Travel Guide & Tips

Tips for Eating and Drinking Out: 

• Food will be one of the highlights of your time in Rome.

• Michelangelo made some impressive art, but the Sistine Chapel has nothing on the Cacio e Pepe at Il Grottino.

• 3 main roman pasta dishes: Cacio e pepe, Carbonara, and Amatriciana. 

• Don't be afraid to try something new! Italian cuisine varies across the country. Be sure to try the special, regional dishes with traveling in different areas. 

• Learn how to say your dietary restrictions in Italian. They are typically very accommodating if you can communicate your needs. 

• Always watch when bartenders are pouring your drink and never leave your drink alone, especially when you are at a crowded bar and can lose sight of your drink easily.

• Italians do not binge drink like Americans do, they casually drink with dinner so keep this in mind when you are out at a restaurant with your program.

• Know your limits when drinking! Be mindful of yourself and watch out for your friends and peers.

• Try your best to use your Italian language to all waiters and hostess, regardless of how little Italian you know. It is always better to speak in Italian because this is how you learn and immerse yourself into the culture.

• Create relationships with the restaurants on the meal plan. You will see them often and they will remember you. Get to know them! 

• Do not tip at restaurants. But remember, since you are not paying a service fee, you do have to purchase water and bread (this does not just get automatically put on your table like in America). 

• You sometimes have to pay to use a restroom. If you use a bathroom in a cafe, you might have to purchase something from the cafe.

• Some bathrooms in restaurants are located in the basement area of the building. Typically phone service is spotty. Go with a friend. 

• Food delivery is not available nearly as late as it is in America. UberEats is the most common food delivery app. Be sure to follow the delivery instructions the staff give at the beginning of the semester. 

Cafes:

An Italian morning involves a trip to the bar for a cappuccino and a cornetto. 

• Al bar: The cafe is a center of Roman life and there may be no better place in the world to have coffee.

• Casa Manfredi: one of the best cafes in the neighborhood and it’s on the meal plan. One ticket covers 

• Barberini: Has the best pastries (on the other side of the hill). 

• Il Gianfornaio: Located in Testaccio, on Via Marmorata in the direction towards the bridge (right next to Il Grottino). The pastries, coffees and lunch options are hard to beat! 

• Tram Depot: The best cafe in the warm weather a great outdoor spot with coffee and pastries in the morning and drinks at night, also just off campus. 

Cafe Tips: 

• When ordering coffee you order at the cash register, and then take your receipt to the bar and they will give it to you there. However, sometimes you order at the bar, drink your coffee there and then take your receipt to the register. It all depends on the set up of coffee shop.

• Some cafes will make you pay if you want to sit down at a table. 

• Italy is a cash country, they will not be happy if you don’t have exact or close to exact change. Cards have not been integrated like they have in America or other parts of Europe. 

  • Credit cards are not accepted at many locations, such as gelato and coffee shops, it is always helpful to have cash on you. 

• Take out a lot of cash each time you go to the ATM because there are fees. This will help you reduce you ATM fees. Go straight back to your room with your cash and keep it in a safe place. 

• You should arrive in Rome with around 300-400€. 

• Carry your cash in multiple compartments, especially in crowded areas (i.e. wallet, inner pocket of a jacket, money bag) 

•  Bring some of your own medicine. Rome has great pharmacies but I had gotten the stomach bug and had to google translate everything so it is much easier to bring some of the basics like Advil, Pepto Bismol, Mucinex. 

• I had to see a doctor when I got sick and he did not speak fluent English which made it a little difficult, bring as many medications as you can. If you do need antibiotics make sure you translate the instructions! Likewise, a staff member is always willing to accompany students to doctors appointments. 

• Also if you have seasonal allergies by April the pollen count gets strong so bring Claritin.

• Make sure you are updated with all of your vaccines and flu shots!

• Wifi is notoriously spotty on campus. Il Gianfornaio (coffee shop) usually has solid Wifi. If the convent Wifi is going off and on, make sure to try the office library because the Wifi was stronger there.

• The nearest Apple store is out on the periphery of Rome, make sure your laptop is in good working order before you leave. 

• Bring a lot of adapters… I broke 4 of them while I was there. My suggestion is bring five! I also lost a few while I was traveling around (You can buy them on amazon if needed). 

• Write down phone numbers of staff members or close friends on a piece of paper. Carry it with you and keep in a safe place. If your phone is misplaced or stolen, it will be helpful to have access to contacting someone as you most likely will not have these numbers memorized. 

• MAKE SURE your phone is unlocked before you travel to Rome. You cannot insert an Italian SIM card without your phone being unlocked. I suggest bringing your phone to your carrier prior to departure because they can tell you what your best options are for traveling. 

• Although you want to share your abroad life with your social media, try not to get too caught up in the abroad experiences of other students. Comparing yourself to others is not the best idea because everyone has a different, unique experience!

• Finding a good study spot is key because it is very easy to get distracted. 

• The courtyard can be a calm, relaxing space to study and get fresh air.

  • Il Gianfornaio in Testaccio is a large bakery with free wifi, very popular around midterms/finals.

• The Orange Garden is a nice spot too, but can get crowded. There is usually live music playing, so this is a nice spot for a study break!

• The on-campus library has limited hours, so keep that in mind. 

• Maintain a schedule or write in a planner. Stay on top of your assignments so you have ample time to explore the city outside of class. 

• When it rains in Rome, it really rains, so have a good raincoat and an umbrella.

• Always watch your bag and constantly check your bag if in touristy areas.

• It is OKAY and completely normal to have a bad day. Not every day of your abroad experience is going to be perfect.

• Give yourself time to adjust: you are living in a new country, with new food, people, places, transportation, etc. You will grow and learn but do not let the inconveniences of the unfamiliarities frustrate you. This is all part of the experience! 

• Be open-minded: You are stepping outside of your own culture which means that what the Italians do, is not going to match your own culture. Rather than labelling the Italian culture, behaviors and tendencies as "weird" or "strange", try and remember that it is just simply different.

• Ask for recommendations from the staff. They love sharing their knowledge and love for their city with you. Likewise, they always give amazing recommendations for restaurants and activities.