General Info

Nationals of some countries will need a travel-visa to enter Italy (and Schengen area).

Participants should contact the Italian Embassy or Consulate in their home country as soon as possible to confirm their travel-visa requirements. It is the sole responsibility of the participant to procure the necessary visa to attend the congress.

Participant should initiate the application process at least 1 to 3 months prior to departure. OIC Group is not able assist participants with their visa application and cannot intervene with Embassies or Consulates on behalf of any participant.

For additional details please visit the following websites:

• Vistoperitalia
• CIBT visas 
• Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs http://www.esteri.it/visti/index_eng.asp

Visa invitation letter can be required during the registration process.

Only participants fully registered in the Meeting can obtain a personal invitation letter

If requested, relevant expenses for hardcopy of the invitation letter sent by express courier must be paid in advance.

Please note that the visa invitation letter only aims to assist participants who need to obtain a visa or permission to attend the Meeting and it is not a commitment from the organizers to cover any kind of expenses or to provide any financial support. All expenses incurred in relation to the conference remain the sole responsibility of the participant.

If you need additional information write to: registrationSPINE20@oic.it.

Rome is in the Central European Summer Time (CEST) time zone: + 01:00 hour GMT/UTC.

Click here to calculate the time difference with your city

Rome has a Mediterranean climate with cool winters and generally hot summers, which means that any time of year is good for visiting the city, but late summer in Rome is really wonderful. Mid September daytime temperatures can be around 16°-27°C (61°F-80°F). Even if quite rare, rainfalls might occur.

Although the official language spoken in Rome is Italian, travellers will find that many locals speak English, especially those who work in restaurants, hotels and other places associated with tourism.

The official language of the meeting is English.

The international dialling code from abroad is +39.
For international calls, dial 00 + national code + area code + personal number

Mobile phone network coverage is available across Italy and is plentiful in Rome. If you are travelling to some remote areas of the country pre- or post-event, coverage may become limited

The currency in Italy is Euro.

Banks are open from Monday to Friday, generally from 8:30am to 5:00pm. ATMs (cash machines) work 24 hours a day. All banks close down at weekends and on public holidays.

There are plenty of currency exchange offices, banks and cash machines throughout the city.

Electricity in Italy conforms to the European standard of 220V to 230V, with a frequency of 50Hz. Wall outlets typically accommodate plugs with two or three round pins (the latter grounded, the former not).

Plug adapters are the interfaces between foreign plug and Italy’s two (or three) round-prong socket.

You may see adapters with three prongs in a row, but only buy a 2-prong adapter. That’s because some, but definitely not all, Italian outlets have three holes – just don’t risk it and stick with a 2-prong adapter. You may also see round outlets with two or three holes – in most cases, your 2-prong adapter will work fine in these too.

All roads (not only roads) lead to Roma. Rome is the most connected city in Italy and maybe in Europe. A thick net of connections allows to get here from every corner of the World. In this page you’ll find all the info about how to reach Roma by plane, train and car and from the two International Airports which serve the destination.

By Plane

+200 Destinations

+50 Mln Passengers per year

+100 Airline Companies

FCO Best Airport 2018-2019 Award (ACI Europe)

To get detailed information visit: Rome Airport Management Company

By Train

Roma has more than 70 train stations on its urban territory, serving daily local and international travellers, 42 managed by “Rete Ferroviaria Italiana” and 28 by “ATAC”.

The main hub is Termini Station, the most crowded station in Italy with more than 150 mln passengers per year. The second one is Roma Tiburtina: both are served nationally and internationally and both are absolute masterpieces of modern and contemporary design.

Public Transportation

The public transport system in Rome is very varied, cheap and user friendly. These are the main means of transportation in the city:

Metro

The Metro of Rome only has three lines and is currently the smallest metro system in Europe. Nevertheless, it reaches the city’s most important landmarks. Click here for further info.

Bus

Rome has currently over 350 bus lines and it can sometimes be a bit confusing to find the right bus. Find out the main bus lines in Rome, their schedules and frequencies and tips to help you get around the city on this type of public transport.

Where to buy a bus ticket?

Bus tickets can be bought in any metro station, news-stand or convenience stores. If you are planning on using the bus regularly, we recommend you buy a few at a time or get a travel card, which might be a better option.

Always validate your ticket! Although it might seem like nobody in Rome validates their ticket, that is because they have monthly passes which don’t require to be inserted into a machine. However, tourists must insert their tickets in a validation machine. 

Map of routes and journey planner

If you want to find out more about the different bus routes in Rome, or would like to plan a journey, check out the official bus website: ATAC

Taxi companies

Although the cheapest way to catch a cab is by waiting at the official taxi stops on the streets of Rome, it is also possible to reserve this type of transportation by telephone. These are some of the best taxi companies in the city:

– Radio Taxi: 06-3570.

– Pronto Taxi: 06-6645.

– Other companies: 06-5551, 06-4994, 06-4157.

Taxi drivers in Rome are renowned for trying to rip off both visitors and Romans. Find out what to do to avoid this happening to you during your stay in this magnificent city.

• Official taxi rates to and from both airports: To get to and from Fiumicino Airport and Ciampino Airport will always cost you the same. The journey to/ from Fiumicino costs € 48 and Ciampino, € 30. These prices are valid for up to four passengers and their suitcases. Refuse to pay if you are charged extra.
• The rates from Termini railway station to the city centre should cost between € 8 and € 15. If you can, it is always a good idea to check the route on Google Maps before you get in the taxi so you have an idea of how long it takes.
• Choose the correct type of taxi: The first thing to do as not to get swindled is to make sure the taxi you take is correctly identified. All taxis in Rome are white, with a taxi roof sign and a taximeter visible at the front of the car. Hail cabs that have a telephone number written on the sides of the vehicle, which means that they work for a taxi company.
• If you have any problem, write down the taxi’s license plate number (it is always at the back of the front seats) and call the taxi company.
• If at any point you think you are being swindled, don’t let the taxi driver intimidate you and call the Carabinieri. Additionally, it is always a good idea to ask for a receipt and complain to the taxi company.

Tourist cards – Enjoy Rome, thanks to Roma Pass and OMNIA Card!

Roma Pass

The Rome Pass card is a tourist card that gives you reduced-price tickets to main city highlights and unlimited use of the public transport for three days.

OMNIA Vatican & Rome Card

The OMNIA Card offers free, skip the line access to the main attractions in Rome and the Vatican. Discover its benefits.

Charta Roma, the official map of the Municipality of Rome, A&C communication’s flagship product, has been accompanying tourists from all over the world for years; produced and distributed in millions of copies it is, to date, the ideal tool for all those who venture to discover the Eternal City.

For more information click here.

If shopping is a must when on holidays, Rome is the place to visit.

Shops in Rome typically open at 9am-1pm and 3.30-7.30pm, except on Sundays and Monday mornings, which is somewhat a little later.

From the luxury stores in the historic center to the small artisan shops in the Monti and Trastevere districts; from the colorful local markets with typical local products to antiques and vintage markets for collectors, lovers of design, retro fashion and vintage bijoux; from large shopping centers with international brands to outlets for fashion addicts looking for bargains. Rome is the essential stop for shopping, for all tastes and budgets.

• – The shopping streets
• – Malls and outlets
• – Antiques and vintage markets

• – Local markets
• – Historic shops of excellence in Rome