Tips for Rome

eternal

Im going to Rome during the summer.I am aware of how hot its going to be and have got an air con room .Ive never been in Italy whatsoever ,so am pretty clueless. I want to see a lot of the Art there ,along with the ruins ,am excited about the food and would like some drinks in the evening ,maybe try a club .Im not planning on going shopping for clothes or shoes or anything like that .
Maybe some tips on where to eat ( dont fancy pizza every day ) ,what to drink there , tourist traps to avoid etc.I did hear about the free drinking water available so thats good !
Thanks in advance

iamwhoiam

eternal wrote: »

Im going to Rome during the summer.I am aware of how hot its going to be and have got an air con room .Ive never been in Italy whatsoever ,so am pretty clueless. I want to see a lot of the Art there ,along with the ruins ,am excited about the food and would like some drinks in the evening ,maybe try a club .Im not planning on going shopping for clothes or shoes or anything like that .
Maybe some tips on where to eat ( dont fancy pizza every day ) ,what to drink there , tourist traps to avoid etc.I did hear about the free drinking water available so thats good !
Thanks in advance

Bring comfortable shoes.The walking is so hard on the feet as alot of it is on cobbles and concrete .Bring water with you as they charge an arm and a leg in the tourist places for bottled water .Bring baby wipes/ refresher wipes, they are brilliant in the heat to wipe yourself down .You get little handy pocket sized packs in Boots . Wear a wide brimmed hat if you can as the sun beats down and reflects off all the grey building .We almost cooked in the Colloseum in September and only for my wipes I think I would have passed out .

But we loved it , so much to see ,m so much to do , so many places to eat and sit and watch the world go by . Enjoy !!!

Savman

Head to Trastevere for food. Sightseeing, well choice is endless, just depends on how much walking you can handle in a day. Rome in Summer would probably be uncomfortably hot and stuffy on public transport, so plot your routes around the city before you head out.

There's a visitor pass you can get that includes metros and buses which is well worth a look.

Kaneda_

I visited Rome last november,alot of family and freinds who had been there before told me how expensive the place is.As was already pointed out try an avoid the tourist traps, i got caught for 12 euro for 2 ice creams outside the Colosseum but i should of known better!

I went with the GF and found Rome suprisingly cheap,there are restaurants everywhere and we found some little gems that were such good value - meals for 2 and drinks didnt cost us anymore than 25 euro.

We found the public transport to be good value with signs and destinations all in english.I went in november - off peak time so in the summer things could get quit hectic id imagine and ive read a few stories that pickpockets operating on alot of public tranport but i didnt have any problems when we were there!

Rome is a wonderful place and id love to visit again, theres so much to see and do ,the best part of my trip was sitting down in the evening outside a resturant and just taking in the atmosphere of the city.

One last thing, the traffic and manner of driving in Rome is nothing like here, you'll see that i mean when your there!

Good luck and enjoy!

GreenHell

Enjoyed my trip to the city. Didn't find it to be that much more expensive than Dublin.

Loads to see within walking distance of the city centre.

For food I'd recommend going over the bridge to Trastevere. Some great restaurants there.

eternal

Great tips ,thanks guys !!:o

Lollymcd

Forget bottled water, bring an empty bottle and make use of the plentiful fountains all over the city. It's free!!!

Pre-book the Collesium and Vatican, especially the Scavi tour.

Agricola

Lollymcd wrote: »

Forget bottled water, bring an empty bottle and make use of the plentiful fountains all over the city. It's free!!!

Pre-book the Collesium and Vatican, especially the Scavi tour.

And if you dont get to prebook online, just head to the nearby entrance for the Palatine Hill and get an all in one ticket which includes the Coloseum and the Roman Forum. Best way to skip the long lines.

rebel10

Just be aware that if you are heading in August, the place literally shuts down. Any touristy restaurants will stay open, but of course these are the ones you generally would want to avoid if you are looking for good food.

Trastevere is great for food. One word of advice is that you should do a little wandering when looking for a spot to eat in. Obviously places with plenty of Romans eating in it is a good sign, so look for the busiest of places and be prepared to wait, it will be worth it!

There aren't really any areas in Rome you should avoid. It is one of the safest cities in Europe, but pick-pockets are a problem, especially on crowded buses or the underground. Termini isin't the nicest part of Rome, just its a little seedy, but all the cheap accom. is there, plus the train station.

The tap water in Rome is perfectly safe to drink. Comes from the hills that surround the city. As someone else said, just keep refilling your bottle in one of Bernini's lovely fountains!

If you plan on going to the Vatican or any church, you must have some item of clothing with you to cover your shoulders and you cannot go in to many churches if your skirt/shorts are exposing a little too much bare skin!!

Be prepared for crowds, heat, insect bites, lots of walking but more importantly a brilliant time!!

mikemac

Great cafe in Roma Termini.
It's a carvery and loads of options. I got pretty much all I could eat and more for €8.

When I saw the local rail staff and the Carabinieri in there, well you know, when in Rome

Bring comfortable shoes, the concrete and cobbles stones will have your feet hurting.
The heat can be a bit oppressive and all the grey buildings doesn't help so keep hydrated. The water bottle and the fountains is a good idea

I didn't find Rome that expensive at all once you avoid the obvious tourist traps. It's probably slightly cheaper then Dublin

On your first day you should buy a ticket for the open top bus. It's runs in a circle all day and you can hop on and hop off anywhere. Your ticket lasts two days and with the audio guide, a good way to get started

rebel10 wrote: »

Termini isin't the nicest part of Rome, just its a little seedy, but all the cheap accom. is there, plus the train station.

That's a good tip. Not the best area in Rome but if you're looking for basic accommodation there are lots of 2* star places

The dodgiest area of Rome I found was by Roma Tibertina. Lots of Roma (the Roma in Roma, there's a pun there somewhere) begging and Italian youths out drinking. No hassle though
But overall Rome is a safe city.

The main thing is comfortable shoes!

eternal

yesh Im going in August .I only realised after that the place would be quiet.They didnt mention that in the travel agents strangely.
Ill have a look online to book the tours .I usually wear sandles.might be too hot for runners

jt_dublin

Hi Eternal,

Here is a great restaurant recommendation. It's called Alla Rampa and is just alongside the Spanish Steps in Piazza di Spagna. I've been a few times, the food is great, not expensive and they have a great buffet of appetizers. You can share a large plate as a starter!

Take a look here
http://www.allarampa.it/home.php?language=English



Enjoy Rome.

JT.

eternal

Cheers jt ,wow looks awesome !

jt_dublin

mikemac wrote: »

On your first day you should buy a ticket for the open top bus. It's runs in a circle all day and you can hop on and hop off anywhere. Your ticket lasts two days and with the audio guide, a good way to get started

If you do take the tour bus, watch out for something. The open top bus goes in one direction (let's say clockwise) while the closed top bus goes in the opposite direction (let's say anti-clockwise). When purchasing the tickets from the office I did ask them what the difference was between the two and they told me there was no difference! We went as far as the vatican on the open top bus and afterwards got on the closed top bus, only to realise about 10 minutes later that we were going back the way we had come from earlier that day. It wasnt just a case of getting off & crossing the street to get the next bus going back. We had to walk quite a bit to another street and then waited about half an hour to get the bus going back the other way. All in all from when we left the vatican, it took us about an hour to get back there and continue our trip in the right direction!

mcwhirter

August is very humid and usually quite a few thunderstorms but not much rain, usually a very quick shower and then dry again. Can be quite cloudy but will be hot.

It's the only month non-residents can drive into the historic centre.
Try it , it is fun:D

Majority of Romans have gone abroad or to coast to cool down so city not as mental as usual.
Try Giolitti, not far from the pantheon for the best choice of Ice-creams/sorbets.
Trastervere for restaurants and vibe.

get a good guide book, and watch out for the roma travellers, they are quick to steal your wallet.
Try the trams, and underground. Good public transport (remember to stamp ticket!). Also visit Ostia Antica (ruins similar to pompeii but smaller scale)
Don't wait for traffic to stop at pedestrian crossongs, just walk across road, they weave around you. I hear its a large sentence if they hit you. Lots of police around so safe city, except around termini train station at night.
No where like it, there is so much to see.

mikemac

mcwhirter wrote: »

It's the only month non-residents can drive into the historic centre.
Try it , it is fun:D

You're a brave soul OP if you go driving in Rome, they're lunatics :eek:
If stuck in traffic then everyone will blow the horn as that will get traffic moving it seems....

If you have a moped. you don't need leather gear, you need a t shirt, shorts and flip flops. And you must take insane risks cutting up inside buses and through impossible gaps

Much be some macho thing in Rome, I was nervous as a pedestrian crossing the road!

Savman

Jaysis I would not attempt to navigate Rome in a car, they really are mental.

rebel10

I have family living in Rome, and I often drive their cars around the city. Once you have the same attitude as them, which is kind of this inability to see other cars, pedestrians, lanes etc. Its almost like they have this belief that a bubble surrounds their car which enables them to break driving rules without having a worry. Mopeds are far more dangerous in the city, especially in August when they have lots of thunderstorms, so the cobbled surface of the roads in the centre can get very slippy.
Btw, I'm female, only in my twenties, if I can do it, anyone can.

CreepingDeath

Hi,

I'm JUST back from a couple of days in Rome, I've been there before.

There's a lot of talk of pickpockets in Rome, and you should be careful of your wallet, but you're more likely to be robbed in tourist traps not Roma gypsies.

1. Beware of "taxis" around Rome Terminus. Don't jump in without agreeing a price. I made a mistake when the girlfriend broke her suitcase handles of jumping in a taxi. We only needed to go from Rome Terminus to Via Modena (off Via Nazionale) the equivalent of the diagonal of St. Stephens Green in Dublin. The fat robbing Taxi wanker charged us €15.

2. Vatican tours - it's only €12, but we heard from the tour hawkers on our way that it was a 2-3 hour wait. We went into St Peters Basilica church (beautiful and free) and were offered €26 to "Skip the queue for the Vatican Museum" from an official Vatican tour desk within St Peters Buildings and we fell for it.
(The Vatican Museum is a paid tour, St Peters Bascila church is free)
We paid €26 each at 12:30pm for a 2pm entrance, but when we got there it looked like the normal €12 entrance line was shorter than the €26 "skip the line" queue. So we felt robbed by the Vatican.
Also be aware that the Vatican museum is a serious ordeal... beware that you are forced through it like a cattle market... it's really horrific, and not for the feint hearted. Leave aside at least 2 hours. I've been through it twice in one year, once on a tour, and last week not on a tour... same experience... very badly overcrowded. You have 0.5 seconds to take a photo of some scene before a tourist head walks in front of you.... not a typo.. half a second if you're lucky.
Ps. to climb the St Peters Basilica dome is €7, and there's a big queue for it.

3. Also beware of the cafes around the Vatican.
We got stung by "Cafe Vaticano" directly opposite the Vatican Exit.
€21 for a can of coke, 7up, an iced donut and a danish pastry. Fookin robbers.
Get away from the Vatican before thinking about a rest stop.

4. Around the Trevi fountain a load of Indian guys offer to take your photo with your camera. I never tried it, I'm sure it's a scam. Avoid. Use a fellow tourist to take a photo, not a native / scammer.

5. The girlfriend bought a replacement suitcase for €45 from a stall from an Indian guy off Via Nazionale. It didn't last the trip home. The handle broke before we even collected it from the luggage conveyor belt in Dublin and one of the wheels broke off it. It didn't last 24 hours.

6. Italian Service is piss poor... you'd swear they weren't in a recession.
I was there for two days and will only recommend

a) Suite Dreams off Via Modena (beautiful rooms in a great locataon)
b) Rome Cabs - fixed price, reliable, on-time and speak English for booking.
I got a cab from Fiumicono to Civataveciho (€110) and Rome to Fiumicino (€45). Good prices compared to metered fares of taxi hawkers trying to grab you at the airport.

Expect pig ignorant lazy service in restaurants, chemists etc.
I've been to Rome twice in two years... won't be rushing back there at all.

rebel10

^^^
But sure there are going to plenty of scammers in any tourist hotspot.
What did you really expect was going to happen to the bag ye bought from a stall?
Of course there are going to be opportunists at every tourist area in the city. If I was in Dublin, I wouldn't let some stranger who wanted to take my pic take it.

Think the op knows that the crowds in the Vatican are huge, but then again, we are talking about one of the most visited sites in the world. Play it safe, go really early and just believe it is all worth it, cause it is.

Any cafe around any of the touristy areas are pricey, that's a given. I have never paid more than a euro for a espresso in Rome.

I wouldn't describe the service as lazy, just not as fast paced as here. You are on holidays though, so where is the rush?

The taxis are regulated like they are here. You can ask for the fare before you set foot in the taxi. They have a metered system, which, like here, goes up or down depending on the time of day or the location you are picked up at.

I have been to Rome three times since September. I am going again in 2 weeks. You can never get enough of the place and once you are sensible, you won't find the traps that tourists fall into.

Mezcita

mcwhirter wrote: »

Good public transport (remember to stamp ticket!).

This. Only downer on my trip to Rome.

On leaving the Vatican myself and the missus bought tickets to get the train home. We didn't stamp them as everyone was being herded towards the platforms. At the bottom of the stairs there were four inspectors who specifically targeted tourists who had done the same. Demanded €150 each from everyone. Nearly an international incident once the Germans heard about that part.

Anyway, totally my fault but there was no mercy shown. Thankfully they accepted my No 2, Ireland Street, Ireland address so offered to post the fine out to me.

Beautiful place though. Enjoy.

CreepingDeath

rebel10 wrote: »

But sure there are going to plenty of scammers in any tourist hotspot.

And the OP is asking for advice on what to look out for.

rebel10 wrote: »

Think the op knows that the crowds in the Vatican are huge

They haven't been to Rome before.
The Vatican is vast and over crowded, but still worth seeing and probably should be considered one of the wonders of the world.
I was reporting the various pricing structures as I was there 2 days ago.
Tour guides all around the Vatican will say you can skip the queue for X Euros extra, if they can muster up a minimum group size, but I was wary of it.

rebel10 wrote: »

The taxis are regulated like they are here. You can ask for the fare before you set foot in the taxi.

Half true.
I believe the official Taxis have SPQR on them and are metered.
The others I believe are a form of hackneys like here, which are unmetered.

bigfeller

This is a mail I did up for a mate who was heading to Rome:


This is a restaurant called "Bofeta 2". Cracking little local place, brilliant wood fired pizza and cheap as anything. I'd live there if I could

Right by that on the Campo de Fiori is a place called Obika. It's a mozzarella bar that does brilliant aperetivos. Well worth stopping for a drink and a bite there.

Actually most of the places on the Campo are lovely and well worth spending an afternoon or 3 there. The piazza Novona is lovely to visit but I wouldn't bother eating there - horribly overpriced tourist trap.

You are going to have to trust me on this one. I think the next place is here. But I'm not sure. It's just off the Via del Corso and behind another restaurant.

Haven't a clue what the name is but you'll recognise it by the Sardinian flags - which are the same as St. Georges Cross but with heads on it. If you go there get the cheese starter (it's basically a block of Pecorrino cheese melted in the oven and gorgeous - don't get the caza maru!). We only had that there but if they do a Sarda pizza I can highly recommend that too (pecorrino and Sardinian sausage).

After that most of the following is worth doing (and if we did it all in 2 days you can surely do it in a week!)
Scavi Tour - can be booked online and much better than queueing for the regular Vatican tour.
Trevi Fountain (check out the little church at the back right hand side as your are facing it).
Spanish steps (not brilliant - no lasers or anything).
Colosseum
Pantheon (this was far cooler than I thought it would be).

Savman

Tip: in restaurants, don't ask for 'House wine' without pointing to exactly what you want on the menu with the price alongside.

Otherwise some crafty waiter or waitress will bring you the the most expensive wine on the menu and charge you accordingly :rolleyes:

bigfeller

Oh, 2 things a visit to Italy will ruin for you for pretty much the rest of your life.

Pizza and coffee. They just do it brilliantly there.

eternal

I did not expect such a response ! Thanks so much and with links and all .
I'm looking forward to it now as time approaches.I can't see myself driving there really but thanks on the advice.The thought of crossing the road and cars swerving around me scares me senseless haha.
Some great tips on food places though.the Scavi tour ,does that include the Vatican though.Isnt it sad though that such beauty has become commercialised in a sense.A friend told me that Carravaggio's paintings are shown in some places and not many people even know about him.He would be an artist many would not even know much about.I still remember his painting 'The Taking of Christ' when it was shown in Dublin years ago.
Obviously Michelangelo would be the forebearer of the Renaissance along with De Vinci , making his work more sought after.I'll try and get it all in.Sometimes expecting less ,you end up experiencing more .(Or something like that .)

rebel10

eternal wrote: »

I did not expect such a response ! Thanks so much and with links and all .
I'm looking forward to it now as time approaches.I can't see myself driving there really but thanks on the advice.The thought of crossing the road and cars swerving around me scares me senseless haha.
Some great tips on food places though.the Scavi tour ,does that include the Vatican though.Isnt it sad though that such beauty has become commercialised in a sense.A friend told me that Carravaggio's paintings are shown in some places and not many people even know about him.He would be an artist many would not even know much about.I still remember his painting 'The Taking of Christ' when it was shown in Dublin years ago.
Obviously Michelangelo would be the forebearer of the Renaissance along with De Vinci , making his work more sought after.I'll try and get it all in.Sometimes expecting less ,you end up experiencing more .(Or something like that .)

Eternal, just on Caravaggio, it's a pity it wasn't last year you were heading cause they had a brilliant week long celebration of his work to mark his 400 year anniversary, they opened all the galleries and churches where is work can be seen for 24 hours. I went up to the villa Borghese one night at about 4am. His work is something which always leaves me speechless.
A few weeks ago when I was over last, I did a walking tour of his life. They brought us around to his apartments, where he ate & drank and of course where he murdered a man. It was brilliant, but alas, in Italian. Luckily I had my friend with me who is fluent so it wasn't a problem for me. If they did it in English, I would definately advise it!
His work is everywhere. Piazza del Popolo has two churches I think with about 3 works of his. Galleria Borghese has loads and if I remember correctly, Il Gesu, a church has a lovely one. Enjoy!!

SpongeBob2000

I'm going there in July and would like to book the self catering apartment instead of hotel. Anyone has any good booking website to share?

Thanks

Pisturchiella

His work is everywhere. Piazza del Popolo has two churches I think with about 3 works of his. Galleria Borghese has loads and if I remember correctly, Il Gesu, a church has a lovely one. Enjoy!![/QUOTE]

...and especially don't miss Caravaggio's paintings in San Luigi dei Francesi. Have a nice trip!

gyppo

Rome is oppresively hot during the summer months, with very little breezes due to the high buildings. As others have said, fill your water bottle at any water dispenser within the city.

Termini - hmmmmmm. We stayed around there, and although I never felt totally safe during the evening, we had no problems. Lots of Roma gypsies operate around here and all the metro lines. Be especially careful exiting a metro train when arriving into the termini terminal, as the Roma's will barge into the train at the same time as you try and exit, and your pocket will be picked.
Pick pocketers are everywhere in Rome, so just be aware. Lots of places to eat around termini if you're stuck, but theres nothing special there. One place for cheap and excellent food is the Autogrill (lots of these all over Italy), someone else mentioned it earlier - its a carvery/self-service type of place.

Trastavere lovely area - its an old jewish quarter in Rome, probably the best area for good food.

Vatican - be prepared for long queues, rip-off prices, etc. However, it really is worth the effort.

A few other suggestions - Get a train out to Ostia, takes about 30 minutes from termini, and there are miles of beaches. Crowded, but still lovely.

North of the city centre there is a beautiful park surrounding Villa Borghese, and Its worthy of a visit.

tbukela

SpongeBob2000 wrote: »

I'm going there in July and would like to book the self catering apartment instead of hotel. Anyone has any good booking website to share?

Thanks

I went to Rome last September and booked an apartment through this website for five nights http://www.b-b.rm.it/. They were quick to respond and gave good, honest evaluations of the properties on offer. No hidden costs either

mikemac

Visit the Palace of Victor Emmanuel II too.
I'd never heard VE before but lots of references to him around the city.

Free to walk around and they have old artillery, guns, swords and military equipment to see if you're into that sort of thing.

At the top there is a lift you can take to the top of the building for great views but that was around €7 and I was a bit disappointed they were charging so I didn't take it.
But still a great view anyway

There's good info on taxis in this thread. When I got one from the rank outside Termini I was charged what's on the meter and then he pointed to a card and I had to pay extra as I got him outside the station.
I don't think I was ripped off but it seemed strange

And when you cross the road in Rome OP, be nervous , look both ways and be quick about it! Lunatic drivers :pac:

When you get the train to Da Vinci, the express train is quite expensive. Take the local train, it's cheaper.
And while I'm not saying dodge train fares, if you pay for the station two stops before, it's just a few euro.
If you pay for the airport just two stops up the line, it's waaaaay more. Rip off the tourists I suppose.

kmmh58

Hi we went in November, there is a lot of walking invlolved so be prepared. The highlight of my trip was a guided tour of the vatican it was excellent, we had a swedish tour guide she was excellent. They give you headsets so you can hear perfectly. You meet behind the vatican, they go with you through security and to the pay desk. It was about 2-3 hours long well worth the cost, as we would have by-passed all the art in there without the guided tour. Here is the company we used http://www.maximustours.com/

eternal

Thanks for all the info.
Im going getting all the tickets online,waiting isnt my strong point.
This thread is great ! All I need now is a groovy hat.

GalwayGunner

Great tips lads - cheers.

By the way: friend of mine mentioned that there is an Angels & Demons Tour (ala Dan Brown) around Rome - anyone been on this or heard reviews??

mcwhirter

Booked an apartment in barcelona with lovingapartments.com a few years back, they also have places in Rome. Recommended.

Einhard

Mezcita wrote: »

Anyway, totally my fault but there was no mercy shown. Thankfully they accepted my No 2, Ireland Street, Ireland address so offered to post the fine out to me.

You fupper, that's my address!!:eek::mad:

OP, have you gone yet? I've been once before, and am off again next week. I don't know how much you're into history, but the first time I went, I wandered around the forum with my guide book for ages, but it's difficult to get the sense of the granduer of the place that way. This time, I'm booking a tour with artviva. It's $65, which might seem steep, but it lasts about 5 hours, and really gives you a sense of the place. Much better I think, to have the ruins of the forum and elsewhere explained, and their history told, rather than just looking at old stumps and columns, and trying to guess their history. Not for everyone I know, but if you like that part of travelling, I'd recommend it.

Also, I wanted to go to Pompeii as a day trip, but seems like a nightmare, so going to Ostia Antica instead. It was ancient Rome's port, and is immaculately conserved due to being covered in layers of ash and debris. It's very similar to Pompeii, but only 25 minutes and €2.50 on the train from Rome. And no tourists compared with Pompeii. Just a suggestion!

One final thing- when I was in Rome last time, I managed to attach myself to a free tour of St Peter's. The guide was a PhD student from America and incredibly informative. When the tour was over, he invited us to pay for a further tour of the Vatican Museum. I did, and it was excellent, but lot's of people didn't, and still got the first tour free. So keep an eye out for that kind of thing in and around St. Peter's.

eternal

going in august,will look out for it !

genericguy

when you get a tour of the vatican, ask for a guy called angelo - he's on trip advisor too so you can look him up. best tour guide i've ever had, he has a great handle on what's going on everywhere in Rome, really cheap (about €20 and a tenner deposit on the headset), and is extremely engaging. really funny guy, and happy to offer advice on where to eat, nighlife, other sights etc. for food, I'd recommend maybe going out to the suburbs if budget is an issue, as you will get serious feasts for €15 quid a head whereas it can be quite pricey if you like 3 proper meals a day in the city centre.

eternal

I already booked the vatican online ,was only 19 euro ,which was grand.Theres no way in high heaven I would eat three meals a day.I'd eat one and eat more if I was drinking.Especially in the heat which I am imagining will be unreal.I might print out these tips ,in case I cant find wifi over there.:o

mikemac

Do you know where you are staying yet eternal?

You're right about the heat, it'll be very hot and the tall buildings and concrete everywhere will make it worse.
You'll be drinking water non stop

Kewreeuss

Ye're all a load of wusses. I drove in rome and it is great. I didn't notice horns blowing and I found it very synchronized. the poiint is to get from A to B, the volume is huge so drivers are a bit more generous than they are here. You can edge out, take turns at junctions. He who hesitates is lost or at least isn't going anywhere and irritates the people behind. The slightest opening in traffic and you shoot in. Doesn't happen here does it?
I'd nearly say Driving in dublin is more dangerous because here you have the dopey drivers and the wild ones and you have to keep your eyes peeled for them. Anyone using the M50 regularly will know how bad it is for lane changing and hogging. I drove one of the motorways out of rome and the outside lane really is for overtaking-a car zooms up behind you, flashes and you shift quick. And they have traffic cops on the motorway!

I see no-one has mentioned that if you grab a coffee and cornetto at the bar, a lot of places charge more if you sit down.
You really cant miss a visit to the Pantheon and there is a Caravaggio (maybe2) in the church just across from it. amazing. If you keep the portico at your back and take the top left little street there is a fantastic icecream shop.
If you need a break from the heat of the city, visit tivoli and/or hadrians villa. Take metro to Rebibia station and then bus if you are adventurous. Or else Ostia Antica, again on the metro.
Re pickpockets, they are there all right. Be wary of the Roma gypsies particularly groups of Roma children because they will distract you and one of them will pick your bag or pocket without you realizing it. Trams and buses are more crowded than here so clutch your stuff under your oxter! Be careful with your passport as it is very valuable for selling on, leave it in your hotel safe if you are nervous.
Great thing about rome in the summer yes, is the water. just bring a bottle and you can fill it from all the fountains. If you find one that has a sign saying Non Potabile, it means its not drinkable. The fountain with the tortoises is one i think.
Jeans can be a bit heavy and anything with a tight waistband is uncomfortable as sweat may pool along it. An evening walk in villa borghese is nice, or over by the FAO, there is a park there too. Dont buy fruit or anything from the stands in the big square near the vatican, at the top of via cola di rienzo. i forget what it's called but it really is screw the tourists. Italians don't do department stores either.
sorry, I'm rabbiting on here. Have a great time. in the end just follow your feet. the city is great for wandering around. comfortable shoes de rigeur.