Rome
From Halal Explorer
[[file:View from Stpeters bottomcropped - unesco=yes|caption=Forum Romanum}} This Muslim Friendly Travel Guide is part of eHalal.io Travel Group Colosseum in Rome-April 2007-1- copie 2B - The Colosseum
Rome (Italian and Latin: Roma) and the 'Eternal City', is the capital and largest city of Italy and of the Lazio (Latium) region. It's the famed city of the Roman Empire and the Seven Hills, La Dolce Vita (sweet life) and the Rome/Vatican|Vatican City and Three Coins in the Fountain. Rome, as a millennium-long centre of power, culture and religion, having been the centre of one of the globe's greatest civilizations ever, has exerted a huge influence over the world in its circa 2500 years of existence.
The historic centre of the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With wonderful palaces, millennium-old churches and basilicas, grand romantic ruins, opulent monuments, ornate statues and graceful fountains, Rome has an immensely rich historical legacy and cosmopolitan atmosphere, making it one of Europe's and the world's most visited, famous, influential and beautiful capitals. Today, Rome has a growing nightlife scene and is also seen as a shopping heaven, being regarded as one of the fashion capitals of the world (some of Italy's oldest jewellery and clothing establishments were founded in the city). With so many sights and things to do, Rome can truly be classified a "global city".
Contents
Districts
Central Rome
Rome can be divided into several neighborhoods. The so-called historical centre (centro storico) is quite small, being only around 4% of the city's area. This mainly consists of the area inside the Aurelian walls, and is protected by UNESCO. Districts are explained below:
| Rome/Modern Center Where many of the hotels are, as well as shopping and dining galore along the Via Veneto; home to the Quirinale, Trevi fountain, Barberini, Castro Pretorio, and Repubblica areas. |
| Rome/Old Rome The centre of the Roman medieval and Renaissance periods, with beautiful plazas, cathedrals and the Pantheon, and plenty of laid-back dining; includes the Navona, Campo de' Fiori, and the Yahudi Ghetto neighbourhoods. |
| Vatican The Papal City State and its endless treasure troves of sights, relics, and museums, as well as the surrounding Italian neighbourhood. |
| Rome/Colosseo The heart of ancient Rome and the Colosseum and the Roman Forum and the Forum of Augustus and the Forum and Markets of Trajan and the Capitoline and its museums. |
| Rome/North Center Situated in the north part of Rome, home to the Villa Borghese and the Spanish Steps, and the elegant neighbourhoods of Parioli and Salario. |
| Rome/Trastevere The land to the south of the Vatican, on the west bank of the Tiber River, full of narrow cobbled streets and lonely plazas that served as the inspiration for artists such as Giorgio de Chirico. Now arguably the centre of Rome's artistic life. |
| Rome/Aventino-Testaccio Off-the-beaten-path neighbourhoods of Rome with plenty of surprises waiting for interested travelers, as well as some truly great food. |
| Rome/Esquilino-San Giovanni South of Termini, with an indoor market, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, and the Gothic Church of Rome Saint John in Lateran. |
| Rome/Nomentano The neighbourhoods "behind" the train station. Vibrant night life in San Lorenzo. Outskirts41.9 |
{{Mapshape - ,Q16481986,Q16481992,Q16481997,Q16482002,Q16482005|type=geoshape|fill=#bbdf95 Rome/North|North {{Mapshape - ,Q16481953,Q16481961,Q16481966,Q16495467,Q16481947|type=geoshape|fill=#ebb76f Rome/South|South
Rome's city council levies an accommodation tax. This is €2 per day per person for campsites up to three-star hotels and €6 a night for four- and five-star hotels. This fee can only be paid in cash, and is supposed to be for the restoration of Rome's crumbling ruins.
Hotel listings can be found in the appropriate Rome#Districts|neighborhoods, and should be added there. Please do not add listings here.
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Muslim Friendly Camping Places in RomeThere are at least two campsites near Rome and they are:
Telecommunications in Rome
- Via del Corso, Largo Goldoni, tel.: 68136061 - Castel Sant'Angelo, Piazza Pia, tel.: 68809707 - Fori Imperiali, Piazza Tempio della Pace, tel.: 69924307 - Piazza Navona, Piazza delle Cinque Lune, tel.: 68809240 - Via Nazionale, Piazza delle Esposizioni, tel.: 47824525 - Trastevere, Piazza San Sonnino, tel.: 58333457 - San Giovanni in Laterano, Piazza San Giovanni, tel.: 77203535 - Santa Maria Maggiore, Via dell_OLmata, tel.: 4740995 - Termini (arrivals), Piazza dei Cinquecenti, tel.: 47825194 - Termini, Galleria Gommata, Terminal 4, tel.: 48906300 - Fontana di Trevi, Via Marco Mingehtti, tel.: 3782988 Local Customs in RomeRomans regularly interact with foreigners and tourists; it shouldn't be hard to find friendly help provided you know some Italian. As for most every place in Italy, just be polite and you won't have much trouble. If you hit someone with your luggage or shoulder while walking on a street, say "sorry" (Mi scusi): despite being very busy, Rome is not London or New York and going ahead is considered bad behaviour, while a little apology will be satisfactory. In buses or trains, let older people have your seat if there's no space available. The gesture will be appreciated. Romans, and Italians as well, are chaotic while in a queue, and often "clump" without any particular order: It's considered unpolite, but they do it anyway. Be careful while driving, as Romans often drive frantically and bend the rules to cope with the heavy traffic. If you are a Muslima, you may get catcalled by men. It's safer to avoid interaction. Stay SafeAn Italian Carabiniere in Monte Gianicolo, Rome - 3448 - An Italian Carabiniere at guard duty in Monte Gianicolo Rome is generally a safe place, even for women traveling alone. However there have been rape cases around the Roma Termini train station, so be careful especially at night time. There is very little violent crime, but plenty of scams and pickpocketing that target tourists. As in any other big city, it is better if you don't look like a tourist: don't exhibit your camera or camcorder to all and sundry, and keep your money in a safe place. Consciousness and vigilance are your best insurances for avoiding becoming a victim of a crime in Rome. Remember, if you are pickpocketed or victim of another scam, don't be afraid to shout, "Aiuto, al ladro!" (Help, Thief!) Romans will not be nice to the thief. Members of the Italian public are likely to be sympathetic if you are a crime victim. Police are also generally friendly if not always helpful. Carabinieri (black uniform, red striped trousers) are military police, and Polizia (blue and grey uniform) are civilians, but they both do crucially the same thing and are equally good, or bad. If you are robbed, try to find a police station and report it. This is crucial to establishing a secure insurance claim and to replace documents: the chances of it resulting in the return of your possessions are, however, fairly remote. Rome is home to two rival Serie A soccer clubs, A.S. Roma and S.S. Lazio, and there is a history of conflict, and even rioting, between the two. Never wear anything that shows that you support either of them, especially during the Rome Derby (when the two clubs play each other, known in Italian as the Derby della Capitale): avoid even wandering into groups of supporters of the other club, or you may be subject to heckling or even confrontation. Play it safe and refrain from openly supporting either club unless you are very familiar with the rivalry. If you are a fan of a foreign team that is playing in Rome, be very careful as a number of supporters have been stabbed over the past few years. PickpocketingSince Rome is incredibly popular as a tourist destination, a great deal of pickpocketing and bag or purse snatching takes place, especially in crowded locations, and pickpocketers in Rome can get pretty crafty. A 2010 study found that Rome was second only to Barcelona for pickpocketing of tourists. As a rule, you should pretty much never carry anything very valuable in any outside pocket, especially the front pocket of your pants is one of the easiest and most common targets. Keeping your wallet in your front pocket or in your bag is far from safe. You should consider using a money belt and carry only the cash for the day in your pocket. Pickpocketing on the Metro is rife in the form of gangs of young girls (8 to 12 years old) who jump on the trains just they are about to leave. They buffet you and have bags to hide where their hands are. You have been warned! Also, beware of thieves—one popular technique that they use is to ride by you on a moped, slice the strap of a handbag with a knife, and ride off. They might also try to cut the bottom of your bag open and pick your wallet from the ground. Others will use the old trick of one person trying to distract you (asking for a cigarette or doing a strange dance) while another thief picks your pockets from behind. Bands of gypsy kids will sometimes crowd you and reach for your pockets under the cover of newspapers or cardboard sheets. It is generally a good idea to be extremely wary of any strange person who gets too close to you, even in a crowd. If someone is in your personal space, shove the person away. As one frequent traveller put it, "Don't be afraid to be a dick in Rome." It is better to be rude than to be stolen from. Termini (the main train station), Esquilino, bus line 64 (Termini to San Pietro), and the Trevi fountain are well known for pickpockets, so take extra care in these areas. On the Metro especially, pickpockets are extremely skilled. Remember that hotel rooms are not safe places for valuables; if your room has no safe, give your valuables to the hotel staff for safekeeping. Even if it does have a safe, hotels normally warn that they have no liability unless items are deposited in the main safe. Be wary while boarding or getting off the metro/train, especially if doors are about to close/closing. Thieves pretend to be helpful by pressing the 'door open' button for you, and while you gratefully squeeze into the train and catch your breath and they'll sidle up to you and pick your pocket or dip into your handbag or purse. Be aware of the danger and take the usual precautions and you should be all right. Tourist scamsRead up on the legends concerning tourist common scams|scams. Most of them occur regularly in Rome and you will want to see them coming. A particular scam is when some plainclothes police will approach you, asking to look for "drug money," or ask to see your passport. This is a scam to take your money. You can scare them by asking for their ID. Guardia di Finanza (the grey uniformed ones) do customs work. Another scam involves men working near the Spanish Steps, around Piazza Navona, and outside of the Colosseum. They approach you, asking where you are from, and begin to tie bracelets around your wrists. When they are done they will try to charge you upwards of €20 for each bracelet. If anyone makes any attempt to reach for your hand, retract quickly. If you get trapped, you can refuse to pay, but this may not be wise if there are not many people around. Carry small bills or just change, in your wallet, so if you find yourself in cornered to pay for the bracelet, you can convince them that €1 or €2 is all you have. When taking a taxi, be sure to remember license number written on the card door. In seconds, people have had a taxi bill risen by €10 or even more. When giving money to taxi driver, be careful. Be careful of con-men who may approach you at tourist sights such as the Colosseum or Circus Maximus. A vehicle may pull up next to you, and the driver asks you for directions to the Vatican. He will strike up a conversation with you while he sits in his vehicle and tell you he is a sales representative for a large French fashion house. He will then tell that you he likes you and he would like to give you a gift of a coat worth several thousand euros. As you reach inside his vehicle to take the bag the coat is in, he will ask you for €200 for gas, as his vehicle is nearly empty. Around tourist sites like the Trevi Fountain, Colosseum and the Spanish Steps there are groups mostly of men trying to sell affordable souvenirs. They may also carry roses and say they are giving you a gift because they like you, but the minutes you take their 'gift' they demand money. They are often very insistent and often the only way to get rid of them is to be plain rude. Do the best you can to not take their "gifts" as they will follow you around asking for money. Simply saying "no" or "go away" will get them off your back until the next vendor comes up to you. Be wary of places to change currency. Read ALL signs before changing money. Oftentimes places set up just for currency exchange will add as much as a 20% service fee on all money being traded. The shops near the Vatican obtain especially high service fees, whereas places near the Trevi Fountain will be more reasonable. The best option is to change enough money before you leave your home country. There are few places around the city that are under the table and are just interested in American money. These places charge no service fee. The best advice to avoid scams is to get away from anyone that you have never seen before they start talking to you. EmergenciesIn an emergency, call 112 (Carabinieri), 113 (Police), 118 (medical first aid) or 115 (firemen). Carry the address of your embassy or consulate. On anything else you may need for your Rome holiday, you can contact the official help line of the Minister of Tourism 039.039.039. From Monday to Sunday, from 9.00 to 22.00, in seven languages seven days a week. Cope
Embassies & Consulates in Rome
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News & References Rome
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