Spring is here in Rome…

and so are the crowds!  If you are planning to be in Rome in the next couple of months, be prepared for the crowds.  When I was on the bus this morning to Piazza Venezia, I was surprised to see Via Fori Imperiali was completely packed.  There were many tour groups and I really don’t remember Rome being this crowded this same time last year.  It seems that visitors are coming to Rome way before the summer months when it gets very crowded.

In addition, my trip on the Metro this afternoon confirmed this.  It was 4.30pm and people were stuffed like sardines in a can – including myself.  I wouldn’t want to imagine rush hour!  Usually I would opt for another train if one was too crowded and it would be another 5-7 minutes wait.  Today, there was just enough space to squeeze in!

As the metro gets closer to Termini Station it gets extremely packed and if you are not near the entrance, don’t worry as most people get off at Termini.  In general, my rule of thumb is that when I get on, I move away from the doors and two stops before I have to get off, I slowly make my way towards the doors again. This is to ensure you get off in time before doors shut and the metro departs.  The exception, as I have already mentioned, is for Termini.

You cannot expect people to make way for you to get off and that’s probably where everyone congregates near the doors, making it impossible at times to get on.  I have seen many missed their stops because they couldn’t get off in time.

Today, when most people got off at Termini Station, there was a lot of pushing and shoving which are unfortunately done mainly by residents.

So when you are in Rome, just be aware that there’s already a crowd here,  things may be slower than usual, your patience maybe tested but try it easy and make the most of your stay in the city.