FESTIVALS, HOLIDAYS AND OTHER ANNUAL EVENTS IN Rome

There are a number of festivals, holidays and other events celebrated in Rome each year.
The main ones are listed below.

For all Italians, the 6th of January is the day when the benevolent white witch Befana, who predates Santa Claus in Italy, arrives on her broomstick with presents and candy for all children who have been good during the year. In Rome, Piazza Navona is converted into a huge playground for the occasion.

In Rome, Holy Week begins with various religious events one week before Easter and culminates on Easter Sunday with a large mass in Saint Peter's Square.

In Rome, Holy Week begins with a large mass on Palm Sunday. On Good Friday, the pope leads an outdoor mass at the Colosseum, with a Way of the Cross procession. The week's events culminate on Easter Sunday, when the pope delivers his Urbi et Orbi blessing in Saint Peter's Square.

Celebrations include a military parade on Via dei Fori Imperiali, after which the marvellous gardens of the Palazzo del Quirinale, the residence of the Italian president, are opened to the public.

On this day, popular dances take place all over Rome to celebrate the Virgin Mary's Assumption.

This day commemorates the victory over Austria-Hungary in 1918 during World War I. Events in Rome include a solemn wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

A midnight mass is celebrated on Christmas Eve by the pope at Saint Peter's Basilica.

This Italian holiday commemorates the birth of Saint Stephen. Traditionally, this day is dedicated to family time, with large and festive meals taking place.

CLIMATE AND WEATHER IN Rome

Month	Min. Average Temperature (°C/F°)	Max. Average Temperature (°C/F°)	Average Rains (MM)	Best Time to Travel
January	3/37	12/54	70/2.8	Not the best period to go
February	3/37	13/55	70/2.8	Not the best period to go
March	5/41	15/59	57/2.2	Not the best period to go
April	8/46	18/64	79/3.1	Good period to go
May	12/54	13/55	59/2.3	Good period to go
June	16/61	28/82	31/1.2	Good period to go
July	19/66	31/88	22/0.9	Not the best period to go
August	19/66	31/88	29/1.1	Not the best period to go
September	16/61	27/81	67/2.6	Good period to go
October	12/54	22/72	98/3.9	Not the best period to go
November	8/46	16/61	112/4.4	Not the best period to go
December	4/39	12/54	99/3.9	Not the best period to go

Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci International Airport

Rome's Fiumicino Airport is located about 32 kilometres (20 miles) south-west of the city centre and is easily reached by car, taxi, train, bus and shuttle.

• Four terminals:
  • Terminal 1 (Air France)
  • Terminal 2
  • Terminal 3
  • Terminal 4
  
  Getting from the airport to Rome and back
• By car
  • Several parking facilities are available:
  • Drop-off parking lot: facing the terminals. Free for 15 minutes.
    Some parking spaces, marked with blue lines, allow for longer
    parking (1 hour maximum for EUR 3).
  • Long-term parking lot: accessible by free shuttle (EUR 12.50 for 1
    day, EUR 31 for 1 week and EUR 58.49 for 2 weeks).
  • 4 multi-level parking lots (short and long-term): A, B, C and D
    (EUR 25.10 for 1 day, EUR 57.70 for 1 week and EUR 94.20 for 2
    weeks).
  • Several car rental companies have counters at the airport.
• By rail
  • Leonardo Express
  • Connects Roma Termini station to the airport every 30 minutes,
    with a travel time of 30 minutes. The first train leaves the airport
    at 6:23 a.m. and the last at 11:23 p.m, while the first train leaves
    Roma Termini station at 5:35 a.m. and the last at 10:35 p.m.
  • Tickets are EUR 14 per person.
  • FL1 Line
  • Slower ride than with Leonardo Express, with departures every 15
    minutes.
  • Tickets are EUR 8 per person.
• By taxi
  • Taxis are available outside terminals. A fixed fare of EUR 48 has
    been set by the City of Rome, for a maximum of four people with
    luggage.
• By bus
  • Cotral buses connect the airport with central
    Rome, running eight times per day with a travel time of 45 minutes
    and a fare of about EUR 7 per person when tickets are purchased on
    board the bus. But you can also purchase them online or at a
    newsstand inside the terminal for EUR 5.
• Services: shops, bars and restaurants, Internet
  access (Wi-Fi) available in the airport.
• Telephone: +39 06 65951Rome's Fiumicino Airport is
  located about 32 kilometres (20 miles) south-west of the city centre and is easily reached by car, taxi, train, bus and shuttle.
• Website: https://www.adr.it/

GETTING AROUND Rome

It is recommended to use public transport to get around the city. Although the city's underground rail system only has three lines, its bus, tram and light rail networks over excellent coverage.

By bus

Buses run frequently throughout the day and some lines also operate in the evening (one bus every half hour). Tickets may be purchased at kiosks, newsstands and from the self-service machines within the Rome Metro system. They cost EUR 1.50 and are valid for 75 minutes on any mode of transport, but including only one trip on the Metro.

By rail

The Rome Metro (called Metropolitana by Italians) has three lines: A, B and C. Line A, with 27 stations, runs from Battistini in the west of the city to Anagnina in the south-east, passing close to many of Rome's popular tourist sights. It is crossed by Line B, with 26 stations, including Colosseo (Colosseum), connecting Laurentina in the south to Rebibbia in the north. Line C has 21 stations, all of which opened in 2014 and 2015, with three additional ones currently under construction. However, this line does not pass through Rome's historic centre and is therefore of little interest for tourists. Roma 24 Ore tickets allow you to use unlimited transportation for 24 hours after first use (EUR 7). 48-hour and 72-hour versions are also available (EUR 12.50 and EUR 18 respectively).

By tram

Rome has six tram lines, all running very frequently during the day, which should therefore not be neglected as a mode of transport. Rome's trams use the same tickets as the Metro and buses.

By taxi

It is easy to find taxis at Roma Termini station, near the city's main squares and at the major tourist attractions and landmarks. The base fare is EUR 3.00, with an additional EUR 1.10 per kilometre (0.6 miles) for short trips. The base fare is higher from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. and on Sunday, with extras for luggage and airport-bound rides.

By bicycle

Although traffic in Rome is very often chaotic, bicycles are an excellent way to get around the city. There are many bike rental shops.

On foot

Rome is a city built on a human scale and is very pleasant to visit on foot.

Visitor information

Upon your arrival in Rome, you can get in touch with local tourism professionals for further information and to help organize your stay.

Offers practical information and many useful recommendations (accommodation, restaurants, public transport, festivals, cultural events, etc.).

• Address: Via Parigi 5
• Telephone: +39 06 48899253 / +39 06 48899255
• Website: www.turismoroma.it/?lang=en
• Opening hours: 8.15 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday to Saturday

At various locations throughout the city, Rome's tourist board operates these kiosks where you can obtain information and recommendations for your visit to the city and its surrounding area. Listed below are the main addresses for the PITs in Rome:

• PIT Ostia Lido, Lungomare Paolo Toscanelli, at the corner of Piazza ANco Marzio
• PIT Castel Sant'Angelo, Piazza Pia
• PIT Minghetti, Via Marco Minghetti (off Via del Corso)
• PIT Navona, Piazza delle Cinque Lune (Piazza Navona)

The official website of Italy's national tourist board (Agenzia Nazionale del Turismo, ENIT) provides a wealth of information on Rome:

http://www.italia.it/en/home.html

Currency and Exchange Rates

The currency used in Italy is the euro (€).

USD 1 = EUR 0.91

EUR 1 = USD 1.10

The above exchange rate is given for information because is variable.

Medical information

See your doctor before you travel. It is also recommended to take out insurance covering medical expenses and repatriation before your trip. Rome counts several hospitals and medical institutions, as well as quality medical practitioners and health specialists.

Administrative formalities

Entry requirements for Italy

For a stay of less than three months, travellers from the Schengen area, as well as those from the countries of the European Union not included in the area, need only be in possession of a national identity card or a passport valid for the duration of their stay in order to enter Italy.

As a general rule, all other travellers are subject to visa requirements, although citizens of some countries may enter Italy for a short stay of up to 90 days without a visa.

For further information, visit the website of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs: http://vistoperitalia.esteri.it/home/en

Useful contacts

To enjoy peace of mind during your stay in Rome, visit the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of your country.

Essential phrases

Good to know

+39

+ phone number

-2 : 30
of time difference with
Tehran

Start of daylight saving time: last Sunday in March
End of daylight saving time: last Sunday in October

Banks

Usually open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to noon and 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Government offices

Usually open Monday to Friday in the morning only

230 V / 50 Hz

And what about tipping?
At restaurants that have waiting staff, a 10 to 15 percent service charge (servizio) is usually included in the bill. If the service is exceptional, you can certainly leave a few euros more. Some restaurants also apply a cover charge (pane e coperto, literally “bread and cutlery”), which is not considered as a gratuity, but is instead a set, nominal fee you will need to pay regardless of what you eat. You should therefore be wary of the very attractive prices posted in the windows of certain restaurants, because they may not include either the servizio or the pane e coperto!