Settling down in Rome can turn out to be an incredible human experience once you start developing your social network. Luckily, Italians tend to be very approachable and expatriates very open about meeting people who, like them, are far away from their native country.
How to make new friends
In Rome, one can easily meet new people at their workplace, at university or even at the school their kids attend. You will soon come to realise that Italians are easy-to-talk-to people and that beautiful friendships may come out of randomly conversing with people. When at work, do not hesitate to engage the conversation with your colleagues during your free time or your lunch breaks and with other parents when you take or pick up your children from school. Whether at a bar or a supermarket, daring is fundamental: Get the conversation started!
Furthermore, you will undoubtedly come across many expatriates like you in a happening place like Rome. Take a chance and speak to other foreigners whenever you get the opportunity to. Another way to make friends is to use the network of your own existing friends. Chances are they can introduce you to other interesting people around town.
Nightlife and activities for students
If you are currently studying in Rome, you may want to stay tuned as several universities, and organisations like Erasmus often host cultural outings, trips and parties to help the foreign student community link up together. This may give you the chance to explore the Eternal City and its outskirts and meet new people in the blink of an eye. Do check out the Erasmus Rome Facebook page to know more about theme parties and other events you can attend in bars and clubs around the City!
Activities for all
Regardless of whether you are a student or not, you can make the most of the incredible number of social nights and events that are organised throughout the City of Rome while getting better at speaking Italian or any other language for that matter. Located in Testaccio, buzzing social hotspots like the Rec23 Bar, for example, host authentic Aperitivo every Monday and provide foreigners and Romans with a great platform to better their linguistic knowledge and socialise. Can you think of any better way to learn the local language, discover a new culture and make new friends? Here are a few other options you should have a look at:
Most of these groups organise parties and other night events, but some of them do host sports events and day trips from time to time too!
We do our best to provide accurate and up to date information. However, if you have noticed any inaccuracies in this article, please let us know in the comments section below.
