Hotelrome.net Blog : A guide to news and events in Rome

As you probably know football is the most popular sport in Italy and also Rome goes crazy about it.
A magical way to start a conversation with a Roman or an Italian is talking about football. They’ll give you their insights, and will ask about your own national team, and don’t be surprised if they know the name and reputation of many of your players: almost every Italian is a soccer expert.

Rome has two football teams, and of course they’re each other’s worst enemy. Lazio is the oldest one. The team takes its name from the geographical region where Rome is located. It was founded in 1900 and its colors are pale blue and white, and from the beginning didn’t seem to like its “sister”. In fact, as we’ll see, Roma, the other team in the city was created from the union of all the soccer clubs in the capital –well, all but Lazio whose president rejected the idea, stating that Lazio was more a “moral institution” than a mere football club.

As we’ve seen before, Roma was founded in 1927 with the union of three football teams: Roman, Fortitudo and Alba Audace. The idea was to put together the best Roman talents in football to compete with the powerful northern teams (like Juventus or Inter) that, to this day, win almost every championship.

If you are an observer keep your eyes open when you walk in Rome: you’re very likely to see murals and the yellow-red crest of the team painted everywhere. That’s because Roma won its third championship in 2001 and Romans took the streets in ecstasy celebrating for days, painting the streets and participating in a huge concert in the Circus Maximus.

Nowadays the symbol of Roma is its capitan, Francesco Totti. Check him very well, because if you come to Rome you’ll see his photograph everywhere!
Lazio and Roma share the same stadium: the Stadio Olimpico. To get there is very easy if you’re staying in a well-located hotel like the Yes Hotel or Hotel Des Artistes. All you have to do is take the A subway line from termini, get off at Flaminio Station (Piazza del popolo) , and there take the tram 225.

Of course feeling in person the experience of a football game would be very interesting if you want to understand the Italians, but if you’re planning to attend a match it would be wise to ask a local first: there are certain games outright dangerous because of the rivalries between teams (and i mean real danger) and besides buying a ticket isn’t so easy because of the Italian laws, so is better to get some help.

Here are a couple of tricks you can use in Rome city to save you a small fortune and some of your time too. Most of this advice has been given to me by hotel guests and back packers and some is just common sense. When coming to Rome be under no illusions that you will not be preyed upon. This information is not being given to put anybody off but to prepare you for the numerous tourist traps that you will without a doubt encounter.

Being a tourist in Rome makes you a valuable commodity but unfortunately many people will try to fleece you of your money albeit with a smile on their face. A sure way to avoid one of the obvious ones is to avoid anything that has a tourist menu sign attached to it or tourist specialty etc. This is usually very poor value for your money and if you have just changed your dollars to euros then you will not want to throw your money away. Stay out of the big piazzas. Places like Piazza Navona, Piazza Rotonda and all the others are very nice to look at but are extremely overpriced. Rather go to the places where the locals hang out. You will know when you get to one when you only hear Italian being spoken. I can recommend you go to nice little local Rome Restaurants near your Rome hotel.

Another way they try to get extra cash out of you is to plonk a basket of bread down on your table which you would obviously think is complimentary. However not in this city. If someone even approaches your table with a basket of bread don’t let them even put it down. Tell them you don’t want it. It’s usually left over stale bread that they try to foist off on you anyway. If you happen to go grab a good coffee in Rome at a bar then have it standing at the bar. If you sit down it will cost more.

If you want to go see some great art then the best places to go to would be the Rome churches which can be found absolutely everywhere in Rome. The greatest thing about them is that they are free, never crowded and they are nice and cool for the summer heat and will also keep you dry when it rains.

Rome is fortunately quite cheap when it comes to public transport. If you intend on staying for a week then a 16 euro weekly travel card will be perfect. An 11 euro one will be enough for 3 days and a 4 euro daily travel car. All of these can be used on the bus, the tram and the metro. You can also use the card on some regional lines too.

You also don’t have to buy water either. The tap water is perfectly safe and the water at the fountains in Rome in the street is fresh. There are also various street vendors that sell hotdogs, hamburgers and all sorts of other kinds of snacks. Don’t waste your time with them either. They are over priced and also not worth it. Rather go stock up at the supermarkets before heading out. Another cheap way to eat is “on the run” so to speak. Pop in to a pizzeria and get take out.

Cash machines will also charge quite a bit for withdrawing cash. Either make sure that you already have enough euros with you before you get here or use a debit card instead. Taxi drivers although not all of them will also take a chance with you if they can. Make sur that before you get in the taxi that the meter is set to the correct fare and that the driver uses it. Fares to and from the airports are capped at 50 euro for Fiumicino and 40 euro for Ciampino respectively. For a cheaper transfer from and to Rome airports book your Rome Shuttle Transfer.

When you get in Rome you may get the feeling that you will be treated with indifference and unfortunately this is sometimes true although most of the Roman locals love chatting and are easy going. For a city that must be one of the most heavily touristed in the world, locals have gotten used to the tourists. So with indifference comes a level of carefreeness which is not everybody’s cup of tea. Take it from whence it comes and let it all blow over your head.

Either way you are likely to experience a holiday in Rome which you will never forget.