From Pay-to-Photograph Fountains to Viral Vodka Pasta, Locals and Tourists Disagree on What Rome Should BeIdeally, when you plan a trip abroad, you seek escape from your everyday routine, a new culture, new faces, and for many of us new food. However, as we are faced with the new world of “overtourism,” has authenticity been completely lost?Speaking to tourists on the streets of Rome, we were met with numerous pleasant remarks regarding the city’s overwhelming charm and beauty as you weave through cobblestone streets and eventually find yourself standing beneath ancient ruins or famous monuments. Although, as the conversations continue, one aspect becomes abundantly clear; tourists feel Rome is not Italian enough. Those coming in hopes of a trip filled with perfectly al dente pasta and getting to interact with Roman locals have rather been met with feelings of disappointment. As one man with Italian heritage visiting from Uruguay noted about his trip, “There are so many tourists, the tolerance has grown so dramatically that the restaurants have to industrialize the food, and they lose quality. When we were in the north it was different - there are not that many tourists. You have the taste of the mothers, not the restaurant.” Has the country which relies on a tourism economy traded its true native customs in favour of appealing to ideals which people learn from social media and films produced by Americans? Speak with any Roman local and one of their first remarks regarding the city typically extends the same message; Rome has changed. Restaurants they used to love, and quiet neighborhoods perfect for an evening walk have transformed into a theme park. A Disneyland-esque recreation of their own culture. Take a walk through Trastevere and you are quickly met with crowds waiting in line for a restaurant which Italians can only describe as a tragedy. There is no denying that travel has changed. Long gone are the days of guide books and Rick Steves as your sources for finding an “authentic” experience. Instead people turn to TikTok, Instagram, and now AI to learn how to build a perfect experience and learn what hot spots should have a place on their agenda. While social media influencers cannot be completely written off as solely spreading bad information, in the pursuit of clicks and going viral, many aspects of Rome have been exaggerated or in the worst case entirely made up. As one woman traveling from the United States stated, “My favorite food is vodka pasta and I haven’t seen that anywhere here.” A dish popular in the Italian-American diaspora communities, which recently exploded online following supermodel Gigi Hadid sharing a video of her recipe on Instagram. It appears there are two versions of Rome, one which exists on social media and inside people’s heads, and then the reality. The rapid growth of tourism has been particularly notable in numerous cities, one of those being Rome, and the city’s attempt to adapt has been noticeable. The infamous Trevi Fountain, which has often been regarded as a highlight of many travelers’ visits, now charges a fee to get close enough to take a picture. And graffiti can be seen painted across many neighborhoods with phrases such as “Yankee go home.” Roman locals acknowledge the importance of tourism for the economy while also having intense feelings of frustration. The upcoming years will be a battle for the city to find balance between remaining one of the most popular destinations in the world without abandoning the people who call it home. Other popular destinations such as Barcelona have faced heavy protests from locals regarding overtourism, Airbnbs, and an overall spike in the cost of living. These frustrations deeply resonate with Roman locals, paired with the feeling that their culture is being bought up by foreign investors and transformed into a product for export, essentially losing all aspects of authenticity. Rome’s historical renown, famous cuisine, and winding cobblestone streets will continue to attract tourists no matter how crowded every monument becomes; however, Rome’s dedication to maintaining its culture will continue to be tested in the upcoming years, even if that means disappointing visitors with the lack of vodka pasta. Ph: Real_life_photo / Shutterstock.com

Ideally, when you plan a trip abroad, you seek escape from your everyday routine, a new culture, new faces, and for many of us new food. However, as we are faced with the new world of “overtourism,” has authenticity been completely lost? Speaking to tourists on the streets of Rome, we were met with numerous pleasant remarks regarding the city’s overwhelming charm and beauty as you weave through cobblestone streets and eventually find yourself standing beneath ancient ruins or famous monuments. Although, as the conversations continue, one aspect becomes abundantly clear; tourists feel Rome is not Italian enough. Those coming in hopes of a trip filled with perfectly al dente pasta and getting to interact with Roman locals have rather been met with feelings of disappointment. As one man with Italian heritage visiting from Uruguay noted about his trip, “There are so many tourists, the tolerance has grown so dramatically that the restaurants have to industrialize the food, and they lose quality. When we were in the north it was different - there are not that many tourists. You have the taste of the mothers, not the restaurant.” Has the country which relies on a tourism economy traded its true native customs in favour of appealing to ideals which people learn from social media and films produced by Americans? Speak with any Roman local and one of their first remarks regarding the city typically extends the same message; Rome has changed. Restaurants they used to love, and quiet neighborhoods perfect for an evening walk have transformed into a theme park. A Disneyland-esque recreation of their own culture. Take a walk through Trastevere and you are quickly met with crowds waiting in line for a restaurant which Italians can only describe as a tragedy. There is no denying that travel has changed. Long gone are the days of guide books and Rick Steves as your sources for finding an “authentic” experience. Instead people turn to TikTok, Instagram, and now AI to learn how to build a perfect experience and learn what hot spots should have a place on their agenda. While social media influencers cannot be completely written off as solely spreading bad information, in the pursuit of clicks and going viral, many aspects of Rome have been exaggerated or in the worst case entirely made up. As one woman traveling from the United States stated, “My favorite food is vodka pasta and I haven’t seen that anywhere here.” A dish popular in the Italian-American diaspora communities, which recently exploded online following supermodel Gigi Hadid sharing a video of her recipe on Instagram. It appears there are two versions of Rome, one which exists on social media and inside people’s heads, and then the reality. The rapid growth of tourism has been particularly notable in numerous cities, one of those being Rome, and the city’s attempt to adapt has been noticeable. The infamous Trevi Fountain, which has often been regarded as a highlight of many travelers’ visits, now charges a fee to get close enough to take a picture. And graffiti can be seen painted across many neighborhoods with phrases such as “Yankee go home.” Roman locals acknowledge the importance of tourism for the economy while also having intense feelings of frustration. The upcoming years will be a battle for the city to find balance between remaining one of the most popular destinations in the world without abandoning the people who call it home. Other popular destinations such as Barcelona have faced heavy protests from locals regarding overtourism, Airbnbs, and an overall spike in the cost of living. These frustrations deeply resonate with Roman locals, paired with the feeling that their culture is being bought up by foreign investors and transformed into a product for export, essentially losing all aspects of authenticity. Rome’s historical renown, famous cuisine, and winding cobblestone streets will continue to attract tourists no matter how crowded every monument becomes; however, Rome’s dedication to maintaining its culture will continue to be tested in the upcoming years, even if that means disappointing visitors with the lack of vodka pasta. Ph: Real_life_photo / Shutterstock.com