BENVENUTI A ROMA!

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page”. We definitely agree with this rousing quote by Saint Augustine. Travelling can be an exciting, inspiring, mind-blowing experience. However, visiting a new country can also be something of a head-scratcher. The language, the customs and the tourist traps can be major obstacles to fully enjoying your vacation. This welcome aperitivo has been designed to provide first-time visitors to Rome with valuable information, useful advice and insider tips on how to savour the very best the capital has to offer.

After a long journey and the hassle of unpacking, what better way to begin your stay than with a welcome toast and a friendly tête-à-tête with a local? Your city expert will meet you in your hotel lobby and spend two hours with you, answering all your questions and mapping out popular eating and drinking destinations together with lesser-known spots – either at your hotel bar or at a nearby location. Besides indicating where the main attractions and iconic landmarks are situated – such as the Colosseum, the Spanish Steps, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain and the Vatican – and giving directions on how to reach them, your city expert will highlight the map with local hangouts, including the best pizzerias and ice cream parlours in town, a selection of restaurants in your area, family-owned pastry shops you ought not miss, top-notch wineries and deli stores for gourmands, coffee bars and bakeries for a delicious colazione and other delectable destinations most tourists will never get to try. You will also receive practical information on your immediate surroundings, like nearby drugstores, ATM machines, pharmacies and emergency numbers. Those willing to ride on Rome’s much-maligned public transport (it’s part of the experience!) will be given instructions on how to purchase bus tickets and the closest underground stations to reach various monuments and points of interest. Phone numbers of local taxi companies will also be provided as well as one or two words of Italian so you may get around places independently.

This orientation aperitivo will give you a head start and a chance to answer all your queries, ensuring a comfortable, stress-free stay. Well then, Benvenuti a Roma and enjoy your holiday!