19: Rome and Southern Italy in Visual Studio .NET

Generation Code 128C in Visual Studio .NET 19: Rome and Southern Italy

encounter Trastevere At one time Bohemian, then fashionable, and now touristy, this medieval district still maintains many authentic restaurants and shops

Rome has established about a dozen tourist-information kiosks near popular sights See Fast Facts: Rome at the end of this chapter for addresses

You purchase a 1 ($115) biglietto (ticket) to ride any public transportation within Rome Tickets are good for 75 minutes, during which you may board the Metro system one time and transfer buses as frequently as you need just stamp your ticket on the first bus and the final bus You can also buy daily (410 /$470), three-day (11 /$13), or weekly (16 /$18) passes Look for passes and tickets at tabacchi (tobacconist shops indicated by a brown-and-white T sign), Metro stations, newsstands, and machines near major bus stops Keep your ticket with you as you travel in order to avoid paying a fine

Because of Rome s rich ancient heritage, its Metro system is small and not especially developed (seems that whenever the city attempts to add a new leg to the subway, it encounters ruins that archaeologists must examine) The Metro s two lines, the orange A line and the blue B line, intersect at Termini Line A runs from the recently constructed Battistini through such stops as Flaminia (near Piazza del Popolo), Piazza Spagna (Spanish Steps), Termini, and San Giovanni (Rome s cathedral) You ll find the B line great for hitching rides from Termini to popular destinations like Circo Massimo (the Circus Maximus) and the Colosseo (Colosseum)

Thankfully, Rome has a much more developed bus and tram system, so you can avoid walking for miles There is no free official bus map; buy a mappa degli autobus at a newsstand for 6 ($690) or simply scan the list of stops at your fermata (stop) to determine which line to ride One of the most useful lines is Bus 40, which originates at Termini, passes through Piazza Venezia in central Rome, and ends at Castel Sant Angelo There you can switch to the 62, which shuttles to and from the Vatican You may also use buses 116, 117, and 119, petite electric buses that scurry the streets of the centro storico For bus information, call % 800-431-784 or visit wwwatacromait Many bus routes originate in the large Piazza dei Cinquecento right outside Termini Additionally, the centro storico s three major squares are major hubs for converging and transferring These include: Largo di

Tritone (east of the Trevi Fountain), Largo di Torre Argentina (south of the Pantheon), and Piazza San Silvestro (just off the Corso, between the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain)

Although Rome is a wonderful town for walking or taking the bus, you may prefer a taxi for the ride from the train station or airport to your hotel Look for taxi stands in major piazze, including Largo Argentina, Piazza Venezia, at the Pantheon, and in front of Termini You can also call for a taxi (% 06-3570 or 06-4994) However, be aware that the meter begins running from the moment the driver answers your call, not when he picks you up Taxis charge an initial fee of 233 ($270), plus 78 (90 ) per kilometer You pay extra for luggage (104 /120 per bag), and can expect supplements to the initial charge for nighttime travel (233 /$270) and Sunday rides (103 /$120)

Any of the neighborhoods described in Introducing the neighborhoods, earlier in this chapter, will make for a memorable walk especially the centro storico (historic center) or the Roman Forum Or join the evening passegiata along Via del Corso as Romans head out to see and be seen