Page 369 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Rome

PR A C TIC AL INFORM A TION  367

Opening Hours and Social Customs and
Admission Prices Etiquette
Museums are generally open Romans are generally
all day, although most close on cour teous and friendly to
Mondays and on some public foreign visitors. Italians are
holidays. Open-air sights such delighted at any effort to speak
as the Forum are open daily their language, so it is worth
year-round, closing one hour learning a few phrases (see
before sunset. p439). Italians tend to drink
The two-day or three-day only with meals and are unlikely
Roma Pass (€28 and €36 to be seen drunk – obvious
respectively) provides free travel drunkenness is frowned upon.
within Rome, free entrance to Smoking is banned on public
two museums or archaeological transportation, and in
sites, and discounts for various restaurants, bars, and cafés. The altar in Santa Maria Maggiore
exhibitions, events, and services.
Many national and city museums della Casa Pontificia (see p229)
are free to people under 18 – Visiting Churches or go in person to the office
sometimes limited to EU Many of Italy’s churches are through the bronze doors on
citizens. Those aged 18 to 25 very dark, but they usually the right of the colonnade in
get discounted entry with a have electric, coin-operated St. Peter’s Square (9am–1pm).
valid student ID card. light meters to illuminate Travel agencies can also
Entrance to churches is free, chapels and works of art. arrange an audience as part
and many contain extra ordinary Recorded information in several of a bus tour.
works of art, but you may be languages is also often available. Mass is held daily in the
charged a small fee to see a Dress codes (see below) are main churches of Rome (High
certain area, such as a chapel, firmly upheld in churches and Mass is on Sunday). Confession
cloister, or underground ruins. should be respected. St. Peter’s is heard in St. Peter’s (see pp228–
Some of Rome’s sights, such as (see pp228–31) is especially 31), San Giovanni in Laterano
Nero’s Aqueduct, and the Vatican strict – you cannot wear shorts. (pp182–3), San Paolo fuori
Gardens, are accessible only on le Mura (p269), Santa Maria
personal application or by Catholic Services Maggiore (pp174–5), the
written appointment (see below). Gesù (pp110–11), Santa Sabina
The Area by Area section of this For many Catholics, a visit to (p206), and Sant’Ignazio (p108).
guide has opening times for Rome means an audience with English-speaking Catholic
each sight, and states whether the pope. General audiences churches include San
there is an admission charge. are usually held every Wednes- Clemente (see pp188–9) and
During the Beni Culturali day at 10:30am either in Santa Susanna (see p257).
(Department of Culture and St. Peter’s Square, indoors at For details of non-Catholic
Heritage) week in April, ad mis- the Sala Paolo VI, or at Castel services see p369.
sion to state-run sites is free. Gandolfo. To attend an
The weekly supplement of audience, call the Prefettura Tipping
the daily paper La Repubblica,
TrovaRoma (see p375), has a Service is sometimes included
small English section with in the check at restaurants,
details of current exhibitions. bars, and cafés. Italians usually
tip a few euros if the service
was good. It is not necessary
Sightseeing Permits to tip taxi drivers – rounding
To visit certain sights in Rome, up to the next euro is enough.
you need to obtain a written Keep small change handy for
permit, and/or arrange your visit sacristans, cleaners, doormen,
in advance, particularly for some and porters.
archaeological sites, which may
sometimes be open only for
groups with an authorized guide. Access to Public
Restrooms
Call the Rome City Tourist Office
number on page 369, giving your Public restrooms are few and
name, the number of people in far between. There are clean
your party (individual visits are ones by the Colosseum (with
generally not possible), and when access for the disabled) and at
you would like to visit. You may St. Peter’s. Most cafés will let
then be asked to send written Unacceptable dress in church: both sexes you use theirs, but some will
confirmation by email or fax. should cover torsos, upper arms, and legs ask you to buy something.

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