Roma Bike

“Roma Bike” is part of a general European movement to introduce automated bike sharing programmes in cities to help reduce traffic and pollution. Both we and our Insider’s Italy clients use their distinctive green touring bikes regularly, borrowing one of the new 150 models from any of the 19 city center holding locations. How it works : you visit one of 10 Bikesharing booths, including at Piazza di Spagna and the Stazione Termini, and open 7 AM – 8 PM Monday to Saturday, Sunday 8 – 8, provide ID details — like the number of your driving license or passport — and for 5 Euro (around $6.75) are given a “smart card” that unlocks padlocks at any of the city’s 19 bike holding areas. The bike is your’s for 24 hours, and can be dropped off and exchanged for another at any holding area. So for example you wish to visit the Pantheon and have a bite of lunch in Campo de Fiori, without bike, you drop off your bike at the holding area at the first and collect another one at the second. You can download onto your I-Phone details on the closest holding areas, including the closest and number of bikes available at each one of them (we have never not found bikes.)  A wonderful service.