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TOURIST INFORMATIONS
Hospitals
Bambino Gesu
Piazza S Onofrio (06 68591)
Ospedale Nuovo Regina Margherita
Via morosini (06 58441)
San Camillo
Via Pacinotti, 18 (06 553001932)
Santa Lucia
Via delle Fotografia, 95 (06 5159291)
Tourist Information Centres
The main tourist office is at Via Parigi 5.
There are booths at Fiumcino and Termini.
Information kiosks can be found at: Spanish Steps (Largo
Goldoni); San Giovanni (Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano); Via
Nazionale (Palazzo delle Exposizioni); Piazza Navona (Piazza
delle Cinque Lune); Castel Sant’Angelo (Piazza Pia); Forum
(Piazza del Tempio della Pace); Trastevere (Piazza Sonnino);
and Santa Maria Maggiore (Via del’Olmata).
French Consulate (Consulat de France à Rome)
Via Giulia 251, 00186 Rome. Telephone 06 68 60 15 00.
New Zealand Embassy
Via Clitunno 44, Rome 00198. Telephone 06 853 7501 or
335 203 769 after hours.
South African Embassy
Via Tanaro 14, Rome.
Spanish Embassy
Palazzo Borghese, Largo Fontanella di Borghese 19, Rome.
Swedish Embassy
Piazza Rio de Janeiro 3, Rome. Telephone 06 44 19 41.
US Embassy
Via Vittorio Veneto 121, 00187 Rome. Telephone
06 4674 2356.
Banks
Banking hours are usually 0830-1330 and 1530-1930
Mon. to Fri. MasterCard; Visa and Diners Club are all
widely accepted. ATM availability is very good.
Smoking
Smoking is not allowed anywhere with public access
and includes stations, restaurants and bars.
Telephones
Phone country code: +39, city code: 06 (always dial
the 0 - even from abroad). The outgoing code is 00
followed by the relevant country code.
Tipping
Tipping is expected, with 10% being the norm for
restaurants where a service charge has not been
included. Hotels normally add a service charge of 15-
18% and tips are expected. Taxi drivers increasingly
expect tips from foreigners in the 5-10% range.
Embassies and consulates in Rome
Australian Embassy
Via Antonio Bosio 5, 00161 Rome. Telephone 06 852 721.
Austrian Embassy
Via Pergolesi 3, 00198 Rome.
British Embassy
Via XX Settembre 80, I-00187 Rome. Telephone 06 4220 0001.
Out of office hours, telephone 06 4220 2603.
Canadian Embassy
Via Zara 30, 00198 Rome (Immigration/Visa and Consular
Canadian Citizen Services). Telephone 06 85444.1 or
06 85444.2911 (for Consular Canadian Citizen Services.
Finnish Embassy
Ambasciata di Finlandia, Via Lisbona 3, 00198 Rome.
Language
Italian is spoken everywhere in Rome and the Romans are not at all interested in listening to English. However, English is usually
understood especially in the tourist areas. It is a good idea to know some Italian, however they probably still won't accept your
version. Carry a small phrase book with you, it will help to decipher menus and allow you to understand some of the words that
come very quickly out of Italian mouths. Pointing to what you want on the menu works and sign language can be effective as well,
for instance writing on your hand always means ‘bill please’.
Most Italians would rather the English speaking tourists make some effort with the language and seem to really appreciate it when
you do. So try to use ‘buongiorno’ and ‘ciao’ when saying hello, ‘arrivederci’ for goodbye and ‘grazie’ for thankyou.
Money
The Euro (EUR) is the official currency. ATM's are widespread and credit cards widely accepted. Banks are closed on weekends.
There are many money exchange places around Rome, American Express Pizza di Spagna (06 67641).
ROMA Pass
A pass that provides free entry to the first two museums and public transport. Available from all partner museums and Rome Tourist
Information booths.
Safety
Rome is generally safe but pick-pocketing and bag snatching does takes place in crowded areas. Take most care at Roma Termini,
Esquilino and bus line 64 to St Peter's Square . Be aware of groups of children, some of whom try to distract you while the others
steal what they can. Carabinieri (black uniform) are military police and Polizia (blue and grey uniform) are civilians. If you are
robbed, report the crime to a police station to ensure that you can claim on your insurance.
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