Tourist information

Tips for tourists A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z   [*]  Tips for tourists Keywords Tips for tourists: 34 (All Tips) AMERICAN EMBASSY There are two official U.S. embassies in Rome: one to the Italian government and the other which represent the U.S. to the Holy Seats. Americans in need of services must go to the U.S. Consulate, 121 Via Veneto. The Consulate can provide the followin... AMERICAN EXPRESS The offices of American Express are at Piazza di Spagna 38 (tel. 06/67641). The travel service and tour desk are open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5:30pm and on Saturday from 9am to 12:30pm (May to October the tour desk is also open on Saturday after... ANTIQUES Some antiques, regardless of private ownership or foreign origin, are considered part of the patrimony of Italy and may not be exported. So before you buy that Etruscan vase find out whether you can take it with you or whether you will have to return... BARS Most bars charge different prices at the counter then at the table. You may want to check posted prices before sitting down and decide if you feel it is worth spending €5 for a cappuccino and the pleasure of sitting at a sunny sidewalk café. Once sea... BUSES AND METROS Tickets may be bought from ATAC/CO.TRA.L. windows at start or end of a line, tobacco shops, newsstands and vending machines. The METREBUS ticket cost € 1 and is valid for 75 minutes one metro trip only. It is wise to buy a number of bus tickets at on... BUSINESS HOURS In general, banks are open Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 1:30pm and again from 3 to 4pm. A U.S. bank in Rome is Citibank, Via Abruzzi 2 (tel. 06/478171). Shopping hours are governed by the "riposo" (siesta). Most stores are open year-round Monday ... CAR TOWING If your automobile was towed away, you probably parked in an illegal zone. The way to fin your car (unless you are planning a bit of insurance fraud) is to call the Vigili Urbani, (tel. 67691), and give them the registration number, make of car, and ... CHURCHES Please remember that churches are primarily places of worship regardless of their frame as a tourist attraction. Dress accordingly (which means no shorts, sleeveless tops, etc. in the main basilicas ) and conduct yourself as if at a church service. ... CIGARETTES Italy introduced an antismoking campaign (no smoking in public places like restaurants, bars, theaters, ect.); tobacco stores or "tabaccai" exist by the thousands. Tobacco products are sold only in officials shops since they are a state monopoly and ... CRIME Like all big cities, Rome has its share, some of it avoidable (do not tempt with flashy, expensive jewellery, dangling and/or open purses, easily accessible wallets, unlocked cars, etc.), some of it not (a home broken into even though furnished with ... CURRENCY EXCHANGE This is possible at all major rail and airline terminal in Rome, including the Stazione Termini, where the "cambio" (exchange booth) besides the rail information booth is open daily from 8am to8pm. At some "cambio" you'll have to pay commissions, oft... CUSTOMS We are not speaking of quaint habits of the natives, but of the uniformed men at U.S. airport who will take away all the homemade sausage and cheeses that Aunt Luisa gave you. Check either before you leave the States or with U.S. Customs (06/46741) h... DOCTOR Call the U.S. Embassy (tel. 06/6741), which will provide a list of doctors who speaks English. All big hospitals in Rome have a 24-hour first-aid service (go to the emergency room). You will find English-speaking doctors at the privately ru Salvator ... DRUGSTORES A reliable pharmacy is the Farmacia Internazionale, Piazza Barberini 49 (tel.06/6794680), open day and night. Most pharmacies are open from 8:30am to 1pm and then from 4 to 7:30pm. In general, pharmacies follow a rotation system so that several are a... ELETTRICITY It's always 220 volts, 50 Hz AC. Pick up a transformer either before leaving home or in any appliance shop in Rome if you plan to use electrical appliances. You'll also need ad adapter plug. ... EMBASSIES/CONSULATES Canada: it's at Via Zara 30 tel. 06/445981, fax 06/44598754 open Monday to Friday from 10am to 12:30pm United Kingdom: consular offices are at Via XX Settembre 80A tel. 06/4825441, fax 06/4873324 open Monday to Friday from 9:15am to 1:30pm. Austral... FOREIGNER'S REGISTRATION Everyone is required to have a "permesso di soggiorno" to stay in Italy. Hotels automatically do this for paying guests. Those wishing to stay longer must register at the Questura, Via Genova 2 or at Via San Vitale 15. Take your passport and photocop... GOLF IN ROME Rome has several beautiful golf courses to be discovered and played at. Golf courses in Rome and surroundings can be used all year, thanks to the ideal climate of the city. The number of golf players has increased very much over the past 10 years. Th... HORSE CARRIAGES The carrozzelle are a very pleasant and comfortable way to visit Rome - but can be dreadfully expensive. Establish the price and time involved with the driver BEFORE the trip. Insist he fulfill his part of the bargain - and you'll do likewise. At Pia... LEGAL AID The consulate of your country is the place to turn. Although consular officials cannot interfere in the Italian legal process, they can inform you of your rights and provide a list of attorney out of pocket-there's no free legal assistance. If you're... LIQUOR LAWS Wine with meals has been a normal part of Italian family life for hundreds of years. There is no legal drinking age for buying or ordering alcohol, and is sold day and night throughout the year. ... LOST AND FOUND Report lost items to Ufficio Oggetti Smarriti, Via Nicolň Bettoni 1 tel. 06/5816040. Report items lost on a bus or Metro to their office on Via Volturno 65 near the rail station, and items left on trains to the Servizio Movimento delle Ferrovie dello... LUGGAGE STORAGE/LOCKERS These are available at the Stazione Termini along Tracks 1 and 22 daily from 5am to 1am. The charge is € 3 per piece of luggage per 12hour period. ... MAIL Mailboxes in Italy are red and are attached to walls. The left slot is only for letters intended for the city; the right slot for all others destinations. The main Post Office of Rome is at Piazza San Silvestro 19 tel. 06/6771, between Via del Corso... NEWSPAPERS English language papers are sold at the large newsstands (edicole). The International Herald Tribune and U.S.A. Today are published daily except Sunday. Wanted in Rome comes out twice monthly is widely available and has mainly classified advertising ... PETS Italian law requires that your animal have a current rabies certificate, a statement from your veterinarian that no rabies have existed in your area in the last 6 months and a certificate from the U.S. Department of Agriculture verifying all the abov... RADIO/TV Major radio and television broadcast are on RAI, the Italian state radio and TV network. Occasionally during the tourist season it will broadcast special programs in English; look in the radio and TV guide sections of local newspapers. Vatican Radio ... REST ROOMS All airport and railway stations, of course, have rest rooms, often with attendants who expect to be tipped (10cents to 30cents is fine). Bars, nightclubs, restaurants, cafes, and all hotels have facilities as well. Public toilets are also found near... SAFETY Pick pocketing is the most common problem. Men should keep their wallets in their front pocket or inside jacket pockets. Purse snatching is also commonplace, with young men on Vespas who will ride past you and grab your purse. To avoid trouble, women... TAXES As a member of the European Union, Italy Imposes a tax on most goods and services. It's a "value-added tax", called IVA in Italy. The tax affecting most visitors is at hotels, ranging from 9% in first and second class hotels and "pensioni", to 13% i... TAXIS Always use the white taxis. Never use an unmarked cab or you'll wonder whether he is charging you for a ride or you are buying the taxi! Taxis in Rome started a base fare, supplements are added when it is a question of traveling at night on Christmas... TELEPHONES Public phones are located throughout the city and accept change or the "phone" card (carta telefonica) sold in tobacco stores. It is wise to have a "phone" card because money taking machines are becoming harder and harder to find and many public mach... THEFT AND LOSSES If your passport, driver's license, airline tickets, ore traveler's checks are lost report to the nearest Carabinieri or Polizia station (at the Questura on Via Genova there is also a special office "per stranieri") to fill out a report or denuncia. ... TIPPING In restaurants a service charge of about 15% usually appears as a separate item on your check. A few restaurant state on the menu that cover and service charge are included. Either way, it's customary to leave an additional 5%-10% tip for the waiter,...