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_City Overview Situated on the River Tiber, between the Apennine Mountains and the Tyrrhenian Sea, the ‘Eternal City’ of Rome (Roma) was once the administrative centre of the mighty Roman Empire, governing a vast region that stretched from Britain to Mesopotamia. Today, it remains the seat of the Italian government and home to numerous ministerial offices but is superseded by Milan, in the industrial north, for business and finance. The legendary beginnings of Rome are related in the tale of Romulus and Remus. Princess Rhea Silvia, ravished by Mars (the God of War), gave birth to the twins and abandoned them to fate. The River Tiber carried them to the Palatine Hill, where a she-wolf mothered the babes until their discovery by a shepherd. Romulus later killed Remus, before going on to found Rome in the marshy lowlands of seven hills. The anniversary of Rome’s foundation –21 April 753BC – is now marked by a public holiday. The historians’ version is no less astonishing. It traces the rise of the city from unimportant pastoral settlement – the earliest remains date back to the ninth century BC – to vast empire, ruled over by a string of emperors. Rome saw a second period of development during the 15th-century Renaissance, when the Papacy took up permanent residence in the city. Although Rome’s power has since waned, the city remains the essence of European civilisation. Ruins dating from Rome’s glory days lie within an area known as Roma Antica (Ancient Rome) and include the monumental Colosseum and the Foro Romano (Roman Forum) – a crumbling legacy of pagan temples, broken marble and triumphal arches. Buildings from the Renaissance period are concentrated within the centro storico (historic centre), situated between Via del Corso and the Tevere (River Tiber). Here, a labyrinth of narrow, winding, cobbled side streets opens out onto magnificent piazzas presided over by Baroque churches, regal palaces and exquisite fountains. The romantic Piazza Navona with Bernini’s Fountain of the Four Rivers, Piazza di Spagna and the sweeping Spanish Steps, and the Trevi Fountain immortalised by Fellini’s La Dolce Vita (1959), all lie within walking distance of each other. Modern life continues amid this theatre of breathtaking monuments, as thousands of years of history are animated by more recent innovations – sophisticated boutiques, rowdy pizzerias and a merry-go-round of cars, buses and mopeds. Across the river, to the west, lies the Vatican State – home to the Pope and spiritual centre of the Roman Catholic Church. South of the Vatican, one finds the bohemian quarter of Trastevere, packed with trattorie and small wine bars. Further south still is the Testaccio district, renowned for nightclubs and live music. Tourism is a major source of income and visitors come and go throughout the year. The city is blessed with a warm Mediterranean climate, making Rome particularly pleasant to visit in autumn and spring. In August, it is hot and sticky and most of the locals head for the coast – many shops and bars close for the summer break and the streets are strangely empty save for visitors. Until recently, Rome was frequently criticised for being noisy, chaotic and poorly maintained. However, celebrations for the year 2000 prompted the completion of a massive urban renewal scheme. Tons of scaffolding were finally dismantled to reveal beautifully restored facades, cleverly revamped museums and a rationalised public transport system. Today, citizens and visitors alike continue to benefit from the improvements carried out for the Jubilee celebrations, when the Eternal City celebrated the fact that the millennium was 2000 years since the birth of Christ. Language The purest Italian is found in Florence, home of Dante and Boccaccio, whose writings were the basis for standard Italian. Rome, however, is the centre for one of Italy’s two most distinctive dialects (the other is in Naples). Even the Romans will admit to the harshness of their accent, but the sound of the language is made up for by the liveliness of the local expressions, many of which are too rude to find a place in this guide. There is even a restaurant in Rome, La Parolaccia in the Trastevere district, where insults in dialect are exchanged after the repast. There are plenty of local terms – the metropolitan police are referred to as ‘pizzardone’, and the name of the Rome football team ‘Lazio’ is often used as a strong term of abuse. In Rome, L100 is called una piotta, L1000 un sacco, and L5000 uno scudo. Even without the wealth of confusing expressions, Roman dialect is hard to understand, as not all syllables are pronounced. Fortunately, most professionals will minimise their use of dialect for the sake of foreigners (including Italians from other regions) and some speak French or English. Phrases Yes - Si No - No Hello - Buon giorno / Buona sera (after 1500) Goodbye - Arrivederla (formal) / Arrivederci (informal) Please - Per favore Thank you - Grazie My name is … - Mi chiamo … How are you? - Come sta? I’m very well - Sto molto bene I feel ill - Non mi sento bene How much does it cost? - Quanto costa? Do you speak English? - Parla inglese? I don’t understand - Non capisco Where is …? - Dov’è …? Entrance - Entrata Exit - Uscita Danger - Pericolo Open - Aperto Closed - Chiuso Toilets - Bagno / Servizio Doctor - Medico Hotel - Albergo Restaurant - Ristorante Beer - Birra Wine - Vino Menu - Menù Today - Oggi Tomorrow - Domanì Monday - Lunedì Tuesday - Martedì Wednesday - Mercoledì Thursday - Giovedì Friday - Venerdì Saturday - Sabato Sunday - Domenica One - Uno Two - Due Three - Tre Four - Quattro Five - Cinque Six - Sei Seven - Sette Eight - Otto Nine - Nove Ten - Dieci Twenty - Venti Thirty - Trenta Forty - Quaranta Fifty - Cinquanta Sixty - Sessanta Seventy - Settanta Eighty - Ottanta Ninety - Novanta One Hundred - Cento One Thousand - Mille Getting There By Air Fiumicino Airport (FCO) Tel: (06) 65951. Fax: (06) 6595 3646. Website: www.adr.it Rome’s principal airport – also known as Leonardo da Vinci – is located 26km (16 miles) southwest of the city centre. Fiumicino handles numerous domestic flights within Italy, as well as international flights to all major European cities and destinations further afield, including New York, Singapore, Buenos Aires, Cairo and Moscow. A free shuttle service links the domestic and international terminals. Major airlines: Italy’s national airline is Alitalia (tel: (06) 65643; website: www.alitalia.it). Other major airlines are Air China, Air France, British Airways, Canadian Airlines International, Japan Airlines, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines and Delta Airlines. Airport facilities: Facilities include Banca di Roma counters, 24-hour bureaux de change, ATMs, left-luggage, a medical office for vaccinations, a pharmacy, a nursery, bars, restaurants, duty-free shops, a post office, APT tourist information (tel: (06) 6595 4471, closed on Sundays), hotel reservation and car hire (Avis, Europcar, Hertz, Italy By Car, Maggiore and Sixt). Business facilities: An ‘Executive Center’ in Terminal A (open daily 0700-2300) provides meeting rooms, secretarial and translation services and video conferencing. There are also several airline VIP lounges with telephone and fax facilities. Transport to the city: Ferrovie dello Stato (tel: 892 021; website: www.trenitalia.com) offers a frequent service of non-stop trains to Rome’s Termini station. A single fare from the airport costs €8.80 (journey time – 32 minutes). There is also a slower train service (destination Orte or Fara Sabina), which stops at local stations on the way, including the centrally located Trastevere and Tiburtina stations. A single fare costs €4.70 (journey time –39 and 58 minutes respectively). Tickets can be purchased at vending machines located inside domestic and international arrival halls. Trains run from the airport to Rome 0637-2337 and from Rome to the airport 0551-2251. During the night, buses run from the airport to Rome 0115-0500 and from Tiburtina station in Rome (stopping at Termini station en route) to the airport 0030-0345. Tickets cost €5 and must be purchased on the bus. Taxis to the centre cost about €42 (more at night). Ciampino Airport (CIA) Tel: (06) 794 941. Fax: (06) 7949 4400. Website: www.adr.it Over 100 airlines use Ciampino, Rome’s second airport, located about 15km (nine miles) southeast of the city centre. In addition to charter flights and budget airlines, Ciampino is used as a military airbase. Major airlines: Ryanair (tel: (899) 889 973; website: www.ryanair.com) operates flights from London Stansted to Ciampino Airport. Other airlines include Britannia, Corsair and Go. Airport facilities: Facilities include a bank, a bureau de change, a bar, a post office, gift shops, information and car hire (Avis, Europcar, Hertz, Italy By Car, Maggiore and Sixt). Business facilities: A VIP lounge (open daily 0700-2300) is located inside the General Aviation Terminal. Transport to the city: COTRAL buses (tel: (800) 431 784) run from Ciampino airport to Anagnina metro station (line A) and cost €1.50. From Anagnina, it is a direct 30-minute metro journey to Termini station. The bus stops running at 2340, when a taxi journey to the centre – which costs at least €41.50 – becomes the only option. Many airlines provide their own bus service (for a fee) to the city centre; visitors should ask when purchasing their ticket. Approximate flight times to Rome: From London is 2 hours 50 minutes; from New York is 8 hours 20 minutes; from Los Angeles is 14 hours 35 minutes; from Toronto is 8 hours 5 minutes; from Sydney is 23 hours 10 minutes. Arrival/departure tax: None. Getting There By Water The port of Civitavecchia (website: www.port-of-rome.com) is approximately one hour by train from Rome. The port is run by the Autorità Portuale di Civitavecchia, Molo Vespucci, Civitavecchia (tel: (0766) 58321; e-mail: autportocv@etruria.net). Facilities include a waiting room, ATMs, left-luggage and a bar. Ferry services: Ferry services to and from Sardinian ports are run by Tirrenia Navigazione (tel: (06) 4200 9803; website: www.tirrenia.it) and Sardinia Ferries (tel: (0766) 500 714; website: www.corsicaferries.com). Transport to the city centre: Trains from Civitavecchia to Rome run approximately every 30 minutes. A first-class ticket costs about €10, while a second-class one-way ticket costs €7. Taxis to central Rome cost about €80 – if there are no taxis waiting at the port, companies will come out on call (see Taxis in Getting Around). Some hotels send taxis to pick up their guests, which often works out cheaper. Getting There By Road There are over 300,000km (185,000 miles) of roads in Italy – including over 6000km (3700 miles) of motorway – linking all parts of the country. Motorways (autostrada) are prefixed by the letter ‘A’; European roads by the letter ‘E’ and state roads are prefixed by the letters ‘SS’. Many motorways have tolls. Road signs are international and traffic drives on the right. Undimmed headlights are prohibited in towns and cities but are compulsory when passing through tunnels and, since autumn 2002, headlights are required to be turned on whenever driving on motorways or any state roads. The minimum age for driving is 18 years. Passengers are required by law to wear seatbelts. The legal alcohol to blood ratio is 0.05%. Speed limits are 130kph (81mph) on motorways, 90/110kph (56/68mph) on country roads, and 50kph (31mph) in urban areas. Fines for speeding and other driving offences are on-the-spot and particularly heavy. All vehicles must carry a red warning triangle, available at border posts. UK driving licences and EU pink-format licences are valid in Italy – UK green licences must be accompanied by an International Driving Permit – and a Green Card and motor insurance certificate are strongly recommended. A driving licence or a motorcycle driving licence is required for motorcycles over 49cc and the wearing of crash helmets is compulsory. Visitors should note that many petrol stations in town close between 1300 and 1500. The AA or RAC in Britain and the AAA in America have reciprocal agreements with the Automobile Club d’Italia – ACI, Via Marsala 8 (tel: (06) 49981; website: www.aci.it), who provide a useful advisory service as well as dealing with breakdowns. Emergency breakdown service: ACI 803 116 Routes to the city: Rome is encircled by a network of motorways. The A12 leads into Rome from the west and the A24 from the east. Ciampino airport is connected to the city by Via Appia Nuova (SS7). The A1 runs between Rome, Florence and Milan, while to reach Venice, drivers should turn off the A1 at Bologna and take the A13. Driving times to Rome: From Florence – 2 hours 30 minutes; from Milan – 6 hours; and from Venice – 6 hours. Coach services: Eurolines Italia (tel: (06) 440 4009; website: www.eurolines.it) runs international coaches, with connections to cities throughout Europe, such as London (via Paris). There is no central coach station in Rome so coaches depart and terminate in front of Tiburtina train station, Via Tiburtina. Domestic coach services covering northbound routes terminate outside the metro stations of Lepanto, Ponte Mammolo and Tiburtina, while those covering southbound routes terminate outside the metro stations of Anagnina and EUR Fermi. Getting There By Rail The Italian State Railway, Ferrovie dello Stato – FS (tel: 892 021, daily 0700-2100; website: www.trenitalia.com), runs a fast and efficient service throughout the country. Termini stazione, Piazza Cinquecento, is Rome’s main station. Refurbished for the year 2000, its extensive facilities include left-luggage, carabinieri (army) and police stations, a tourist office, an Internet point, money exchange and ATMs (at the Banca di Roma), many shops, bars and fast-food restaurants. Other important stations include Tiburtina, Piazzale della Stazione Tiburtina, Trastevere, Piazza F. Biondo, at the end of Viale Trastevere, and Ostiense, Piazzale Ostiense. Automatic ticket machines are located in all main stations. Tickets must be validated in the yellow machines located on the station platforms prior to boarding, in order to avoid fines. Rail services: Most long-distance trains run to Termini station, which is also the main hub for the local transport network (metro and bus). However, the importance of the less centrally located stations – Tiburtina and Ostiense – grows as the night draws on and trains cease to run to Termini station. Ostiense is also the only stop for the Napoli Express between Rome and Paris (journey time – 14 hours). All other international trains – including services to Munich (journey time – 10 hours), Vienna (journey time – 14 hours) and London (journey time – 20 hours) – leave from Termini station. InterCity trains run from Termini to all major Italian cities – including Florence (journey time – 2 hours), Naples (journey time – 2 hours), Venice (journey time – 5 hours 30 minutes) and Milan (journey time – 5 hours 30 minutes), as well as Nice (journey time – 8 hours). EuroStar trains cover the same destinations, however, they are at least 20% more expensive than InterCity ones because they generally provide a faster service, specialising in long-distance trains that only stop at the major cities. Transport to the city: Termini station is the main hub for the local transport network (metro and bus). Day and night buses run from Tiburtina and Ostiense, while tram 8 runs from Trastevere to Largo Argentina. Taxis are also available. Getting Around Public Transport Termini station is the main hub of Rome’s transport system. The city transport authority, ATAC (tel: (06) 4695 2027 or (800) 431 784; fax: (06) 4695 2032; e-mail: clienti@atac.roma.it; website: www.atac.roma.it), operates the city’s large fleet of buses and trams. The network consists of 282 bus lines and six tram lines, which cover the entire city and run daily 0530-2400. After 2400, there are 22 night bus routes. The regional transport authority COTRAL (tel: (06) 57031 or (800) 431 784) runs blue buses throughout the Lazio region. It also runs three suburban railway lines departing from Termini, Ostiense and Flaminio stations, as well as Rome’s two metro lines (A and B), which cross at Termini station. The easily mastered metro service operates daily 0530-2330 (until 2430 Saturday). Plans to forge a new third line have been in the works for years but have not come any closer to fruition. Just extending the two existing metro lines proved to be trouble enough, with the uncovering of archaeological vestiges either postponing or preventing any advances. Night buses run daily 0000-0530, along 22 routes, and are marked on bus stops (fermata) and buses with the letter ‘N’. All tickets must be pre-purchased and are available for sale at ATAC counters, tabacchi (newsagents) and at automatic ticket dispensers at metros. Tickets should be validated at the beginning of the journey (to avoid a hefty €51 fine). The cheapest ticket, the Biglietto Integrato a Tempo – BIT costs €0.77 and is valid for up to 75 minutes of travel on ATAC buses and trams, or for one trip on the metro or suburban train lines. Day (BIG) and week (CIS) passes – valid on all transport in the municipality – cost €3.10 and €12.40 respectively. Monthly passes are also available. The BIRG pass covers a day’s worth of transport within the whole Lazio region, and costs between €1.80 and €8 (depending on the number of zones covered). Taxis Taxi ranks are located at various points around the city centre. Visitors are recommended to use only the yellow and white official taxis. Surcharges are applied for each item of luggage, night service (2200-0700), on Sundays, public holidays, and for airport transfers. While taxis may be called by telephone, the meter is turned on immediately after the call and not on pick-up. Tipping of 5-10% is gratefully received, although Italians often do not bother. Companies include Radio Taxi 3570 (tel: (06) 3570), Cooperativa Samarcanda (tel: (06) 5551) and Taxi Tevere (tel: (06) 4157). Taxi hire costs, on average, €0.78 per kilometre (more out of town). Limousines Centrally located providers include Autonoleggi Bevilacqua, Via San Nicola da Tolentino 20, Piazza Barberini (tel: (06) 483 756), which hires out limousines on an hourly or daily basis, and Airport Connection Service, Via A Fava 28/d, Zona Trionfale (tel: (06) 338 3221; website: www.airportconnection.it), which chauffeurs single passengers or groups to the airport but also hires out limousines for day use. Visitors should expect to pay from about €30 per hour. Driving in the City The interweaving paths of mopeds, pedestrians and trams, the erratic driving, the one-way systems and the frequent traffic jams make driving in Rome an experience that is best avoided. The authorities have reacted to traffic congestion (and the ensuing pollution) by cutting off large areas of the city centre to non-resident traffic during business hours, and – to a lesser extent – in the evening. Exceptions are usually made for visitors driving to their hotel. Parking is as problematic as driving. Pay-and-display meters charge about €1 per hour (although the fee may be waived in the evenings and at weekends). There are various underground car parks in the city – the one at Villa Borghese is open 24 hours. The wily may snap up a free parking space but anything marked Sosta Vietata (no parking) is to be avoided – the municipal police have a nasty habit of towing away illegally parked cars and then charging a huge sum for their return. Unlucky owners should contact the municipal police (tel: (06) 67691). Car Hire Cars can be hired by drivers aged 21 years (23 for some firms) and above, on presentation of a passport and valid driving licence (held for at least one year). A credit card number or cash deposit is requested and a valid international insurance policy is also necessary. Full insurance is advised. A small car costs from around €70 per day to hire. Providers include Avis (tel: (199) 100 133; website: www.avisautonoleggio.it), Europcar Italia (tel: (800) 014 410 or (06) 488 2854; website: www.europcar.it), Hertz (tel: (199) 112 211; website: www.hertz.it), Sixt (tel: (06) 659 651; website: www.e-sixt.it), and the locally based Maggiore (tel: (848) 867 067; website: www.maggiore.it), all with various locations throughout the city. Bicycle & Scooter Hire Bicycles are available for hire at Bici & Baci, Via Viminale 5 (tel: (06) 482 8443). Scooters are available at Happy Rent, Via Farini 3 (tel: (06) 481 8185), and Roma Scooter Rent, Via in Lucina 13-14 (tel: (06) 687 6455), located off Via del Corso near the Parliament. RomaRent, Vicolo de’ Bovari 7A, near Campo de’ Fiori (tel/fax: (06) 689 6555; website: www.romarent.net), has scooters, bicycles and cars for hire. Bicycle hire costs from around €3 per hour up to €15 per day, while scooters cost €35-48 per day. Business Business Profile Rome’s mayor, Walter Veltroni (elected in 2001), has continued work on a major investment programme set up by his predecessor. The scheme aims to maximise the possibilities opened up by tourism and to encourage major national and multinational corporations to have a presence in Rome – the political and administrative centre of Italy. These initiatives are set to counter the negative effects of the Government’s decentralisation programme, which could result in a decreasing role for the capital city as a public sector employer. Mergers and acquisitions, combined with the government-initiated privatisation process, add further elements of risk to the local economy. The strength of the national economy lies in the service sector, which accounted for 66.4% of GDP in 2000. Tourism is the country’s largest industry, with Rome as the ‘number one’ destination. Other significant industries in the capital include finance and banking, insurance, printing, publishing and fashion. Italy’s film industry (founded in 1936) is located at nearby Cinecittà. The business district is largely clustered within the centro storico (historic centre) – partly because no one else can afford to pay the high rents. Trade Fairs and large business conventions are normally held in EUR, a modern suburb six kilometres (four miles) south of the city centre. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) is based in Rome, as is the World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM). Unemployment in Rome, which was 11.2% in 2001, is higher than the national average, which was 9.5%. However, it is decreasing (it was 14.7% in 2000) and the city continues to reap the rewards of the massive investment programme set up for the year 2000 celebrations – many of the projects only recently being completed. Tourism was given a fine boost – hotels were upgraded, museums refurbished and the public transport system rationalised. Business Etiquette Although less formal than their Milanese counterparts, business is a serious affair for Romans. Greeting take the form of a handshake (social kissing is reserved for friends and family) and then business cards are exchanged. If possible, it is best to have one side printed in Italian and one in English – all company literature should be provided in Italian. Colleagues should be addressed by their surname and academic/professional titles respected. Although some of the Italian business community will speak some English or French, Italian is the dominant language of business. It is wise to take the precaution of employing an interpreter, to minimise the degree of misunderstandings. In Rome, appearance counts. It is best to dress in a smart suit (with tie for men and stylish accessories for women). The odd designer label does no harm. Personal relationships are extremely important and it is unlikely that decisions will be made before trust has been established between the two parties. Business lunches provide the ideal opportunity to build relationships and small talk is an essential part of any business meeting. Standard office hours are 0900-1700, with an hour-long lunch break. Sightseeing Sightseeing Overview There is simply too much to see in Rome – the Vatican City alone can easily swallow up an entire weekend. Most visitors are overwhelmed and remain torn between running from sight to sight in order to ‘do’ everything or lingering over a couple of monuments and museums. The latter option is strongly recommended – even then, it is best to punctuate cultural trips with ice creams, coffees and serene walks in the city’s parks (the Villa Borghese is one of the loveliest). As for most holy sites, clothing that covers up midriffs, shoulders and legs is recommended, particularly for the Vatican. The centro storico is the obvious starting point, with the greatest concentration of classical and Christian sites enclosed in a relatively small space. Stumbling upon ancient frescoes, Renaissance fountains and beautiful piazzas are part of the pleasures of wandering around Rome’s streets. Rome has over 400 churches and four major basilicas – St Peter’s, St John Lateran, St Mary Major and St Paul’s. However, it is San Clemente – on Via San Giovanni in Laterano – which encapsulates the multi-layered labyrinth of Rome. At street level, there is a 12th-century basilica with beautiful mosaics. Down one level is a well-preserved Roman basilica. Deeper still are more ancient Roman remains, until finally, at the deepest level, is the temple to the oriental cult of Mithras. The Ministry of Culture organises the Settimana dei Beni Culturali (Cultural Week; tel: (06) 67231; website: www.beniculturali.it), which is usually held in late March or early April and allows free entry to all state-owned museums, public monuments and excavation sites. Tourist Information Azienda di Promozione Turistica di Roma (APT) Via Parigi 5 Tel: (06) 488 991 or 3600 4399 (call centre). Fax: (06) 481 9316. Website: www.romaturismo.com Opening hours: Mon-Sat 0900-1900. Other APT branches are at Termini station and Fiumicino airport and there are ten other green tourist information booths dotted around the city in strategic points (open daily 0930-1930). Another useful source of information is the Anglo-centric Enjoy Rome, Via Marghera 8A (tel: (06) 445 1843; website: www.enjoyrome.com), near Termini station. The Ente Nazionale per il Turismo (ENIT), Via Marghera 2 (tel: (06) 49711; website: www.enit.it), provides information on Italian areas outside of Rome and the Latium region. Passes There are various tourist passes available. Roma Caput Mundi, Piazza di Trevi 86 (tel: (06) 678 6136; website: www.romacaputmundi.it) run the Itinere Card, which is a booklet of tickets providing admission to a number of less known museums and archaeological sites – including Capitoline Museum, Forum of Trajan and Trajan Markets, Circus of Maxentius, City Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Museum of Roman Civilisation and Museum of Folklore. The pass, valid for a week, costs €12.91 and can be purchased from Roma Caput Mundi. Roma Vision (tel: (06) 4695 4695; website: www.romavision.it) has now introduced a card called ReadyRoma. The one-week pass costs €41 and includes the Itinere Card, a tour by boat, a ride on a historic tram and two passes for buses that cover the city’s most interesting sites, including the catacombs on the Via Appia. They also offer cheaper one-day options. Cards are available from Roma Vision, who have stands at Termini station, Piazza del Colosseo, Piazza Santa Maria Maggiore and Piazza San Giovanni. Two other passes are the Museum Card and the Archaeological Card (tel: (06) 3996 7700, information). The first allows entrance to the National Roman Museum’s four sites – Palazzo Massimo alle Terme, Palazzo Altemps, Baths of Diocletian and Crypta Balbi; the second allows entrance to those sites plus the Colosseum, the Palatine, the Baths of Caracalla, the tomb of Cecilia Metella and Villa dei Quintilli. The passes cost €9 and €20 respectively and are valid for seven days from the first day of use. They can be purchased from any of the participating monuments or museums. Key Attractions Foro Romano (Roman Forum) The Roman Forum is now a heap of marble fragments, columns and floor layouts. A leap of imagination is required to recreate the former marketplace that was the political, commercial and social heart of ancient Rome and the symbolic centre of an Empire stretching to Greece, Sicily and Carthage. Fire, barbarians and pillaging builders in medieval and Renaissance times contributed to the Forum’s present state of disrepair but the Forum was only revealed during the excavation work of the 19th century. A bird’s-eye view is gained from behind Piazza del Campidoglio, while a closer look can be had from along Via Sacra that runs through the heart of the Forum. Among the best preserved and most fascinating monuments are the AD203 triumphal Arch of Septimius Severus – built to celebrate victory over the Parthinians – and the remains of Caesar’s rostra, from where his great speeches were declaimed. Another stunning feature is the former atrium of the House of the Vestal Virgins and the adjacent Temple of Vesta, a circular building where the vestal virgins were entrusted in keeping the eternal flame alight. Just up from the Arch of Titus in the Forum is the Palatine where the palaces of the Roman emperors stood. Largo Romolo e Romo, Via dei Fori Imperiali Tel: (06) 699 0110. Transport: Metro Colosseo; bus to Via dei Fori Imperiali or Piazza Venezia. Opening hours: Daily 0900-1830 (Apr-Oct); daily 0900-one hour before sunset (Nov-Mar). Admission: Free; €8 (Palatine and Colosseum combined ticket). Colosseo (Colosseum) Near to Via Sacra and the fourth-century Arco di Costantino (Arch of Constantine), lies the gigantic oval of the Colosseum – 186m (620ft) long, 153m (510ft) wide and about 47m (157ft) high. Emperor Vespasian began construction in AD72 and work was completed eight years later by his son Titus. It was the scene for entertainment that one can hardly comprehend – gladiatorial conquests between men, lions and wild beasts, with death guaranteed. The ‘games’ were finally outlawed in the fifth century. The stadium has been pillaged over the centuries and rocked by earthquakes. Today, only its skeletal framework remains, with the winding passages used to force animals up to the battlefield of the arena – formerly underground – now exposed. Piazza del Colosseo Tel: (06) 700 4261. Transport: Metro Colosseo; bus to Piazza del Colosseo. Opening hours: Daily 0900-1930 (Apr-Oct); daily 0900-two hours before sunset (Nov-Mar). Admission: €8 (ticket also allows entry to the Palatine). Pantheon The best-preserved and most beautifully proportioned of Rome’s ancient monuments, the Pantheon has become an emblem of the city. Built by Hadrian between AD119 and AD128, as a temple to the gods, the Pantheon was converted to a Christian church in AD608 – the key to its miraculous survival. The radius of the dome is exactly equivalent to the height and a nine-metre (30ft) hole, known as the oculus, in the dome’s centre allows light (and rain) into the building. Statues of the deities would once have decorated the interior. Now the focal point of interest is the tomb of Raphael. Most astonishing of all are the large brass doors, which belonged to the original Roman building. Piazza della Rotonda Tel: (06) 6830 0230. Transport: Bus to Largo Argentina or Via del Corso. Opening hours: Mon-Sat 0830-1930, Sun 0900-1800. Admission: Free. Cappella Sistina & Musei Vaticani (Sistine Chapel & Vatican Museums) An awe-inspiring glimpse of Michaelangelo’s depiction of The Creation is worth the queues and crowds that go hand-in-hand with a visit to the Vatican City. Michaelangelo grudgingly accepted Julius II’s commission to paint frescoes on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel – built as a private chapel of the popes between 1475 and 1480. Work began in May 1508, the frescoes were unveiled in August 1511, and completed in October 1512. 21 years later, a reluctant Michaelangelo painted the Last Judgement on the wall behind the altar, adding his own aged face below the figure of Christ. Pope Pius IV was scandalised by the display of nudity and the offending genitalia had to be concealed by hastily painted loincloths – most have been removed during restoration work. In fact, the recent restoration of the Old Testament scenes has caused great controversy. Although eclipsed by Michaelangelo’s artistry, the Renaissance paintings that line the walls are fine works, created by the masters – including Michaelangelo’s own teacher: Ghirlandaio. The Vatican Museums alone could easily eat up a day or two of a trip to Rome. Highlights include the Stanze di Raffaello (Raphael’s Rooms), the Etruscan Museum – depicting Italy before the Romans – and the Pio-Clementino Museum – containing the world’s largest collection of Classical statues. Viale Vaticano 100 Tel: (06) 6988 4947. Fax: (06) 6988 5061. Website: www.vatican.va or www.christusrex.org Transport: Metro Ottaviano; bus to Piazza del Risorgimento. Opening hours: Mon-Sat 0845-1545 with last entry at 1420 (Apr-Oct); Mon-Sat 0845-1345 with last entry at 1220 (Nov-Mar); last Sun of month 0845-1345 with last entry at 1220. Admission: €10, free last Sun of month. Basilica di San Pietro (St Peter’s Basilica) St Peter’s Basilica lies above a former shrine, which is said to mark the burial ground of the saint. Despite its venerable age of 1000 years, Pope Julius II pulled down the original structure in 1506 – with his architect Bramante in tow – in order to build a shiny new basilica. Construction lasted 120 years, during which time a team of architects and artists – including Alberti, Bramante, Raphael, Peruzzi, Sangallo the Younger and Michaelangelo – struggled over this enormous edifice. Michaelangelo was responsible for the huge dome and supporting drum but died in 1564, before work was finally completed in 1590. The basilica’s interior is an unashamed display of the power of the Church. Amid the grandeur – in the first chapel on the right – lies Michaelangelo’s Pietà (1498/9). Arnolfo da Cambio’s bronze statue of St Peter (1296), in the central aisle, has become famed for its foot worn to a nub by pilgrims’ kisses. Bernini’s Throne of St Peter (1665), above the papal altar – made with bronze purloined from the Pantheon on the Pope’s orders – dominates the far end of the nave. Optional extras include a trip (via lift or stairs) into the dome, the Vatican Gardens (pre-booked guided tours only), and the Vatican Grottoes, containing papal tombs. Access to the Necropolis below the Grottoes – the legendary site of St Peter’s remains – is allowed with written permission only. Piazza San Pietro Tel: (06) 6988 1662 (pilgrim and tourist information centre). Transport: Metro Ottaviano; bus to Piazza del Risorgimento. Opening hours: Daily 0700-1900 (Apr-Oct); daily 0700-1800 (Nov-Mar). Admission: Free. St Peter’s Dome Opening hours: Daily 0800-1745 (Apr-Oct); daily 0800-1645 (Nov-Mar). Admission: €4 (without lift); €5 (with lift). Necropolis Opening hours: Applications should be made to the Ufficio Scavi (tel: (06) 6988 5318; fax: (06) 6988 5518; e-mail: scavi@fsp.va) several days prior to visit. Admission: €9. Vatican Gardens/Vatican Guided Tours Office Tel: (06) 6988 4466. Fax: (06) 6988 5100. Opening hours: Organised tours can be booked several days in advance. Admission: €9. Fontana di Trevi (Trevi Fountain) A string of legends surround the Trevi Fountain, which is situated amid the labyrinthine streets off Via del Tritone. It is said that a virgin came across a three-way (tre-vie) spring, causing the original fountain to be built. More recently, the far-from-virginal Anita Ekberg immortalised the fountain in the famous scene of Fellini’s La Dolce Vita (1959). According to myth, a coin cast in these waters will ensure a return visit to Rome. The Baroque extravaganza was designed by Nicolò Salvi for Pope Clement XII and completed in 1762. The statues – representing Abundance, Agrippa, Salubrity, the Virgin and Neptune guiding a chariot drawn by sea horses – appear as a cast of characters performing a melodrama, with a Renaissance palace for their backdrop and craggy rocks in the foreground. Piazza di Trevi Transport: Bus to Piazza San Silvestro. Opening hours: Daily 24 hours. Admission: Free. The Spanish Steps and Keats-Shelley Memorial House The Piazza di Spagna district is little changed from 18th-century prints depicting the area – and is still dominated by the elegant double steps known as the Spanish Steps. These were designed in 1723-26 by Francesco de Sanctis to link Via del Babuino with Via Felice – the first great street planned by Sixtus V (1585-90). Reminiscent of the grand ascent to the Sacré Coeur in Paris, the steps lead up to the 16th-century Trinitá dei Monti. From here, spectacular views over the city rooftops more than warrant the steep climb. The Spanish Steps acquired their name from the neighbouring Spanish Embassy but the area is more intimately associated with England – even acquiring the name of Ghetto de l’Inglesi (English Ghetto). The tourists on the Grand Tour of the 18th and 19th centuries – including Keats, Shelley, Byron and the Brownings – helped to establish the district’s reputation as a cosmopolitan artistic quarter. At the foot of the steps lies the boat-shaped Barcaccia fountain, designed in 1627 by Bernini. To the right stands the modest Keats-Shelley Memorial House, where 25-year-old John Keats died of tuberculosis in 1821. Exhibits include pictures and prints, private letters, an urn bearing Shelley’s ashes and a lock of Keats’ tawny red hair. Keats-Shelley Memorial House Piazza di Spagna 26 Tel: (06) 678 4235. Fax: (06) 678 4167. Website: www.keats-shelley-house.org Transport: Metro Spagna. Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1300 and 1500-1800, Sat 1100-1400 and 1500-1800. Admission: €3. Piazza Navona This dramatic piazza – lined with cafés and restaurants – lies at the heart of the centro storico. Its oval shape follows the form of the former stadium, built in AD86, by Emperor Domitian. During the Renaissance, the site was flooded to stage mock naval battles. The piazza gained its current form in the mid-17th century, when Pope Innocent X commissioned Borromini to design the Church of Sant’Agnese. In front of the church Bernini built the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (Fountain of the Four Rivers), adorned with powerful figures representing the four great rivers of the world – the Nile, Danube, Ganges and Rio della Plate. Transport: Bus to Largo Argentina. Opening hours: Daily 24 hours. Admission: Free. Villa & Galleria Borghese Just to the east of the Spanish Steps lies green relief from sightseeing – the sculpture-scattered gardens landscaped in the 17th century for Cardinal Scipione Borghese (nephew of Pope Paul V). This area includes the city zoo, Piazza di Siena arena, mock ancient temples, imitation medieval castles and an artificial lake. Unfortunately, the most playful elements of this Baroque extravaganza – trick fountains which sprayed unwitting passers-by – no longer exist. The pull of culture may be strong enough to lure the resting visitor into the Casino Borghese, a treasure trove of sculpture and antiquities, the Etruscan Museum in nearby Villa Giulia, with its remarkable sarcophagus of the reclining ‘Bride and Bridegroom’ from Cerveteri, or the Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea. However, the Galleria Borghese – home to Bernini’s most famous work, Apollo and Daphne – should be seen first (ticket reservation is obligatory and visitors are only admitted every two hours). Galleria Borghese Piazzale Scipione Borghese 5 Tel: (06) 32810. Fax: (06) 855 5952. Website: www.galleriaborghese.it Transport: Metro Spagna; bus or tram to Via Veneto. Opening hours: Tues-Sun 0900-1900. Admission: €6.50 (reservation required). Villa Giulia Piazzale di Villa Giulia 9 Tel: (06) 320 0562. Transport: Tram 3 or 19. Opening hours: Tues-Sun 0830-1930. Admission: €4. Further Distractions Galleria Doria Pamphili A British voice with a cut-glass accent, issuing from the hand-held cassette, guides visitors through the picture-clogged rooms, lavish furnishings and ageing sculptures – in short, the excessive wealth of the powerful Doria Pamphili family, a pillar of Rome’s papal aristocracy. The half-British sibling and heir recalls childhood memories of roller-skating along the parquet floor of the 18th-century ballroom – tiny indentations prove the truth of his tale. The rambling palace is still occupied and a number of the private apartments are open to the public (mornings only) for a small additional fee. Works by Correggio, Caravaggio and Velázquez are on show here, as well as some amusing pieces by lesser-known artists. Piazza del Collegio Romano 2 Tel: (06) 679 7323. Fax: (06) 678 0939. Website: www.doriapamphilj.it Transport: Bus to Piazza Venezia. Opening hours: Fri-Wed 1000-1700. Admission: €7.30. Campo de’ Fiori From Monday to Saturday, each day at dawn, stall holders at Rome’s best-loved fruit and vegetable market set up their wares at Campo de’ Fiori. This down-to-earth square – surrounded by tumbledown orange-ochre facades – is a far cry from the more grandiose piazzas of the centro storico. Here one encounters the friendliness and spontaneity for which Romani are so renowned. Come sunset, some of the city’s liveliest and most authentic wine bars and trattorie spill their tables out onto the cobbles, as locals and visitors alike flock here to eat and drink below the stars. Campo de’ Fiori Transport: Bus to Largo Argentina. Opening hours: Mon-Sat dawn-dusk. Admission: Free. Tours of the City Walking Tours Rome Walks (website: www.romewalks.com) offers a wide variety of group tours. Guides speak English and are experienced in history of art. Departure points vary, depending on the tour. They also arrange personalised tours covering ‘off the beaten track’ sights. Group tours are offered several times a week and include the ‘Vatican City Walk’, which takes four-and-a-half hours and costs €35 (excluding €10 museum entrance fee) and the highly informative ‘Colosseum and Ancient City Walk’ (€25 excluding €8 Colosseum entrance fee). They can also arrange a variety of private tours (for groups of one to four), such as ‘La Dolce Vita’ in Rome, the catacombs or Nero’s Golden Palace. For those wishing to sample some Roman nightlife, the ‘Colosseum Pub Crawls’ (website: www.walksofeurope.com) leave every night from both the Colosseum Metro and the Spanish Steps at 2000. The €15 ticket includes free shots, drinks and entrance to a disco-bar at the end. Also Enjoy Rome (see Tourist Information) offers a number of walking and bike tours around Rome that start at €13. Bus Tours The number 110 ATAC bus (tel: (06) 4695 2252, bookings and information) departs every half-hour (daily 0900-2000 Apr-Sep or 1000-1800 Oct-Mar) from Piazza dei Cinquecento for a two-hour tour (with commentary in English) around Rome’s main sights (there are 11 stops en route). Tickets and a leaflet outlining the itinerary are available in English at any tourist information office. The tour costs €7.75 or €12.91 if you want to get on and off the bus. There are also night tours. Boat Tours Tourvisa Italia, Via Marghera 32 (tel: (06) 446 3481), provides a 100-minute round trip boat tour from the bridge Ponte Umberto 1 (Piazza Navona) to Ponte Duca d’Aosta. Boats depart at 1100 and 1630 Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday (March to October), depending on weather conditions. The air-conditioned Tiber II sails past the Vatican, Castel Sant’Angelo and under Rome’s bridges. The cruise costs €13 per person. Excursions For a Half Day Ostia Antica: A 40-minute train ride from Piramide station or a pleasant drive along Via del Mare, is Ostia Antica – Imperial Rome’s main port from the second to ninth centuries AD. It was founded in the seventh century BC, by King Ancus Marcius, and lay abandoned until excavations in the 19th century. The shoreline has now withdrawn three kilometres (two miles) away to the present Lido di Ostia and, at first glance, all that can be seen is a network of thoroughfares with the odd upstanding column. However, a few hours spent in this quiet spot and the imagination will conjure up the former thriving town and the day-to-day lives of its inhabitants. The main artery, the Decumanus Maximus, leads to an amphitheatre with fantastic acoustics, which is perfect for a peaceful picnic. Mosaics at the Forum of the Corporations depict the produce sold or trade practised, while the bar, Thermopiliu, with its wide marble counter and lively fresco, evokes leisure time. Temples to a host of deities summon up the religious life and the homes of Ostia’s inhabitants reveal mosaic interiors, while communal latrines are testament to more mundane activities. The museum displays coins, glassware and statues. The site (tel: (06) 5635 2830) is open daily 0830-1930 (April-October) and daily 0900-1700 (November-March). Admission costs €4. For a Whole Day Tivoli: A 30km (20 miles) drive east of Rome (along the A24) lies the hilltop town of Tivoli. Alternatively, travellers can take a COTRAL bus from Ponte Mammolo metro stop or a train from Termini or Tiburtina stations (direction Avezzano). Both stop at Tivoli. Conquered by the Romans in 338BC, the town became the prized spot upon which to build luxurious villas and homes for wealthy families. The Villa d’Este (tel: (0774) 312 070) is one such folly, built in 1550, according to the whim of art patron Cardinal Ippolito d’Este (son of Lucrezia Borgia). The state apartment is decorated with the swirling frescoes and paintings of Correggio, Da Volterra and Perrin del Vaga, while outside are the vast Renaissance gardens. Their fountains can only be described as kitsch – the Owl Fountain – designed to echo the owl’s hoots – and Fontana dell’Organo Idraulico, which imitated the organ’s burblings. As much, if not more, imagination went into the construction of the Villa Adriana or Hadrian’s Villa (tel: (0774) 382 733 or (06) 3996 7900, information and bookings), which has been included on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. Enough of the Canopus fountain – with its sturdy columns and statues overlooking a central pool – remains to evoke the peace of this domain and country retreat for Rome’s great military campaigner. It is thought that his favourite spot was the tiny island, cut off completely from the surrounding man-made pool (Teatro Marittimo) by an ingenious retractable bridge. The standard opening hours for both Villa d’Este and Villa Adriana are 0900-1930 (ticket office closes at 1800). Admission to each site costs €6.50. Hotels As Rome sees a constant stream of visitors throughout the year, there is little difference between low-season and high-season prices. However, it may be worth asking if you can get a reduction if you are going to visit in January-February or October-November. IVA (value-added tax) at 10% is included in hotel prices but is usually added to the price before it is quoted. The prices quoted below are the starting prices for an en-suite double room and include IVA and service charges. Breakfast is not included, unless otherwise stated. Business Cavalieri Hilton Undoubtedly Rome’s top deluxe hotel, the stylish Cavalieri Hilton stands upon Monte Mario hill, affording stunning views over the capital. Set in six hectares (15 acres) of landscaped grounds, it lies 20 minutes from the city centre and 30 minutes from the airport. Its 375 rooms (including 17 suites), each with a balcony, are impeccably furnished in a modern style. With 14 fully equipped congress halls and meeting rooms (seating 15 to 2100), this hotel is ideal for business conventions. The esteemed roof garden restaurant, La Pergola, attracts residents and non-residents alike. Other services include a fitness centre (gym, two pools, Turkish baths, sauna and tennis courts), a shopping arcade and a shuttle bus to the city centre. Via Cadlolo 101 Tel: (06) 35091. Fax: (06) 3509 2241. E-mail: fom_rome@hilton.com Website: www.cavalieri-hilton.it Price: From €516. Hotel Atlante Star Well managed and friendly, the Hotel Atlante Star lies five minutes from the Vatican. Popular with executives, its 61 rooms are the height of luxury, featuring antique furniture and marble bathrooms with Jacuzzi. There is a well-run business centre – a large office space with computers, telephones, fax and photocopier – plus a conference room complete with up-to-date audiovisual equipment and seating for 65. Up top, the Les Etoiles roof garden restaurant offers a stunning panorama over Rome with views of St Peter’s. A smaller and cheaper sister hotel, the Hotel Atlante Garden, lies close by at Via Crescenzio 78A. Both establishments offer free shuttle pick-up from the airport. Via Vitelleschi 34 Tel: (06) 687 3233. Fax: (06) 687 2300. E-mail: atlante.star@atlantehotels.com Website: www.atlantehotels.com Price: From €248 (including breakfast). Hotel Forum Bang in the heart of Rome, between Piazza Venezia and the Colosseum, Hotel Forum is housed in a converted 18th-century convent overlooking the Imperial and Roman Forums. There are 76 elegantly furnished rooms – the front ones have better views, although the back ones tend to be quieter. A fully equipped meeting room seats up to 100 people and simultaneous translation services can be arranged. The roof garden restaurant, open for lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch, affords a spectacular view of Roma Antica. The Colosseo and Cavour metro stations are just a five-minute walk away and airport transfers are available. Via Tor de’ Conti 25 Tel: (06) 679 2446. Fax: (06) 678 6479. E-mail: info@hotelforum.com Website: www.hotelforum.com Price: From €232 (including breakfast). Sheraton Roma A modern hotel and conference centre aimed at executives, the Sheraton Roma is located in EUR, the heart of Rome’s commercial life. A hotel shuttle bus makes regular runs to the airport (20 minutes) and the city centre (30 minutes). Besides 650 guest rooms and suites, there are 38 Smart Rooms where executives can transact business at all hours. Each unit includes a large desk, a two-line telephone, a printer, fax machine and photocopier. Four congress halls (seating 600 to 2000) and 14 smaller meeting rooms are designed to cater for conferences, exhibitions and seminars. The hotel also offers excellent dining, shopping and sports facilities. Viale del Pattinagio 100 Tel: (06) 54531. Fax: (06) 594 0689. E-mail: infosheraton.roma@flashnet.it Website: www.sheraton.com/roma Price: From €360 (including breakfast). Luxury Hassler–Villa Medici Located at the top of the Spanish Steps, just a stone’s throw from the designer clothes shops of Via Condotti, the elegant Hassler commands stunning panoramic views over Rome. Its 100 rooms (including 15 suites) are decorated in classic style, with sweeping floor-to-ceiling curtains, Venetian glass chandeliers and marble bathrooms, while many have either a balcony or terrace. The rooftop restaurant serves dinner by candlelight with piano music and there is an elegant garden bar. Extra facilities include five business meeting rooms and garage space for parking. Renowned guests range from Bill Clinton to Arnie Schwarzenegger. Piazza Trinità dei Monti 6 Tel: (06) 699 340. Fax: (06) 678 9199. E-mail: booking@hotelhasslerroma.it Website: www.hotelhasslerroma.com Price: From €545. Hotel Eden Possibly Rome’s most glamorous hotel, the Eden, located between Via Veneto and the Spanish Steps, dates back to 1889. Frequented by stars and millionaires, former guests range from Ernest Hemingway and Ingrid Bergman, to the more recent names of Cameron Diaz and Daniel Day Lewis. Its 119 rooms (including 14 suites) are richly decorated in turn-of-the-century style, with antique furniture, fine linen sheets and splendid marble bathrooms. Some of the most expensive top-floor rooms have balconies and offer stunning views over the Eternal City, as does the highly acclaimed La Terrazza dell’Eden rooftop restaurant. Additional facilities include two elegant business meeting rooms and a well-equipped modern gym. Via Ludovisi 49 Tel: (06) 478 121. Fax: (06) 482 1584. E-mail: reservations@hotel-eden.it Website: www.hotel-eden.it Price: From €676. Moderate Albergo del Sole (al Biscione) Ideally located in the centro storico, this charming but unpretentious hotel lies in a side street between Campo de’ Fiori and Piazza Navona, backing onto the ancient Teatro di Pompei. Its 59 bedrooms are simply but comfortably furnished, each with a telephone and satellite TV and some with beamed ceilings. A peaceful roof garden terrace offers some stunning views over the surrounding rooftops and church domes. Breakfast is not served but an early morning cappuccino and a croissant at Campo de’ Fiori, watching stallholders set out their wares at the colourful open-air market, more than compensates. Very popular, so it is advisable to reserve in advance. Via del Biscione 76 Tel: (06) 6880 6873. Fax: (06) 689 3787. E-mail: info@solealbiscione.it Website: www.solealbiscione.it Price: From €110 (cheaper rooms without bathroom). La Cisterna Hidden away in a narrow, cobbled side street, a five-minute walk from Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere, this small, friendly hotel is housed in a recently refurbished 18th-century building. There are 18 homely bedrooms, each with a private bathroom, telephone and satellite TV (some have wooden beamed ceilings), and a bar and peaceful terrace garden out the back. La Cisterna makes an ideal base for cultural travellers on a tight budget. Located in the Bohemian district of Trastevere, known for its wine bars and trattorie, the centro storico lies just across the river while the Vatican is a pleasant 15-minute walk along the River Tiber. Via della Cisterna 8 Tel: (06) 581 7212. Fax: (06) 581 0091. Price: From €120 (including breakfast). Other Recommendations Hotel Locarno This pretty, moderately priced atmospheric hotel, close to Piazza del Popolo, dates back to 1925, hence the stylish Art Deco details, such as its lift. Each of its 48 rooms is uniquely decorated with discreet antiques and co-ordinated Liberty-style wallpaper and fabrics. They do an extremely generous buffet breakfast, which during the summer is served on the roof garden terrace with views over the surrounding rooftops. Within easy walking distance of the chic boutiques and art galleries of Via Margutta, it is popular with people in art and cinema – English film director Peter Greenaway often stays here. A charming extra are the complimentary bicycles available to guests. Via della Penna 22 Tel: (06) 361 0841. Fax: (06) 321 5249. E-mail: info@hotellocarno.com Website: www.hotellocarno.com Price: From €190 (including breakfast). Raphael Hotel This romantic hotel lies in a secluded street just behind Piazza Navona, in the heart of the centro storico. Its distinctive, ivy-clad façade oozes quiet luxurious charm, as does the elegant lobby, decorated with works of art, which include ceramics by Picasso. Each of the 70 rooms is furnished with antiques, while the bathrooms are decorated with marble and hand-painted tiles. Guests have free use of the Finnish sauna and fitness centre and there is an exquisite roof garden, with a restaurant and bar. Although it is popular with politicians and the rich and famous – Robert de Niro likes to stay here – it remains exceptionally friendly and utterly unpretentious. Largo Febo 2 Tel: (06) 682 831. Fax: (06) 687 8993. E-mail: info@raphaelhotel.com Website: www.raphaelhotel.com Price: From €369. Restaurants The selected restaurants have been divided into five categories: Gastronomic, Business, Trendy, Budget and Personal Recommendations. The restaurants are listed alphabetically within these different categories, which serve as guidelines rather than absolute definitions of the establishments. IVA (value-added tax) at 10% is included in restaurant prices but is usually added to the prices before they are quoted. A 15% service charge is usually added to the bill. Romans are not very generous with tips but an additional 10% on top of the bill if the meal and service have been good is very much appreciated. The prices quoted below are for an average three-course meal for one person and for a bottle of house wine or equivalent; they include IVA but do not include service charge or tip. Gastronomic Checchino dal 1887 The birthplace of Roman cooking, in the heart of Testaccio, Checchino has remained in the Mariani family for five generations. Classics, such as coda alla vaccinara (braised oxtail) and abbacchio alla cacciatora (braised suckling lamb), were invented here. Still on the menu today, they have been adapted to create lighter dishes for the modern palate. Reservations are recommended – it is packed throughout the week, normally with locals. Closed Sunday and Monday. Via Monte Testaccio 30 Tel: (06) 574 6318. Fax: (06) 574 3816. E-mail: checchino_roma@tin.it Website: www.checchino-dal-1887.com Price: €50. Wine: €15. La Pergola Sublime food and breathtaking views put this roof garden restaurant among Italy’s ‘Top 20’. The chef, Heinz Beck, shapes the menu according to seasonal produce and personal inspiration – recent successes include ravioli di scorfano al nero di seppia (sea scorpio ravioli with squid ink) and risotto con erbe fini e mazzancolle (risotto with fine herbs and shellfish). The cellar stocks some of the best – and most expensive – wines in the world. Closed Sunday and Monday. Cavalieri Hilton Hotel, Via Cadlolo 101 Tel: (06) 3509 2055. Fax: (06) 3509 2165. E-mail: fb@cavalieri-hilton.it Website: www.cavalieri-hilton.it Price: €100. Wine: €30. La Rosetta Regarded as Rome’s top fish restaurant, La Rosetta lies in a quiet side street close to the Pantheon. Upon entering the wood-panelled room, with its wooden furniture and red upholstery, customers receive a complimentary glass of champagne. One might begin with antipasto misto (a selection of cold seafood delicacies), followed by strozzapreti con calamaretti (pasta with baby squid), to be rounded off with scorfano e verdure grigliate (grilled sea scorpion and spinach). The wines are truly classy but shockingly expensive. Closed Sunday. Via della Rosetta 8 Tel: (06) 686 1002. Fax: (06) 6821 5116. E-mail: larosetta@tin.it Website: www.larosetta.com Price: €80. Wine: €35. Le Sans Souci The faded glamour of the Dolce Vita lives on at Le Sans Souci, just off Via Veneto. It is all rather extravagant – international jet-setters dining below elaborate coffered ceilings, surrounded by impeccably dressed waiters and a sotto fondo of romantic guitar music. The chef concocts a blend of Italian and French cuisine – starters include delectable soufflés and truffled terrine of foie gras, with delights such as duck in millefeuille pastry or lobster fricassee to follow. No lunch. Closed Monday. Via Sicilia 20 Tel: (06) 4201 4510. Fax: (06) 482 1771. E-mail: info@sanssouci.it Website: www.restaurantsanssouci.com Price: €70. Wine: €25. Sabatini Open-air dining is a sheer joy at Sabatini, with tables overlooking a delightful piazza backed by the floodlit golden mosaics of the Church of Santa Maria in Trastevere. During winter, the wood-beamed, terracotta-floored dining room comes into use. Roman dishes and seafood top the menu – examples include linguine ai frutti di mare (pasta with mussels, clams and prawns), followed by delicious grilled scampi. Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere 18 Tel: (06) 581 2026. Fax: (06) 589 8386. Price: €50. Wine: €12. Business Dal Bolognese Popular with politicians, artists and businesspeople, this restaurant has a smart summer terrace overlooking Piazza del Popolo, and a classic winter dining room decorated with contemporary paintings. The menu features dishes from Bologna, notably homemade pasta in creamy sauces – excellent tortelloni con ricotta e spinaci (pasta filled with spinach and ricotta) – and bollito misto (mixed boiled meats). For dessert, they do a divine sorbet, served in scooped-out fruit. Closed Monday. No lunch Tuesday. Piazza del Popolo 1 Tel: (06) 361 1426. Fax: (06) 322 2799. Price: €45. Wine: €16. Dal Toscano The Bruni family have run this friendly trattoria for three generations. Close to the Vatican, Dal Toscano is known for traditional cooking and speedy service. The interior is simple – vaulted ceilings and plain wooden furniture – and in summer there is a leafy terrace. Both Tuscan and Roman specialities, such as funghi porcini arrosto (roast porcini mushrooms) and abbacchio scottadito (grilled suckling lamb), are on offer. The Chianti, a robust red, is first-rate. Closed Monday. Via Germanico 58-60 Tel: (06) 3972 5717. Fax: (06) 3973 0748. E-mail: info@ristorantedaltoscano.it Website: www.ristorantedaltoscano.it Price: €26. Wine: €9. Enoteca Capranica Housed within a 15th-century renaissance palazzo, close to the Parliament, this elegant restaurant retains old-fashioned charm, with wood-panelled walls and chintzy covered chairs. Ideal for business lunches, there is a small room reserved for private meetings. The menu features refined Mediterranean dishes, such as crema di astice e finocchi con pepperoncino (lobster and fennel cream soup with hot red pepper), and pescespada con olive nere, capperi e pomodorini (swordfish with black olives, capers and cherry tomatoes). Closed Sunday. No lunch Saturday. Piazza Capranica 99 Tel: (06) 6994 0992. Fax: (06) 6994 0989. Website: www.enotecacapranica.it Price: €48. Wine: €12. La Tana de Noantri This is a very popular venue which, despite being situated in the heart of the most touristy part of Trastevere (behind Piazza Santa Maria), has kept up a very high standard of solid Roman cuisine since it opened in 1965. All the dishes use only the very freshest of ingredients, especially the many fish main courses. Another of their specialties are ‘Tagliolini alla Tana’, thin egg tagliatelle made with tomatoes, mushrooms and fresh oregano. Outdoor seating is available in summer. Closed Tuesday. Via della Paglia 1-3 Tel: (06) 580 6404. Price: €25. Wine: €6. Taverna degli Amici Very much frequented by politicians and celebrities from the Roman or Italian arts scene, this restaurant nevertheless boasts unpretentious and discreet staff, a tasteful rustic interior and a romantic candlelit exterior in one of the most atmospheric piazzas in Rome. The menu changes daily but the staples are fish. Desserts are homemade and creative (cinnamon mousse and an exquisite crème caramel are just two examples). An added bonus is that this is one of the few spots in Rome where, for some reason, diners will not be pestered to buy roses or have their picture taken. Closed Monday. Piazza Margana 37 Tel: (06) 6992 0637. Fax: (06) 6929 0826. Price: €36. Wine: €15. Trendy Cul de Sac Situated close to Piazza Navona, there is something indefinably French about Cul de Sac. The shelves around the walls are stacked high with wine bottles and the staff work from behind a large marble counter. On summer evenings, several candlelit tables are placed outdoors. It is not exactly a restaurant but more an informal retreat where diners can enjoy good wine accompanied by plates of homemade pâté, regional salamis, first-rate cheeses and salads, without running up an exorbitant bill. The few real dishes of food there are, however, are excellent. Piazza Pasquino 73 Tel: (06) 6880 1094. Price: €18. Wine: €6. Friends Art Café Cheesy name aside, this café is a good bet both for a light lunch or snack at any point during the day and is a hip spot for an evening apéritif. Located in the colourful Trastevere meeting spot of Piazza Trilussa, it is an oasis of energy and good humour and offers an imaginative array of salads, sandwiches, pasta dishes and drinks of all kinds, both alcoholic and not. Inside, there are colourful plexiglass chairs, chrome details and a widescreen TV, outside there is some seating that is excellent for people-watching (and a bit of traffic too!). No lunch Sunday. Piazza Trilussa 34 Tel: (06) 581 6111. Price: €28. Wine: €10. Branch: Friends Music Café, Via Piave 69-73 (Piazza Fiume) Tel: (06) 4201 4285. Gusto This split-level, open-plan restaurant, pizzeria and wine bar is something of a designer showpiece – exposed brickwork, wooden floors, marble-top tables and industrial-style lighting. The emphasis is on Mediterranean cuisine, primarily meat and fish prepared with aromatic herbs and spices. One classic example is the Pizza Mediterranea, topped with ricotta, sliced aubergine and fresh basil leaves. Weekend brunch sees a ‘multi-ethnic’ menu based on eggs, quiches, muffins and salads, while the ‘fitness brunch’ combines salad, yoghurt, cereal and freshly squeezed orange juice. Live jazz takes place in the wine bar and there is also an extremely well-stocked shop, selling kitchenware and cookery books. Piazza Augusto Imperatore 9 Tel: (06) 322 6273. Fax: (06) 3262 9182. E-mail: gusto@gusto.it Website: www.gusto.it Price: €31. Wine: €15. Ketumbar Ketumbar (Malay for ‘coriander’) is one of several relatively new chic nightspots to hit Testaccio. Fusion cuisine fits the bill, with dishes such as sushi and nasi goreng (rice, egg and greens prepared in a wok). The sleek, minimalist interior – featured in various style magazines – is tastefully decorated with Indonesian furniture, while in one room potsherds (pieces of broken Roman amphora that make up Monte Testaccio hill) are subtly lit behind a glass wall. No lunch. Closed Sunday. Via Galvani 24 Tel: (06) 5730 5338. Price: €28. Wine: €10. Margutta Vegetariano alle Cornacchie The dining room of this hip vegetarian restaurant hosts temporary art exhibitions, including work by students from the Accademia dei Belli Arti. Out front, in a small square between the Pantheon and Piazza Navona, there is a summer terrace. Dishes include lasagne (Sicilian style, with aubergine, olives and capers), quiche (tomato, avocado and brie), plus the colourful Cornacchie Salad combing endive, rocket, sweetcorn, avocado, radicchio, cherry tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella. They also do pizzas and an all-you-can-eat brunch on Sunday morning. Piazza Rondanini 53 Tel: (06) 6813 4544. Fax: (06) 6813 1911. E-mail: marguttavegetariano@marguttavegetariano.com Website: www.marguttavegetariano.com Price: €22. Wine: €10. Budget Da Agusto Possibly the last genuine Trastevere osteria, a meal at Agusto’s is an experience in itself. On busy winter evenings, the dining room is packed and steamy, while in summer, rickety wooden tables spill out onto a pretty cobbled piazza. The menu is limited and runs out early favourites include pollo arrosto con patate (roast chicken and potatoes), and abbacchio al forno (lamb done in the oven); desserts are homemade. Tables are covered with throw-away paper cloths where waitresses scribble down orders and tot up bills. No dinner Saturday and Sunday. No credit cards. Piazza de’ Renzi 15 Tel: (06) 580 3798. Price: €18. Wine: €5. Da Baffetto One of Rome’s best-known pizzerie, Da Baffetto is a tiny, rough-and-tumble place, located in a lovely cobbled street close to Piazza Navona. The thin, wood-oven pizzas and excellent bruschette (toast topped with chopped tomatoes, garlic and olive oil) are popular with locals and tourists alike. There is a rapid turnover – the waiters certainly let customers know when it is time to leave. To avoid the crowds, it is best to arrive either very early (before 2000) or very late (after 2400). No lunch. No credit cards. Via del Governo Vecchio 114 Tel: (06) 686 1617. Price: €12. Wine: €5. Formula 1 As the heart of the student quarter, San Lorenzo is traditionally famous for its cheap and cheerful pizzerie and a growing number of more sophisticated and hip wine bars and eateries. The exceedingly relaxed and slightly chaotic Formula 1 is one of those basic no-frills pizza places that serve up some of the best in Rome, using real mozzarella (and not the factory kind so favoured nowadays). The fried baccalà (salted cod) is excellent. No lunch. Closed Sunday. No credit cards. Via degli Equi 13 Tel: (06) 445 3866. Price: €10. Wine: €4. Insalata Ricca Surprisingly few Roman eateries offer creative salads. The founders of Insalata Ricca saw a gap in the market and now run a chain of eight restaurants around town. Popular with diet-conscious Romans and foreigners alike, dishes range from insalata con gamberetti (prawns, mushrooms, rocket and radicchio) to insalata di funghi (parmesan, fresh mushrooms and rocket) and insalata contadina (feta cheese, olives, almonds, tomatoes and lettuce). Largo dei Chiavari 85 Tel: (06) 6880 3656. E-mail: info@linsalataricca.it Website: www.insalataricca.it Price: €15. Wine: €6. Perilli A no-frills, down-to-earth trattoria, with menu and waiters to match. Cheerful and slightly chaotic, Perilli has served up generous portions of Roman specialities, such as rigatoni con la pajata (pasta with veal’s intestines), since 1911. Those who feel queasy about offal can choose the classics – caprese (tomato and mozzarella salad) or saltimbocca alla Romana (slices of veal rolled in prosciutto). Closed Wednesday and August. Via Marmorata 39 Tel: (06) 574 2415. Price: €22. Wine: €8. Personal Recommendations Africa Ethiopia and Eritrea are former Italian colonies, hence the recent influx of immigrants from these countries. Africa, close to Termini station, specialises in Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine, such as a delicious spicy stew known as zighini and highly seasoned cooked vegetables. These are presented on a single large plate, upon a bed of ingera (a spongy pancake-like bread). Traditionally, everyone around the table eats from the same plate, using the ingera to scoop up the meat and vegetables with their hands. Closed Monday. Via Gaeta 26 Tel: (06) 494 1077. Price: €16. Wine: €6. Ditirambo Just off the ever-popular and ever-bustling Campo de’ Fiori, this intimate restaurant is a gem of imaginative cuisine (many dishes are vegetarian but not boring) and good humour in a decidedly touristy area. The interior is warm and inviting, the bread and pasta are homemade, as are the sweets (the fruit and nut sorbets prepared in their skins or shells are divine). No lunch Monday. Piazza della Cancelleria 74-75 Tel/fax: (06) 687 1626. Website: www.ristoranteditirambo.it Price: €25. Wine: €11. La Taverna del Ghetto Rome’s Ghetto was created in 1554 when the Pope had a wall built to segregate the Jews from the rest of the Roman population. The community developed their own variation on Roman cooking, which can be sampled at this small, informal kosher restaurant. Charcoal-grilled meat and fish predominate, but also delicious are pasta dishes, such as tagliatelle cernia e fiori di zucca (pasta with grouper and courgette flowers) and the classic carciofi alla giudia (artichoke) side-dish. There is an interesting selection of kosher wines. No dinner Friday. No lunch Saturday. Via Portico d’Ottavia 8 Tel: (06) 6880 9771. Fax: (06) 6821 2309. Price: €26. Wine: €10.50. Pierluigi Lying between Campo de’ Fiori and the river, this cheerful ivy-clad restaurant extends onto a romantic piazza through summer. It is best known for reasonably priced fish dishes, such as risotto ai frutti di mare (seafood risotto) and calamari e gamberi fritti (fried squid and shrimp), but they also do excellent Roman fare, such as pasta con fagioli (pasta with beans) and fiori di zucca (fried courgette flowers). Extremely popular, so reservations are recommended. Closed Monday. Piazza de’ Ricci 144 Tel: (06) 686 1302. Fax: (06) 6880 7879. E-mail: info@ristorante-pierluigi.it Website: www.pierluigi.it Price: €25. Wine: €8. Testaccio Kitchen Bar This is another stylish Testaccio venture that is actually spread over three floors (one disco-bar, one restaurant, one wine bar and terrace). The restaurant’s chic interior of exposed steel beams, simple wooden furniture and white linen tablecloths is a breath of fresh air. The kitchen turns out sophisticated Mediterranean dishes, such as insalata di polipo con crema alle olive (octopus salad with creamed olives) and filetto di spigola all’amalfitana (sea bass fillet Amalfi style). The pasta and desserts are prepared in house and there is a selection of farm-produced Italian cheeses. No lunch. Closed Monday. Via Galvani 20 Tel: (06) 574 8216. E-mail: testacciokitchen@tiscali.it Price: €28. Wine: €8. Sport Spectator sports claim infinitely more enthusiasm than participatory sports. Romans diligently follow their football clubs’ efforts in the Corriere dello Sport newspaper. Rome has two main football clubs, both in the Serie A (top division) – the traditionally left-wing AS Roma (website: www.asromacalcio.it) and right-wing Lazio (website: www.sslazio.it). Both perform at the Stadio Olimpico (tel: (06) 323 7333), the 85,000-seat stadium that hosted the 1990 World Cup Final. The sporting season kicks off in Rome with the Marathon (in March) and then provides a welcome opportunity to show off new hats and outfits at the Concorso Ippico Internazionale di Piazza di Siena – International Show Jumping (late April to early May). The Italian Open Tennis championships now attracts some of the biggest names on the circuit and is held in the first week of May. Tickets to sporting events must be purchased directly from the venue box office or, in some cases, through the club websites. Golf: Golf is considered to be quite an upper-crust game in Rome. Most clubs will receive non-members on production of a membership card from their native country, showing their handicap. Fees are usually based on a day’s play. Country Club Castelgandolfo, Via di Santo Spirito 13 (tel: (06) 931 2301), is located just outside Rome, within a volcanic crater. Rates rise from €47 on weekdays to €57 at weekends. Gyms and squash: Setting foot in a Roman gym can be overwhelming if not equipped with the right gym wear (expensive) and body (tanned and toned). Those brave enough could try the Roman Sport Centre, Villa Borghese, Via del Galoppatoio 33 (tel: (06) 320 1667). Rome’s largest health centre and open to non-members for €26 per day, it incorporates two gyms, squash courts, two Olympic-size swimming pools, aerobic courses, massage, sun beds and saunas. Swimming: La Piscina delle Rose, Viale America 20 (tel: (06) 592 6717), is large, open-air and much in favour with the locals. A passport to a day of relaxation costs €10, while an afternoon stay costs €8 (sun-lounges cost more). The Cavalieri Hilton, Via Alberto Cadlolo 101, Monte Mario (tel: (06) 3509 2950; website: www.cavalieri-hilton.it), also allow non-residents to splash around in their outdoor and indoor pools but rates are higher. Tennis: Tennis club Circolo della Stampa, Piazza Mancini 9 (tel: (06) 323 2452), is owned by a group of journalists and welcomes non-members. Shopping Romans concur with Parisians that it is better to be chic than shocking. Consequently, Rome’s shops are full of (usually expensive and almost identical) fine clothes, leathers, shoes and bags. In winter, real fur is still de rigeur. The smart designer shops, where sales assistants are at their snootiest and price tags discreetly absent, are concentrated in the network of streets spanning out from the Spanish Steps. Of these, Via Condotti has most of the big names: Gucci, number 8, Max Mara, number 17-19A, Valentino, number 16, Louis Vuitton, number 15, Salvatore Ferragamo, numbers 65 and 73, and Giorgio Armani, number 77. Bulgari, number 10, displays glitteringly expensive watches, while Damiani, number 84, stocks alarmingly costly jewellery, worn by Jennifer Aniston in recent publicity campaigns. Nearby Dolce e Gabbana, Piazza di Spagna 82/3, offers slightly more entertaining but equally expensive gear. Fendi has a cluster of boutiques along Via Borgognona, numbers 36-39, with a wide range of furs, shoes, bags and their ready-to-wear collection. Other big names here are Gianni Versace, number 25, Moschino, number 32A, Gianfranco Ferré, number 6, and Laura Biagiotti, number 44. In the same area, the recently-opened TAD conceptstore, Via Babuino 155A, specialises in ‘ethnic-chic’, with departments ranging from furniture to flowers and clothing to music. There is also a hairdressers and a café. On neighbouring Via Frattina, number 23, the glorious Pineider stocks upmarket stationery and desk equipment. Affordable buys are to be found in the high-street shops lining Via del Corso, Via del Tritone, Via Nazionale and Via Cola di Rienzo. Alternatively, bargains are snapped up in the January and July sales. The antiques quarters lie along Via Margutta, Via del Babuino, Via Giulia, Via dei Banchi Vecchi and Via de’ Coronari (the pedestrian street organises fairs in May and October when its stores are open late). Bric-a-brac and retro clothes are on offer at the increasingly popular flea markets, the best being Via Sannio (Monday to Saturday, 0730-1300) and Porta Portese (Sunday 0730-1300). Although there are supermarkets and shopping malls in Rome – including the 100-shop Centro Commerciale Cinecittà Due, Viale Palmiro Togliatti 2, Tuscolana – the Roman shopping style is to visit the local fruit and vegetable markets (Monday to Saturday, 0700-1300) and to dip in and out of delicatessens. Luxury goods to take home may include assorted vinegar, truffles and olive oil. Castroni, Via Cola di Rienzo 196, sells the culinary riches from Italy’s regions and comforting imports from around the world (including baked beans). The well-established Trimani, Via Goito 20, was founded in 1821 and stocks an excellent selection of Italian wines. Smaller shops often close for lunch (1300-1630). Larger stores tend to stay open all day (0900-1930). Opening times can be confusing, with many food shops closed on Thursday afternoon (in winter) and other shops not opening until the afternoon on Monday. Summer brings later opening hours (until 2000) but also Saturday afternoon closing and complete closure for at least a fortnight in August. Value-added tax (IVA) is 20% on clothing and luxury goods. Foreign tourists from non-EU countries can claim a tax refund, provided they spend at least €155 at the same shop on the same day. Those who are eligible should ask the shop assistant for a receipt (with a description of the articles purchased) and a ‘tax-free cheque’. Upon departure from the EU (no later than 90 days after the date of purchase), these should be presented to customs. Global Refund (website: www.globalrefund.com) can provide more information. Culture While Rome’s cultural life has been hampered by the vagaries of political squabbling and its inhabitants’ lack of passion in the arts in the past, there has been an increasing desire to step out of the shadows and into the limelight. High-profile international dance and theatre festivals, such as the RomaEuropa Festival held in October, and Rome’s new state-of-the-art auditorium (see Music below) are all helping to make this happen. Rome’s one and only official arts centre, the Palazzo delle Esposizioni, Via Nazionale 194, which combines cinema with dance and exhibition spaces, is closed until early 2004. However, major exhibitions have a spectacular venue in the Scuderie Papali del Quirinale, renovated by famous Italian architect Gae Aulenti and located opposite the Quirinal Palace (tel: (06) 3996 7500; website: www.scuderiequirinale.it). Past shows have included one on the major works from St Petersburg’s Hermitage, Sandro Botticelli, and Rembrandt. Contemporary art or photography shows are also programmed. Those determined to sample something less conservative should seek out the Centri Sociali – non-profit, self-governing social centres set up by left-wing students during the 1970s, with support from the Italian Communist Party – which host the most radical concerts, films, theatre and dance events that Rome has to offer. Admission costs are at a minimum here, as are the prices for drinks at the bar. Centri Sociali attract an ‘alternative’ crowd aged 18-30 and vary from well-run places offering educational courses and Internet cafes to suburban squats. See Live music in Nightlife for more information. Tickets for cultural events are in demand and many are for subscribers only, so it is important for culture-keen visitors to rush to the box office with cash (not credit card) in hand some days prior to the performance. Price start at around €20. Ticket agencies may save hassle. Orbis, Piazza Esquilino 37 (tel: (06) 482 7403), provides tickets for concerts, theatre and sporting events. The weekly Roma C’è (website: www.romace.it) and Time Out Rome publications provide information on cultural events. Music: Rome has great plans for Renzo Piano’s new auditorium, which receives its official inauguration in December 2002. A ten-minute tram-ride from Piazza del Popolo, the auditorium or Parco della Musica (Music Park as it has been christened), features three halls with perfect acoustics and a large courtyard that will be used for outdoor concerts and events. The tourist information office can provide more information. In the meantime, the classical musical scene bases its reputation on two academies: the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia and the Accademia Filarmonica. Rome’s principal and most prestigious academy, the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia (tel: (06) 6880 1044; website: www.santacecilia.it) stages its own concerts or hosts visiting orchestras all year round at Auditorio Pio, Via della Conciliazione 4, while, during the summer, it graces the beautiful Renaissance courtyard of Villa Giulia, Piazzale di Villa Giulia 9, with performances. The Academia Filarmonica performs regular operas and concerts at the Teatro Olimpico, Piazza Gentile da Fabriano 17, Flaminio (tel: (06) 326 5991; website: www.teatroolimpico.it). Rossini and Verdi were once members of this academy (founded in 1821) that offers a varied programme of chamber music, opera and contemporary music. The Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, Via Beniamino Gigli 1 (tel: (06) 4816 0255; website: www.operaroma.it), dominates the opera scene. The season runs from November to May. The box office opens two days before each performance. Free concerts (choral, chamber and organ recitals) are held in churches – including Sant’Ignazio, San Giovanni de’ Fiorentini, San Giovanni and Santa Maria Maggiore – during the summer months. Theatre: The theatre season runs from October to May. The city’s official troop, the Teatro di Roma (tel: (06) 684 0001; website: www.teatrodiroma.net), is based at the prestigious Teatro Argentina, Largo di Torre Argentina 52 (tel: (06) 6880 4601), which hosts lavish productions directed by renowned directors. The Teatro Nazionale, Via del Viminale 51 (tel: (06) 485 498), is the permanent home of the Italian Theatre Board – ETI, which puts on light and fluffy comedies. Musical comedies are performed at the fashionable Teatro Sistina, Via Sistina 129 (tel: (06) 420 0711; website: www.ilsistina.com). Classical works are performed in the Teatro Valle, Via del Teatro Valle 23A (tel: (06) 6880 3794; website: www.teatrovalle.it), and in the ETI-owned Teatro Quirino, Via Marco Minghetti 1 (tel: (06) 679 4585; website: www.teatroquirino.it), whose varied programme includes the classics, contemporary work and Commedia dell’Arte. Fringe theatre is well represented at the Vascello, Via Giacinto Carini 72, Monteverde (tel: (06) 588 1021). Best of all are the open-air performances, held over summer in the lovely park, Giardino degli Aranci, Via di Santa Sabina, Aventino. Other venues are the Anfiteatro della Quercia del Tasso, Passeggiata del Gianicolo (tel: (06) 575 0827; website: www.anfiteatroquerciadeltasso.com), with stunning views over the city, and the Teatro Romano di Ostia Antica, the Roman amphitheatre in Ostia Antica. Information and booking numbers are advertised on posters. Dance: The Rome Opera Ballet performs at the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, Via Beniamino Gigli (tel: (06) 481 601; website: www.operaroma.it), where the regular diet of classical ballet is enriched with guest performances of internationally renowned dancers. The Teatro Olimpico, Piazza Gentile da Fabriano 17, Flaminio (tel: (06) 326 5991; website: www.teatroolimpico.it), has a strong dance season, ranging from classical to contemporary. Tickets for dance productions at the Teatro Argentina, Largo di Torre Argentina 52 (tel: (06) 6880 4601; website: www.teatrodiroma.net), are snapped up, so early booking is advised. Film: Italy’s grand history in film has been centred in Rome since the Cinecittà (Cinema City), Via Tuscolana 1, was opened by Mussolini in 1937. Scenes from Anthony Minghella’s The English Patient (1996) and Jane Campion’s The Portrait of a Lady (1996) were filmed in these studios but Italian cinema has failed to match the flowering of the 1940s, 50s and 60s. Among the greats are Rossellini’s Open City (1946) and Vittorio De Sica’s The Bicycle Thief (1948), depicting a harsh but touching picture of post-war Rome. Equally popular but highly romanticised was Jean Negulesco’s Three Coins in the Fountain (1954), focusing on the quest for love and the Trevi Fountain, and Audrey Hepburn’s Oscar-winning performance as a besotted princess in Roman Holiday (1953). However, it is Fellini’s films – Roma (1972) and La Dolce Vita (1959) – that have indelibly stamped images of Rome on the movie-goer’s mind. More recently Rome’s version of Woody Allen, Nanni Moretti, enjoyed considerable success at home and abroad with a film called Caro Diario (1993), which showed a beautiful and virtually empty Rome in August. Rome is blessed with over 80 cinemas and their numbers are increasing all the time. Tickets cost about €7 (prices are often reduced for matinee performances and on Monday evenings). The three-screen Nuovo Pasquino, Piazza San Egidio 10, Trastevere (tel: (06) 580 3622), shows English-language films daily. Metropolitan, Via del Corso 7 (tel: (06) 3260 0500), and Warner Village Moderno, Piazza della Repubblica 45-46 (tel: (06) 477 791), dedicate one of their screens to English-language films. Films are also shown in their original language on Monday evening at Alcazar, Via Merry del Val 14 (tel: (06) 588 0099), while Nuovo Olimpia, Via in Lucina 16G (tel: (06) 686 1068), shows original-language films regularly. There are numerous open-air showings in the summer, including Cineporto, Viale Antonio di San Giuliano (tel: (06) 324 3903; website: www.cineporto.com), close to the Olympic Stadium, and Notti di Cinema a Piazza Vittorio (tel: (06) 445 1208; website: www.agisanec.lazio.it), which shows films daily in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II in the months of July and August. Weekly showings and details of film festivals are set out in the weekly publication, Roma C’è (website: www.romace.it) or in the daily press. Cultural events: Each summer, from June to September, Estate Romana (website: www.estateromana.it) offers a lively schedule of outdoor cultural events around the city, from rock, ethnic and jazz concerts, through theatre performances and outdoor cinema, to dance lessons and other cultural events hosted in various Roman piazze and gardens all over town. As home to the Vatican, religious celebrations are important in Rome. The Pope makes an annual appearance at the Colosseum on Good Friday evening and delivers Midnight Mass at St Peter’s on Christmas Eve. Literary Notes There is nothing like Ovid’s Ars Amatoria (Art of Love – circa 16-25BC) for bringing Rome to life, with its vivid depiction of a trip to the Colosseum, the site of flirtation and grandiose spectacle. Those interested in political intrigue may turn to I Claudius and Claudius the God (1934), Robert Graves’ portrayal of ancient Rome, or the more measured tones of Gibbon’s History and Decline of the Roman Empire (1782). The dramatic poetry of Virgil’s Aeneid (19BC), evokes the glory of the Roman Empire, blessed and cursed by the Gods. The Romantics had a soft spot for Rome; indeed Rome is the place where Keats breathed his last and the Keats-Shelley Memorial House is situated here (see Key Attractions). The tragic tale of Beatrice Cenci, beheaded in 1599 outside Castel Sant’Angelo for plotting to kill the father who had raped her, inspired Shelley’s play The Cenci (1886). Nightlife Rome may not be the hippest of capitals, but for those who know the right places, it is possible to party all night. Romans go out late and the fun only really commences after dinner. The wine-bars and cafés lying between Campo de’ Fiori, Piazza Navona and Via della Pace are the places to be seen. Irish pubs have also enjoyed a boom over the last decade. The biggest concentration of nightclubs lies in the Testaccio district, where a plethora of small venues offer dancing and concerts. The gay scene is alive and kicking and accounts for many of the more avant-garde night spots. The weekly Roma C’è (website: www.romace.it) and monthly Time Out Roma publications have good information on nightlife in Rome. The legal drinking age in Italy is 16 and the absence of licensing laws means that drinking is possible at all hours. Most wine-bars and birrerie stay open until 2400 in winter and 0200 in summer. However, in general, people are more interested in seeing and being seen – alcohol is almost an afterthought. Drink prices vary considerably – a glass of wine at the Vineria, Campo de’ Fiori, costs €2-5 (depending on the quality), while a cocktail in a nightclub could be €10.50. Half a litre of draught beer usually costs around €4. Drinks and coffees are always cheaper when consumed standing at the bar! Romans tend to dress more casually than their counterparts in Milan and Florence, although most women do their best to look stunning for a night out. Bars: The Vineria, right in the middle of Campo de’ Fiori, is still very ‘in’ and makes a perfect rendezvous for an early evening drink. Customers range from well-known actors to local winos, although lately the atmosphere has become a little more wannabe. Just a few doors down at number 20 is the Drunken Ship, good for those in search of English-speaking ex-pats and tourists. Equally popular but rather more refined is Antico Caffè della Pace, Via della Pace 5, close to Piazza Navona. The cosy interior is adorned with antiques, while the ivy-clad façade looks onto a notoriously popular summer terrace. For a romantic pre-dinner aperitif, take a table at Caffè di Marzio, Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere 15, and enjoy a glass of wine overlooking this delightful piazza in the heart of Trastevere. Casinos: Gambling is banned throughout Italy (with the exceptions of Venice, San Remo and Aosta). Clubs: House music remains a firm favourite here, although a number of smaller and more alternative clubs play rock and revival. In summer, many clubs close, giving way to the countless unofficial outdoor venues that spring up around town and beside the sea near Ostia. The rich and famous hang out at Gilda, Via Mario dei Fiori 97, close to Piazza di Spagna. Disco music dominates the dancefloor, there’s a piano bar reserved for private parties and a well-run restaurant. In summer the establishment moves out to Fregene, on the coast, for Gilda on the Beach, Via Lungomare di Ponente 11. Some of Europe’s best DJs play at Goa, Via Libetta 13, close to Mercati Generali – recent guests include the Chemical Brothers. House and jungle music predominate amid a sophistacted ethno setting – candles and mirrors, insence and flowers. Tuesday is gay night. Alien, Via Velletri 13-19, is brash and bold, with sexy dancers paid to gyrate to house, commercial and revival. Theme evenings include ‘Stardust’ (house, funk, trance and dance) on Fridays and ‘Gay ’Night’ on Saturdays. In Testaccio, Alibi, Via Monte Testaccio 39, is frequented by ‘gay and friends’ and plays predominantly house music with occasional live concerts. Close by, Zoobar, Via Monte Testaccio 22, plays house, rock and new wave to a mixed and cheerful crowd. Live music: Jazz lovers should head for Big Mama, Vicolo di San Francesco a Ripa 18. It is notoriously cramped but pulls some good up-and-coming musicians, plus a few big names. Likewise, Fonclea, Via Crescenzio 82A, in the Prati area (close to the Vatican), stages jazz and rhythm and blues concerts. There’s a late-night restaurant and the bar serves excellent cocktails and a wide selection of whiskeys. For more new or rarefied jazz sounds and ethnic music, try the very hip (but with good reason) La Palma, Via Giuseppe Mirri 35 (near the Tiburtina metro stop). Nearby in Testacccio, Caffè Caruso, Via Monte Testaccio 36, hosts performances from local and visiting Caribbean, Cuban and Brazilian musicians, while Villaggio Globale, Ex-Mattatoio, Lungotevere Testaccio, offers a nice line in alternative and world music. For something totally different, visit the Centri Sociali (see Culture). One that is well known as a live music hotspot is Brancaleone, Via Levanna 11, where a decisively alternative and dressed-down crowd attends concerts, films, art exhibitions and club nights. Likewise, Circolo degli Artisti, Via Casilina Vecchia 42, offers an eclectic mix of rap, reggae, cyber punk and grunge. City Statistics Location: Lazio region, western central Italy. Country dialling code: 39. Population: 2,655,970 (city in 2001). Ethnic Mix: Majority Italian, 6.36% legally registered foreign minority includes Philipino, Polish, North American, Spanish and Romanian. Religion: Roman Catholic majority; Russian and Greek Orthodox, Jewish and Muslim minorities. Time zone: GMT +1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October). Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz; round two-pin or three-pin plugs are standard. Average January temp: 6.5°C (44°F). Average July temp: 25°C (77°F). Annual rainfall: 828mm (33 inches). Special Events Epifania – La Befana (Epiphany), day of present-giving to Roman children, 6 Jan 2003, throughout the city Carnevale, children dress up and a few nightclubs put on special parties, week before Lent, various venues Festa di Primavera (Spring Festival), late Mar-early Apr, Spanish Steps Settimana Santa & Pasqua (Holy Week and Easter), late-Mar, Mass in St Peter’s Square on Sat before Palm Sunday, services throughout Rome’s churches in Holy Week, and the Pope’s evening mass on Good Friday at the Colosseum Good Friday, Pope makes an appearance, 29 Apr, Colosseum Natale di Roma (Rome’s Birthday), 21 Apr, fireworks on the Aventine Hill Festa della Liberazione, sombre festivities celebrate the Allies’ liberation of Italy in World War II, 25 Apr, Mausoleum of the Ardeatine Caves and Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Piazza Venezia Festa del Lavoro (Labour Day), free rock concert, 1 May, outside basilica of San Giovanni Mostra dell’Antiquariato, antique fairs, mid-end May, Via dei Coronari, near Piazza Navona Fiera d’Arte di Via Margutta, four-day art fair, late May, Via Margutta Estate Romana (Roman Summer), music, dance, literature and film events, Jun-Sep, Rome’s parks and courtyards Tevere Expo, arts and crafts fair, late Jun-late Jul, along River Tiber Festa di San Giovanni, Pope leads the way to the basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano, 23 Jun, Laterano San Pietro e San Paolo, public holiday in honour of Rome’s two patron saints, 29 Jun, church service at Basilica of San Paulo Fouri le Mura Roma Alta Moda, haute couture collections, mid-Jul, Piazza di Spagna and smart hotels Festa di Noantri, markets and fireworks in honour of Madonna del Carmine, two weeks mid-Jul, Travestere Mostra dell’Antiquariato, antique fairs, mid-end Oct, Via dei Coronari, near Piazza Navona Fiera d’Arte di Via Margutta, four-day art fair, late Oct, Via Margutta Mercato di Piazza Navona, market stalls selling food and craft items in Piazza Navona, mid-Dec-6 Jan Immacolata Concezione (Immaculate Conception), Mass by the Pope, 8 Dec, Santa Maria Maggiore Midnight Mass, Pope delivers mass, 24 Dec, St Peter’s Basilica Messa di Natale (Christmas Mass) and ‘Urbi et Orbi’ Blessing, 25 Dec, St Peter’s Basilica Veglia di Preghiera (Prayer Vigil), for the passage to the new year, 31 Dec, St Peter’s Basilica San Silvestro/Capo d’Anno (New Year’s Eve), 31 Dec, festivities throughout city Cost of Living On 1 January 2002, the Lira was replaced by the Euro in Italy. Half-litre bottle of mineral water: €0.40 33cl bottle of beer: €1.30 Financial Times newspaper: €2.40 36-exposure colour film: €3.50 City-centre bus ticket: €0.77 Adult football ticket: From €30 Three-course meal with wine/beer: From €30 1 Euro (€1) = £0.68; US$1.07; C$1.62; A$1.80; L1936.27 100 Italian Lire (L100) = €0.05 Currency conversion rates as of February 2003 Business Services Business Contacts: Camera di Commercio di Roma (Rome Chamber of Commerce) Via de’ Burrò 147, 00186 Rome Tel: (06) 520 821. Fax: (06) 6791 309. Website: www.rm.camcom.it Italian Chamber of Commerce (UK) 1 Princes Street, London W1B 2AY Tel: (020) 7495 8191. Fax: (020) 7495 8194. E-mail: info@italchamind.org.uk Website: www.italchamind.org.uk Italy-America Chamber of Commerce (USA) Suite 600, Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10019 Tel: (212) 459 0044. Fax: (212) 459 0090. E-mail: info.newyork@italchambers.net Website: www.italchambers.net/newyork Italian Chamber of Commerce (Canada) Suite 306, 901 Lawrence Avenue West, Toronto, Ontario M6A 1C3 Tel: (416) 789 7169. Fax: (416) 789 7160. E-mail: info.toronto@italchambers.net Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Australia) Level 26, Mutual Building, 44 Market Street, Sydney, NSW 2000 Tel: (02) 9262 5744. Fax: (02) 9262 5745. E-mail: info@icciaus.com.au Website: www.icciaus.com.au Business library Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Roma Viale Castro Pretorio 105, 00185 Rome Tel: (06) 445 3942. Fax: (06) 445 7605. Website: www.bncrm.librari.beniculturali.it Convention and meeting planners Italcongressi (Italian Association for International Congress Relations) Piazzale Konrad Adenauer 8, 00144 Rome Tel: (06) 592 2545. Fax: (06) 592 2649. E-mail: info@italcongressi.com Website: www.italcongressi.com This company is among the best sources of information for Rome’s various congress and conference centres. Centro Italiano Congressi Corso Trieste 42, 00198 Rome Tel: (06) 841 2673. Fax: (06) 841 2687. E-mail: info@gruppocic.it Website: www.gruppocic.it Triumph PR Via Proba Petronia 3, 00136 Rome Tel: (06) 3972 7707. Fax: (06) 3973 5195. E-mail: triumph@triumphpr.it Website: www.triumphpr.it Organises fully serviced conferences, as well as providing translations and tourist-related information. Convention and meeting venues Palazzo dei Congressi di Roma Piazzale Kennedy, 00144 Rome Tel: (06) 5425 2700. Fax: (06) 5425 2800. E-mail: info@romaeur.it Website: www.romaeur.it One of the most majestic buildings in Rome, located in the modern EUR district. The building has good facilities for large congresses. Fiera di Roma Via dell’ Arcadia 2, 00147 Rome Tel: (06) 51781. Fax: (06) 517 8205. Website: www.fieradiroma.it Large fairs take place within the largest room (capacity of 1000 delegates). There are several smaller rooms. Cavalieri Hilton Via Alberto Cadlolo 101, 00136 Rome Tel: (06) 35091. Fax: (06) 3509 2241. E-mail: cb@cavalieri-hilton.it Website: www.cavalieri-hilton.it The largest auditorium in this hotel’s congress centre has a capacity for up to 2000 people. Services include conference planning, and secretarial and translation support on prior request. Office equipment hire Assitech Computer Service Via Calliope 34, 00133 Rome Tel: (06) 200 1670. Fax: (06) 200 4128. E-mail: assitech@tiscalinet.it Secretarial and translation services Astrad Viale Eritrea 20, 00199 Rome Tel: (06) 8621 9960. Fax: (06) 8621 8477. E-mail: astradxx@tin.it Services include conference organisation, hostesses for congresses, technical equipment hire, typing and word processing, language tuition and tourist guides, translation (including simultaneous translation) and interpreting into 48 languages. Rome at Your Service Via Vittorio Emanuele Orlando 75, 00185 Rome Tel: (06) 484 583 or 482 5589. Fax: (06) 484 429. E-mail: rays@flashnet.it This company provides bilingual secretaries, a translation and interpreting service, language tuition, tour guides, and hostesses for events. Unusual conference venue Palazzo Brancaccio Viale del Monte Oppio 7, 00184 Rome Tel: (06) 487 3177. Fax: (06) 487 3181. E-mail: palazzobrancaccio@palazzobrancaccio.com Website: www.palazzobrancaccio.com This gracious palace, with its rich fabrics and large paintings, is a prestigious meeting venue. The largest room has a capacity for 250, and there are several smaller rooms. History 753BC Romulus kills his brother Remus and founds Rome c. 616BC Tarquinius Priscus is made king 507-6BC The Etruscans are expelled; the Roman Republic is declared 494BC The Plebeians revolt against the Patrician, or ruling, class 450BC Codification of Roman laws into Twelve Tables 390BC Rome is invaded by the Gauls 312BC Construction starts of the Appennine Way 219BC Following his crossing of the Alps, Hannibal takes control of most of Italy 168BC Rome conquers Greece 146BC After more than a hundred years of war, Rome destroys Carthage 100BC Emperor Julius Caesar is born 55BC The Roman invasion of Britain 44BC Brutus and Cassius assassinate Caesar on the Ides of March 31BC Anthony and Cleopatra are defeated by Octavian at the Battle of Actium AD37-41 Reign of Emperor Caligula 64 Nero fiddles while Rome burns 80 The Colosseum is completed 125 Pantheon is rebuilt 313 Following years of persecution, Constantine promulgates the Edict of Milan, which guarantees toleration of Christianity 410 The Visigoths march on Rome 475-6 Byzantium is proclaimed the centre of the Empire 800 Alliance with the Franks results in the crowning of Charlemagne Holy Roman Emperor 1300 First Holy Year 1309 The papacy under Clement V moves to Avignon 1423 Holy Year 1450 Holy Year 1475 Holy Year 1508 Michelangelo begins the Sistine Chapel ceiling 1527 Charles V’s troops sack Rome 1563 Council of Trent leads to the start of the Counter-Reformation 18th C Construction of Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps 1798 Pope is abducted by the French who declare Rome a republic 1808 Napoleon Bonaparte annexes the city 1814 Napoleon falls and the papacy is restored 1860 Kingdom of Italy is established. The French remain in Rome 1870 Unification of Italy 1922 Mussolini’s ‘Blackshirts’ descend on Rome 1929 Creation of the Vatican State 1943 Mussolini is ousted 1946 King Umberto II goes into exile following the referendum that proclaims Italy as a republic 1959 Release of Fellini’s La Dolce Vita 1960 Rome hosts Olympic Games 1981 Pope John Paul II is wounded in a gun attack 1990 Italy hosts the World Cup 1994 Berlusconi’s right-wing coalition lasts just a few months 1995 Andreotti, Italy’s former Prime Minister, is put on trial charged with colluding with the Mafia 1996 Prodi wins the general election and forms a left-wing coalition Copyright © 2003 Columbus Travel Publishing Ltd.