TRAVEL INFORMATION FOR ROME
1. “moving around” in Rome
- tickets for public transportation, underground, trams and busses are available in dispensing machines in underground stations or tobacco stores (marked with a black sign baring a white “T”.
A single ticket costs 1 € and is valid for 75 minutes once validated. Also available are 24 hour tickets at the price of 4 € or a 3-day-pass for 11 €
- Taxicabs
are white and carry the taxi sign on the top of the car, shining red when available. On the side doors you find an identifying code (either a number or a combination of a name and a number) that may be important if you need to contact a driver after the ride.
The avarage taxiride within the historic center costs approximately 10 € , before 10:00 pm the price is 2,90 € + the cost of the ride and after 10:00 pm to 7:00 am the price is 5,90 + the cost of the ride.
ATTENTION:
Rome visitors get at the airport often solicitated by men who pretend to be cab drivers (asking “taxi?taxi?” to get your attention). Those men are “illegal” drivers, without a valid licence and tend to charge unreasonable sums for their services. A transfer from the airport to town can easily cost around 100 €.
The official or “real” cab drivers are waiting in front of the airport terminal. The city administration decided on fixing a price for airport transfer services by taxi cabs. The price for an airport transfer for 3 person to any city quarter (within the aurelian city wall) is 40 € from Fiumicino airport and 30 € from Ciampino airport.
Those prices do include everything from bringing you to town and handeling your luggage and a driver should not ask for more.
2. Do's and Dont's in Rome
Pickpockets like to hunt where the crowds are and that is especially: the Vatican and all busses heading there (bus number 64 in particular) as well as the area around Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps.Therefore it is wise to take some precautions. Travel documents and credit cards should not be all in the same wallet (better to place them in different pockets or put thrm in different sections of your handbag). Do not carry your wallets in backpacks or the backpockets of the trousers and place your hand on the zipper of your handbag or clutch them tight under your arm.
You can also consider to copy your travel documents and carry the copies with you while the originals stay safely in the hotel safe
There is a basic dresscode in Rome. As the capital of Italy, its administrative and cultural center as well as beeing the catholic “headcquarter” of the world a too casual outfit or beach wear is not the right choice for a visit in Rome. The right outfit to avoid problems when visiting the churches in Rome for a man would be a nice polo shirt, long summer trousers and dress sandals, for women any kind of outfit that covers the shoulders and the knees. Men or women in tank tops and shorts wont be admitted in the churches and the Vatican.
Romans are grumpy! That is of course not true, but it is a common first impression.
Very little Italians do actually speak a foreign and it is quite common that up to 90% of the Italians working in the tourist industry does not speak english. Therefore they often feel insecure when dealing with visitors what often gets misunderstood as unpoliteness. A smile most likely breaks the ice in such a situation, as does beeing polite. “Grazie” means thank you, “per favore” means please, and “prego” translates to you are welcome.
IMPORTANT:
“CIAO” as “hello” or “goodbye” is only used amongst friends. To greet a not known person with “CIAO” is considered very uneducated. To meet and greet in a respectfull manner you should use “Buongiorno” or “Buonasera” (after 2:00 pm) for a hello, and “Arrivederci” as goodbye.
Eating and drinking habits are different in all european countries. To have a drink in one of the countless bars in Rome it is necessary to first go to the cashier and pay, then to go to the bar and order the drink with your payment receipt. Different if you have a seat at one of the tables, there you enjoy full service and payment after consumption with your waiter, this can be considerably more expensive though. It is not allowed to fetch a drink at the bar and then sit down at a table, the tables are reserved for customers who get served by a waiter and therefore pay higher prices for their order.
Pizzerias and Bars are the right place if you are looking for a snack or a light lunch/dinner. In a “Ristorante” (also “Trattoria” or “Hostaria”) it is expected that you eat at least two courses, an appetizer and a pasta dish, or a pasta dish and a main course, eventually also desert.
Rome offers also plenty of cocktail bars, beer pubs or “enothecas” where only drinks are served, but often accompanied by snacks like peanuts or chips. Please note that beer is quite expensive in Italy, wine and prosecco on the other hand often very economic and of great quality.
It is customary to tip your waiter (as well as any other service personal for example tourist busses, hotels, spas, etc.). An adequate tip is around 5%-8% of the bill
3. Evening Entertainment:
Rome does not have the classical form of entertainment district like many other cities, romans love to stroll around in the center though and enjoy the mellow summer nights on the many piazzas and terrasses that the city has to offer. Nightclubs are mostly found in the outskirst around the center and are not easy to reach with public transportation by night.
The most noteble places to “hang out” in the center are Campo dei Fiori, Piazza Navona and the area around Castel Sant Angelo.
Campo dei Fiori is where everybody meets anybody, lots of entertainment artists and food and drinks until around 2am.
At Piazza Navona you can enjoy the beautifully lit fountains while enjoying dinner and watch many artist painting and offering their services or artwork.
All around Castel Sant Angelo is all the time some type of celebration, inviting locals and tourists to stroll around in the parc and visit the many stands and huts offering arts and crafts, books or anything else.
Other than piazzas and the beautiful historic center Rome offers many Restaurants, Lounge Bars and Clubs with stunning and memorable outside spaces as gardens and terraces.
Take for example Angelina in Testaccio, a nice trendy restaurant with a rooftop terrace where Djs spin and people drink and dance after dinner or just meet with their friends to have a good time. They also offer a 13,00 Euro Sunday Brunch on their terrace.
Ristorante Babette near Piazza del Popolo offers italo-french kitchen in a beautiful and cozy patio garden for lunch and dinner and a 25,00 Euro Sunday Brunch with an abundant list of different hot chocolats.
Or even go fine dining at Open Colonna where you get creative cuisine while you lounge on big designer sofachairs in the open space restaurant or on the terrace on top of the Pallazzo degli Esposizioni Art Museum. The Chef offers an economic 4 course fine dining city luch while dinner is quiet exclusive with tasting menus and incredible wines.
4. Shopping in Rome
If you are talking Italy you are talking design, especially fashion design, shoes, leather and furniture. In Rome you will be able to shop or windowshop for all of this and more.
You can find the finest Designer stores and most elegant brands in Via Condotti, Piazza di Spagna and Via del Babuino. Counting up the numbers of the houses in Via Condotti is like going to the fashion week in Milan. There is Gucci (Nr.8), Bulgari (Nr. 10), Valentino (Nr. 13), Louis Vuitton (Nr. 15), Max Mara (Nr. 16-20), Versace (Nr. 25), Moschino (Nr. 32A), Calvin Klein (Nr. 42), Laura Biagiotti (Nr. 43-44), Salvatore Ferragamo (Nr. 65 and 73), Damiani (Nr. 84) and so forth.
But not only in Via Condotti but also in the streets nearby you will find many more famous designer stores such as Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, Hermes and La Perla.
An interesting concept store the TAD department store is located in Via del Babuino, specialised in ethni style design merchandise from fshion and shoes to furniture, flowers and music, there is also a hairdresser and a bistro with fusion cuisine.
Just in case that did not satisfy your high end shopping spree yet we recommend a visit to the Castel Romano Outlet Mall just 25km south of Rome where you can find more designer stores to outlet prices since the mall opened in 2003 on a 60.000 squarefoot property. Featured brands are Etro, D&G, Kalvin Klein, La Perla, Moreschi, Mariella Burani and also many younger and less classical designers like North Sail, Liu-jo, Mandarina, Duck, Guess, Diesel, Levi's, Stefanel and Tommy Hilfiger.
The main shopping streets for casual wear in Rome are Via del Corso, Via del Tritone, Via Nazionale and Cola di Rienzo, wher you also find a small department store.
Young Designers have there stores for example in Via del Governo Vecchio or all around Campo dei Fiori. Antiques you can find in the streets around the Spanish Steps, Via del Babuino and Via Margutta.
The Shopping Malls are due to a lack of construction sites in the historic center and the enormous realty prices all in the outskirts of Rome. They are easy to reach though. The Centro Commerciale Cinecitta Due is close to a Metro station, and trains to Parco Leonardo are leaving from Metro Station Pyramide/Stazione Ostiense every 15 minutes.
Every roman city quarter has its markets. Just ask at the hotel receprion where the closest is and its opening hours.
Fairly special markets are the Flee Market at Via Sannio near San Giovanni in Laterano open Monday through Saturday 7:30-13:00, the Market at Porta Portese open Sundays 7:30-13:00, once a flea market today a place where you can find nearly anything from shoes to motorcycle helmets and counterfeit DVD's.
Every Saturday and Sunday there is a Farmer's Market near Circus Maximus in Via San Theodoro where regional farmers sell their merchandise. Olive oil, wine, cheese and produce. A great and really non touristical place to hang out and try local delicacies.
Nice culinary souvenirs are also available at Castroni on Cola di Rienzo near the Vatican City. For wine lovers we reccomend a visit at the already in 1821 founded Wine store Trimani in Via Gioto 20, who has the most remarkable inventory of italian wines.
Sales season in Rome is in January as well as in July and August and it is well worth to spend a few hours in shops and to look for good deals. Most of the merchandise is discounted from 50-70% in that period. You should be prepared though that many stores have bouncers in that period that only allow a few people in the stores at a time, to avoid overcrowding.
We hope this travel information will be usefull to you and/or inspire you on your Rome visit. For any further information please do contact our staff via email, we will be happy to provide all information that is necessary for you to plan and enjoy your Rome vacation to the fullest.
Your staff at:
Roma Segreta – Customized Sightseeing
