Foreign Office Guidelines To Keep Safe In Rome

By: Wayne Farry | May 21st, 2009

As well as the thousands of fans with tickets for next Wednesday’s Champions League Final in Rome, the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office have said that up to ten thousand Man Utd fans without tickets will also be going to Rome for the match against Barcelona.

For anyone lucky enough to be going, whether with or without a ticket, the FCO along with the Roman authorities have set out some guidelines that will aide you once you get over to the Eternal City. Some may seem obvious, but to people unfamiliar with Rome some of these pieces of advice could be invaluable once you get there.

You must carry original photo ID with you to enter the Stadio Olimpico. This can be a UK passport or a UK driving license. Take a photocopy of your passport and keep it separate to the original.
Take out travel insurance. Without travel insurance you could be liable to pay thousands of pounds should you have an accident that involves hospital treatment or repatriation.
Get a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC – formely known as E111). The EHIC entitles you to low cost or free healthcare in most European countries in an emergency, but you will still need travel insurance cover.
Make-up containers and coins will not be allowed into the Stadio Olimpico so be sure to empty your pockets before heading to the match.
Do not take the metro to the Piazzale Flaminio or use the Ponte Duca D’Aosta bridge as there has been trouble along this route to the stadium on many occasions.
Use the free public transport provided by the authorities at Villa Borghese (entrance to V. Borghese is at the top of the famous Via Veneto) to get to the stadium and don’t travel to the stadium on foot or by other means including taxis or other public transport.
There will be no public screens in Rome so it is important to plan where you will watch the match if you are travelling without a ticket. Stay as far away as possible from Campo De Fiori – there has been trouble in this square in the past amongst football fans.
Take care of your valuables in busy areas and on public transport – pick-pockets may be operating.
Be especially wary around the main railway station, Termini, on the number 64 bus, and when unloading baggage from airport/city coaches.
Be wary of groups of children who may try to distract your attention whilst trying to steal from you.
Don’t carry all your valuables – passports, credit cards and money – in the same bag or pocket.
Don’t carry valuables around with you unless you need to – consider putting them in a safety deposit box in your hotel.
Cars at rest stops and service stations can be targets for robbers – if you find yourself with a flat tyre, especially on the Naples to Salerno motorway, treat any offers of help with caution.
Store your valuables securely on sleeper trains – thieves have been known to operate on them.