Rome is one of the most rewarding cities in the world, and it is also a city where a few small blunders can take the shine off a trip. Over the years Kim and I have watched visitors make the same mistakes again and again, and we have made a couple of them ourselves. None of them are hard to avoid once you know about them. Here are the ten I would steer you away from.
1. Staying Somewhere That Is Not Walkable
A lot of people end up in a hotel simply because it came bundled with their airfare in a package. Those package hotels are often not in great locations.
The historic center of Rome is large, so here is my simple rule. Use Largo di Torre Argentina as the hub of the historic area. If your hotel or Airbnb is within about a 20 minute walk of it, you are in good shape. If it is much farther than that, I would keep looking.
A central location can make the difference between really enjoying Rome and spending your days hopping on buses just to get somewhere. The best way to see Rome is on foot, so pick a place that lets you walk to the sights. If you are over 50, I wrote more about this in where not to stay in Rome.
2. Eating Bad Food
Bad food in Rome is easy to avoid, and it is also easy to fall into. It usually happens like this. The restaurant you planned on has a long line, the place next door looks reasonable, and you walk in. You end up with overpriced food, poor food, and a disappointing evening.
My advice is simple. Before you eat anywhere in Rome, check the reviews on Google or TripAdvisor. It does not need to be a five star place, but skip the ones sitting at two or three stars.
One more tip I have found very helpful: if a restaurant is closed on Sundays, it is almost certainly not a tourist trap, and chances are it is really good. Several of our favorite places in Rome close on Sundays. Take it for what it is worth.
3. Ending Up With Sore, Blistered Feet
It always surprises me how many people I see sitting on benches and fountain steps, tending to their feet. Once you have blisters, your sightseeing is pretty much done.
I have two suggestions:
- Get used to walking before you go. You will walk a lot more in Rome than you do at home. In my experience it is anywhere from about 15,000 to 25,000 steps a day.
- Wear comfortable shoes you already know. Do not bring a pair you just bought and have not broken in.
4. Getting Pickpocketed
Picture it. You are having a perfect day, you reach back for your wallet to pay for lunch, and it is gone. There are plenty of pickpockets in Rome, but there are also enormous numbers of tourists, so the odds that it happens to you are low. That said, I have been pickpocketed twice in Rome, and it is no fun.
The best ways to protect yourself:
- Pay attention to what is around you, especially in crowds.
- Leave your wallet and passport at your hotel. There is no need to tour the city with them.
- Carry just enough cash and maybe one credit card, ideally in a front pocket.
The good news is that Rome is a very safe city, even late at night. Nobody is likely to threaten you or demand your wallet. The risk is quick hands, not violence. The worst case is losing your passport and documents, which really can derail a trip, so keep them out of reach of a pickpocket. For more on this, see the 5 biggest scams in Rome and how to avoid them.
5. Losing Sight of Your Luggage on the Train
Being pickpocketed is bad. Having your luggage stolen can be even worse. It is not super common, but when it happens it is usually on the trains.
Here is how it works. Say you board a high speed train at Termini, heading to Florence. A few minutes later the train makes another stop in Rome to pick up more passengers. Thieves get on at Termini, sit down, and look around. They might set their bag right next to yours. At that next stop they grab their bag, and yours too, and step off. You do not notice until you reach Florence.
When you are on a train out of Rome, stay attentive and know where your luggage is. Keep an eye on it so your bags arrive when you do.
6. Getting Fined on Public Transportation
This one will not ruin your vacation, but it will not feel good either. I see tourists fined far too often for riding the bus, tram, or metro without a valid ticket. Many of them actually bought a ticket. They simply forgot to validate it, or did not realize they had to.
Whenever you board a bus or tram, put your ticket into the little validating machine so it gets stamped. In the metro, you validate at the turnstile. ATAC, Rome's transit company, also lets you tap a contactless bank card at the validators, which is a nice way to skip the paper ticket altogether.
As of October 2026, ATAC lists the fine for an unvalidated or missing ticket at 54.90 euros if you pay within 5 days, and 104.90 euros if you pay later, according to ATAC's fines page. Validating takes two seconds, so it is an easy one to avoid.
7. Waiting Hours in Line
At times Rome feels more like an amusement park than a city. Here are three lines you can mostly skip.
St. Peter's Basilica
Entry to the Basilica is free, but everyone goes through security, and two or three hours in line is not unusual. The easiest fix is to arrive when it opens at 7:00. Instead of two or three hours, you may wait two or three minutes. If mornings do not work for you, try later in the afternoon, after about 16:00, when the lines start to come down. First thing in the morning is still best.
The official Basilica site lists hours of 7:00 to 19:00 from October 26, 2026 through March 28, 2027. The Basilica also offers an official paid reservation on its own website if you prefer a timed entry.
The Roman Forum
Do not enter the Forum at the gate next to the Colosseum. Even with a ticket you still have to go through security, and that line can take 30 minutes to an hour or more. The Forum and Palatine have several other entrances, such as Largo della Salara Vecchia on Via dei Fori Imperiali and Via di San Gregorio for the Palatine, and they often have little or no line. The Colosseum Archaeological Park lists all of them.
If you want to pair the big sights without wearing yourself out, read St. Peter's Basilica and the Colosseum in one day without burning out.
Trevi Fountain
You can walk by the Trevi Fountain any time of day. When we filmed this video, access down to the fountain was managed with a line from 9:00 to 21:00. That has changed. Since February 2, 2026, visitors who are not Rome residents pay a 2 euro ticket to enter the area right next to the basin. According to the official Trevi Fountain site, ticketed hours are 9:00 to 22:00 most days and 11:30 to 22:00 on Mondays and Fridays, with last entry at 21:00. Outside those hours the fountain is still free to see.
8. Getting Scammed by a Taxi
Many people feel they were scammed by a Roman taxi, but often they were not in an official taxi at all. They got into a private ride service.
Official taxis in Rome are white and have a TAXI sign on top. Private ride services are usually black sedans or black vans. It gets confusing when you walk out of Termini station and someone asks if you need a ride. The car looks nice, you hop in, and you are charged four or five times what you expected.
- Always take an official white taxi.
- Make sure the meter is on. Occasionally even an official driver "forgets," then makes up a number at the end to see if you will pay it.
- Consider the FREENOW app. It is very popular in Rome. You can order a taxi and pay in the app, and in Rome it offers an option called Taxi Go with a guaranteed maximum price for a direct ride with no stops, per FREENOW's help page. That way you know your fare up front.
9. Fighting the Summer Heat
If you visit Rome in the hot summer months, avoid the midday sun when you can. Here is the rhythm that works best for us:
- Get out the door early, around 5:00. There is a lot to see and do in Rome early in the morning, and it is genuinely enjoyable.
- Eat lunch around 11:00, then head back to your hotel and rest.
- Go back out in the evening and enjoy the city when it cools down.
Whatever you do, do not sleep in. If you do, you will be fighting the crowds and the heat at the same time, and it can be miserable. For more on pacing yourself, see Rome without the stress.
10. Driving in Rome
Renting a car can be a great experience if you want to explore the smaller towns around Rome. Driving inside the city is another story, even for experienced drivers. Traffic is chaotic and Italian drivers are very assertive.
The biggest reason I do not like driving in Rome is parking. Free parking is nearly impossible to find, so you are always paying for a spot or hunting for a garage. Sometimes you can spend 20 or 30 minutes just circling for a place to leave the car.
In my opinion, skip the car in the city and use public transportation and taxis instead. Of course, you do what works for you. Out in the countryside, though, a car can be a lot of fun.
FAQ
Where is the best area to stay in Rome? Somewhere central and walkable. My rule of thumb is within about a 20 minute walk of Largo di Torre Argentina, the hub of the historic center.
Do I really need to validate my bus ticket in Rome? Yes. A ticket that is not validated counts as no ticket. ATAC lists the fine at 54.90 euros if paid within 5 days and 104.90 euros after that.
Is it free to see the Trevi Fountain? Yes, from the piazza. Since February 2, 2026, non residents pay 2 euros to enter the area right by the basin, from 9:00 to 22:00 (11:30 to 22:00 on Mondays and Fridays).
What time should I go to St. Peter's Basilica to avoid the line? Right at opening, 7:00. Later in the afternoon, after about 16:00, is the next best option.
Make the Most of Rome on Your Own Terms
Kim and I are home in Utah for a few weeks to welcome a new grandbaby, and we will be back in Rome in mid November. If you have a trip coming up, I hope these tips save you a little time, money, and a few blisters.
The Rome Travel Guida does not plan your trip for you. It helps you plan your own trip and make the most of Rome while you are there. It includes a video guide, interactive maps with our favorite hotels, gelato, panini and more, and a helpful PDF. Watch only what you need.
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