Oct. 30, 2024

140. Italy - Rome - Overview - Start Here

Show Notes
Transcript

he first to admit there are other great podcasts about touring Rome and Italy. For this epsiode, we provide our usual eye-level tour suggestions for regular people. So before yo take those masters degree courses on those other podcasts, kickstart your Italian adventure with Journey Joe's practical guide to Rome!

Get real tips about what to pack (yes, bring those sneakers no matter what you hear!), where to eat authentic Roman pasta, and how to navigate the Eternal City like a pro. Learn why you might lose weight even while eating pizza twice a day, discover which tourist traps to avoid, and get the truth about dress codes and speaking Italian. Perfect for first-time visitors who want the real deal without the fluff.

This begins our Italy series which will continue for several episodes.

TOURS: https://selector.viator.com/wishlist/Italy/W-51199040-93ee-4075-953c-3affdd67355d

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Calaruga, Shark Media, Juan Giorno.

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Fellow travelers, this is Journey Joe Mitchell, and you're listening

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to travel is back, your guide to amazing destinations for

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regular folks like you and me. Today we're kicking off

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something really special, a journey through the magnificent cities of Italy.

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Over the next few episodes, we'll be exploring Rome, Florence,

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and Venice and Mamma Mia. Do we have some incredible

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adventures in store for you. Let's start our Italian adventure

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in the eternal city Roma. Rome isn't just a city.

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It's like stepping into the world's biggest open air museum

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where history comes alive around every corner. And trust me,

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the food, Oh the food. I'm already dreaming about the

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pasta a la carbonara. First things first, getting to Rome

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is pretty straightforward. Most international flights land at Leonie Nardo

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da Vinci International Airport, also known as Fumachino. From there,

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you can take the Leonardo Express train directly to Roma Terminy,

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the main train station, in about thirty minutes. Just walk

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right across the street and buy a ticket from the kiosk.

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Once you're in the city, you've got options. The Metro

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is fantastic for hitting the major sites, but honestly, Rome

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is best explored on foot. Just wear comfortable shoes because

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those ancient Roman cobblestones can be quite the workout. Now,

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let me share some real talk tips from my recent visit.

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First off, let's talk about what to wear. You know,

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I read all these blogs about dressing up in Rome,

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and sure the Italians do dress beautifully. You can spot

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them a mile away from the American and British tourists.

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But here's the truth. Wear what's comfortable. I brought my

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trusty sneakers, and thank goodness I did. You'll see plenty

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of locals in nice sneakers too, and trust me you'll

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need them. Would you believe I actually lost four pounds

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during my trip, and this was while having pasta or

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pizza for two meals every day. One day, my step

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counter hit forty eight thousand steps. That's what exploring Rome

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on foot does to you. Those Roman hills and cobblestones

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give you quite the workout, so don't feel guilty about

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that extra scoop of gelato. Speaking of walking, definitely download

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an offline map app before you go. The tiny side

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streets can get confusing, but that's part of the fun.

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Some of my favorite discoveries happened when I was lost

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in the best possible way. Now about speaking Italian. Look,

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I know some travelers get anxious about the language barrier,

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but here's the deal. You don't need to be fluent.

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Just be friendly, A cheerful bon giorno in the morning,

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buena sera in the evening, and scoozy when you need

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to squeeze past someone. We'll get you far at a

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smile and your golden Most people in tourist areas speak

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some English, and when they don't, pointing and hand gestures

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work just fine. And let me be straight with you.

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There are some fantastic podcasts out there that dive really

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deep into Italy's history and culture. I listen to several

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while preparing for my trip and they're great. But you

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know what we do here on travel is back. We

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keep it real, eye level and practical for regular folks

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like us who just want to have a great time

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without getting overwhelmed. Let me throw in a few quick

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money savers. Water fountains are everywhere in Rome and the

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water is great. Bring a refillable bottle for coffee, drink

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it at the bar standing rather than sitting down. It's

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usually half the price, and don't feel pressured to do

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every single paid attraction. Sometimes just wandering the streets and

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soaking in the atmosphere is the best part of the trip.

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The must see sights. Let's talk about the heavy hitters first,

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the places that make Rome well Rome. The Colisseum pray Go.

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This massive amphitheater is even more impressive in person than

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in photos. Pro tip, book your tickets online in advance.

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There's a link in our show notes to the tours

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we recommend, and try to go early in the morning

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or later in the afternoon to avoid the biggest crowds.

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Right next door, you've got the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill.

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These ruins were once the beating heart of the Roman Empire.

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As you walk through, you're literally stepping in the footsteps

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of Julius Caesar. How cool is that? I recommend getting

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a guided tour here. There's so much history that you

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might miss without someone explaining it all. Now, let's talk

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about another country within the city. That's right, Vatican City,

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the smallest country in the world, packs a mighty punch

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with Saint Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Museums. The Sistine Chapel,

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Mama Mia Michelangelo's ceiling will leave you speechless again. Book

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those tickets in advance, folks. The lines here can be

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longer than a Roman holiday. But you know what. Some

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of my favorite spots in Rome are the lesser known places.

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Take the Trustevere neighborhood for example. This is where you'll

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find the real Roma. Narrow cobblestone streets, colorful buildings covered

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in ivy, and some of the best trattorias in the city.

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Speaking of which, let's talk food di o mio the

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food in Rome. Listen up because this is important. There

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are or classic Roman pasta dishes you absolutely must try.

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Carbonara made with eggs, peccorino cheese, guanciai and black pepper,

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caccio a pepe pecorino cheese and black pepper, amatriciana tomato

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sauce with guancia and grisha like carbonara, but without the egg,

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and please perfavore. Don't eat at the tourist traps near

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the major attractions. Walk a few blocks away look for

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places where the locals are eating. If you see a

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menu in eight different languages with pictures of the food.

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That's your cue to keep walking. One of my favorite

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spots is well, I probably shouldn't tell you this, but

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there's this little place called d Enzo in Trastevere. It's

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tiny and you might have to wait, but they're carbonara

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Mama Mia. Just remember to eat dinner late, like the

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Romans do. Showing up at seven pm marks you as

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a tourist faster than wearing socks with sandals. Here's something

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special about Rome. It's not just about checking sites off

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your list. It's about embracing la dulce vita, the sweet life.

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Take time to do the Romans do. Enjoy a leisurely

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a perativo pre dinner, drinks and snacks in Campo de

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Fiori toss a coin in the trevy fountain over your

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left shoulder with your right hand. Very important. Stop for

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gelato at least once a day. It's practically a rule.

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Now let me share some practical tips. Rome can be overwhelming,

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so I recommend spending at least four days here. The

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best times to visit are spring April, May or fall

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September October, when the weather is perfect and the crowds

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are a bit smaller. Even in October twenty twenty four,

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I found seventy five in Rome sun to be pretty

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darn hot for accommodation, I suggest staying in the historic

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center if your budget allows. The area around the Pantheon

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or Piazza Nevona puts you within walking distance of most

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major sites. If you're looking for something more local and cheaper,

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consider the Monte neighborhood. It's hip central and full of

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great restaurants. Rome is generally very safe, like any big city,

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keep an eye on your belongings, especially in crowded tourist areas,

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and remember when visiting churches, shoulders and knees should be covered.

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This is especially important at the Vatican. As we wrap

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up our introduction to Rome, I hope you're as excited

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as I am about exploring this incredible city. Remember Rome

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wasn't built in a day, and you can't see it

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all in a day either. Take your time, soak in

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the atmosphere, and don't forget to do as the Romans

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do enjoy life. In our next episodes, we'll dive deeper

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into specific attractions. Before we go, let me remind you

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that if you'd like to receive these episodes without commercials,

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head over to Caalaroga dot com slash Plus. There's a

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link right in the show notes. And don't forget to

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check out any tour links I mentioned. They're also in

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the show notes. This is Journey Joe Mitchell signing off

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until next time, Happy travels,

140. Italy - Rome - Overview - Start Here

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