Where to Stay in Rome: Best Areas of the City

Trastevere

Ideal for those that want a trendier albeit grungier area overflowing with bars, restaurants, and live music.

Trastevere is Rome's trendy neighborhood. This neighborhood runs parallel to Rome's historic center, just across the Tiber River. The location is great since you're well-connected to the highlights but you'll feel as though you're staying in a small town rather than the city center.

Trastevere was once the artist's quarter in Rome and still has a grungy, artistic feel. It's equally popular with locals and tourists so you can typically find a nice mix of people here. At night, live music lights up the streets and turns into a buzzing nightlife scene.

The only thing to avoid in Trastevere are the TikTok famous restaurants, where people stand in hour-long waits to eat the "best" pasta. Trust me, the best pasta is served at restaurants all around Trastevere and other parts of the city, too. When in doubt, head to Google Maps to check reviews but know that a delicious meal is at every corner.

Where to Stay in Trastevere

The last time I stayed in Trastevere, I booked with Airbnb but I've since fallen out of love with that platform and prefer Booking.com instead thanks to their rewards program. These are my top recommended places to stay in Trastevere:

• Budget Stay: Guest House La Civetta: To be near the heart of the neighborhood yet in a quieter area, this room rental is a great choice.
• Mid-Tier Stay: Mou Trastevere House: Want more space to spread out? This two-bedroom apartment is in a great location and has room for the whole family.
• Luxury Stay: La Gatta De Lisa: This recently renovated apartment is just steps from the Ponte Sisto and Piazza Trilussa, where live music is played nearly every night.

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Prati

Ideal for budget travelers that still want to be in the city center.

If you're visiting Rome on a budget, Prati is a great place to stay. This is the neighborhood northeast of Vatican City and while that might sound expensive, it quickly turns residential just a few steps from the Vatican.

On my last trip to Rome, I stayed in the northern end of Prati and loved it. It felt safe, the architecture is still impressive, and you're within walking distance to all of the attractions. If you don't enjoy long walks, there's a metro stop (Ottaviano) right in the heart of it to take you into the historic center for sightseeing.

While I wouldn't necessarily recommend staying right at the doors of Vatican City and St. Peter's Basilica, I do think a few blocks away in Prati is a really nice low-key area. Here, you'll find more locals and enjoy better priced meals, coffee shops, and clothing stores. While the accommodation is slightly more affordable, the prices on meals and drinks out are where you'll see the real difference staying here.

For budget travelers that still want to be in the heart of Rome, I highly recommend booking your stay in Prati.

Where to Stay in Prati

For great places to stay in Prati, I recommend:

• Budget Stay: Dream City Rome: Here, you'll be even closer to the attractions and you'll have slightly more space with a private sitting area in each room.
• Mid-Tier Stay: The Place Giuliana: This is where I stayed on my last trip to Rome. It's a unique blend between apartment rental and hotel stay because it's one apartment that's been converted into 3 rooms but each has their own keypad lock and bathroom.
• Luxury Stay: Scipioni Luxury Suite: Stay in the heart of Prati at this luxury rental. It's pretty tough to find a bathtub in Italy so if that's on your wishlist, you won't want to miss this one that even comes with a view.

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Historic Center

Ideal for those that want to be in the heart of all the action.

Although everywhere on my list is technically in the city center, the historic center is the heart of the Eternal City. Here is where you'll wander an endless labyrinth of alleyways and surround yourself with major attractions like the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona, the Spanish Steps, Villa Borghese, and the tragic yet beautiful Campo de' Fiori.

Just know, this area is massive and by far the biggest area to stay in Rome. In my head though, I can divide it into 2 distinct areas:

1. The northern side, where Piazza del Popolo and the Spanish Steps are
2. The southwestern side, where the Pantheon and Campo de' Fiori are

In general, the northern side is more high-end. Here is where you'll find more luxury hotels, fine dining restaurants, and world-renown shopping brands. The southwestern side is more about the ancient charm, cozy trattorias, and local brands. Both areas are more expensive than others on this list given their popularity. Personally, I prefer the southwestern side around Campo de' Fiori best but that's a personal preference.

Since this is the historic center of Rome, keep that in mind when booking a place. Prati is home to newer residential buildings but this area is home to maintained yet old buildings. You'll need to double check if the apartment or hotel has an elevator and heating and/or air conditioning, if those things are important to you.

Surprisingly enough, when Raf stayed in the historic center with his family, it wasn't loud from street noise like he thought it would be. It also felt safe, although they didn't stay out late at night.

Where to Stay in the Historic Center

To keep it easy, I'm recommending places around Campo de' Fiori, since that's my favorite areas of the historic center. Consider:

• Budget Stay: Residenza Leutari: The basic rooms are simple yet incredibly charming but they also offer suites with a rooftop terrace. Staying here you're really in the heart of my favorite part of the historic center.
• Mid-Tier Stay: Palazzo Navona Hotel: This 4-star boutique hotel has a lot to offer. You'll get a rooftop terrace, stunning views, and air conditioning. You'll be just steps from stunning Piazza Navona.
• Luxury Stay: Lifestyle Suites Rome: This is one of the best luxury hotels in the historic center but do note that it's only for adults. Also a boutique hotel, your stay in Rome will be full of luxury touches, modern rooms built into a historic backdrop, and great views from anywhere you look. If budget is no concern, you'll have a hard time beating this hotel.

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Monti

Ideal for those only in Rome for a night that are itching for a central location to see the main highlights.

I don't just like Monti because that's my cat's name (although that is an added bonus) but because it's centrally located, especially for those short on time.

Monti is located right in between the Termini station and the Colosseum so for those that just have a night in Rome, this is a highly convenient location well within walking distance to a few of the top attractions. I don't recommend you stay right at the train station (but more on that later!).

Monti is a small neighborhood but jam packed with restaurants and bars so if you're a foodie, you'll especially like this area. Just be sure to double check Google Reviews before choosing where to eat because since the area is popular with tourists, there are some tourist traps mingled in with the good ones.

On foot, you'll be able to easily enjoy the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and get to and from the Termini station with ease.

Where to Stay in Monti

For great places to stay in Monti, I recommend:

• Budget Stay: Colosseum Charme Apartments: Enjoy an entire apartment at this charming guesthouse just steps from the Colosseum without breaking the bank.
• Mid-Tier Stay: Fresh House Monti: Want more space? This pet-friendly apartment rental is a great option for those that prefer more spacious rooms and more natural light in the same great area as the rental above.
• Luxury Stay: The Inn At The Roman Forum: Enjoy breakfast on the rooftop terrace and luxury hotel rooms set in a historic building. The decor is a little over the top but hey, when in Rome!

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Where Not to Stay in Rome

Now that I've covered where to stay in Rome, I think it's just as important to note a few areas that I would not recommend unless under special circumstances.

Near the Airport

The main airport in Rome, Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino airport is located about 30 minutes outside of the city center by train to Termini station. But in reality, your commute can take much longer.

Unless you're just in town for one night and have an early morning flight out or land late at night when no public transportation is running, I recommend staying in the city center instead. You'll lose a lot of time traveling back and forth which isn't worth it if you're in Rome for more than a night.

If your flight times aren't great and you prefer not to visit Rome's historic center, you could book your stay in Ostia, a coastal town a quick drive from the airport. This is one of the best small towns outside of Rome to visit. For those looking to stay in Ostia, I recommend Casetta 46.

Near the Train Station

Again, unless you have a late night or early morning train, I don't recommend staying right at the train station. Like most places in the world, the area right at the main train station or airport is never the nicest.

The area around Termini station in Rome looks like any big city, losing a lot of the charm other areas of Rome have to offer.

If you need to be near the train station for your way in or out of the city, I suggest heading a few blocks farther to Monti instead. Just know though that Rome has good metro lines so even from as far as Prati, you can be at Termini station in just 10 minutes.

Outside the City Center

On one of Raf's trips to Rome, he went for work and was forced to stay outside of the city center. While he originally didn't think twice about their decision and still envisioned dinners out on charming Via del Governo Vecchio, he quickly realized that wasn't very possible.

Unless you have a car and are willing to deal with parking, the extra bucks you might save on accommodation won't be worth it in the long run if your goal is to experience Rome. You'll spend a lot of your precious vacation time commuting.

Rome is currently building a new metro line, Line C, but since they keep hitting ancient ruins during the build (wild, right?), the timeline keeps getting pushed back. Currently there are only 2 metro lines in Rome and unless you're on one of those, you'll need to rely on the bus. Public transportation in Italy is pretty great but traffic in Rome is not.

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A Few Rome Travel Tips

Now that you know where to stay in Rome, there are a few other tips I recommend you keep in mind when planning your trip.

How Many Nights to Stay

There's a lot to see and do in Rome so the biggest tip I can suggest is that you stay longer than just a night or two. Even if you're not a history buff, Rome really is an impressive city to visit.

I recommend you give yourself at least 2 nights (3 days) but know that you'll likely be rushing around. For more time to enjoy the city and walk around without hurry, 4 nights (5 days) should be more comfortable.

Even after so many visits to Rome, I still find plenty of attractions, museums, churches, and quaint streets to explore. And that's not to even mention the amount of delicious restaurants you'll want to try!

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Can't Miss Things to Do

If you only have time for a few things to do in Rome, I have a few top suggestions.

Best for Charm

For those that are all about the vibes, I suggest you walk around Via del Governo Vecchio, eating, drinking, and turning down side streets along the way. To me, that's one of the most charming areas of Rome.

Best for History

For those that want to see more of the history on a short stay, head to the Roman Forum. Start at Monument to Victor Emmanuel II and head inside for free. Follow the signs for the cafe and enjoy a stunning view of the Roman Forum and Colosseum. From there, go to Santa Maria in Aracoeli Basilica next door to see an impressive basilica before walking along the Roman Forum to the Colosseum. You could do all of those stops in just an hour or two or stretch it to make up your entire day.

Best for Foodies

But, if you're here for the food, you'll prefer a food tour instead. This combines a nice walking tour of the historic center while giving you some context and great food along the way. Most food tours, like this food tour that I went on, focus on street food but you'll want to be sure to eat the other great food to try in Rome as well.

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Where Will You Stay in Rome?

From areas with vibrant nightlife to those surrounded by all the main attractions that brought you to Rome, there are a lot of fantastic areas in Rome to choose from. My biggest recommendation is to stay within the city center so all the highlights are within walking distance.

If you prefer to stay rather outside of the city, just be sure to choose a location on a metro line so you can quickly and easily get into the historic center and enjoy the best bits of modern and ancient Rome.