XI International Facial Nerve Symposium
ROME
About Rome
Of all Italy's historic cities, it's perhaps Rome which exerts the most compelling fascination. There's more to see here than in any other city in the world, with the relics of over two thousand years of inhabitation packed into its sprawling urban area. You could spend a month here and still only scratch the surface. As a historic place, it is special enough; as a contemporary European capital, it is utterly unique. Rome, the "Eternal City", is situated on the banks of the Tevere river, in a military and trading strategical position. The city has been built on the famous seven hills: Palatino, Aventino, Campidoglio, Quirinale, Viminale, Esquilino and Celio. Placed between Italy's North and South, and heartily despised by both, Rome is perhaps the perfect capital for a country like Italy. Once the seat of a great empire, and later the home of the papacy, which ruled its dominions from here with a distant and autocratic hand, it's still seen as a place somewhat apart from the rest of Italy, spending money made elsewhere on the corrupt and bloated government machine that runs the country. Romans, the thinking seems to go, are a lazy lot, not to be trusted and living very nicely off the fat of the rest of the land. Even Romans find it hard to disagree with this analysis: in a city of around four million, there are around 600,000 office-workers, compared to an industrial workforce of one sixth of that.
For the traveller, all of this is much less evident than the sheer weight of history that the city supports. There are of course the city's classical features, most visibly the Colosseum, and the Forum and Palatine Hill; but from here there's an almost uninterrupted sequence of monuments - from early Christian basilicas, Romanesque churches, Renaissance palaces, right up to the fountains and churches of the Baroque period, which perhaps more than any other era has determined the look of the city today. There is the modern epoch too, from the ponderous Neoclassical architecture of the post-Unification period to the selfpublicizing edifices of the Mussolini years. All these various eras crowd in on one other to an almost overwhelming degree: there are medieval churches atop ancient basilicas above Roman palaces; houses and apartment blocks incorporate fragments of eroded Roman columns, carvings and inscriptions; roads and piazzas follow the lines of ancient amphitheatres and stadiums.
All of which is not to say that Rome is an easy place to absorb on one visit; you need to approach things slowly, even if you only have a few days here. You can't see everything on your first visit to Rome, and there's no point in even trying. Most of the city's sights can be approached from a variety of directions, and it's part of the city's allure to stumble across things by accident, gradually piecing together the whole, rather than marching around to a timetable on a predetermined route. In any case, it's hard to get anywhere very fast. Despite regular pledges to ban motor vehicles from the city centre, the congestion can be awful. On foot, it's easy to lose a sense of direction winding about in the twisting old streets. In any case, you're so likely to come upon something interesting it hardly makes any difference.
Musei Capitolini (Capitolinean Museums)
The world's most ancient museum hosts a rich collection of roman sculptures and an inetresting art-gallery with artpieces by Caravaggio, Reni, Rubens, Guercino and Tiziano.
P.zza del Campidoglio
Opening Hours: 9 am - 7 pm
Sunday and holiday: 9 am - 1.30 pm
Closed: 1st January, 1st May, 25th December
Museo della Civiltà Romana
(Roman Civilization Museum)
A huge number of reproductions testify the roman civilization in all its aspects.
Piazza Agnelli, 10
Opening hours: 9 am - 7 pm
Sunday and holiday: 9 am - 1 pm
Closed on monday
Museo Palatino (Palatinean Museum)
Materials coming from the excavations on the Palatin.
Via di San Gregorio, 30 or Via Nova
Opening hours: 9 am - 2 hours preceding sunset
Museo Palatino (Palatinean Museum)
Dynastic tomb of the Emperor and his family, built by Augustus in 29 a.D.
Piazza Augusto Imperatore
For visits call 06/67103819
Galleria Borghese (Borghese Gallery)
After 14 years of restructuring, Galleria Borghese is finally opened. On the inside you canadmire works by Raffaello, Antonello da Messina, Caravaggio, Tiziano and Bernini.
Booking is highly advised.
Ticket office closes at 6.30 pm.
Visit rotations, 2 hours for 360 people maximum.
Galleria Nazionale D'Arte Antica a Palazzo Barberini
(Barberini Palace Ancient Art Gallery)
Very rich collection of artwork from '400 to '800 (Raffaello, Caravaggio, Lotto and Tiziano).
Palazzo Barberini
Via IV Fontane, 13 - Via Barberini, 18
Opening hours: tuesday/sunday: 8.30 am - 7.30 pm
Closed on monday.
Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Contemporanea
(National modern Art Gallery)
The most important collection of italian sculptures and paintings, XIX, XX century. Hosts the artworks of the representatives of the main artistic movements, modern and contemporary.
Viale delle Belle Arti, 131
Opening hours: 9 am to 7 pm
Sunday and holiday: 9 am to 1 pm
Closed on monday
Climate and Clothing
The temperature in Rome in April is around 16° to 20° C°. In Rome spring weather is generally warm.
Time Zone
Italian standard time is 1 hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.
25th of April is Bank Holiday (Freedom Day)
Currency and Banks
The local currency in Italy is the Euro. Visitors coming from European or other countries with a different currency are encouraged to exchange funds for Euro in their home countries, at the airport on arrival, or at local bank. Regular banking hours are from 8.30 am to 1.30 pm hrs Monday to Friday. Most major credit cards are honoured in hotels as well as in most restaurants and other commercial establishments.
Postal Services
Hotels often provide basic postal services. Post offices are open daily (half day till 1.45 pm) except Saturday, Sunday and Pubblic Holidays.
Electricity
General Household electric power is 220 V, 50 Hertz
Restaurants
It is possible to find various kinds of European and all other cuisine in Rome.
Shopping
Most shops in Rome are generally open from 9 am to 7.30 pm Monday to Saturday. In all the big shopping centers major credit cards are accepted and your shopping will be tax free. There will also be some special shopping tours organized by the organization.