PRACTICAL
INFORMATION
Safety
Rome is a safe city. In the evenings
almost all the streets in the center are chock-full of people,
especially in the good weather. The streets and monuments are
all lit up and it's pleasant to simply stroll and eat ice-cream
while enjoying the fresh air and the colorful holiday atmosphere.
Still, you must use common sense (avoid, for example, the isolated
streets in the suburbs), since no city in the world is without
unpleasant situations.
The most common risk is having your wallet stolen by a skilled
pickpocket. Keep it protected (instead of in your back pocket,
for example), which is usually sufficient to avoid risks.
Water
Water in Rome is very good, refreshing and safe! Rome continues
its ancient tradition of providing water. The aqueduct is modern
now but, as in ancient times, the water comes from mountain springs.
Wherever there's a fountain, you can drink free-of-charge.
Bring a bottle with you to fill each time you see a fountain,
and you'll always have fresh water, especially useful in
the very hot weather.
Banks and ATMs
Bank opening hours to the public are limited. Generally they are
open in the morning only, Monday through Friday, and briefly in
the afternoon in some cases. We suggest you check with the concierge
at your hotel for the nearest bank and its hours.
In the city center you will easily find Bancomats (ATMs) everywhere.
We remind you to check your maximum daily withdrawal limit before
departing, so as to avoid unpleasant surprises when withdrawing
in Italy.
If you use your American Express at an ATM machine, you will need
your pin code.
You'll find the American Express headquarters in Rome right
beside the Spanish Steps: Piazza di Spagna, 38
Store Hours
Opening hours for stores are varied, but normally they open around
9:30 a.m. and close about 7:30 p.m. Some stores observe an afternoon
siesta, but many stores in the center remain open non-stop (usually
from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.). Generally stores are closed on
Sundays, yet this is at the discretion of the owner, and most
stores in the Piazza di Spagna, the Via del Corso and the Via
Veneto areas open for Sunday afternoon shopping. Normally all
shops observe Sunday closure during the summer (when most Romans
head to the shores!). In July and August, many stores are closed
even on Saturday afternoon.
In mid-August, most shops and restaurants are closed one week
for vacation.
Restaurants (only for foreigners).
Many restaurants have items on their menus that you should watch
out for. For example: “Servizio e Pane e coperto” (Service
and Bread and Cover). The Servizio (Service) can have a fixed
cost, or a percentage, and refers to the service of the waiter,
the cook, etc. The Pane e coperto (Bread and Cover) is generally
a fixed price, from €2 - €5.00, and refers to the bread
(however, if you ask for more, the price will increase) and to
the table linens (tablecloth, napkins, etc). Look to see if these
items are contained in the menu to better calculate your total
bill.
Menus also make use of asterisks to indicate ingredients that
are frozen; this can be seen in the footnotes of the menu.
Normally the tip is not included in the bill (see Tips).
Tips
In Italy, labor is always paid. In some cases, however, the salary
is not very good, so tips are always welcome. If the taxi service
is good, we generally round off (for example, if the cost is €8-9.00,
we leave €10.00). In a restaurant, we leave up to 10% as
a tip, or more if the service is excellent. Normally the tip is
never included in the bill, and instead is left on the table or
given directly to the waiter.
Taxis
Stopping a taxi in the street can be difficult because, unlike
other cities around the world, there are not a lot of taxis in
Rome. We suggest going to a taxi stand; there are many of them
in the city center.
As soon as you board the taxi, the meter begins with a fixed rate
(presently €2.90), then the rate increases based on time
and distance. Taxi fares are higher on Sundays, holidays and late
night hours. The fare also increases when the taxi goes beyond
the GRA ring road, (outside the city center), in this case the
meter goes from FARE-1 to FARE-2.
If the taxi is called from a telephone (by the restaurant or your
guide phone), you must pay from the moment the call is received.
The price of the course to and from Fiumicino Airport is €30.00,
however there is an extra charge for luggage.
More details are given on the general information sheet which
you'll find posted in the taxi.
Post offices
Post offices are generally open in the
mornings only, but some in the center (only a few) are open in
the afternoon too. If you need to send an urgent letter or package,
there are various courier services available, such as Fed Ex,
Mail Boxes, with afternoon office hours too.
All good hotels have an internet point for client use.
National and Roman Holidays
During some important holidays, museums, stores and restaurants
may be closed. As regards the museums and monuments you'll
visit with us, we will inform you of closures on time. For all
those sites you wish to visit on your own, be sure to check the
list below and verify, on-line or with your hotel concierge.
National Holidays:
January 1 (New Year's Day);
January 6 (Epiphany);
Easter Sunday and Monday;
April 25 (Liberation Day);
May 1 (Labour Day);
June 2 (Republic Day);
August 15 (Assumption Day);
November 1 (All Saints Day),
December 8 (Immaculate Conception);
December 25 (Christmas);
December 26 (St. Stephen's Day)
Roman Holiday
June 29 (Patron Saints Peter & Paul Day)
Maps of Rome
Here you can find all the streets in Rome, as well as the hotel
you've chosen, or you can choose a hotel: http://maps.google.it/maps?hl=it&tab=wl
Here you can find the official tourist map, indicating the most
important monuments, the subway stops and PIT kiosks (Tourist
Information Points). You can pick up one of these maps free at
PIT or other free maps of Rome at your hotel.
http://en.turismoroma.it/benvenuti_a_roma/mappa_di_roma
