Due to its location in the centre of the Italian peninsula, Rome is the principal railway node for central Italy. Rome's main railway station, Termini, is one of the largest railway stations in Europe and the most heavily used in Italy, with around 400 thousand travellers passing through every day. The second-largest station in the city, Roma Tiburtina, has been redeveloped as a high-speed rail terminus.

Rome is served by three airports. The intercontinental Leonardo da Vinci International Airport is Italy's chief airport, is located within the nearby Fiumicino, south-west of Rome. The older Rome Ciampino Airport is a joint civilian and military airport. It is commonly referred to as "Ciampino Airport", as it is located beside Ciampino, south-east of Rome.

Although the city has its own quarter on the Mediterranean Sea (Lido di Ostia), this has only a marina and a small channel-harbour for fisher boats. The main harbour which serves Rome is Port of Civitavecchia, located about 62 km northwest of the city.

The city suffers from traffic problems largely due to this radial street pattern, making it difficult for Romans to move easily from the vicinity of one of the radial roads to another without going into the historic centre or using the ring-road. These problems are not helped by the limited size of Rome's metro system when compared to other cities of similar size. Areas where restriction apply are known as Limited Traffic Zones (Zona a Traffico Limitato (ZTL) in Italian). More recently, heavy night-time traffic in Trastevere, Testaccio and San Lorenzo has led to the creation of night-time ZTLs in those districts.

A 3-line metro system called the Metropolitana operates in Rome. The A line opened in 1980 from Ottaviano to Anagnina stations, later extended in stages (1999–2000) to Battistini. In the 1990s, an extension of the B line was opened from Termini to Rebibbia. This underground network is generally reliable (although it may become very congested at peak times and during events, especially the A line) as it is relatively short.The A and B lines intersect at Roma Termini station. A third line, the C line, is under construction.

TOURISM

Rome, also known as the Eternal City, today is one of the most important tourist destinations of the world, also for archeologists, scholars, and artists. This is due to the incalculable immensity of its archaeological and artistic treasures, as well as for the charm of its unique traditions, the beauty of its panoramic views, and the majesty of its magnificent "villas" (parks). Among the most significant resources are the many museums – Musei Capitolini, the Vatican Museums and the Galleria Borghese and others dedicated to modern and contemporary art – aqueducts, fountains, churches, palaces, historical buildings, the monuments and ruins of the Roman Forum, and the Catacombs.

Piazza Navona is the most beautiful square in the capital, and the Capitoline Museums, home to some of Roma's best ancient art and sculpture. Renaissance buildings cluster around the historic center between the Via del Corso and the River Tiber. Finally, the beautiful Trevi Fountain (where a coin and a wish will ensure your eventual return to the city) and the Spanish Steps .

 

Rome is the third most visited city in the EU, after London and Paris, and receives an average of 7–10 million tourists a year, which sometimes doubles on holy years. The Colosseum (4 million tourists) and the Vatican Museums (4.2 million tourists) are the 39th and 37th (respectively) most visited places in the world, according to a recent study. 

Rome became a major gastronomical centre during the ancient Age. Ancient Roman cuisine was highly influenced by Ancient Greek culture, and after, the empire's enormous expansion exposed Romans to many new, provincial culinary habits and cooking techniques.

Later, during the Renaissance, Rome became well known as a centre of high-cuisine. In the modern age, the city developed its own peculiar cuisine, based on products of the nearby “campagna”, as lamb and vegetables. The Jewish community has influenced the entire city with their cousine: cucina giudaico-romanesca.

Roma's region is intrinsically linked to white wine, to Frascati and Marino and the other golden-hued wines of the Castelli Romani, as well as to the fabled "Est! Est!! Est!!!" from the northern Lazio town of Montefiascone.

CLIMATE

Rome enjoys a hot-summer Mediterranean climate with cool, humid winters and hot dry summers.

 

 

A ROMA

 

Er percorso comincia

Da piazza Navona,

Dove er tramonto

Poi se scolora.

 

Lì ce sta la fontana

Dei “Quattro Fiumi” der Bernini,

Ma ce sta de fronte

Puro la “Sant’Agnese” der Borromini.

 

Ce sta puro Fontana de Trevi,

Che si ce butti dentro un sordino,

Che torni a Roma sarà

Nel tuo destino.

 

Se poi prosegui su Via del Corso

Te trovi ogni percorso:

Trinità dei Monti dove c’è l’infiorata

Ogni anno co la visita der Papa.

 

Sopra ce sta Villa Borghese

E arrivi fino ar Pincio,

Dove pe’ le loro imprese ce so li busti dell’omini d’ ogni paese.

 

Poi piano piano t’incammini

Dove sotto c’è Piazza del Popolo,

senza sconcerto,

E dove a Capodanno c’è ogni sorta de concerto.

 

A mezzanotte se sveja

L’Isola Tiberina,

E pe’ Lungotevere ce poi

Passeggià fino a la matina,

 

Mentre er fiume bionno

Score piano,

Le coppiette sosteno in silenzio

 

Mano nella mano.