Logo & Links: See Page Bottom - Traveling With Ed and Julie - Rome, Tourist Office, Toilets, Hours, Prices, Shop, Safety, Health, Language, Clothing, Money, Weather, Markets, When to Visit, Holidays

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Books to Read | Tourist Information
Getting to Town | Getting Around | Public Toilets |
Visiting Hours | Admission Prices | Shopping |
Safety | Health | Language |
Currency & Exchange
Clothing | Weather | Internet Links
Phone Numbers | Markets | When to Visit
Holidays | Passport/Visas | Time Zone | Tipping
Church Services in English |
Electrical and Modem

Complete Index of Articles on Rome/Italy

Getting to and Around Town

Covered on a separate page.

Public Toilets

Ancient ruins are everywhere; public toilets are not. You'll become expert in instantly sensing the location of facilities in restaurants you're not eating in! It's never been a problem for us. Onerous, perhaps at times, but turn it into a game!

Visiting Hours

Check our Visiting Hours page for a lisiting of the more important sights.

Admission Prices

Admissions are generally inexpensive in Rome. ($5-10) Many churches ask for a 'donation'; 500-2000 lire is adequate.

Shopping

Size Guide

  XS S M L XL XXL

Women's Sizes

Europe 38 40 42 44 46 48
UK 34 36 38 40 42 44
USA 6-8 8-10 10-12 12-14 14-16 16-18

Men's Sizes

Europe NA 48 50 52 54-56 58
UK NA 38 40 42 44-46 48-50
USA NA 38 40 42 44-46 48-50

Via Condotti, and the adjacent vie Borgognona and Frattina have a world-class selection of shops, at world-class prices. Great window shopping. (Gucci, Fendi, Bulgari, etc.) Via Sistina has a number of interesting shops.

Relative to prices for, e.g., Gucci elsewhere, there are good buys; not cheap, but relatively good. Overall, though, we don't find Rome a particularly attractive place to shop ... too expensive, like most other capitol cities. Religious souvenir stores are found all over, especially at the Piazza San Pietro end of via della Conciliazione.

Bentley's Guide has an extensive list of shops of all sorts.

Most shops still close for 2-4 hours between 12 or 1 and 3 or 4. Most are open until early evening, at least 6, often 7 or later. Note that food shops are different. Frutterie, salumerie, 'delis' and the like maintain normal morning to late afternoon hours. Alimentari are often only open mid- to late-morning, and similarly in the afternoon.

Safety

You'll hear tales of the amount of crime in Rome.We find Rome about as safe as most large cities, though we have no statistics. Crowds are fertile territory for pickpockets anywhere, and Rome can be crowded, especially on the bus or subway. Remember: your vacation day is a thief's workday. Take a look at our tips on Safety In Rome.

Health

A few express (probably ill-informed) concern about the water, but Ed's had only one problem in 30 years of visits and probably brought the bug with him. While we usually drink bottled water at meals as a matter of taste, we drink lots of tap water in the room.

Language

"La lingua Toscana é bocca Romana." A wordplay meaning "(the Italian language is) the Tuscan language spoken with a Roman accent", or, a better translation, "Tuscan tongue, Roman mouth." Italian is based on the Tuscan (e.g. Florence) words, and Roman sounds.

English, for many Italians, is a third language, not a second. Our middle-aged friends from Emilia-Romagna were taught in elementary school in dialect, and had one class a day of Italian. Natives of Emilia-Romagna, for example, cannot easily understand a southern dialect, and vice versa, of course.

English is understood and spoken moderately well in tourist areas in Rome and major cities. Many waiters can give at least a sketchy description of selections in English. (Unfortunately this means that sometimes beef, pork, and veal may all be translated to "meat".)

However, more than in Northern Europe, you'll find a few words of the local language useful. The more off the beaten track, the more inexpensive the restaurant, hotel or shop, the more at least a little Italian will be helpful.

Image Map - Use Links in Text

Image Map - Use Links in Text

We never leave home, or our hotel room, without a pocket phrase book and pocket dictionary:
Berlitz Italian Phrase Book and Dictionary
Mondadori's Pocket Italian-English English-Italian Dictionary. You'll find your trip is much more enjoyable with these in your pocket or purse.

See Language Skills for a longer discussion of the usefulness of a bit of language prep before your trip. We also have a very basic list of useful phrases.

Currency and Exchange

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The One Euro Coin as Issued in Italy

The basic unit of currency until early in 2001 is the lira (ITL). A US dollar buys more than 2000 lire. (Typically 2200.) The euro takes over on January 1, 2002, as in eleven other countries. You'll see more and more prices posted in shops, restaurants and hotels in euros. (And your credit card statements may show the purchase in euros.)

Most banks exchange money, as does American Express (in the Piazza di Spagna.) You'll get a decent rate at AMEX, and a better rate if you're exchanging AMEX travelers' checks. Banks (and AMEX) close at lunch for 2-3 hours like all of Rome, so do your exchanging early if you need money for lunch.

More information in Money and Exchange in Western Europe and The Euro: A Primer for Travelers. Check the current conversion rate.
     Get your own 'cheat sheet' to carry with you.

Credit Cards

Visa and MasterCard are widely honored. (MasterCard is accepted at shops displaying the EuroCard symbol.) AMEX (and Diner's Club) are honored in many hotels, restaurants and shops. You will find some hotels do not take (any) credit cards. Verify before you go, certainly before you check out.

ATMs

Widely available. In major cities often inside bank foyers. While bank patrons' cards may unlock the door outside business hours, yours probably will not. Best to get cash during the day.

English-Language Church Services

Roman Catholic
Santa Susanna
Located across the street (to the west) from the Piazza de la Republica.

Mass in English every Saturday at 6pm.

Anglican
All Saints
Via del Babuino, 153 (between Spanish Steps and Piazza del Popolo)

American Episcopal
St. Paul's
Via Nazionale (between Piazza della Repubblica and Piazza Venezia)

Scottish Presbyterian
St. Andrew's
Via Venti Settembre, 7 (near Piazza della Repubblica, towards Quirinale)

Methodist
Via Firenze 38 (off Via Nazionale)

Continue for More Practical Information
Clothing | Weather | Internet Links
Phone Numbers | Markets | When to Visit
Holidays | Passport/Visas | Time Zone | Tipping
Getting To and Around the City

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Last Revision:May 23, 2001

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