PRACTICAL INFORMATION REGARDING ROME
Informal Cooperation of Ministers and Directors General responsible for
Public Administration
Italian Presidency
July – December 2003
Presentation
Dear Colleagues,
Welcome to Rome, one of the oldest city of the world.
One evening a tired Faustolo was sitting near the shed door and Laurenzia was preparing a frugal meal. Suddenly they heard a rustle coming from the woods. Near the river a dark shadow slid down the bank.
Faustolo decided to go and see what had happened. He told his wife to wait for him. He moved forward with caution, because the ground near the river was full of puddles because of the recent rains. In one of these puddles at the foot of a tree, Faustolo saw a big she-wolf lying down on one side with two children sucking her milk.
He thought he was dreaming. He went back to the shed and told his astonished wife about the she-wolf and the twins, and then he took her to the river. Some time later the two children were sleeping in Faustolo and Laurenzias warm shed. Here they grew up and became two strong boys, a little savage, but good boys. Faustolo called them Romulus and Remus; they respected him as a father. Everyday they went farther and farther from the shed to seek adventure......
This is the tale of the writer.
The legend instead says that once Romulus and Remus had grown up, they learned their story and decided to go back to Albalonga. Here they punished the cruel Amulio and set free their grandfather. They left Albalonga and went back to the Tiber banks where they had grown up. Here they founded a new town.
But who would decide the name?
They decided to watch the flight of the birds: the first who had seen the greatest number of birds would have given the name to the town. Romulus was luckier, and he took a plough and marked out about the town's perimeter on the Palatine Hill. He called it Roma (Rome). It was April 21st, 753 years before Christ.
The foundation of the new town marked the end of Remus. It had been decided that no-one could pass the boundary without permission of Romulus. But Remus for envy or in fun, jumped over it and laughing said:- Look! Its so easy!-
Romulus full of wrath, flung himself on Remus, took up a sword and killed him, shouting that anyone who had insulted the name of Rome was to die.
Romulus ruled the town wisely. One day during a storm, he disappeared, carried off by the god Mars.
If you wish to discover the Eternal City during your visit , here you are a list of useful websites:
www.romaturismo.com (tourist information - Italian and English);
www.abcroma.com (tourist information - Italian and English);
www.virtualrome.com (tourist information - Italian and English);
www.citrag.it (history and civilization - Italian and English);
www.belsito.it (images and legends - Italian and English);
www.metrebus.it (public transport information - Italian and English);
www.adr.it (airport information - Italian and English);
Getting to Rome from the airports
Fiumicino Airport (Leonardo da Vinci)
Rome's main airport is well-connected to the centre during the day by a direct train and by other trains. The direct train Fiumicino-Termini costs € 8,80 and the journey takes approximately 30 minutes; the direct train leaves from and arrives at platform 22 at Termini railway station (the main train station of Rome).
Tickets can be purchased:
- At vending machines at both Termini and Fiumicino
- At the Alitalia office near platform 22 at Termini (6.30am / 9pm)
- At the ticket window by the railway stations at Fiumicino Airport
The following schedule is applicable until September the 25th:
Fiumicino – Roma Termini
6.37am - 7.37am - 8.07am - 8.37am - 9.07am - 9.37am - 10.07am - 10.37am - 11.07am - 11.37am - 12.07pm - 12.37pm - 1.07pm - 1.37pm - 2.07pm - 2.37pm - 3.07pm - 3.37pm - 4.07pm - 4.37pm - 5.07pm - 5.37pm - 6.07pm - 6.37pm - 7.07pm - 7.37pm - 8.07pm - 8.37pm - 9.07pm - 9.37pm - 10.07pm - 11.37pm
Roma Termini – Fiumicino
4.51am - 5.51am - 6.22am - 6.51am - 7.21am - 7.51am - 8.21am - 8.51am - 9.21am - 9.51am - 10.21am - 10.51am - 11.21am - 11.51am - 12.21am - 12.51pm - 1.21pm - 1.51pm - 2.21pm - 2.51pm - 3.21pm - 3.51pm - 4.21pm - 4.51pm - 5.21pm - 5.51pm - 6.21pm - 6.51pm - 7.21pm - 7.51pm - 8.21pm - 8.51pm - 9.21pm - 9.51pm - 10.52pm
To get from Termini railway station to the Department for Public Administration and to the recommended hotels you can use the bus 40 Express or the bus 64 (bus stop: largo di Torre Argentina).
There is another train connecting Fiumicino airport to central Rome - when you are at the airport train station look for the train with the destination "Orte" or "Fara Sabina". It is slower (and cheaper) because it stops at some smaller local stations along the way but it does not stop at Termini. Use the Trastevere station stop to reach the Department for Public Administration and the city centre. Trains leave approximately every 20 minutes (every hour on Sunday) and the cost is of €4,70. It takes about 25 minutes to reach Trastevere station.
Fiumicino Airport - Trastevere
From: 5.57am until 11.27pm
Trastevere - Fiumicino Airport
From: 5.25 am until 10.55 pm
To get from the Trastevere railway station to the Department for Public Administration and to the recommended hotels you can use the tram line 8 (bus stop: largo di Torre Argentina).
For arrivals and departures between 11.30pm and 5am there is a night bus running between Fiumicino and Tiburtina station. This bus stops at Termini station too.
From Fiumicino: 1.15am - 2.15am - 3.30am - 5.00am
From Tiburtina: 0.30am - 1.15am - 2.30am - 3.45am
Ciampino Airport
This is Rome’s second airport, dealing mainly with charter flights and budget airlines. It is connected to Line A metro station Anagnina (about 30 mins by metro from Termini) by Cotral buses; ticket costs € 1,03. Buses leave every half hour from the airport. Buses connecting Ciampino airport with the center of Rome stop running at 11pm, so the only way to get into town late at night is by taxi.
Taxi
The average fare for a taxi ride from Fiumicino airport (or Ciampino) to the center is € 35.00/40.00.
You may be approched by illegal taxi drivers in the station and at the airport. If you need a taxi, look for the official white taxis which have meters. There are taxi stands at both Fiumicino Airport and Termini Railway Station.
Venues of meetings
Working groups meetings
The meetings of the Troika DGs and Secretariat and of most of the Working Groups, unless otherwise indicated, will take place at the Department for Public Administration. The Department is located in the historic centre of Rome, close to the greater monuments and museums.
Participants at meetings will need a visitor pass, delivered at the entrance of the Department.
Address:
Department for Public Administration (Dipartimento della funzione pubblica)
Corso Vittorio Emanuele II,116 (50 meters walking from Argentina square)
00186 ROMA
tel. 06 68997535
fax 0668997245
www.funzionepubblica.it
Ministers’ and Directors’ General meetings
The meetings of the Ministers and Directors general responsible for Public Administration
will take place in Rome too. Detailed information about these meetings will be give soon.
Weather
The climate in Rome is usually mild, with generally sunny skies, although late autumn, November in particular, can be rainy.From December to February there is briskly cold weather, July and August are rather hot.
Department of Public Administration
C.so Vittorio Emanuele II, 116
Accomodation
All the following hotels are within a few minutes’ walking distance from the Department for Public Administration. If you book these hotel making reference to the Department of Public Administration you could obtain a special price.
Ø Hotel della Torre Argentina (three stars)
Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, 102 - 00186 Roma
Tel. +39 06 68338867 http://www.dellatorreargentina.com
e-mail:
From 10/06/’03 to 10/09/’03
Single room: Euro 100,00
Double single use: Euro 120,00
From 10/09/’03 to 31/12/’03
Single room: Euro 132,00
Double single use: Euro 153,00
Note: 20 meters from the Department
Ø Hotel Tiziano (four stars)
Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, 110 - 00186 Roma
Tel: +39 066865019 http://tiziano.hotelinroma.com
From 1/07/’03 to 10/09/’03
Single room: Euro 120,00
Double standard: Euro 170,00
Double superior: Euro 210,00
From 10/09/’03 to 30/11/’03
Single room: Euro 170,00
Double standard: Euro 210,00
Double superior: Euro 240,00
Note: 20 meters from the Department
Ø Cardinal Hotel (four stars)
Via Giulia 62 - 00186 Roma
tel +39 06 68802719 - fax +39 06 6786376
http://www.cardinalhotel.it
e-mail:
Single room: Euro 130,00
Double room: Euro160,00
Double single use: Euro 145,00
Ø Locanda Cairoli (four stars)
Piazza Benedetto Cairoli, 2 – 00186 Roma
Tel: +39 06 68809278 – fax: +39 06 68892937
http://www.locandacairoli.it/
e-mail:
Single room: Euro 180,00
Double room: Euro 240,00
Double single use: Euro 210,00
Ø Grand Hotel de la Minerve (five stars)
Piazza della Minerva, 69 - 00186 Roma
tel. +39 0669941888 - fax 066794165
www.hotel-invest.com
e-mail:
Single room: Euro 360,00
Double/twin: Euro 445,00
Double single use: Euro 395
Red: Tomassetti/Bultrini