CHAPTER 26

CHAPTER 26

ROME INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT — Leonardo da Vinci, also known as Fiumicino Airport, is the busiest airport in Italy, with a movement of more than 36 million passengers in 2010, also serving the Vatican City. It is located in Fiumicino, 35 kilometers from the Historic Center of Rome. In 2008 it was the 25th airport with the highest number of passengers in the world.

The airport is named after the Italian Renaissance genius Leonardo da Vinci, who was the first to design a helicopter and a flying machine with wings. The airport officially opened on January 15, 1961 with two runways replacing the small airport at Ciampino as Rome's main airport.

Four runways are currently in operation at the airport: 16L/34R and 16R/34L (separated by a distance of 4,000 meters), 16C/34C (next to 16L/34R), and 07/25, used in poor weather conditions.

Leonardo da Vinci is around 35 km from the historic center of Rome. The main road access to the airport is the A91 Rome-Fiumicino. Rail access is via the Leonardo Express line available at the terminal, operated by Trenitalia. The non-stop journey takes 30 minutes to Termini Station, Rome's main railway station, with a train every half hour. Every 15 minutes there is a frequency that stops at all stations on the line.

IT WAS THE FIRST time Gregory had set foot on Italian soil, and he was enchanted by the atmosphere.

— Apparently it's your first time in Italy — said the smiling Father Green, who always saw that same look of wonder in tourists.

Greg smiled.

— I hope it's the first of many.

— And it will be, Mr Evans, Italy has that power over people.

— Of course it does — every dominant culture does.

— Let America say so.