Be a responsible tourist in Rome: 10 tips

Posted on Nov 26, 2024 in On your own, Time out to reflect

Instead of just talking about theoretical “tourist ethic”, maybe listing few practical tips can help the cause of responsible tourism:

  1. travel off-season whenever possible (in Rome from November to March, excluding the Christmas holidays). Avoid visiting main sites (Colosseum, Forum, Vatican, Trevi fountain, Pantheon) on weekends.
  2. travel slowly, take a bit extra time in each destination of your itinerary and include less cities/sites.
  3. go off the beaten path: ask yourself which are your interests and which experience do you wish for, maybe the Colosseum is not necessarily a must!
  4. consider touring also “intense sites” such as war memorials or special museums about sad subjects (in Rome, for instance, we have the Ardeatine caves where a nazi massacre happened in WW2). You are on holiday to relax and enjoy life, but raising awareness on some tough subjects can improve the overall experience
  5. book local services directly: the margins of international platforms do not go to local businesses, nor to local taxes. Contact hotels, BB, tour guides to make your reservations  directly as much as possible, and make a little research about restaurants or shops which are family-run business instead of chains
  6. learn a bit of the local language, it is always a kind attitude
  7. ask permission before taking pictures including people or holy places
  8. prepare to walk more than your average and maybe consider a bike to move in town, it’s fun and eco friendly (we can also rent e-bikes since we live in a hilly city!)
  9. dress up appropriately, not only to enter churches (covered shoulders and knees), but also to move around the city: it is not customary in Rome to walk around in flip flops and beach outfits, despite the high temperatures of the summer.
  10. bring a water bottle with you and refill to the free drinking fountains you find all around the city. Avoid the take away habit which is not typical in Italy: allow yourself few minutes to drink a coffee and eat a “cornetto” at the cafè counter (when in Rome…)  instead of a breakfast “to go”. Have you ever noticed how much useless plastic and paper this habit involves?