The President’s plane landed at the Italian Air Force Base at Pratica di Mare.
He was greeted by the Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini. A guard of honour was present for the distinguished guest, and the flags of Russia, Italy and the European Union were hoisted above the airport.
From the airport Mr Putin headed to his room at Excelsior hotel in the heart of Rome.
Later that night, the Russian President and the Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi met for dinner at the government residence at the Quigi Palace. The two leaders discussed various aspects of Russian-Italian cooperation and the agenda of the intergovernmental talks and talks at the Russia-European Union summit to be held on November 5–6.
Mr Putin and Mr Berlusconi watched parts of a football match between the Belgian “Brugge” and the Milan team owned by the Prime Minister on television. The Italian team won with a final score of one to zero.