Rome Tourist Traps

We went to Café Vaticano knowing that is was likely a tourist trap, considering it is directly across the street from the entrance to the Vatican Museum. However, we didn’t expect it to be as bad as it was. It’s a cafeteria style restaurant. You go up to the counter and order something that is already made and has probably been sitting there for who knows how long. The pasta we ordered got warmed up in the microwave and the salad was limp and warm. Then you go to the cash register to pay. Up until this point, I was so hungry I didn’t even realize that the price wasn’t posted anywhere, and to my surprise, two pastas, one salad and one water came to 29 Euros. The food itself tasted horrible, was served on plastic plates and was small portions. We should have known better, but the other restaurants we have eaten at in heavy tourist areas have never served such disgusting food at such outrageous prices. Even though I was starving, I would rather wait and go somewhere else than ever eat here again.

Shop-assistants (not all of them , though) in Rome can play several tricks to make sure you leave as much money as possible in their shop. I had a very negative experience in a cloth-shop on Via Corso. As soon as I took some clothes to try on, an shop-assistant ' glued' herself to me. Note, they do not have mirrors in changing rooms. It means that you have to come out of the changing room to look in the mirror. When you do that, the shop-assistant will hang around exclaiming 'bellissimo' (beautiful in Italian) and will offer you other things that could go with the piece you have chosen. While doing that they will say: ' Just try it on. You dont need to buy it'. So I ended up trying on several things. Well, they were nice but I had no intention to by them, all I wanted was one dress. Before I went into the dressing room for the last time to change to my old clothes, the shop-assistant collected all the clothes I had tried on from the changing room saying 'Oh, I will just take them'. And now comes the trap- when I approached the cashier to pay for my dress, the cashier gave me receipt on which was not only the dress I wanted but also other things. 200 EUR in total. I told- I dont want anything except the dress. They both attacked me saying that it is already in receipt and I had chosen to buy all these things and that the personal service (!) does not come for me (as if I have asked for it).

Unique Suggestions: Well, you can do what I did- pretended that I have no credit card and not enough cash , only for the dress. paid only for it and left followed by really rude and angry comments in loud. So, say polite thank you for anything that shop-assistants offer to you and to their ' personal services'.

We (3 of us) had a nasty experience on our way to visit the Vatican Museum & Sistine Chapel. As we walked down the street from St. Peter's Basillica towards the Vatican museum to book our tickets, we were sweet talked by an American girl by name "Kandice" into a discounted guided tour to visit the museum & chapel. The tour agency that runs this is called "TOURINROME" and is managed by a woman named "Rosa".

The deal was that we pay 40 euros per person instead of 45 euros which they normally charge. We were told by Kandice that the entry tickets to the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel cost 18 euros respectively, which worked out to 36 euros (per person) in total and they were charging us a mere 4 euros extra (per person) for a guided tour. We thought it was definitely a super deal and worth the amount considering Rome to be so expensive.

During the tour we learnt that there was just a single entrance of 14 euros for the museum as well as the chapel!! This left us shocked and disappointed. It was an ordeal for us as we had to make 2 trips again to meet up Rosa and get a refund. Kandice had lied to us blatantly about the entry fees.

The apologies were naturally dramatised by Rosa, Kandice and the others involved and they made it seem like the entry fees keep changing on a daily basis (utter crap). We had paid a total of 120 euros for the guided tour which lasted 1.5 hours and were lucky to get 78 euros back. They charged us only the basic entry fee of 14 euros. As a bonus they gave us passes for the Papal blessing.... That is what I call a miracle!! (Thank you St. Peter)

Fun Alternatives: Please be aware of such people and always check the entry fees yourself. We could understand if an Italian had done the same and never expected an American girl (who herself was an outsider) to be doing this.

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“But when I approached the grand ruins of the Colosseum and looked through the gate into the interior, I must frankly confess that a shudder ran through me, and I quickly returned home.”
— Johann Wolfgang Goethe (1749-1832), April 1788

What could have scared the great German poet? Had he seen these modern-day gladiators they would not have frightened off a prospective customer. Russell Crow’s Maximus they are not. Ours, named David, was quite the showman. He admitted that his English was so good because his mother was Canadian; the image further erodes! And any need for fear.

I am not sure if this tip really belongs in the tourist traps category. Tourists do not have to patronize these actors turned gladiators. They will gladly pose for the camera; it is not surprising that it is for a price. The price we were charged was 10 euros per person. At the May 2007 exchange rate of $1.30 to the euro that adds up to $13 per person. We are not good at bargaining; therefore we did not. You may try it; it may help. Either way, it is great fun, if pricey fun.

From the Latin for swordsmen or one who uses a sword (from gladius for sword) gladiators were Ancient Rome’s professional fighters as entertainment.

They fought against each other, wild animals, and condemned criminals, sometimes to the death, in front of spectators, including the emperor, the imperial family and members of the senate. These fights took place not only in Rome’s Colosseum, but also in arenas (from the Latin for sand, with which the floor was covered) in many cities both during the Republican Era and into the time of the Empire, until its end.

I exchanged USD400.- into Euro in Maccorp Italiana S.p.A. in Pisa train station. They charge me 19.9% service in addition to a Servizio Fisso of Euro3,90. I think that is unreasonably high. The buying rate was already high at 1.69397.

I want to lodge a complain, anyone knows the Authority that supervise money exchanger?

Unique Suggestions: Although in the web-site of Maccorp Italiana, it is stated that no commission charge for money exchange, they charge an excessive rate. So pls ask and check before the transaction.

I figured I would save money taking the Leonardo Express from the airport to the main train station, then grabbing a taxi for the remaining few blocks. But that didn't work out. I was charged 35 Euros ($55) by a father/son combo of cabbies at the train station. And they did have a meter. I was tired from the flight or I would have put up a fight. My hotel owner laughed when I told him what I had paid. You have to be careful with taxis in a lot of places so that's not a knock on Rome. But I won't forget this particular one.

Fun Alternatives: Negotiate the price up front. Will I ever learn that?

Rome of course is a beautiful Romantic Place to visit, so people are playing on your emotions and wallet, when they try to offer /sell couples roses. I am really switched on to these things and call me unromantic, but I would not be wanting someone to buy me an overpriced rose that someone is tormenting him to buy. Anyway you sort of smile and say no thank you, no honestly no thankyou (I was doing this in bad italian) Until they go, "look I really want you to have it, your lovely, go on, just take it" and they hand you not one but 3 - and you think it's the end of the night they are giving them away, or they are probably giving me one so other people see them and want to buy them (I am worse then they are!) and then as you think I love Rome so romantic, this guy tails your partner going "You are a lucky man, now pay pay, You are lucky" and you go - Oh I get it and try to give them back. I did give them back in the end, and it was quite funny, but I can't believe I let this happen to me twice - my hand just opened - I am a fool. Over and over again we watched this happen to people, at the Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps. They probably were reasonably priced but when people start hounding you!!! They were also very keen to take your photo with your camera, no way - if I get to post my photos up you will see how blurry they are! In saying that we loved the Trevi Fountain it is fabulous!

Unique Suggestions: Make a tight fist don't open your hands...(ha ha)
Bring a plastic rose with you and walk about with it....
JUST SAY NO THANK YOU!

Fun Alternatives: We were there around midnight, a lot of people suggest going later when there is no one around.
It is crowded but I really liked it and would hate to put you off, don't feel threatened by these people it is easily handled and there
are actually police nearby the fountain.

don't ask the tourist information offices for any help, they always give you the most expensive option possible! Very tourist unfriendly! Check for tips on Fodors and VT before you plan any trip to Italy!