This is kind of an odd answer but I'm married to an Italian American and when I visited Rome I felt a sense of appreciating his heritage and really understood why he does things the way he does them.

Go out and mingle with the Italians. They have a sense of pleasure for life. They take pride in their city/country, themselves.

To us closing shops and churches for a few hours in the afternoon is inconvenient, but to the Italian it is a way of life. Spend those few hours to regroup, recharge your batteries or just take a walk and take in Rome. Being in a place thousands of years old can become mind boggling.

Don't worry about the language barrier. Not all Italians speak English but you will always find someone who understands a little. Take a map with you (tucked away so you don't look like a tourist) and when you become lost show it to a police man pointing to where you want to go and he will point you in a direction. I found the Trevi Fountain and Santa Susanna this way.

1. The history all around, blithely ignored by modern Romans.

2. The art and architecture, esp. in many of the lesser-known churches not frequented by tour groups.

3. The fact that it rarely snows. Disclaimer: I'm Canadian, eh.

The pasta, the gelato and the Borghese Gallery.