Landed on the 17th, went straight to the Roma match. Had a great time. Love you, Rome!

Hey not sure if this was a scam or not but my gut tells me it is.

I’m a solo young female traveller and very sceptical of any approaches so idk if i’m being paranoid.

I was in rome termini and i was racing to my platform to get my train and a lady seeked me out stopped me and asked if i spoke english, i said yes ? and she then proceeded to show me a pixelated screenshot of google translate saying “hi i lost my wallet can you buy me a train ticket”

I got weird vibes and said, “Sorry, I can’t,” then ran to catch my train. I don’t know if she was genuine, but the screenshot was so pixelated it looked like it had been screenshotted a few times.

The part that felt odd was that she seemed to be looking specifically for an English speaker. If she needed help, why not approach someone who spoke her language?

if it wasn’t a scam, i hope she finds someone to help her in a less weird way lol.

Has anyone else seen this at Termini?

​

I already submitted this report to the Carabinieri and other the relevant Italian authorities. Disclosure: Since English is not my native language, I used the AI to translate my original text, since I wrote it in Greek. This is my report:

On October 25, 2026, at approximately 13:40, I was present at the entrance security checkpoint of St. Peter’s Basilica, specifically at Scanner No. 3, in order to undergo the prescribed security screening and enter the premises.

I was accompanied by my friends, S.K., A.S. and N.K.

At the aforementioned time, the personnel stationed at the specific checkpoint included, among others, a female police officer and a male police officer; the latter having black hair, a black goatee (pizzo), and a height of approximately 1.75 m, who is the primary subject of this complaint.

After passing through the screening machine normally, retrieving my personal belongings, and completing the standard physical search, I was informed that I could depart the checkpoint and proceed toward the entrance.

While I was already walking away, having left the plastic bin neatly on the exit counter of the scanner, the aforementioned officer called out to me in a loud and assertive tone, ordering me to return and demanding that I manually place the bin onto the return lane for subsequent visitors.

I replied to him in a calm and courteous manner that, to my understanding, the management and return of checkpoint equipment constitutes an operational duty of the security personnel, rather than an obligation of the screened visitor, and that I had in no way mishandled or improperly discarded the equipment.

Immediately following my response, the officer reacted in a highly aggressive and agitated manner, shouting at me and demanding that I carry out his order.

I asked him to address me in an appropriate and respectful manner and to cease his aggressive behavior.

Following this, and in the presence of my friends as well as a crowd of other visitors present at the checkpoint, the officer further escalated his behavior and, according to the precise meaning of his words, stated to me:

“Oh, is that so? Now you'll see what you get. Step back behind the scanner.”

Immediately thereafter, he compelled me to return to the checkpoint, despite the fact that the initial screening had already been completed and I had been authorized to proceed.

He forced me once again to remove and place my personal belongings for inspection and subjected me to a second, extensive physical body search (pat-down).

To my understanding, this second search was not conducted as a result of any new, objective security incident, but immediately following our verbal exchange and after he had explicitly stated that “now you'll see what you get.”

During this second physical search, he patted me down extensively across my entire body in a manner that I experienced as humiliating, punitive, and disproportionate, while continuing to address me in a hostile tone.

Concurrently, he declared with arrogance that, should he so wish, he had the power to remove me entirely from the premises and deny me entry to the Basilica.

I responded that his threats did not concern me in the least and that he was required, under all circumstances, to act in accordance with his lawful duties and authority.

Subsequently, the officer began, in an intense tone, repeatedly asking me which country I was from.

When I answered that I was from Greece, he brought his face extremely close to mine, inappropriately violating my personal space, and yelled the word:

“MALAKA”

This specific Greek profanity, which translates to “wanker” and is widely recognized internationally, was uttered by him immediately upon learning of my Greek origin, an act I perceived as racist hate speech.

The incident occurred publicly, in front of my friends, other visitors, and individuals waiting to undergo security screening, with all that this implies regarding the reported officer's professional disposition, self-control, and overall conduct.

Following the above behavior, I explicitly stated to him that I would lodge a formal complaint against him and repeatedly requested that he disclose his identity or official service identification details so that I could submit my complaint.

The officer persistently refused to disclose any identity or official service identification details and, instead, continuously shouted at me in an inappropriate manner to leave the area.

At that point, several other police officers gathered around us, attempting to ascertain what was taking place. Under these conditions, and given his steadfast refusal to state his identity, I departed from the area, also wishing to avoid further delaying other visitors.

This might be a shot in the dark, but has anyone stayed at this hotel or had any experience with it? I booked it online and was just curious what people thought of it.

The reviews are kind of all over the place. Some people mentioned not getting the room they booked, check in being unpredictable, and even arriving to find the lobby wasn’t open yet, leaving them waiting outside with their bags.

Just wondering if anyone has stayed there and can share their experience. Thanks!

Hi everyone,

Hope you all are well! My partner and I got engaged in Rome on Saturday, October 17th, at around 11:50 PM, right at the pedestrian entrance of the bridge leading to Tiber Island (Ponte Cestio / Ponte Fabricio side). I've attached a photo of the exact spot and lighting from that night. We were wearing black dress and black leather jacket and a greenish corduroy jacket with a white sweater underneath.

If you were hanging around the Tiber Island bridges or Trastevere riverfront close to midnight on 10/17 and happened to snap any photos or videos, could you please check your camera roll or background footage?

Thank you so much for reading, and any help or shares would mean the world to us! Have a wonderful week.

I was able to secure Underground tickets for my family of 5 to the Coloseum this morning for my desired date and time. Perhaps these tickets aren't the ones that everyone complains about not being able to get, but I had no issues with the ticketing website at all when I used a Chrome Incognito window. Reddit tips that I followed:

- Create an account/profile in advance and research the type of tickets that you want

- Use an incognito window - my preferred browser is Chrome

- Used Claude to confirm what 30 days in advance of my desired date was

- Set my alarm, went to the website at the correct time and booked away!

I spent a week in Rome recently and noticed how many buildings, monuments and sculptures were covered in scaffolding or being renovated. What I found strange was how often there seemed to be nobody working at these sites.

I get that maintaining a city like Rome, with so much history, is a huge job, and that restoring old buildings isn't exactly straightforward. But why are there so many sites where nothing seems to be happening? Is there a lack of workers maybe? Are projects held up by bureaucracy or funding, or is there something else going on? Or did I just happen to visit at the wrong time?

I know people recommend buying 3-6 months in advance, but I've checked everyday and it keeps saying "no visits available at the moment". Any idea when January sales go live? I read somewhere that they update their prices at the beginning of every year and bookings may open in mid December. is that true? can anyone confirm? Wanna be able to book, any help is appreciated!

Hi all! does anyone happen to know where one could change alternative gigs in Rome, post-punk/experimental kind of music? Thanks!

Hi Roma fans!
I accidentally purchased 2 tickets for AS Roma vs Cagliari on 27 October 2026.
📍 Monte Mario Nord
🎟️ 2 full-price tickets (INTERO)
Unfortunately, I can’t attend because I’m abroad.
The tickets are eligible for an official change of holder through AS Roma.
Does anyone know of an authorized way to transfer these tickets and recover the purchase cost?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Forza Roma! 🟡🔴

I have a ticket to the Roma vs Cagliari match tomorrow night in Rome, and I can no longer attend unfortunately. I’m not looking to make a profit, will sell it for face value. Let me know if you’re interested!

What's worth buying abroad that's better quality or cheaper than in the U.S. or unique to Rome only and unavailable at home.

For example, I've heard if you buy a Le Pilage tote in Paris, it is cheaper and they will stamp it with an image of the Eiffel Tower.

For reference, I (35f) traveling to Rome this November.

Hi everyone!

I’ll be travelling to Rome and will be there on November 4th, which I understand is a national holiday in Italy.

I was planning to visit Villa Borghese that day, but I’m a little worried that attractions or museums might be closed or have different opening hours because of the holiday.

Does anyone know if Villa Borghese/Borghese Gallery is usually open on November 4th? And are there generally any restrictions or closures I should expect for restaurants, shops or other attractions?

Thank you! 😊

Hi,

me and three friends will arrive at Termini in Rome on a Monday at 11:30am and then have three hours before we have to catch a train from Ostiense. Any suggestions where we can catch a really great Roman lunch?

I have no idea about the girls here and I don’t know Italian

I am finally coming to Italy this winter. Rome, specifically. This will be a trip of a lifetime for me.

My husband is a Mediterranean man. Just not Italian. I am so lucky/happy he never assimilated to my culture. I found this beautiful shirt I might get him for the trip.

I am sorry to say that all I know about Italian fashion culture (outside of Elsa Schiaparelli) is what men wore on the Sopranos. This shirt is silk. Can anyone recommend other brands where I might look for shirts with such beautiful patterns?

I cannot afford a big designer.

Still, I want to get him something soon so I can make myself a sexy dress that will match him.

Grazie!! 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

Let me know if any of y’all are coming to culto
The more the merrier
This is not an ad I’m looking for a nice group to join
Dm or reply below

EDIT after seeing some reactions: If you’re a tourist who’s going to feel personally attacked by this post and come here to tell me so rudely, there is no need. I’ve shared my own experience and how I felt about Rome. If you take that as a personal attack, that’s your problem, not mine.

I’m currently sitting at the airport in Rome after spending a few days here. I’ve wanted to visit Rome for years, partly because I like Italian culture: the food, the music, and so many other things about Italy I like probably due to some cultural similarities etc. I have been travelling to different places in Italy (sometimes with some Italian friends, sometimes by my own) but never to Rome. Before coming, I did some research (but hard to escape the tourist traps online too) and, more importantly, asked several of my Italian friends for recommendations. I wanted to experience the city beyond the obvious tourist attractions, in a regular way (I enjoy doing regular stuff, checking bookshops, visiting a regular supermarket and getting cookies or chocolates)
Looking back, I think I now understand a little better why some of those friends, struggled to give me some recommendations and some comments they made.

I expected to arrive and immediately fall in love with Rome as I have done with other bits of Italy but also with many other chaotic Mediterranean cities that feel very home. And the thing is, I enjoyed my time here. I’m not disappointed with the trip, and Rome is undeniably extraordinary full of art history treasures. But I haven’t fallen in love with it the way I expected to. And I think mass tourism has a lot to do with it.

(I went to San Giovanni, Monti and Prati briefly and I liked them more but let’s be honest, you don’t go to Rome only for those. Trastevere I am sorry but it is so lost too… it’s the classic thing your dad think it is cool that it means it is not cool anymore: The Camden of Rome.
Anyway, the whole point of this post is about a huge chunk of they city which is considered center)

I know the irony of complaining about tourism when I’m also a tourist. I may be part of the problem, and I’m very aware of that, always trying to be a bit of less part of it with some intentional choices gentrification wise about the way I travel and stay at places. But still I am part of this.

One of my favourite things about travelling is walking around, getting lost in little streets, and discovering everyday life. I love visiting ordinary shops: vegetable shops, butchers, delicatessens, independent design or artisan shops, old bookshops to find some specific jewels, traditional craftspeople, and small businesses with some sense of identity (I must say I found a couple of nice historical bakeries but that’s pretty much it). Places that are not on TikTok or that they look taken from another continent (smash burgers, noodles, bubble tea, brunches, looking at you everywhere in the world now). But that’s tricky lately. And I don’t mind skipping some highlights if I am not especially interested on them or just seeing them quickly.

In central Rome I struggled to find much of that. Almost everything seemed designed for tourists. Endless souvenir shops selling cheap, generic crap. Restaurants ranging from genuinely excellent to obvious tourist traps that somehow remain packed (I am looking at you tiramisu fast food cups…). I missed the feeling of discovering a city through its ordinary businesses (could not even find a proper big supermarket where a local would do their groceries for real, it’s only little convenience stores there. It shows.) and everyday normal routines. Instead, I often felt as though the centre had become a giant commercial set designed to sell and entertain visitors with (often) a horrible and parody version of Italian culture. Also those little golf carts taking tourist around or tourist renting Vespas to drive around the pantheon streets yelling at others… WTF.

I’ve never seen anything quite like the hordes and hordes of girls trying to be Emily in Rome, posing for photoshoots with their boyfriends at places like the Fontana di Trevi. Everyone is chasing a supposedly unique, romantic moment in a crowd of people reproducing the very same image and perpetuating this perfect idea of Rome by avoiding to show the masses on their pics.
And it gets even more ridiculous. I went out for runs very, very early on a few mornings, just as the sun was rising (literally). The city was still mostly asleep, the streets were quiet, and there were only a handful of runners, cleaners and policemen around. It was that lovely moment when a city slowly starts waking up. Yet even then, the Fontana di Trevi was already full of people doing photoshoots. While the rest of Rome was barely awake, tourists were already posing for their pictures almost in darkness.

I love photography and documenting my travels, too and I am used to live in a huge capital (biggest one in this side of the world) where we are used to have MANY tourists. But what I witnessed in Rome felt extreme (i ended up photographing some monuments with a big focus on the tourist presence… groups, flags, microphones, poses. Which will be a nice series).

The other thing that surprised me was how neglected some parts of the city center felt.
Rome is an extraordinary historical treasure and such a crib. The Vatican and its surroundings were probably the highlight of my trip in a good way. Also everywhere around there are incredible churches tucked away on seemingly ordinary streets. You can turn a corner and stumble upon something that would be a major attraction almost anywhere else.

But outside those extraordinary monuments, I often found the city dirty (very often dirty from tourist after the night before and my blame is on them, use a bin), poorly maintained. The contrast between its incredible cultural heritage and the condition of its everyday urban environment was big.

I understand that maintaining a city as old and historically complex as Rome must be incredibly difficult. I’m not expecting everything to look pristine. But for a city so heavily dependent on tourism, the general state of some public spaces was shocking.

Ultimately, what I missed most was the charm I had imagined finding here (and I am not talking about perfection at all. I LOVE Athens and Porto and both are as messy as Rome is. Local messiness is also charming). I wanted to wander around, get lost, discover unexpected places that many others would not even care about or would feel ordinary, and feel that spontaneous connection you sometimes experience in a city. Instead, in the centre, I often felt as though everything had already been chopped, packaged, and turned into something for tourists to consume.

And I can’t help feeling sad for the people who actually live (or used to?) here. I share this because my country is suffering from the same. A city isn’t just its monuments, famous squares, and Instagram worthy views. It’s also the everyday life happening between them: the local shops, the people, the routines, and the small discoveries that make a place feel alive. I sometimes felt that this part of Rome had been sacrificed by mass tourism.

Of course, I’m judging the city as a visitor, and I’m only talking about the areas I explored and being critic with the center (but hey, it is a big area). Perhaps I should have spent more time in different neighbourhoods (I did some but time was limited and so many great museums and artworks Inwanted to see are central). I’d genuinely like to hear from people who live here.

But I want to be clear: I enjoyed my trip. I ate very well (I missed trying one nice gelato place I had been recommended but the queue was kilometric so I did not even consider it. Another nice historical gelato and coffee place sacrificed), saw extraordinary things, and visited a city that has shaped so much of our history. I don’t regret coming, and I’m grateful I finally did. Yet after years of wanting to visit Rome, I don’t feel a particular need to return and some sadness.

That’s what makes the whole experience bittersweet. I can admire Rome, appreciate its beauty, and be amazed by its history without falling in love with it and be critical with some things I saw and lived.

And for those who know the city well, locals, does the Rome I was hoping to discover still exist somewhere? Don’t share it here or even with me, please. Keep it for yourself. 💚

Hello! I’m travelling to Rome soon and our accommodation doesn’t include breakfast.

Rather than looking for brunch places, I’m curious about what a normal Roman breakfast looks like. What would you typically order at a local bar or café in the morning? Coffee and a cornetto? Are there any other things worth trying?

Do you have any recommendation of cafes?

Thank you! 😊

Our group of adults and teens will be in Rome over the Christmas holidays. We are interested in visiting Cinecitta World on 12/26 - the idea being that it would be a fun diversion from the otherwise steady pace of art, history, and culture. I’m looking for tips on:

1) how to get there via public transportation from our hotel near the Pantheon. Or should we uber/taxi?

2) what’s the food situation - should we plan to eat in the park or skip it? Is there anywhere to eat right outside the park at 6 when it closes?

3) do we need to buy tickets in advance?

Thank you!