missypie: Thank you. Well said! Yes, like I said to Kismet, odds are that not all were originally Roman but for the tourist, they were "the people of Rome" and that's what counts!

<<If the first experience is a deranged guy following you, the second is a flea ridden flat, and maybe the third is a sub-par meal....that would be enough to give lots of folks a bad impression of a city, even though that could be caused by only two people and a dog.>>

And that could happen at a family reunion!

<i>And that could happen at a family reunion</i>

lol, after having read what that Roman guy was doing, I have to say that you must have a very unusual family. ;)

I would agree with those who say your experience is colored by where you're from. I live in a big tourist city (Washington DC) and I didn't notice the graffiti or litter in Rome at all. I suspect if I were not from such a place, the &quot;big city&quot; shock added to the work of trying to negotiate a foreign city could be too much.

hi, nicegirl,

interesting point.

we live in rural cornwall [england] and had no problems coping with Rome at all. In fact we love to visit cities 'cos we haven't got any near-by to speak of.

but we did live and work in London for a no. of years, which may help.

regards, ann

I, too, was in Rome July, 2007...during one of the hottest &amp; most crowded times. I figure we saw it at its worst. I was &quot;shocked&quot; at how lovely it was. I did not notice any over abundance of trash or graffiti (except in Trastevere). I do not live in a major US city, but in comparison to recent trips to Miami, Washington &amp; NY, I thought Rome was much more comfortable and pleasant.

I also did not encounter any &quot;unhappy&quot; Italians...

guess people just have different perceptions of things....

Yes, it's amazing how people's perceptions differ, although I think we Rome fans are in the majority. I don't even recall seeing any graffiti although that may be because I was distracted by all the amazing art, architecture, history, glorious food and happy Romans. I did did see a lot of graffiti outside Centro Istorico, however.

My pals and I lodged in a dream location in off-peak season - about half a block from Fontana di Trevi and a short walk to the Pantheon. We were happy campers!

However, I can kind of understand how someone who doesn't like big, bustling cities may find Rome a bit overwhelming. Yes, it has its share of dirt, too, but when you're close to 3,000 years old, I think you have the right to be a bit grimy!

I agree I think it's an acquired taste requiring some specific background interests. I'm one who's not into the roman empire or its history, so I need another angle to enjoy Rome.