Rome useful information for english speaking travellers

Going across this web page, travelers, potential customers and readers may have the opportunity, if they don't, to know more about some important and permanent services of the Eternal City, like for example pharmacies opening hours...

Rome is at everybody's disposal every day and deserves services and emergencies 24 hours a day (holidays included), but the better thing would be to know where to go and what to do if something strange unfortunately happens.

American embassies in Rome

There are two United States official embassies in Rome: one to the Italian government and the other representing US to the Holy See.
The American Consulate in Rome is one mile far from the Spanish Steps, in Via Veneto 121, and provides services like your address registration and presence in Rome (or Italy), the issue of a new passport (in case of loss or other), registration of your child's birth and advice on dual citizenship, notarization of important documents, provision of Social Security benefits, income tax process, voting needs assistance, help in case of death with legal formalities, information of your family if you are in difficulty, and providing a list of doctors and lawyers.
The US Consulate won't give you money or get you out of jail. It will only ensure that your treatment is under full respect of the host country laws.
US Consulate telephone number (with switchboard): 06-46741.

Rome english speaking embassies and consulates

The Canadian Embassy in Rome is in Via Zara 30, telephone 06-854441 and consular section phone 06-854442911. Offices open from Monday to Friday from 9:00am to 12:00am, emergency services (for Canadians citizens only) from 9:00am to 4:00pm.

The United Kingdom Embassy and Consular Section in Rome are in Via XX Settembre 80A, telephone 06-42200001. The British Embassy is open from Monday to Friday from 9:00am to 4:00pm, consular section from 9:15am to 1:30pm.

The Australian Embassy in Rome is in Via Antonio Bosio 5, telephone 06-852721, open from Monday to Friday from 9:00am to 5:00pm.

The New Zealand Embassy in Rome is in Via Clitunno 44, telephone 06-8537501. The Consulate is in Milan, Via Terraggio 17, telephone 02-72170001.

The Embassy of Ireland in Rome is in Piazza di Campitelli 3, telephone 06-6979121. Open from Monday to Friday from 10:00am to 12:30pm and from 3:00pm to 4:30pm (visa office from 10am to 12:30).

The Embassy of South Africa in Rome is located in Via Tanaro 14, telephone 06-852541. The consular section is open from Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 12:00, telephones 06-85254225 and 85254262.

Antiquities in Rome

Some antiques may not be exported: they are considered part of the Italian patrimony, regardless of private ownership. Better to find out if you can take with you that Etruscan vase or not before you buy: it will avoid you to come back to Rome once a year to visit it!

American Express office in Rome

Rome American Express office is in Piazza di Spagna, 38. The telephone number is 06-67641. Travel service and tour desk are open from Monday to Friday from 9:00am to 5:30pm, on Saturday until 12:30pm. The tour desk is open also on Saturday afternoon from 2 to 2:30pm from May to October. Financial and mail services open from 9:00am to 5:00pm Monday to Friday.

Rome stores business hours

Banks are usually open from Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 1:30pm and from 3:00 to 4:00pm. A branch of Citibank National Association (US) is in Via Abruzzi, 2 and the telephone number is 06-478171. Shops are open all year  from Monday to Saturday from 9:00am to 1:00pm and from 4:00pm to 8pm: the break between these shopping hours is called "riposo" (generally lunch and siesta).

Churches (especially Rome St Peter's Basilica)

More than tourist attractions for their art and culture, churches are mainly places of worship: don't forget to dress in accord with that (means no shorts or sleeveless tops, knees and shoulders must be covered) conducting yourself like if it was a church service.

Dentists in Rome

Calling the US Embassy in Rome , telephone 06-46741, you will find a speaking english dentist: you will have to call again to get an appointment. Another dental hospital (working 24 hours for any emergency) is the G. Eastman Dental Hospital, in Viale Regina Elena, 287: telephone numbers are 06-844831 and 06-4954321, first aid dentistry is 06-84483232.

Doctors in Rome

Calling the US Embassy, you will get a list of english speaking doctors: any big hospital in Rome has also a 24 hours first aid service, called "Pronto Soccorso" (Italian ER). Through the private Salvator Mundi International Hospital, in Via delle Mura Gianicolensi 67, telephone 06-588961, are available english speaking doctors. The International Medical Center, in Via Firenze 47 (near Termini railway station), telephone  06-4882371 and the Rome American Hospital in Via Emilio Longoni 69, telephone 06-22551 have medical assistance on duty 24 hours a day with english speaking doctors. Medi-Call is an administration able to arrange for qualified doctors to call your hotel or anywhere in Rome and to prescribe an appropriate medication or referring you to a qualified specialist in case of most serious problems: this service is available 24 hours a day in Via Cremera 8 (close to Piazza Fiume and Via Veneto), telephone is 06-8840113.

Pharmacies (drugstores)

The Farmacia Internazionale in Piazza Barberini 49 is a very reliable pharmacy open day and night: its telephone number is 06-6794680. Rome pharmacies are ruled by a rotation system: you will have then several open on Sunday (and outside each closed drugstore you will have the list of the open ones). Opening hours from 8:30am to 1:00pm and from 4:00pm to 7:30pm.

Electricity

Even if you don't pick up a transformer leaving home, you will find in any appliance shop (called "ferramenta" in Italian) many plugs and sockets for 125 volts, electric devices working here with 220 volts and 50 Hertz AC. Planning to charge your i-phone or any other appliance, check before the exact current in your hotel or apartment.

Mail

In whole Italy and especially for the big cities like Rome, Florence, Milan, Naples.., mailboxes are red, attached to walls and have two slots: the left one is only for the letters to the city and the right one for any other destination. In Rome, the main Post Office is in Piazza San Silvestro 19, telephone 06-69737213: it is located between Via del Corso and the Spanish Steps and open from Monday to Friday from 9:00am to 6:00pm and from 9:00am to 2:00pm on Saturdays.
If you wish to have your personal mail address in this central office, just present your passport for identification. Letters must be sent at this address writing "Fermo Posta" after the Post Office's name and address. Stamps are called "Francobolli" and can be bought in tobacco shops.

Mailboxes of the Vatican City are blue: Vatican stamps can be purchased in the Vatican City Post Office, under the Columnade of St Peter's Square close to the Information Office, open from Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 6:00pm and from 8:30am to 12:00 on Saturdays. Don't forget that letters with Vatican stamps can be posted only in the blue Vatican mailboxes. Mailing a letter at the Vatican City, it will reach United States much more quickly than the traditional Italian mail, and for the same cost: about 0,65 euros (90 cents).

Newspapers

There are many large newsstands in Rome most frequentated areas in which you will find english language newspapers. USA Today and International Herald Tribune have a daily publication from Monday to Saturday.

Pets

Coming to Italy, your animal must have a current and updated rabies certificate, your veterinarian's statement that no viral diseases have existed during the last six months in your area and a US Department of Agriculture certificate verifying as true all the above. Keep them on hand for future reference even if you're not asked for these upon your arrival and ask about the tax one has to pay if he owns a dog.

Radio and TV

The Italian state radio and television network is RAI, and during the tourist season, more than the normal programs will be broadcasted special ones in english: the radio and TV guide sections of newspapers will tell you when and where. Foreign language religious news programs are also on Vatican Radio, most of the times in english. Some four and five stars hotels have often CNN on TV in their rooms and broadcasts from BBC (Great Britain), Voice of America (USA) and CBC (Canada) are picked up by short waves transistor radios.

Rest rooms

You will find rest rooms in any airport or railway station with attendants expecting gratuities (10 or 20 cents of euro will be ok). You will also find facilities in bars and restaurants, night clubs, cafes and in every hotel. Close to the major tourist sites (in the Colosseum and under the Palatine Hill, at the Spanish Steps and on the Capitol Hill) are also found public toilets: you will see them designated with "wc" (water closet), "uomini" (men) and "donne" (women), "signore" (ladies) and "signori" (gentlemen). For those 2 last expressions be careful and don't confuse the final letters!

Telephones

For any call with public phones you will need either coins or a phone card (in Italian Carta Telefonica) that you can buy in every tobacco store. Better anyway to have a phone card while the public telephones accepting change are almost dismantled. The phone has a slot where you will have to insert the phone card allowing you to make phone calls for the amount shown on every card (usually 5 and 10 euros).

International calls to USA and Canada can be directly dialed through Italcable: dial 00 (international access code from Italy) then 1 for US or Canada, area code and finally the number to call. The bill will be on basis of call duration only. Reductions on the rate are applied from 11:00pm to 8:00am and the whole day on Sunday.

There will be no surcharge making a long distance call from a public telephone, but watch out in hotels: they are well known for double or triple the cost of a call.

Tipping in Rome

Some restaurant menus include cover and service charge, but usually it appears as a separate item of 15% on your check. It is common, if you had a good service, to leave an additional gratuity of 5 up to 10% to the waiter. Generally private limo drivers and taxis will be happy with an additional 15% of the trip rate. Not considerated tips are the fixed rates per bag brought by airport and railway station porters.