Last Updated: 4/15/2022 | April 15th, 2022
Rome is a city that sparks a thousand mental images. From ancient structures like the Colosseum or the Pantheon, to the Spanish steps and Trevi Fountain, to the Vatican — not to mention tons of pasta and other delicious food — it has it all.
But planning a trip to Rome can often be a pain.
Where must you stay? What are the best neighborhoods?
Rome is huge. It has 15 municipi (administrative areas), with the city center municipio alone divided into 22 smaller districts.
Whether you’re after a a lot more historical area or something a lot more local-feeling, or whether you are keen to experience great Italian food or Roman nightlife, there is a neighborhood in this outstanding city to suit you.
So today, let me break down the best neighborhoods in Rome and give you suggested places to stay in each part of town. But, before I get into the certain neighborhoods and recommended places to stay while there (scroll a bit), let me answer some of the most common questions I get asked:
What is the best neighborhood budget travelers?
Monti and San Lorenzo and two of the best areas in Rome for budget travelers.
What is the best neighborhood in Rome for families?
Families trying to find a quieter visit will want to stay near Parioli, however, families seeking to be in the heart of the action will want to stay in Trastevere.
What is the best neighborhood in Rome for first-time visitors?
If it’s your first time checking out Rome, stay in Trastevere.
What is the best neighborhood in Rome for nightlife?
If you’re seeking to party and take pleasure in Rome’s popular nightlife, stay in Tridente.
What is the best neighborhood in Rome overall?
Trastevere is my favorite area to stay in and the best overall in the city.
So, with that said, here’s a breakdown of the neghiborhoods so you can figure out which one is ideal for you!
Rome neighborhood Overview
Best neighborhood Overall
Best neighborhood for Arts/Culture
Best neighborhood for Luxury
Best neighborhood for peace and Quiet
Best neighborhood for Foodies
Best neighborhood for Nightlife
Best neighborhood for long-term Travelers
Best neighborhood for young Travelers
Best neighborhood Overall: Trastevere
Trastevere is filled with narrow, cobblestone alleyways that run past buildings decorated with tangled ivy and vines. It makes you feel like you’re back in a medieval city.
For lots of centuries, Trastevere was a working-class district, but in recent years, it’s become a bohemian hotspot for foodies and tourists wanting to see beyond Rome’s big-name attractions. At night, you can mingle in the Piazza di Santa Maria with crowds of young locals and students enjoying the nightlife, eating, and drinking. and if you climb the nearby steps of Gianicolo Hill, you’ll reach a spot with views across Rome, including the Pantheon and the Capitoline Hills.
Best places to stay in Trastevere
BUDGET: Hostel Trastevere – This hostel close to grocery stores and public transit has a great outdoor terrace common area with shade sails to keep you cooler in summer, and a cheap buffet breakfast, as well as fast Wi-Fi and air-conditioning. rooms sleep a maximum of five people. The beds are comfortable too.
MID-RANGE: Trastevere’s friends – This B&B is quiet, with spacious double rooms, making it especially popular with couples. The rooms here are light and bright, and a lot of include ample wardrobe space for unpacking. The place is clean, and the owners and staff are extra-friendly.
LUXURY: Trastevere royal Suite Trilussa – This luxury hotel has views over the Tiber River and is central to all the outstanding restaurants and cafés of Trastevere. Each room is uniquely decorated with paintings or ornate mirrors. breakfast is included in your room price.
Best neighborhood for Arts/Culture 1: Monti
The very oldest part of Rome is Monti, which is full of winding cobblestone streets and antique stores. local residents are often creative types, and they’ve made sure there are plenty of quirky cafés, intimate bars, and independent services for you to explore. You can wander the streets past limitless shades of pastel-colored walls, and browse the clothes and jewelry at the Mercato Monti vintage market.
Best places to stay in Monti
BUDGET: Palladini Hostel Rome – This might be a hostel, but it hasn’t skimped on the décor, with elegant black-, red-, and white-themed communal areas and artwork and chandeliers in the private rooms. It’s just 200m from Termini station so it’s really easy to access any public transport option you might want.
MID-RANGE: Apollo rooms Colosseo – clean and new, with friendly owners and a gelato bar at the back of the building, this property has a vibe that makes up for the fairly small (but tastefully decorated) rooms.
LUXURY: Monti palace hotel – This elegant hotel includes a wholesome buffet breakfast and a rooftop bar with stunning views of the city. The rooms are spacious, sleek, and well lit.
Best neighborhood for Arts/Culture 2: Pigneto
Less than a 15-minute tram ride from the center of Rome, Pigneto is a colorful neighborhood full of interesting graffiti, street art, and murals that’s had a hipster makeover in recent years. Some people call it the Brooklyn of Rome, and I think that’s a fair description! It’s filling up with trendy bars and restaurants and often gets labeled bohemian, although it’s a real mix of small, older homes and new apartment or condo buildings. It’s also home to lots of small cocktail bars and cafés and other great spots for some people-watching.
Best places to stay in Pigneto
BUDGET: Relais rental property Fiorelli – This is located in a quiet spot on the Piazza di rental property Fiorelli. It has simple, modern rooms with complimentary Wi-Fi, some with balconies looking over the lush garden. room rates include breakfast served either in your room or outside in the garden. The recent addition of the new Line C Lodi metro station makes it even much easier to get into central Rome from here.
MID-RANGE: Eurostars Roma Aeterna – ideal on the Piazza del Pigneto, this hotel is in a former pharmaceutical factory. Inside, rooms are decorated with minimalist but elegant décor and photography. It uses a great breakfast, and there’s a well-equipped complimentary gym too.
LUXURY: hotel Latinum – This boutique hotel of just twelve rooms has a special glass floor so you can see what lies under it, thanks to some archaeological excavation — a great way to remind you of the history of Rome even when you’re back in hotel. It’s an sophisticated spot with beautiful wooden furniture, and the rooftop terrace is a good place to relax.
Best neighborhood for Luxury: Prati
Prati is close to St Peter’s Square and the Vatican — it shares a border with the northern end of the Vatican state — and includes by means of Cola di Rienzo, which is one of the most well-known shopping streets in the city for high-end brands. Prati is also an area where you’re less likely to find hordes of tourists, and it’s great for imagining what life would be like if you were a affluent Roman.
Best places to stay in Prati
BUDGET: Prati comfort – This is a great budget option, with fast Wi-Fi and balconies on some rooms. It’s elegant, with basic but tasteful furnishings.
MID-RANGE: luxury on the River – despite its name, this place comes at a mid-range price and is located in a historic building overlooking the river. It has helpful staff and a varied breakfast, plus the rooms are quite large. There’s real Italian flare to the décor and a relaxing lounge and library.
LUXURY: hotel NH Collection Roma Giustiniano – This four-star hotel with spacious rooms is a great value. All its rooms have stunning parquet floors, and lots of have balconies with great views. There’s also a small gym and a restaurant on-site.
Best neighborhood for peace and Quiet: Ostiense
Ostiense is a half-hour bus ride south of the center of Rome, but it’s a great neighborhood for a less touristy experience. formerly an industrial area, it’s had a hipster makeover and is popular for its street art, food, and nightlife. On by means of Giuseppe Libetta, you’ll find lots of of Rome’s best nightclubs and music venues. There’s even history here: the ancient Pyramid of Cestius, made of white marble blocks.
Best places to stay in Ostiense
BUDGET: hey there Roma B&B – This relaxing and colorful B&B uses an Italian breakfast each morning and you can make use of the shared kitchen if you’d like to save even more. There are only a few rooms here, and it’s in a quiet area that feels like you’re much additionally from central Rome than you actually are.
MID-RANGE: Verrazzano 37 guest house – This small place uses four comfortable rooms with modern furniture, a shared kitchen, and complimentary Wi-Fi and is ideal near a 24-hour grocery store. It has great double rooms, making it especially popular with couples on a budget.
LUXURY: Gasometer urban Suites – created out of a former factory in 2018, this spot features elegant and spacious rooms, and you can access a shared rooftop terrace with great views (and also a gym).
Best neighborhood for Foodies: Testaccio
Testaccio, a 20-minute walk south of the Colosseum, is an edgier district, a former slaughterhouse area now adored by foodies. It’s not necessarily full of Instagram-worthy architecture, but it’s really got heart.
There are a bunch of art museums and other sightseeing spots in Testaccio, but the best reason to stay here is the food, from the Testaccio Market with its gourmet street food stalls to spots like Da Remo, which lots of people claim has the best standard pizza in Rome.
Best places to stay in Testaccio
BUDGET: Aventino guest house – This B&B is conveniently located near the Circo Massimo and is just a 15-minute walk from the Colosseum. The area is quiet, the rooms are modern and spacious, and there is ACfor when the city heats up.
MID-RANGE: hotel Santa Prisca – This hotel feels like luxury at mid-range prices. It’s in a elegant building located ideal next to a park, so it’s very quiet. There’s also an Italian breakfast included in the price.
LUXURY: seven Suites – You’ll get very good value for these spacious, modern rooms and a good breakfast in the café at the front. It’s recently renovated, with elegant bathrooms and really comfortable memory-foam beds. It’s a small property with just six rooms, so it’s quiet.
Best neighborhood for Nightlife: Tridente
The Tridente area has plenty of tourists pertaining to see the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps, but there’s also outstanding shopping and fancy hotels and restaurants. strolling back to your accommodation in Tridente, you’ll pass historic sites, old architecture, and limitless options for dining.
Staying here indicates you might not get a particularly local feel for what it’s like to live in Rome, but you’ll be near lots of of the places you’ll want to visit, and you’ll get a taste for where affluent Romans live.
Best places to stay in Tridente
BUDGET: hotel King – just a five-minute walk from the Spanish Steps, this hotel is great value for such a central location. The rooms are clean and air-conditioned, though they’re relatively small. The amenities are basic, but the location a lot more than makes up for that!
MID-RANGE: crossing Condotti – also just around the corner from the Spanish Steps, crossing Condotti is a small and sophisticated boutique hotel with an entrance off a quiet street, beautiful décor, and lots of added extras. If you’re traveling with kids, you can stay in the adjacent building in suites made of two connecting double bedrooms.
LUXURY: hotel d’Inghilterra Roma – This hotel close to the Spanish steps and the by means of del Corso shopping street, located in a beautiful 16th-century building, uses cost effective luxury compared to some really pricey places in this part of town. The staff are very attentive, and the hotel restaurant, Café Romano, gets rave reviews. Each of its 88 rooms is decorated with its own style and charm.
Best neighborhood for long-term Travelers: Parioli
Parioli is a mainly residential, quieter part of Rome, but is less than a half-hour ride by metro or bus into the center. It’s full of gardens and parks, and its southern boundary runs along the rental property Borghese gardens. It’s typically home to some affluent locals with classy-looking apartment or condo buildings, and if you’re planning a longer stay, it’s a great base that uses a taste of semi-suburban life in Rome.
Best places to stay in Parioli
BUDGET: hotel Delle Muse – This family-run hotel uses complimentary Wi-Fi and an on-site restaurant. There’s a large covered terrace garden where you can eat lunch and dinner. The staff are really helpful, and there’s a bus stop nearby. rooms are fairly small and a little dated, but it’s a clean and comfortable place at a good price.
MID-RANGE: Parioli place B&B – friendly staff, great breakfast, and modern black-and-white interiors make this a solid mid-range choice. The roofing garden is a charming spot, and you can opt to eat breakfast up there, too.
LUXURY: hotel Lord Byron – This is a member of the small luxury hotels of the world yet is actually great value. The marble bathrooms are decadent, and the mahogany and rosewood furniture lends a completely captivating art deco atmosphere — you’ll feel a little like you’re sleeping in a gallery. The hotel also has a lounge bar and the award-winning restaurant Sapori del Lord Byron.
Best neighborhood for young Travelers: San Lorenzo
If you want to stay somewhere with a student vibe, then San Lorenzo is it, near the Sapienza university and walking distance east of the city center. The neighborhood was bombed heavily in world war II and was never rebuilt quite as well as other areas, but what San Lorenzo lacks in prettiness it makes up for with fun.
There are lots of shopping options both for new Italian