Experience Rome Like a Local

Rome welcomes hundreds of thousands of tourists from around the world every day. In the city center especially, you’ll see far more visitors than residents.

So naturally you might wonder: how do Romans actually live?

And the next question might be: can a tourist experience the city like a local?

A true Roman would probably shake their head at this question. Then they’d tell you that only people born in Rome can truly experience the city in its most authentic way.

From a certain perspective, they’d be right.

But all things considered, why not try to experience the city in a less touristy, more genuine way?

You won’t get honorary citizenship, but it will add an extra touch of interest and originality to your vacation.

Perfect, but where do you start?

First, to experience Rome the way locals do, you need to stray a bit from the most popular tourist routes. This doesn’t necessarily mean leaving the center (after all, Romans do live in the city center).

Rather, it means adopting certain ways of starting and spending your day that align with how the city’s residents live.

Start with a Traditional or Contemporary Breakfast

There are many ways to have breakfast in Rome, but the most classic is definitely the cornetto. This is the Italian version of the French croissant, softer and sweeter.

The cornetto can be plain or filled, usually with jam, cream, or chocolate. It typically comes with a cappuccino or espresso, and if you want, a glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice.

And if you really want to act like a Roman, or at least like an Italian, remember one of the fundamental rules: never order a cappuccino after breakfast time. Never with lunch or dinner!

If you have a particularly sweet tooth, there are even more characteristic alternatives. One is the maritozzo with cream. It’s a soft, sweet bun split open and filled with fresh whipped cream. Another is the bomba, a type of fritter that can be filled with custard.

But this isn’t the only way to have breakfast in Rome. Many bars and cafés offer fresh juices, avocado toast, omelets, and other options that have become part of the “contemporary tradition” alongside more traditional breakfasts.

Brunch has also become a practice embraced by many Romans.

After all, if Rome has survived for more than two and a half millennia, it’s because it has always known how to graft new customs onto its traditions.

How to Continue Your Day

You’re on vacation, so you can do what a Roman would do on the weekend. You can go grocery shopping, for example. If you’re staying in an apartment with kitchen access, you can buy fresh, authentic food to cook. Otherwise, you can still visit the places where many Romans shop. Either way, it will be a colorful and interesting experience.

Shopping at the Market

Romans who love to fully experience their city often shop not at supermarkets but at open-air markets or neighborhood markets.

Among the open-air markets, the most famous is Campo de’ Fiori, which opens every morning. Since it has become somewhat of a tourist attraction over time, you should go early in the morning to blend in with the locals.

Then there are the neighborhood markets, which are true institutions in Rome. They’re irreplaceable reference points for residents of many districts. Among the most famous neighborhood markets, the Esquilino market stands out for its strong multicultural character.

The Testaccio Market, in the neighborhood of the same name, definitely deserves a visit. There you can also sample many typical specialties of Roman cuisine.

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A Walk in the Park

Rome is a city full of parks, and Romans love to spend their free time in green spaces. Some of the most beautiful and popular parks among residents include:

• Villa Borghese, the most central and famous park. Perfect for a simple green break, but also for a rowboat ride on the small lake.
• Villa Torlonia, not very large but charming and elegant, with small museums inside.
• Villa Ada, very large and suitable for beautiful walks.
• Parco degli Acquedotti, where you can admire the remains of the imposing water structures of ancient Romans.
• Parco dell’Appia Antica, for a walk through Rome’s antiquity, between nature and history.
• Parco di Villa Doria Pamphilj, to immerse yourself in an aristocratic and refined atmosphere.

But wherever you are in Rome, there’s definitely a park, small or large, ready to welcome you just as it welcomes many locals every day.

Better yet, do what many of them do: bring a blanket to spread on the ground, something to eat or drink, and enjoy relaxing in nature.

Wander Around and Then… A Nice Coffee or Gelato!

When they have free time, Rome’s residents love to walk through their city without a specific destination. Rome lends itself beautifully to the refined art of “wasting time,” in the best sense of the phrase.

After all, leisure was considered by the ancient Romans one of the noblest “activities.”

Then, mid-morning or mid-afternoon is the right time to enjoy a good coffee. If you want to do it like a Roman, don’t walk into an obviously touristy place. Choose a regular neighborhood bar, where coffee is drunk standing at the counter.

As you’ll notice, many Romans love to drink espresso al vetro, meaning in a small glass instead of the classic ceramic cup.

If you prefer to sweeten your break with excellent gelato, choose an artisanal gelato shop among the many you can find in Rome.

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Lunch Like a Roman on Sunday

How do Romans have lunch on Sunday?

Sometimes at home, perhaps with relatives and the inevitable tray of pastries for dessert. But often they treat themselves to the classic trattoria lunch.

When choosing where to eat, it’s important to identify restaurants that aren’t too touristy and are more traditional. To be clear: if there’s a tout outside the place and menus in many languages, that’s definitely a tourist spot.

If a place, perhaps even more modest, offers few dishes but typical of Roman cuisine, then you’re probably in the right place.

Among first courses you’ll find pasta alla carbonara, all’amatriciana, alla gricia, or cacio e pepe. Among second courses you might find abbacchio allo scottadito, coda alla vaccinara, meatballs in sauce, trippa alla romana. And then the inevitable fried foods, from supplì to fried cod fillets.

And if you’re worried about not being able to find the right place to savor typical Roman cuisine, don’t worry. Rome in Golf Cart also has a dedicated tour for lunchtime, where you’ll enjoy not only Rome’s beauty but also its delicious food!

Explore Places of Culture, Art, and Craftsmanship

You surely already know Rome’s main monuments and museums. But art and culture can also be found in places less known and frequented by tourists. Places that many Romans know well.

For example, MAXXI and Macro are contemporary art museums, much loved especially by young people for their often innovative and original offerings.

Palazzo delle Esposizioni always organizes various exhibitions of Italian and international artists. The Centrale Montemartini museum will also be a beautiful discovery, with its blend of industrial archaeology, ancient and contemporary art.

A walk on Via Margutta, near Via del Corso, will instead allow you to immerse yourself in the world of art galleries and antiques.

Additionally, in many corners of Rome, craftsmanship and specialized small commerce still survive. Especially on more secluded streets, even in the city center, you can discover a world still made of old workshops, artisan studios, independent bookstores.

Places often known only by locals, where you’ll find not just objects to buy, but stories and atmospheres to breathe in and share.

Step Out of the Center and Explore Rome’s Neighborhoods

Rome is a very diverse metropolis. It’s as if it were composed of many small towns, because each neighborhood has its own specific identity. Some examples?

The Esquilino neighborhood, near Termini station, is traditionally the most “European” and global area of Rome, due to its inclusive and multicultural character.

Places like Testaccio, Garbatella, and Pigneto are former working-class neighborhoods that have been experiencing a cultural, commercial, and gastronomic renaissance for several years. Some call it gentrification, but for many Romans it represents an interesting evolution and an additional opportunity to experience their city.

The Ostiense neighborhood, the city’s former energy and industrial hub, has reinvented itself to become a place in constant transformation, a vibrant center of culture and innovation.

Many other Rome neighborhoods are just waiting for you to experience them and discover their identity, always moving between tradition and evolution.

A customized tour from Rome in Golf Cart will allow you to discover a less touristy, more authentic Rome!