Roman Culture - Rome today is a very modern
place, despite its backdrop of ancient ruins,
buildings and infrastructure.
The youth are as
keen to identify with the New Millennium world
as any Americans, Canadians or Brits, and as
such, follow the same musical and recreational
trends, as well as embracing their home-grown
ones.
Families tend not to live in the centre of
the bustling city but make their homes as generations
before them did, on the outskirts.
The Roman
culture of daily life is similar to that
of other
civilized cities and countries around the
world, but their schedule is understandably very
European
and not so much a 24/7 shopping mecca that
you would find in the U.S. or England.
In fact, adjusting to Roman culture is as much
about fitting in with a daily agenda than it
is about using olive oil instead of mayo as your
salad dressing.
Romans love to begin their day, waking up to
the aroma of fresh coffee wafting around their
compact apartment. Cereal is somewhat of a fascination
here and you will be more likely to be offered
fresh brioche or panini (small bread rolls) with
exquisite Italian jams or cold meats for breakfast.
The enjoyment of food is a large part of Roman
culture; understandably so when you consider
the wonderful delights that flow in from the
Tuscan countryside, the farms of Naples and the
Mediterranean surrounding Sicily, Corsica and
Sardinia.
Taking coffee while reading the newspaper in
a piazza is as Roman as watching gladiators battle
it out in the Coliseum centuries ago. It may
seem stereotypical but it’s a part of daily
life nonetheless.
Housewives on their daily quest for fresh produce
and table wine may not linger for an espresso
but businessmen and women in fine suits carrying
immaculate attaché cases can be found
in great numbers in the bars during the day.
The
rhythm of the city pulses to a crescendo by
mid-morning when Roman culture turns into
a mission to earn the lire in order to live
a fulfilling life. Buses, trams and taxis fill
the air with noise and people rush about like
ants trying to reach their destinations.
Lunch compels the population, tourists and locals
alike into bars, trattorias and restaurants to
fill their bellies with soups, pizza, a “bello
piatto di pasta” or a steak, and set them
up for the afternoon siesta period that arrives
inevitably to lull the city into a somewhat quieter
phase.
Many shop owners pull down their security screens
and close up after lunch then reopen at around
4pm. This is the time of day for rest, to catch
up on chores or to sit in a picturesque park
and enjoy the ambience of modern day Rome.
The pace picks up late afternoon and businesses
crank back into action for another few hours,
but by 7pm, the daily commute turns frantic and
trivialities such as road rules are ignored completely.
Honking horns and colorful hand gestures punctuate
the dusky air and the piazzas again fill with
excited masses gathering for social encounters.
Roman culture is extremely convivial and there
is a palpable joie de vivre that is evident
wherever you look.
Dinner time is around 9pm and Romans will either
settle in for the evening, go out visiting friends
or relatives, or dress to take a walk through
the city or see a movie. Roman culture is different,
yet not so different from many others, except
there is an emphasis on family, good food and
old-fashioned socializing.
The arts are appreciated
and enjoyed and Romans are very proud of their
ancestry and cultural beginnings. As such,
it may appear that there is a measure of arrogance
or elitism to their collective personality,
but
make the effort to assimilate and you will
see they have every reason to display their pride.
Travelling to Rome is a trip of a lifetime.
It’s the real deal, the big one, the vacation
on which you will learn, laugh, love and live
more in a week than in a year at home. Pack your
bags and a healthy appetite and off you go.
Use the menu on left hand side
to navigate through the Roman
Culture section
of my site.
