← Hacker Manual

ETHRome 2026

Rome

Where to sleep, how to reach Urbe Hub, where to eat, and what to do with the little time you are not hacking. One page, everything you need to move.

Accommodation

Where to stay

Six areas, ranked. The venue is Urbe Hub in Testaccio, so the closer you are to Testaccio or Metro B, the better your weekend goes.

🥇 Testaccio and Ostiense Closest to Urbe Hub and the best default choice. Walkable to the venue, local and practical, not overly touristy, close to Piramide Metro B and Roma Ostiense station, with strong food options. For hackers who want to minimize travel.
🌉 Trastevere Across the river from Testaccio: 15 to 25 minutes on foot depending on the address, or an easy scooter or taxi ride. Good nightlife and food. For people who want a more social Rome experience around the hackathon.
🌳 San Saba and Aventino Quiet, residential, close to Testaccio and often walkable to the venue. Calmer than Trastevere, near the Aventine Hill, the Orange Garden and Piramide. For hackers who want a quieter stay.
🏛️ Rione Monti Central and creative, close to the Colosseum. Metro B from Cavour or Colosseo runs straight to Piramide. Good restaurants, wine bars and independent shops. For first-time visitors who still want an easy route to the venue.
⛲ Centro Storico The classic Rome experience: Pantheon, Trevi, Piazza Navona and Campo de' Fiori nearby. Usually more expensive and more touristy, and 15 to 25 minutes by taxi or scooter to Urbe Hub, traffic depending. For people staying extra days.
🚉 Esquilino and Termini Practical for trains and airport transfers, with Metro A and B through Termini. More uneven block by block, so choose the exact location carefully. For short stays, train arrivals and budget options.
Map of Testaccio, Ostiense, Trastevere, Monti, San Saba and the city centre around Urbe Hub urbe HUB official site
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Booking rule of thumb. If you cannot stay in Testaccio or Ostiense, stay near Metro B. Piramide is the key stop for Urbe Hub.

Getting there

How to reach Urbe Hub

Ask for: Urbe Hub, Largo Dino Frisullo, Città dell'Altra Economia, Testaccio. Piramide on Metro B is your anchor stop.

From the cityRoute
MetroMetro B to Piramide, then walk 10 to 12 minutes along Via Marmorata into Città dell'Altra Economia.
TrainRoma Ostiense is the closest major station, around 10 to 15 minutes on foot from the venue.
Bus and tramUseful nearby lines: 170, 75, 23 and tram 3.
From TrastevereCross Ponte Sublicio on foot.
By carFree parking inside Largo Dino Frisullo.
From the airportsRoute
Fiumicino (FCO)Leonardo Express to Termini (32 minutes, EUR 14), then Metro B to Piramide.
FL1 regional train toward Roma Ostiense, then walk or a short ride to Urbe Hub.
Taxi if you are carrying luggage or arriving late: around EUR 60 to Urbe Hub.
Ciampino (CIA)Airport bus to Termini, then Metro B to Piramide.
ATAC bus 520 or 720 if you want the public transport route.
Taxi if you are carrying luggage or arriving late: around EUR 50 to Urbe Hub.
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Stop names TBD The exact bus and tram stop names still need a final on-the-ground check by the organizing team before you should trust them blindly. The metro and train directions are solid.

Public transport basics

EUR 1.50A BIT ticket, valid 100 minutes on bus, tram and metro.
One metro ridePer BIT ticket, with line changes allowed without exiting the turnstiles.
Tap&GoContactless cards work on the ATAC network. No app needed.
White taxis onlyUse official white taxis. Avoid anyone inside airports or stations offering a ride informally.

Apps worth installing: Moovit and Roma Mobilità for public transport, FreeNow or itTaxi for taxis.

Open Urbe Hub in Google Maps

Fuel

Eat and drink

Meals are included during the hackathon. This list is for everything around it: the arrival dinner, the escape lunch, the coffee that keeps the demo alive.

Quick and easy, near the venue

Roman trattorie and pizza near the venue

Worth leaving the neighborhood for

Coffee and breakfast

Aperitivo and after-hack

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More local spots coming TBD The coffee and aperitivo lists above lean toward the city center. A handful of Testaccio and Ostiense coffee spots, and closer aperitivo options for people who do not want to cross the river, still need to be added before the final version.

Table manners

The Roman food protocol

A tiny survival guide for eating in Rome without accidentally starting a diplomatic incident at dinner.

Do not cut spaghetti

Twirl it. If it looks chaotic, you are doing research.

Bread has a job

Use it for the sauce left on the plate. This is not waste, this is closure.

Pineapple is a threat model

On pizza, not today hacker. Stick to the classics.

Seafood and Parmesan: no

If the pasta comes from the sea, the cheese stays away.

Cappuccino has office hours

Morning only. After lunch, espresso is the protocol.

No ketchup on pasta

Rome will not yell at you. Rome will silently remember.

Aperitivo is social infrastructure

One drink, small bites, light conversation before dinner.

Do not rush dinner

Italian meals are not a speedrun. Plan time for them.

Espresso is short

If you want a longer coffee, ask for caffè lungo.

Gelato is always valid

Before, after, between commits.

Sightseeing

Rome between commits

You will not see Rome in one hackathon weekend. You can see enough to want to come back. Three routes, sized to the break you can actually afford.

⏱️ 45 minutes, around the venue Testaccio Market, Piramide Cestia, Mattatoio, Cimitero Acattolico, Monte dei Cocci, Via Galvani, Via Mastro Giorgio and the Gazometro with the Ostiense street art. All within a short walk of Urbe Hub.
🚶 90 minutes, across the river Testaccio to Trastevere on foot over Ponte Sublicio. Wander the alleys, grab an aperitivo, walk back. The Aventine Hill and the Orange Garden also fit in a window this size.
🏟️ 3 hours, classic Rome Metro B from Piramide to Colosseo, then Monti, Via dei Fori Imperiali and Piazza Venezia. If you stay extra days: Pantheon, Fontana di Trevi, Piazza Navona, Campo de' Fiori, Villa Borghese, St. Peter's and the Vatican Museums.
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