Used to go to Italy quite often in the 70s and 80s and usually had a good time, must have been to Rome 4 or 5 times. Went there about a year ago for a few days in the new year with a Spanish friend who had never been to Italy before. Being from Barcelona we were quite prepared for loads of tourist and after all we were tourists too but never have I experienced a more unfriendly, dishonest and disreputable place or one less sympathetic to us tourists, my friend was really quite shocked.
We were continuously being ripped off, buying a cup of coffee was an act of almost total humiliation as a really creepy waiter would charge you 4,5 or more €s for a cappuccino and the food was just terrible over priced and inedible -- perhaps it was food especially designed for us poor sodding tourists. And this in a wealthy country such as Italy that simply does not have the excuse of poverty were a certain amount of hassle is to be expected. I've just come back from Istanbul. My advice is to go there, you will have a much better time.
Having lived in Italy for six years, I have an Italian wife and am very street wise. In the last year in Piedmont I have been charged more than double for coffee, wine, 30% for cheese, overcharged in 3 national supermarkets, but Italians say it is natural! I have a degree in Economics and marketing, have been a teacher of auditing to the Brtish police, (criminal division), and lived next door to drug dealers in Coalville England, but still it did not prepare me for Italians in Piedmont. The east of the country was OK as far I was concerned, but the west - look out straneri! As a tourist you just need to be a bit canny in terms of where you eat and drink. If you sit outside a cafe in Piazza Navona or Campo de' Fiori you will most likely be charged 4 or 5 euro for a cappuccino, but if you pop into the small cafe round the corner you can get one for 80 cents. It's similar with restaurants - If you do a little bit of research or just avoid the main tourist drags you can eat well for relatively little money. As for the creepy waiters etc: it is well known that the loveliness of Rome lies mainly in its architecture and climate and not so much the people.
I was in Rome last month by myself and had no problems and great food. People were really friendly and helpful. I suggest doing a bit of research first on where to eat and drink - try Slow Travel, Guardian, Lonely Planet etc.Avoid places with pictures on the menus.
Interestingly I have never been ripped of by a taxi driver in Rome whereas in the UK...
It's awful to feel ripped off but I think much of the fault here is with you. If you're paying more than a Euro fifty for a coffee in Rome you're simply going to the wrong places. In the centre it isn't always easy to find good reasonably priced cafes and restaurants but 1. avoid places with menus in 5 languages (this should be obvious) 2. make sure you're outnumbered at least 4-1 by Romans or if not at least by Italians and 3. look for the traditional disinterested service. If the waiter appears happy to see you, you're in a tourist trap. Enjoy!
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