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Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tours A great way to experience Rome

Posted by: Sarah in Transportation, Tours, Things to do, Rome, Must See, Monuments, Itineraries, Group Family Fun, Fun, Family, Colosseum, Christian, Catholic, Attractions on Jun 12, 2009

Rome is a big city and rich of art and history at every corner, although you can easily walk all the top attractions in the city center of Rome it could be tiring after a while.

Rome Bus Tours Bus Tours are a great way to explore the city in relax with an extensive hop-on hop-off itinerary through the heart of Rome. You can get off at any stop, take a walk of the area and then hop on the next bus at no additional cost for the validity of your ticket (1-2 days).

The buses are open top which allows you to enjoy full 360 degree panoramic views as you travel along your route.

This is a very family friendly service and is also a very good idea to jump start your vacation and get acquainted with the city, attractions, places and distances. Just have a tour, see what Rome has to offer, get off at your favourite place if you can't resist :) or take the whole loop and carefully choose your next top attraction to visit.

There are many different companies (up to 7) that operate very similar core routes around the Rome sights.
Although all tours are loops where you can start at any point, nearly all operators start at Termini Station the main central station of Rome, connected to both metro lines A and B.

Generally you have the choice of a 24 or 48 hours ticket with which to make use of the 12 to 20 stops in the most beautiful, cultural and evocative areas of the Eternal city. The tours operate 365 days per year.

Open Top Buses
All of the buses are open-top and equipped with a personalized throwaway audio system which functions more than 8 languages languages, providing recorded commentary throughout the tour. Ofter there is also an English and Italian speaking host onboard each bus to assist with any queries. You will be provided with a set of earphones which you keep and use for the duration of your ticket.

Itinerary
The itinerary usually goes from Termini Station passing the Colosseum and Roman Forum then Circus Maximus and along the River Tiber, where you can walk over to Trastevere. Then back again to the other end of the Roman Forum and then Piazza Venezia. From Piazza Venezia it stop along the way near the Piazza Navona and Pantheon and then straight to the Vatican crossing the River Tiber.
After the Vatican most buses will route through the Villa Borghese, Via Vittorio Veneto, Piazza Barberini, Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain. Then back to Termini. Check out the travel map for the specific bus operator of your choice for the detailed route.

Ticketing and Prices
Prices are between 15€ and 20€ for a 1-day ticket and between 23€ and 25€ for a 2-day ticket
Average time for a complete tour and about 2 hours total time departing about every 15-30 minutes usually between 9am to 6pm (last departure from Termini station)
Most operators offer a discounted fare for children aged 6 to 12 years old.

Major Rome Bus Tour Companies

Open Tour '110 Open'

City Sightseeing

Green Line

Ciao Roma
Roma Christiana
Archeobus

A couple of them are more 'thematic' than the others and specifically:

- Roma Christiana in addition to the standard route has an extended tour that visits many Basilicas to the south of the city, Baths of Caracalla and is the only bus that visits Trastevere itself, even going up the hill behind Trastevere with great views down on the city.
- ArcheoBus goes through the centre of Rome and then along the famous Park of Via Appia Antica, and the Christian catacombs stopping at many of the major archaeological sites.

Enjoy your tour!

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How to attend Papal Audiences

Posted by: Sarah in Things to do, Rome, Events, Christian, Catholic on Jun 11, 2009

What is a Papal Audience?
Papal audiences are an unique opportunity for catholic tourists coming to Rome to meet in person the Pope live together with a restricted number of people!

The audiences are held almost every Wednesday of the year with some exceptions and breaks and are held indoor during the winter (October to March) and outdoor in a gated area in front of the basilica when the weather allows it(usually from April to September).

How to attend a Papal Audience?
The Weekly Audience usually begins between 10am and 10.30am depending on the time of year, and the entrance are managed accordingly.

Lines form much earlier however by the gates at the entrance for security checks(controls are similar to airport screening).In order to get a good seat it's better to arrive between 8:30am and 9am.

The audience lasts about 1 hour and a half, during which time the Pope will give speeches in various languages including English.

At the end of the Audience he will impart the Apostolic Blessing.

How to buy/request tickets for a papal audience?
Tickets are free but you must reserve them in advance by writing or faxing your request (indicating your language, the dates of your visit, the number of people in your party, etc.) to:

Prefecture of the Papal Household Holy See (http://www.vatican.va/various/prefettura/index_en.html)
Phone: 06-69884857
Fax 06-69885863
Mon–Sat 9:00 am to 1:00 pm.
00120 Città del Vaticano

Here is some more information on how to reserve tickets

And here you'll find the Tickets request Form (a microsoft word document) to apply for the Tickets

When can I attend a Papal Audience?
As previously said Papal Audience are held almost every Wednesday with some exceptions, check out the Calendar of the upcoming events presided by the Holy Father .

How much in advance should I book the Audience?
We recommend booking the Audience at least a 2 weeks in advance. You might be able to reserve tickets also with just a few days notice but due to the high number of requests you might miss the chance if applying last minute.

How and where can I pick up my tickets?
You can pick up the tickets yourself at the Prefecture office entrance, near the porta di bronzo (bronze door) under St. Peter’s right colonnade from 15:00 to 19:30 on the preceding day or on the morning of the audience from 8:00 to 10:30.

Is there a 'Dress Code' for the Papal Audience?
Yes, the Vatican dress code requires no shorts or tank tops. Women's shoulders must be covered.
It's advisable to dress conservatively even if you are one of hundreds. Women wear dark-colored dresses, with unrevealing necklines and long sleeves, and cover their heads. Men wear conservative business suits. In the reserved section some men will wear formal morning dress, and most women will be in black with gloves and mantillas.

Private Agencies to reserve a Papal Audience
There are a number of companies and associations that offer the service of requesting the tickets on your behalf to the Prefecture of the Papal Household, picking up at the church your tickets on the afternoon before the Audience and delivering your tickets to your accommodation.

You will be asked for a fee which is usually independent from the number of people in your party and you basically pay for the ticket pick-up and delivery service and not the tickets which are free.

Santa Susanna, home of the American Catholic Church in Rome, offers a means of aquiring tickets to Papal Masses and Papal Audiences by filling out a web form and it's one of the most trusted organizations.

There are also a number of other private companies that you can easily find on the Internet.

Papal Audiences and the Sunday Angelus

Do not confuse the The Sunday Angelus which is led by the Pope in Saint Peter's Square at 12 Noon (no tickets are required for this) and the Papal Audience which is for a more restricted number of people.

Papal Blessings
Papal Blessing are a much more restricted opportunity to meet the Pope compared to Papal Audiences but it still does not necessarily mean that you will meet the Pope alone. It's also in very high demand for weddings,wedding anniversaries and First Communions.

For those who live outside of Rome, it can be pretty difficult and it could take a minimum of 2 months or longer.

You can contact the Papal Office directly for a blessing at:

Apostolic Blessings Office of Papal Charities
Phone +39 06 6988 3135
Fax +39 06 6988 3132

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Where to attend English Masses in Rome

Posted by: Sarah in Rome, Christian, Catholic on Jun 10, 2009

Rome is said to have more than 1.000 churches itself. Visiting 3 churches per day it would still take a year to see them all!

Most of the masses are celebrated in Italian (or rarely in Latin), but if you are looking for English Masses in Rome you have plenty of churches where you can attend.

Here below the most well known churches in the city center of Rome with full address, area, phone number and mass schedule (mass schedule changes frequently and with seasons, please make sure to check for a updated/detailed schedule before attending).

Santa Susanna Church (American National Church)

Address: Via XX Settembre 15 (Via Nazionale/Termini Station)

Phone: 06 420 14 554

Sunday Masses: 6PM (Saturday) 9 and 10:30 AM.

http://www.santasusanna.org

The Church of St. Sylvester in Capite

Address: Piazza San Silvestro (Via del Corso / Spanish Steps Area)

Phone: 06 679 7775

Sunday Masses at 10 AM and 5:30 PM

http://romanchurches.wikia.com/wiki/San_Silvestro_in_Capite

The Pontifical Irish College

The residence for Irish seminarians in Rome