Money in Rome
The euro is the official currency in Italy, we recommend that you either withdraw the Euro before you travel, or from ATMs when you are in Rome. In general, you usually get the worst exchange rates at the airports at both ends of the journey.
Exchanging cash is not recommended, because the exchange rate is usually the worst. Here there are also large variations in relation to where you exchange.
It is best to pay by bank card or credit card at hotels, restaurants, when you shop, etc., while you have Euro for small expenses. With a credit card, you have the best consumer security in relation to defects in the goods you buy, or if you have other reasons to complain. However, remember to choose Euro over Norwegian kroner, if you get the choice. Then you get the course to the bank, instead of the course the point of sale operates with. The bank usually offers the requested exchange rate.
Shopping in Rome
For many, shopping is an important part of a city break. Not only to renew the wardrobe, but also to bring home a memory of a hopefully great travel experience. According to Abbreviation Finder, Rome is one of the absolute best cities in this area. You are guaranteed not to reach over all the shopping that is worth taking with you, but with some good tips you can at least go for quality rather than quantity. Here are some suggestions:
Luxury and elegance
The street Via Condotti and the surrounding area, is your must go if you are going to shop fashion from the top shelf. There you will find all the exclusive brands in nice stores, such as Chanel, Prada, Hermes and Gucci. Rome’s croissants and international celebrities shop here. After trawling Via Condotti, you can take the trip up the Spanish Steps, and from there continue shopping in the almost equally good Via Babuino.
Unique design
If you want to look for something more distinctive, perhaps from local designers, the streets Via del Boschetto and Via Urbana are a good choice. The streets are close together. At one end of the Boschetto you have another good shopping street, Via Nazionale.
Second hand and vintage
If you want to shop for used fashion or all of vintage, head to Via del Governo Vecchio. There are small and nice shops close by, and many of them specialize in such things. Bring your camera, because this street is beautiful and historic enough to be worth the visit in itself.
Accessories and department store side by side
Via del Corso is known for having many nice little shops that offer all kinds of accessories. If you are looking for a nice silk scarf or tie, gloves and bags in exclusive leather, or maybe a stylish hat, this is the street you should navigate to. Via del Corso is also not wrong if you are looking for magazines like Zara, Mango or H&M, or exclusive brands like Louis Vuitton.
Rome’s best flea market
The Italians in general, and the Romans in particular, can do this with markets. A dedicated market is regularly held for the most part, such as antiques, flowers, delicacies, wine, books and much more. At the flea markets you will find everything in one, and what is considered the best is Borghetto Flaminio.
Delicacies to take home
At the flower market Campo de Fiori you will find much more than flowers. The market is a great place to shop for Italian delicacies that are nice to take home. Fruits and vegetables are not something special to have in your suitcase, but you will find all kinds of cheeses, hams, and a huge selection of goodies in glasses and bottles. For example, look for good liqueurs, wine, olive oil, truffle oil and the like that you will not find at REMA and Kiwi.
An eldorado for food monsters
Italian cuisine should be well known to Norwegians, with dishes such as pasta and spaghetti and pizza or meatballs. Most of us have associations with Italian food, and eating a real Italian pizza in Rome is an experience for many. Other specialties include homemade bread where olive oil and olives are central, and not least you should enjoy a glass of good wine with your food. Italy in general is known as a very good wine country, and consequently you will find a lot of good wine in Rome.
Here are five dishes you must taste when you are in Rome:
- Carbonara– No pasta dish is more Roman than carbonara, and local restaurants take pride in preparing it in the best possible way. What is best, however, is something the Romans often argue about. The pasta is usually spaghetti, but linguine or bucatini are also used. In Rome, it is almost blasphemous to use cream in carbonara (something they can do elsewhere in Italy). The sauce should instead be based on eggs and water from the cooked pasta. The cheese should preferably be Pecorino Romano, while the meat should be either guanciale or pancetta. Either way, it should taste heavenly!
- Pizza Romana– The Romans should have their pizza jam-thin, and with crispy edges. What comes up should preferably be a little minimalist, but the ingredients of high quality. Funghi e salsiccia, mushrooms and tasty sausage, is never a wrong choice, nor a classic pizza margherita.
- Carciofi– The Romans like to eat artichokes in the spring. There are mainly two variants that recur, carciofi romana (Roman) and carciofi giudia (Jewish). Romana is ground in lemon juice, and seasoned with parsley and other herbs. Giudia is fried for a long time with varying temperatures, until the artichoke is tender on the inside and crispy on the outside.
- Cacio e pepe– Simply translated, this is cheese and pepper. The dish should preferably be made from thin spaghetti, with a very simple sauce. It consists of cream and a small splash of water the pasta was boiled in. Then sprinkle Pecorino Romano (white goat cheese which is quite salty) over, along with freshly ground black pepper. Simple but delicious lunch!
- Suppli– This dish actually originates from Scicilia, but the Romans have their own variant. Supplies are rice balls that are fried until they get a crispy outside, with melted mozzarella in the middle. Some chefs make their own varieties, for example with spices, herbs, ham pieces or something else good. The Romans like to eat suppli as an appetizer for pizza, or as snacks from someone who sells them on the street.
