On the Web, the Italian National Tourist Board sponsors the sites www.italiantourism.com and www.enit.it.
For information on the Vatican, check out www.vatican.va.
In Italy not only contains solid information on Italy and Rome presented in a very personal and friendly way, but it also has one of the best sets of links to other Italy-related sites on the Web.
Another helpful site is www.rome.info.
Information, maps, and the Roma Pass are available at 11 Tourist Information Points maintained by Roma Capitale around the city. Bizarrely, each kiosk keeps its own hours and none are exactly the same. But you can reliably find them open after 9:30am and at least until 6pm (some stay open later). The one at Termini (daily 8am–6:45pm), located in Building F next to platform 24, often has a long line; if you’re staying near other offices listed here, skip it. See the Turismo Roma website for the locations of additional information points.
Roma & Omnia Passes
If you plan to do serious sightseeing in Rome (and why else would you be here?), the Roma Pass is worth considering. For 38.50€ per card, valid for 3 days, you get free entry to the first two museums or archaeological sites you visit; “express” entry to the Colosseum; discounted entry to all other museums and sites; free use of the city’s public transport network (bus, Metro, tram, and railway lines; airport transfers not included); a free map; and free access to a special smartphone app with audioguides and interactive maps.
If your stay in Rome is shorter, you may want to opt for the Roma Pass 48 Hours (28€), which offers the same benefits as the 3-day pass, except that only the first museum you visit is free and the ticket is valid for just 48 hours.
The free transportation perk with the Roma Pass is not insignificant, if only because it saves you the hassle of buying paper tickets. In any case, do some quick math; one major museum or attraction entrance is 12€–15€, and each ride on public transportation is 1.50€. Discounts to other sites range from 20–50%. If you plan to visit a lot of sites and dash around the city on public transport, it’s probably worth the money.
A glaring disadvantage of the Roma Pass is that it does not include access to the Vatican Museums or the paid areas of St. Peter’s. That’s where the Omnia Card comes to the rescue. The 72-hour card combines all the benefits of the Roma Pass with skip-the-line entry to the Vatican Museums, an audioguide to St. Peter’s, a hop-on-hop-off bus pass, and admission to other Vatican properties. At 113€ it’s an investment, but worth it if you want to take in all the heavy hitters of Rome and the Vatican. The pass can be purchased online and picked up at Largo Argentina, St Peter’s Square, or the Basilica of Saint John Lateran.
You can buy Roma passes online and pick them up at one of the city’s Tourist Information Points (INFOPOINTS); you can also order in advance by phone, with a credit card, at tel. 06-060608. Roma Passes are also sold directly at Tourist Information Point offices or at participating museums and ATAC subway ticket offices.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
