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Help for tourists in Rome - 0636004399
A call center with operators speaking Italian, English, French, German and Spanish.
Open 7 days a week 9:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Offers information on events, shows, hotels, restaurants, shopping and transportation.
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 My Favorite Map, I keep
bringing it back with me! by Lacristina
They have two maps - why, I don't know. If you ask for a map, they'll tear one off a tablet and give it to you - it's about 13 by 18 1/2 inches, and the type is so small as to be not terribly useful. They have a larger version (already folded) which is 18 1/2 by 26 inches. Much easier to read! But you may have to insist to get them to give you this one.
The last time I was in Rome, even though I speak Italian and asked for the larger map, they tried to tell me it was the same as the smaller one. Then they tried to tell me they only had it in Japanese! So keep insisting!
And of course, every guide book on earth has a map or series of maps. The cut-away maps of small neighborhoods in the Eyewitness Guide are great - but the book weighs a ton!
Still, my favorite is the Rough Guide's Map of Rome. Just detailed enough to keep you from losing your way in the tiny vincoli (alleys) that make the city so enjoyable. And made out of that wonderful, untearable, waterproof fabric that allows you to fold it again and again, in any way you like, in any way that's convenient for your current location. I love it.
Whatever map you choose - do this one little check. Look for Piazza Paradiso. Find Piazza Venezia (just north of the Roman Forum and Piazza Campidoglio). Then follow Corso Vittorio Emanuele to the west until you come to the Church of San Andrea delle Valle (which should be on the south side of the street.)
Ok, now find Campo dei Fiori, just to the southwest, and draw a line between it and the church. If you don't find Piazza del Paradiso just about in the middle, then the map isn?t detailed enough.
Actually, maybe it's getting lost and not caring one bit! Leave a Comment
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Here you will find some very interesting web sites that can be a great source of information about the Eternal City:
www.comune.roma.it (local government)
www.romaturismo.com (events, concerts, exhibitions, maps, etc..)
www.vaticanstate.va (Vatican)
www.beniculturali.it (art & culture)
www.atac.roma.it (public transportation)
www.museionline.it (museums)
www.trenitalia.it (trains)
www.opera.roma.it (opera theatre)
www.santacecilia.it (classical Music)
www.ticketone.it (tickets on internet)
www.catacombe.roma.it(catacombs info)
www.adr.it (airports in Rome)
www.mappy.com (maps)
www.galleriaborghese.it (Borgehse Gallery)
www.grandigiardini.it (gardens)
www.wantedinrome.com (local news, events, ads)
www.colosseo.org
www.capitolium.org (devoted to the forum with live web cams)
www.enit.it (official site of the Italian State Tourism Board)
www.pierreci.it (online tickets)
www.whatsoninrome.com Leave a Comment
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 Vittorio Emanuele - symbol of
Italy's unification by icunme
On national holidays you may find information offices closed, museums open for shorter hours and public transport running a limited service. Be forewarned by checking the dates of your vacation against the list below.
(Note that Easter Monday is a mobile feast-day, and changes every year, while all the other holidays keep to the same date.)
January 1: New Year's Day**
January 6: Epiphany
April 17: Easter Monday (in 2006)
April 25: Liberation Day
May 1: Labor Day**
June 2: Anniversary of the Founding of the Republic
August 15: Feast of the Assumption (also known as Ferragosto)
November 1: All Saints
December 8: Feast of the Immaculate Conception
December 25: Christmas Day**
December 26: St. Stephen's Day (Boxing Day)
(The dates marked ** are particularly difficult: practically all museums and monuments are shut and many restaurants too.)
As well as the above national holidays, each town celebrates the feast-day of its patron saint, which differs from town to town.
Dates for the major cities are as follows:
Rome: June 29 (Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul)
Florence: June 24 (Feast of St. John the Baptist)
Venice: April 25 (Feast of St. Mark - but also Liberation Day and a holiday anyway)
Naples: September 19 (San Gennaro)
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One of the best deals in Rome is the "Roma Pass." It is a 20 Euro investment but well worth it if you plan to be in Rome at least 3 days. It covers admission to two museum/sights and unlimited metro/bus transportation for 3 days. We used ours on the Coliseum (11 Euro) and the Borghese Gallery (13 Euro). Then, with the number of times we used the metro and bus, we saved at least 10 Euro by getting the card. We bought our Roma Pass at the Palatine Hill ticket booth, but they are sold in Tobacco shops and other various locations as well.
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 the exchange rate. by monorailgold
As far as entrance fees are concerned, if you budget 10 euros a sight, you will be okay. Some are more, most are less. Just figure out what you want to see and budget accordingly. Most sights in Rome are free. However, some things do require a fee. All museums, the colosseum, baths of caracalla, and the Borghese gallery all require a fee.
Souveniers are trickier. Rome is not a terribly expensive souvenier city. You can get some bargains. If you are looking for clothing, you can usually find the same thing for less back in the states. Same thing with good quality leather. Buy it before you go or after you get back. Any other type of souveniers, bargain for. Offer a reasonable price and you should be able to get it.
If you want to take a day trip to Pompeii, the train will cost between 17 and 23 euros for a second class ticket each way. The circumvesuviana train is less than 5 euros. The entrance to pompeii is about 12 euros. You can buy food on the train or at the station outside of the ruins for a few euros. This is an all day trip, so bring some extra cash. You might want to do a guided tour of the site. ( not sure of the price for this but I would budget about 25 euros).
You can do Rome for 50 or less per day and have a great time or you can spend more and have a great time. I guess it all depends on where your comfort level is. Leave a Comment
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 That is how it looks like by Taigosky
It is issued every Wednesday and - though it is manly written in Italian - it has an English section with all the main tourist information you need. Leave a Comment
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One of the questions I get most often from my friends before they travel is "How much cash should I take with me?" followed closely by "How much cash should I change into Euros before I go?" My answer is always the same. Take about 100 american and 100Euros. These amounts will get you by until you can get to an ATM machine. I use my ATM all over Rome. I usually take out the maximum for the day while I'm at my hotel. I only take with me, for the day , as much as I think I will need plus about 50 bucks. This includes entrance fees and food. The rest I leave in my hotel safe. I take a credit card with me for other purchases.
That being said, before I leave the states, I let my bank know that I will be in Europe (Rome). I also have them up my limit as to how much I can take out a day. This way there are less fees becouse I dont need to take out money every day. I also make sure that my pin will work in Europe. I dont think it happens much anymore, but some machines use to only take an 8 number pin, with no letters. Now I think the norm is all machines use 4 number pins. If you are worried about taking an ATM that is linked to all of your accounts (checking, saving, investments) open a travel account. This way you can put your money into a totally seperate account and be certain that if you did lose your card your main account wont be wiped out.
As a last precaution, before we go we usually give my mom my deposit slips. This way if the unexpected happens and we need emergency cash, she can put some into the account to help us out. This has only happened once, when there was an airplane snaffu but it sure did come in handy.
Remember a lot of the attractions do not take credit cards. They all prefer cash. These include the colosseum, baths of caracalla and so on. I do take my credit card with me every day and use it when I can but I mostly end up paying in cash. Most smaller restaurants only take cash, too. Leave a Comment
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 Forum and Colosseum from V.E.
Monument by goodfish
If wanting to know what you're looking at, you'll need to either sign up for a tour or bring a good guidebook as you don't receive any info with your ticket and there's no signage explaining what a particular ruin is and why it's significant. Audioguides are available for rent at the Colosseum (4 euro).
Bring water and sunscreen and wear the most sturdy, comfortable shoes you own as you'll be covering a lot of uneven ground and climbing steps! We did Forum first (it was free until March of 2008), then Palatine and then Colosseum as the latter afforded a little shade during the hottest part of the day. Then it was off for a sit-down and a cocktail in the park - see my Pavilion Bar tip under Things to Do. Leave a Comment
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 “Roma C’č” the weekly
guide to Rome by Lacristina
“Roma C’č”
This is THE guide to what's happening in Rome. If you want to find out who's playing where, special tours, music, plays, opera, films, theater, this is the weekly magazine to get. Unfortunately, it's mostly in Italian - there is a small section in the back in English, but very limited.
But if you buy a copy and bring it to the front desk of your hotel, I'm sure they'll help you translate whatever you need.
There is a website, and it's been updated to include some English descriptions, but only of local Cinemas, shows, times, etc.
http://www.romace.it/site/index.php
You can buy it at any newstand. Leave a Comment
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- La Mela
Via Alessandro Stoppato 104, Rome - City Hotel
Via Due Macelli 97, Rome - Roma Boutique Hotel
Via Toscana, 1, Rome - Domus Betti B&B
Via Germanico 85, Rome - Princess Hotel
Via Andrea Ferrara, 33, Rome - Residence Barberini
Via delle Quattro Fontane, 171-172, Rome - Hotel Executive
Via Aniene 3 Piazza Fiume, Rome - Domina Roma Cassia
Via G Frescobaldi 5, Rome - Pensionato San Paolo
Viale F. Baldelli 41, Rome - Hotel Ducale
4, Via Achille Grandi, Rome - Mi casa tu casa
Via Principe Eugenio 3, Rome - Il Trasteverino
Viale di Trastevere 118, Rome - A Casa di Tiziana
Corso Trieste (Piazza Istria), Rome - Aran Park
Via Riccardo Forster 24, Rome - Principe Eugenio
Via Principe Eugenio 90 int 5/6, Rome
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