Overview
Although most of Rome's sights are in a relatively circumscribed area, the city is too large to be seen solely on foot. Take the Metro (subway), a bus, or a taxi to the area you plan to visit, and expect to do a lot of walking once you're there. Wear a pair of comfortable, sturdy shoes, preferably with rubber or crepe soles to cushion the impact of the sampietrini (cobblestones). Get away from the noise and polluted air of heavily trafficked streets by taking parallel streets whenever possible. You can buy transportation-route maps at newsstands, and ATAC (Rome's public transit authority) information and ticket booths may have free maps, which can also be obtained from the municipal information booths. The free city map distributed by Rome EPT offices is good; it also shows Metro and bus routes, although bus routes are not always marked clearly.
By Taxi
Taxis in Rome do not cruise, but if empty they will stop if you flag them down. Taxis wait at stands and can also be called by phone, in which case you're charged a small supplement. The meter starts at 6,400 lire, a fixed rate for the first 3 kilometers (2 miles); there are supplements for night service (10 PM-7 AM) and on Sundays and holidays, as well as for each piece of baggage. Avoid unmarked, unauthorized, unmetered gypsy cabs (numerous at airports and train stations), whose drivers actively solicit your trade and may demand astronomical fares. Use only licensed, metered yellow or white cabs, identified by a numbered shield on the side, an illuminated taxi sign on the roof, and a plaque next to the license plate reading "servizio pubblico." To call a cab, dial 3875, 3570, 4994, or 88177. Radio Taxi (tel. 06/3875) accepts American Express and Diners Club credit cards, but you must specify when calling that you will pay that way.