Can You Order a Cappuccino in Rome after 11:00 AM? (and Other Rome Travel Myths)

July 31, 2026
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I have heard countless travel myths about Rome, some funny, some a little outrageous. Let’s discuss the main ones, like whether you really can’t order a Cappuccino past 11 am 🙂

After taking quite a few of my group tours through Rome, somehow they always manage to bring up new myths about Rome. It’s fascinating really, and one of my favourite games to play.

Sometimes I will just agree with the myth for the fun of it and let them see very quickly for themselves that it’s just a myth. Like the American tourist in my hotel that was convinced there would be no water anywhere and dragged a 2l bottle out, only to realise 15 minutes later that there’s a filtered water fountain right by the Colosseum.

However, there are also myths that have some truth to them, so let’s go through the most common ones and discuss:

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Table of Contents

How to get to Rome?

Rome actually has two airports, Fiumicino Airport (often called Leonardo da Vinci Airport and the largest in Italy) and Ciampino Airport which has mostly budget airlines.

Alternatively, you can reach Rome by train (Trenitalia) or bus (Flixbus or Itabus) from either within Italy or many surrounding countries.

Where to stay in Rome?

Rome is pretty big, and knowing where to book your hotel can be tricky. Check out my full guide on the best areas here.

$ The RomeHello
$$ Saint Peter Loft
$$$ Maalot Roma

Must-do activities

🏛️ Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill Guided Tour

🍝 Pasta and Tiramisu Cooking Class

⛪ Vatican Skip-The-Line Tour

Top Myths about Visiting Rome

IIt’s offensive to order a cappuccino in Rome after 11:00 AM

Let’s just start off with the one I hear the most: You can’t order anything other than an Espresso after 11am. And while there is a reason this has become a myth, it is really just a myth.

In Rome, no one will bat an eye if you order a Cappuccino after 11am, or even to finish off your meal. You might, and that’s a big maybe, get a confused look if you end up in a very local area and order a Cappuccino after a meal. But no, you will not be refused service.

There’s countless dedicated coffee shops in Rome that sell all kind of iced coffee concoctions, that the Internet will tell you are a crime in Italy. Yet Rome is a big city like any other, where people want iced drinks on the go. Plus, they know their touristy audience!

So where does the myth come from?
It’s mostly to do with digestion and milk. Some Italians believe that milk after a meal is bad for your digestion (which isn’t true in all circumstances, but it can slow down digestion).

Additionally, a Cappuccino doesn’t really go with Pizza. That’s really the gist of it. Whereas an Espresso is a quick pick-me-up, like a shot, a cappuccino is more part of the meal. So you may get a weird look if you order it straight after pasta or pizza, but not if you’re sitting down for an afternoon pastry and coffee.

Either way, people in Rome don’t care that much when or how you have your coffee. Hurray!

You constantly have to buy bottled water

The water thing is one of the funniest myths in my opinion, especially in Rome. It started making the rounds after visitors would post on social media that they “can’t find water anywhere in Europe”.

Which baffles me, because most major cities have free water fountains everywhere. You just need to know what to look for.

For Rome, I have never had to buy bottled water. The have the cast-iron water fountains at every corner, which have fresh and often even cold drinking water. They’re called Nasoni (big noses, after their unique look).

Rome also has these fancier water dispensers which look like big green boxes, where you can get cold still AND sparkling water. There’s one for example right by the Colosseo metro station. The luxury!

You should tip 15-20%

While you will probably make someone’s day if you tip 20% in Rome, it really isn’t necessary or expected. Most restaurant already charge a “Coperto”, which is a cover charge from 2-5€, just for sitting down.

It’s much more common to slightly round up your bill or leave a few coins, and really only if the service was good.

In Europe in general, you won’t constantly have the waiter checking in on you, it’s much more of a “you say something if you need something” situation. Usually making eye contact or raising your hand will already get your waiters attention.

Fettuccine Alfredo is a classic Italian dish

This one is incorrect to an extent. The Fettucine Alfredo as you know it is not an Italian dish, especially not a Roman one. That would be one way to really offend a Roman person tbh.

The pasta dishes of Rome are Carbonara, Cacio e Pepe, Amatriciana, and Pasta alla Gricia.

It is said though, that the birth place of the original Fettucine Alfredo is Italy, where a man named Alfredo made a dish of fresh-egg fettuccine with butter and parmesan for his unwell wife. His restaurant is still in Rome, Alfredo alla Scrofa restaurant.

The dish there won’t taste anything like the American version though, as it was changed for the American palate significantly with lots of cream etc.

Shops close up for a “siesta”

Siesta is actually a Spanish word for the midday break you get in the South, the Italians usually refer to it as riposo.

Riposo tends to start at 1pm till about 3-4pm and is a time where the shop closes, the staff goes home to have lunch and rest. HOWEVER, this is really more a thing in small towns and the South, where it gets even hotter.

In Rome, I have yet to see a store in the centre close for those hours. Pretty much every shop I have visited was open the full day.

Why?

Rome is a big city, where people work normal hours. Most jobs don’t get that elongated mid-day break, and shops know there is demand. Especially with the amount of tourists coming though. It would be a huge income loss to close over those hours.

So don’t worry, you won’t have to plan your shopping around any siesta.