Hello, Iam new to this but wanted to share my experience in Italy and Greece. This was my first time to Europe but was excited, and somewhat worried since I have not been this far from home. I live in the US near St Louis, MO. I just had only 2 days in Rome, so did not get to see alot. First day there I was too tired to see anything due to jet lag. The next day I got to see the Vatican museum. It was extremely crowded. Elbow to Elbow. We alm9st finished the tour when my wife did not feel well. We went back to the hotel. I rested and went back on my own. I got to see the Colesseum. Some of the Roman forum, and walked to see the Wedding cake building After that I was tired so back to the hotel. Our hotel was near the Terminal Station. The next day we got our ride to the cruise terminal for the cruise. From what I saw of Rome it was very impressive. I did not care for the people. They seemed not to help much on directions, etc. I found out that the authentic cabs try to scam people which surprised me.
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23626 posts
Probably most of the people you saw were other tourist. We have always found the hotel, restaurant workers, and retail clerks to be friendly and helpful. And the same for the Rome taxis. We have spent nearly a month in Rome over the past forty years or so. It is an intense city but never had any problem with pickpockets or other scams. But we take some precautions and try to stay alert.
Posted by
Lynnwood, Washington
8876 posts
It is so interesting how just a few interactions can color ones whole perception of a country. We go by our experiences and if they are few or negative, I can see why you might have felt that way. My experiences in Italy have always been quite positive. For example, I was unaware I needed to prepurchase a bus ticket. A kind woman simply gave me one of hers and told what I needed to do the next time. I was left feeling appreciative of the friendly kindness of people in Rome.
How was was your cruise? Which ports did you enjoy the most? Have you caught the Europe travel bug? Will you be back?