LANGUAGE

Italian

CURRENCY

Euro

BEST TIME TO VISIT

March to August

NEAREST RAILWAY STATION

Stazione Città del Vaticano or Stazione Vaticana

NEAREST AIRPORT

Ciampino Airport, Rome (CIA)

EMERGENCY HELPLINE NUMBER

112

INTERNET ACCESS

Free wi-fi is widely available in hostels, B&Bs and hotels, though with signals of varying quality. Some also provide laptops/computers.

Many bars and cafes offer wi-fi.

There are many public wi-fi hotspots across town run by Roma Wireless (https://captivik.uni.it/romawireless) and WiFimetropolitano (www.cittametropolitanaroma.gov.it/wifimetropolitano). To use these you’ll need to register online using a credit card or an Italian mobile phone.

VISA

Not required by EU citizens. Not required by nationals of Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the USA for stays of up to 90 days.

Italy is one of the 26 European countries to make up the Schengen area. There are no customs controls when travelling between Schengen countries, so the visa rules that apply to Italy apply to all Schengen countries.

EU citizens do not need a visa to enter Italy – a valid ID card or passport is sufficient.

Nationals of some other countries, including Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland and the USA, do not need a visa for stays of up to 90 days.

Nationals of other countries will need a Schengen tourist visa – to check requirements see www.schengenvisainfo.com/tourist-schengen-visa.

All non-EU and non-Schengen nationals entering Italy for more than 90 days or for any reason other than tourism (such as study or work) may need a specific visa. Check http://vistoperitalia.esteri.it for details.

Permesso di Soggiorno

A permesso di soggiorno (permit to stay, also referred to as a residence permit) is required by all non-EU nationals who stay in Italy longer than three months. In theory, you should apply for one within eight days of arriving in Italy.

EU citizens do not require a permesso di soggiorno but are required to register with the local registry office (ufficio anagrafe) if they stay for more than three months.

Check exact requirements on www.poliziadistato.it – click on the English tab and then follow the links.

The main office dealing with permits is the Ufficio Immigrazione.

HOTEL

Hotel della Conciliazione 4-star hotel, pedestrian-only street, beautiful lobby, well-appointed rooms, complimentary breakfast.

Vatican View: mid-range boutique hotel, fantastic location, beautiful views, stylish rooms, luxurious bathrooms with rain showers.

Caesar Palace: good-value bed-and-breakfast, warm hospitality, elegant decor, large rooms, continental breakfast with cappuccino.

Adriatic Hotel: budget hotel, short stroll to Vatican City, near restaurants and a supermarket, lovely roof garden.

COST OF LIVING

The Vatican museums are closed Sundays, except for the last Sunday of every month, when they are free. This is the most crowded day you can imagine for visiting the Vatican museums. If you are on a budget, we suggest you stay outside the city and eat at local restaurants. Taxis are expensive in Vatican City.