Rome: Your Guide

Plus Rome City Guide for Your Pocket

Welcome to the latest funky info packed city guide for your pocket.
Just print it off for when you are cruising past the sights of Rome. Afterwards you can pass it on to someone else, make an origami shape,
keep it as a souvenir or recycle it in some other tree huggin' hippy
way.

Vital Info

LANGUAGE- ITALIAN

English is becoming more widely known but more among the younger generations and those trying to be trendy. It is useful to know a few numbers and short phrases to get you around. See our printable phrase guide to help you along.

CURRENCY- EURO €1EU =$1.19USD =£0.68GBP (02/06)

Cash machines or ATMs are called Bancomats. These accept all major credit cards and any with the PLUS or Maestro logos.

TIME- CENTRAL EUROPEAN TIME (GMT+1HR)

Daylight savings (+1) starts the last Sunday in March and ends(-1) the last Sunday in October. 24hr commonly used.

PHONE- AREA CODE 0039

Local phone boxes can take credit cards or you can buy international phone cards and 'Telefonica scheda' cards from a Tabacchi outlet ( they have the big 'T' sign).

EMERGENCIES

AMBULANCE  118
FIRE 115
POLICE 112

Embassies

USA +39 (0)6 46 741 Via Vittoria Veneto
UK +39 (0)6 42 30 00 01 Via XX Setembre 80
CANADA +39 (0)6 44 59 81 Via Zara 30
AUSTRALIA +39 (0)6 85 27 21 Via Antonio Boiso 5
SOUTH AFRICA  +39 (0)6 85 25 41 Via Tanaro 14
NEW ZEALAND +39 (0)6 44 17 17 Via Zara 28
IRELAND +39 (0)6 69 79 121 Piazza di Campitelli 3
SPAIN +39 (0)6 68 40 401 Largo Fontanella di Borghese 19
FRANCE +39 (0)6 68 60 11 Piazza Farnese 67
GERMANY +39 (0)6 49 21 31 Via San Martino Della Battaglia 4
S.KOREA +39 (0)680 88 769 Via Barnaba Oriani 30

Moving Around

Getting to and around Rome

Planes

FIUMICINO (Leonardo Da Vinci aeroporto)
Most commonly used airport. €9 one way gets you to Rome's centre by train and is faster than the bus.
CIAMPINO (Budget Airlines)
One connection to Rome is by bus and a return ticket is €13.50 to Termini Station. A direct shuttle service is available from both airports to Plus Camping Roma. Check the Plusvillages website for times. www.plusvillages.com

Trains

The majority of European trains arrive at and depart from Stazione Termini which is right in the centre of Rome.

Buses

The most commonly used bus terminals are Lepanto and EUR Fermi.

Metro

Not the most difficult metro system in Europe as there are only two lines to choose from and most stops are in the right place. Have the exact change ready for the ticket machines or tabaccis as change is a big issue in Rome. There are single tickets, 48hr and weekly passes available. Validate in the yellow machines.

City Bus - ATAC

Tickets are cheap at €1 for a single and must be validated in the yellow machines inside the bus. You must buy these from the Tabaccis and ticket machines as the drivers don't sell them. The destinations are written on the front of the bus.

Foot

Cheap and environmentally friendly. Most of Rome's monuments are centrally located and within easy reach of each other. View Rome at your own pace.

Scooter

There are several companies renting scooters for those wishing to have their own 'roman holiday' or anyone who thinks they can handle the traffic no problem. A cheap and thrilling way to get around Rome. Wheeeee!

Go See It

What to see in Rome

Vatican City - Metro San Pietro

You can hang out with his Holiness on a Wednesday morning at 11am, unless he's on holiday. The city is it's own state complete with it's own postal service which you can use after touring the magnificent Piazza San Pietro, Chiesa San Pietro, Papal apartments, museum rooms and of course the Sistine Chapel. There are organised tour groups or you can just meander through the 7km of artwork and history just absorbing at your own pace. Hours 8:45-16:00 March-Nov, Nov- March 8:45- 13:00, Saturdays 8:45-13:45 Closed: Sunday and religious holidays.

The Coliseum - Metro Coliseo

The playground of ancient Rome, the Coliseum bore witness to the slaughter of 6000 Gladiators and 50,000 wild animals during its opening 100 days, purely for entertainment of the masses. Thankfully the games have ended and the remains of the arena are still impressive depsite parts of it being lost to barbarians and earthquakes over the years. Get your entry ticket from the booth on the Palatine hill in peak times where the queue is normally a lot shorter. Opening hours daily 9am-4pm in winter, and 9am-6pm in summer.

Trevi Fountain - Metro Spagna

No visit to Rome is complete without a trip to the fountain. Whether you want to return to Rome, return and find love or return and get married depends on the number of coins you throw over your shoulder into the water. Don't try copying Anita Ekberg and go for a paddle as you will find yourself in the hands of a law enforcer and a hefty fine. Structurally the fountain is considered one of the finest examples of Baroque sculpture by Nicola Salvi and is the largest in Rome. So get yourself a gelato and try your luck with the change.

Roman Ruins

Much of ancient Rome has had to make way for modern development but there are some sites worth visiting if archaeology is your thing. There are countless companies and touts offering tours and guides or self guiding with audio guides is available at most sites. One not to miss, and mandatory to take with the guide, is the Catacombs. You wouldn't want to get lost in the rabbit warren of burial chambers 100ft under the ground! Check with the Information Point for organised excursions elsewhere.

Museums/Art galleries

Like many of the public monuments and tourist attractions these are open every day except Mondays and have various entry fees. There are some multi tickets becoming available that allow access to several locations for a set price so invest in a good guide book to check they are worth visiting. Opening hours are usually from 9 or 10am up to 6 or 7pm.

Feed Me

What to nosh on in Rome

Sunset Hill Restaurant

The best value backpacker meals in Rome with options from the menu, tasty woodfired pizzas or try the mega buffet selection to experience real Roman cooking.

Pizza A Taglia

Most pizzerias offer pizzas by the slice, you just tell them how big and if you want it 'caldo' or heated up. You pay per weight and a reasonable sized slice should be between 2 and 4 euros.

Gelato

How do they make this stuff taste soooo good? It is mandatory to have at least one gelato a day while staying in Italy. They have even been experimenting with different flavours recently so don't be surprised if you see tomato or zucchini floating around.

What Does Primo And Secondo Mean?

Most Italians spend a lot longer on eating dinner than they do with their lightning quick breakfast, hence the long menu. A primo piatti is the first course, usually smaller than a main but bigger than an appetiser. The secondo is the main dish and usually comes without vegetables which have to be ordered as a separate 'contorni'. Unless you are really hungry and go for all courses you can mix and match a starter with a primo or secondo, or just have the main and then head straight for dessert.

To Tip Or Not To Tip

This is a very common question. There will probably be a cover charge, this is for the table cloth 'covering' the table and cutlery or a 'service' charge for the service provided by the staff, check on the menu or with your waiter if this included or not. If it isn't then the amount will be between 12 and 18% of the total bill. In this case it isn't necessary to tip as the locals are notoriously bad tippers and just pay the service charge. Or just leave the change if it's a couple of euros and the service has been good.

Where Do I Pay?

Paying can be a confusing experience. If you are wanting just a coffee or Panini from a café you have two choices. One- look at what's on offer in the display case, find a table and sit down to wait for the waiter and tell him, at the end just ask him for the 'conto' or the bill. Two- check out the display case, make your way to the 'cassa', pay for your choices and then take the receipt over to the serving counter. It's all about the Italian tax system, but in some ways it makes sense that the food servers are not spending time working out change etc.

Nightlife

If you've had your fill of culture and history in the day then it's time to let loose! The area between Centro Storico and Termini in central Rome offers a diverse range of bars and nightclubs, ranging from 'olde' English and Irish pubs (but these ones don't close at 11pm!) to funky dance bars and nightclubs. Entry fees vary as well as the specials on drinks and cocktails. The variety is truly cosmopolitan with music styles from all over the world, from old school to the latest tunes. Either stage your own mini pub crawl or signup for an organised one to really get funky with it.
WILDLIFE AREAS
Campo dei'Fiori, Testaccio district, Piazza Navona and Sunset Hill bar and nightclub at Plus Camping Roma.

Free Stuff

Things to do for free in Rome

Churches

Looking for a bit of spirituality? The majority of churches are open to the public and free but they require a respectful level of dress. As a rule neck to knee coverage and no bare shoulders or belly buttons. It also pays to come back later if a service or mass is in progress.

The Spanish Steps

The place to be seen would have to be the Spanish steps. This has been a local hangout place since the 18th C when it was built by the French but named after the Spanish embassy in the piazza. Check out Keats's house, on the right of the steps looking up, where he and his romantic contemporaries like Bysshe and Shelley gathered or just hang out yourself on the steps and people watch . You could also spread your mates around the steps and take a 'Where's Wally?' shot.

Vittorio Emanuele II Monument

The typewriter, the Wedding cake, love it or hate it the monument has its uses as a good lookout point over central Rome. Not a good place to sit down on the steps though as the heavily armed guards may take exception to it. It also houses the tomb of the unknown soldier with its eternal flame and has a great view from the top of the steps down into Piazza Veneto. This piazza was home to Italy's most famous dictator Mussolini, where from his balcony he would address the nation with his impassioned fascist speeches.

The Pantheon

An incredible example of Roman building techniques , this was originally the site of a Roman temple built by Emperor Agrippa between 27-25BC by an unknown architect. The current building dates back to the period of Emperor Hadrian when he had it rebuilt in 125AD. The dome is a perfectly constructed hemisphere , the diameter is the same as its height, and has an open circle at the apex, or the eye to the gods. This was the largest dome until Brunelleschi's one in Florence. What once was a one stop Roman gods shop, where seven deities were housed in the niches, became a Christian church in the 7thC and is now home to the remains of Raphael and two Italian kings. The Pantheon is open from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday to Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on holidays that fall on weekdays except for Christmas Day, New Year's Day and May 1, when it is closed. Admission is free.

Piazza Navona

Prepare yourself for some incredible sculpture and atmosphere . The long oval shape owes its origins to an ancient Roman racetrack, but the main attraction is its centrepiece, the Fontana dei Fiumi, created by Bernini to represent the four main rivers of the four quarters of the earth. Looking down onto the fountain is the equally impressive church of Sant'Angnese in Agony constructed by Bernini's nemesis Borromini . Legend tells that Bernini, disgusted at Boromini's design, has his statues cowering below with their hands over their heads for fear Boromini's structure will fall on them. Numerous cafes, shops and restaurants line the sides along with many art and craft stalls.

The Forum

This is free to walk around in and can be pretty confusing as the excavations have revealed ancient Rome on several levels. Find a guide to make the ruins come to life and you will really begin to see how the ancient Romans went about their daily business and dealt in politics. During the summer there are many history students willing to impart their knowledge and professional companies that offer extensive tours. The forum is closes at dusk.

Surfing

Some internet cafes now have broadband but most don't. You can expect to pay up to €3.50 per hour for usage. Here are some useful websites during your stay.

These places have the bigwave broadband access:

Survival Guide

These won't make you into an SAS commander but they may help avoid some difficulties as you travel around.