For example, Zack asks Katie, "Did you buy the new Harry Potter book?" Well, duh, because Katie is a huge Harry Potter fan. So Katie can respond by saying, "Is the sky blue? Do fish swim? Does James Brown get down?" Well, the Italians asked my friend an obvious question to which she responded, "Is the Pope Catholic?" Jaws hit the floor, because in Italy, you never joke about the Pope! It just isn't something you do. And nutella is a serious business. 

Almost everyone loves to smoke cigarettes. Its a very European thing, and you will even notice the waiters smoking outside while still doing their job. I've been singed a couple times by Italians limply holding their cigarettes in the hand as I walk by in a pair of shorts. In North America we have vending machines where you can conveniently buy a drink or a snack. In Italy, they have cigarette machines. 

You definitely want to consider what time of year you plan on visiting. Christmas and Easter is the craziest time to come to Rome because of all the tourists. There are many nuns, priests and monks who travel all over to world just to come to Rome at this time to hangout at the Vatican. Between January and February is quite rainy. March and April offer warmth and sunshine. In April and May, the Spanish Steps are blooming with flowers, so its a very beautiful time to visit. September and October are the ideal times to visit because its hot, but tolerable. June to August is the absolute worst time to travel in Rome because there are literally millions of tourists every day who crowd the streets. Its hot, sticky, and super uncomfortable, which is why most Romans actually flee the city. You are guaranteed to sweat buckets and stand in line to get in anywhere for hours on end.
My final paragraph will be on random little tips. If you're a North American visiting Italy who is thinking about hopping over to a nearby country, check out Ryan Air. Ryan Air is a British airline company that flies all over Europe for as cheap as 9 Euros per flight. Amazing. Another thing I want to mention is that when you go to a bistro or pizzeria, they sometimes charge you extra if you stay there to eat. Its common for them to charge you an extra Euro for using their utensils, table cloth, etc.