An expert’s guide: the best area to stay in Rome

You’ve booked your flight to Italy, now where to stay? Whatever kind of trip you're planning, co-author of the Rough Guide to Rome Natasha Foges has the lowdown on the best area to stay in Rome.

Best for romance: the Centro Storico

The Centro Storico (historic centre) is what most people dream of for their Roman holiday: a maze of cobbled streets and atmospheric alleys crammed with Renaissance palazzi, Baroque churches and stately piazzas. The area harbours many of the big sights, not least the Pantheon and Piazza Navona, and most of the places you’ll want to see are within walking distance. The downside? It's pricey, or at least it used to be. The hotels here tend to be boutique rather than budget, but with the advent of websites such as Airbnb, even a pauper can stay in a historic palazzo for a few days, especially out of season. If you have your heart set on a fabulous hotel room, though, you’ll get more for your money elsewhere.

Where to stay

Cash-strapped: Navona Loft
Feeling flush: Hotel Raphael

Rome's iconic Pazza Navona 

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Best for atmosphere: Campo de’ Fiori and the Ghetto

Technically part of the Centro Storico, but less chaotic thanks to a lack of big-ticket sights, the warren of streets around café-lined Campo de’ Fiori make up one of the city’s most picturesque quarters, full of independent boutiques, wine bars and trattorias. Southeast of here is the old Jewish Ghetto, a thriving, atmospheric neighbourhood with some great restaurants; rent an apartment in one of the Ghetto’s backstreets to live like a Roman for a few days, or take our hotel suggestions below.

Where to stay

Cash-strapped: Domus Ester
Feeling flush: DOM Hotel

The bronze statue of the philosopher Giordano Bruno in Campo de Fiori in Rome © rarrarorro/Shutterstock

Best for die-hard shoppers: Tridente

The northern section of Rome’s centre – sometimes known as the Tridente because of the shape formed by the three roads that extend from landmark Piazza del Popolo – is the domain of designer boutiques, chichi bars and pricey restaurants. The core of the area is Piazza di Spagna, once an essential stop on the Grand Tour and still a big draw: tourists gravitate towards the fabled Spanish Steps to people-watch, chat and flirt. Accommodation tends to be small-scale and ultra-luxurious (think pillow menus and fancy in-room entertainment systems), to meet the demands of a well-heeled international clientele.

Where to stay

Cash-strapped: Hotel Panda
Feeling flush: Portrait Roma

 

Best for five-star pampering: Via Veneto and Villa Borghese

In need of some TLC? Via Veneto’s grand hotels have all the uniformed doormen, marble floors and swanky spas you could wish for (at a price). This street used to be the beating heart of Dolce Vita-era Rome, an impossibly fashionable film-star hangout. These days it trades on its history somewhat – the restaurants and bars here are tourist traps, so you’re better off dining elsewhere. Via Veneto snakes up to leafy Villa Borghese, around which cluster more luxurious hotels, though you’re a bus or taxi ride from the centre here.

Where to stay

Cash-strapped: Daphne
Feeling flush: Splendide Royal

Villa Borghese Pinciana, Pincian Hill, Rome © Alexander Demyanenko/Shutterstock

Best for a village-y vibe: Monti and the Celian Hill

The red light district in ancient Roman times, Monti is now a hip (but not off-puttingly so) neighbourhood of cool bars, one-off boutiques and great restaurants. Just a short walk from the Colosseum, it’s well-placed for sightseeing too. Southeast of here, the Celian Hill can’t summon up the same buzz, but it has its own low-key local bustle and some good local restaurants.

Where to stay

Cash-strapped: Hotel Rosetta
Feeling flush: Palazzo Manfredi

 

Best for feeding body and soul: Testaccio and the Aventine Hill

Colosseum, what Colosseum? If food is your main consideration, you could do worse than base yourself in Testaccio. An unpretentious, workaday district that grew up around the old slaughterhouse, it’s now renowned for its authentic trattorias. Testaccio is also home to Rome’s main produce market – a great place to pick up gourmet souvenirs – as well as the lion’s share of the city’s clubs. A few streets north, but worlds away in atmosphere, the tranquil Aventine Hill is one of Rome’s most exclusive enclaves. Largely residential, it harbours a few hotels, offering peace and quiet within walking distance of the ancient Roman sights.

Where to stay

Cash-strapped: Seven Suites
Feeling flush: San Anselmo

Panoramic view from the Orange Garden (Giardino degli Aranci) on the aventine hill in Rome © Stefano_Valeri/Shutterstock

Best for night owls: Trastevere

Traditionally a working-class quarter but now gentrified and well on the tourist map, pretty Trastevere is one big photo op, all ivy-draped buildings, cobbled lanes and pint-sized piazzas. Located over the river, it’s within strolling distance of the Vatican and Centro Storico. Another plus is that this is one of the best areas for an evening out, its narrow streets lined with excellent trattorias and bars; stay on the district’s quieter eastern side if you want to escape the crowds.

Where to stay

Cash-strapped: Hotel Trastevere
Feeling flush: Hotel Santa Maria

Trastevere pizzerie in Rome © Catarina Belova/Shutterstock

Best for early-morning trains: Termini

There’s really no other reason to stay in the vicinity of Termini station: it’s not the city’s most attractive corner, it’s too far to walk to the major sights, and returning here after a day immersed in the glories of Rome would bring you quickly back down to earth. The area is full of cheap hotels, but even if you’re on a budget, staying in the Termini area should be a last resort.

Where to stay

Cash-strapped: Flower Guesthouse
Feeling flush: Palazzo Naiadi, The Dedica Anthology, Autograph Collection

Best for sophisticates: Prati

Unless you’re a pilgrim, there’s not much appeal to staying in the Vatican area. The neighbourhood north of the Vatican, Borgo Pio, has a few decent hotels, but it’s quiet and a little dull after dark, its restaurants lacking the sparkle of those of the historic centre. Prati, further north, holds more promise – a well-heeled district whose wide boulevards hold numerous cocktail bars and swish restaurants. As it’s a little removed from the centre, there’s a smattering of affordable hotels here too.

Where to stay

Cash-strapped: Hearth Hotel
Feeling flush: Hotel Farnese

Piazza Caour in Prati, Rome © Leonid Andronov/Shutterstock

Explore more of this city with the Rough Guide to Rome. Compare flights, book hostels and hotels for your trip, and don’t forget to purchase travel insurance before you go.

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Piazza Navona and Fountain of Neptune in Rome © Izabela23/Shutterstock