Favorite Neighborhood to Stay in Rome?

[charity709]

Hi there

 

I got a message this morning that our AirBnB for Rome has cancelled and we now have to find new accommodations for our 3 night pre-cruise visit. 

We were originally booked within walking distance of the Colosseum (via San Giovanni, 9 min walk) but I am now wondering if this is an opportunity to look for something closer to the Pantheon area as it seems like more sights are central to that location.    

 

What is your favorite neighborhood to stay in while in Rome? Looking for pros & cons 🙂  

 

Thanks in advance

[charity709]

Too late to edit, but looking at Trevi Fountain area vs. where we were - Colosseum area. 

[cruisemom42]

The Colosseum area (once you get away from the actual Colossum) tends to be a bit less touristy than the real "center" (Trevi, Pantheon, Piazza Navona). There are some good restaurants there, tucked away.  And I sometimes want to be near most of the "ancient" sites in that part of the city.

 

That said, I do prefer the area around the Pantheon because of its centrality -- walking distance to just about anywhere, except perhaps the Vatican. Also, I really like the area in the evening  (which is the only time I tend to be near my hotel when I'm in Rome, lol) just because it is so lively and festive. I feel very safe as a woman traveling alone to walk around, find a good restaurant, do a little passeggiata with the other tourists and locals, maybe some window shopping and gelato -- it's all right there, together with the beautiful monuments lit up at night. (I honestly think Trevi looks nicer in the evening than in the daylight.)

[awatt]

I like the area between Trevi  and Spanish steps. Very convenient .

[euro cruiser]

I think that the first place you stay in Rome, unless you have a bad experience, tends to stick with you.  In my case it's Trastevere.  I've since rented apartments or stayed in hotels in several other parts of Rome but my heart is always in Piazza in Piscinula, near the river and close to everything.

[cruisemom42]

2 hours ago, euro cruiser said:

I think that the first place you stay in Rome, unless you have a bad experience, tends to stick with you.  In my case it's Trastevere.  I've since rented apartments or stayed in hotels in several other parts of Rome but my heart is always in Piazza in Piscinula, near the river and close to everything.

 

Unluckily for me, my first visit to Rome had me staying waaaay north near the via Flaminia. This was back in "the day" when my parents had a TA put together their itinerary for Italy.... 

 

Second visit, a good dozen years later, we stayed at the top of the Spanish Steps. While I shouldn't complain (in-laws footed the bill for a 9-day visit in a great hotel), I didn't particularly care for the area which is more about shopping and less about ancient Rome.

 

Finally on my third visit I chanced to find Albergo del Senato overlooking the Pantheon. And that has remained my favorite through many more visits -- although quite expensive now (two renovations later....)

[slidergirl]

18 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

The Colosseum area (once you get away from the actual Colossum) tends to be a bit less touristy than the real "center" (Trevi, Pantheon, Piazza Navona). There are some good restaurants there, tucked away.  And I sometimes want to be near most of the "ancient" sites in that part of the city.

 

That said, I do prefer the area around the Pantheon because of its centrality -- walking distance to just about anywhere, except perhaps the Vatican. Also, I really like the area in the evening  (which is the only time I tend to be near my hotel when I'm in Rome, lol) just because it is so lively and festive. I feel very safe as a woman traveling alone to walk around, find a good restaurant, do a little passeggiata with the other tourists and locals, maybe some window shopping and gelato -- it's all right there, together with the beautiful monuments lit up at night. (I honestly think Trevi looks nicer in the evening than in the daylight.)

 

The area around the Pantheon is my favorite, also.  I loved it so much when I stayed there that I still gravitate there when I stay elsewhere (my cheap employee rates have been at Starwood and Hilton).  The last few times, I stayed up at the Westin Rome - next door to the US Embassy on Via Veneto.  But, every evening, I'd walk down via the route that takes me to the top of the Spanish Stairs, through that area and over to the Pantheon area - it takes about 25 minutes.  My favorite restaurant is in that area, as is my favorite spot to grab an espresso or a granita.  I'm also a woman traveling alone and I have always felt totally safe doing this walk and hanging around the Pantheon any time of daylight.    To me, Trevi is a little too "claustrophobic" - it seems like a very tight area and isn't as conducive to the passeggiata as the area around the Pantheon.  

[charity709]

Thanks, everyone. Very helpful. I agree, the daytime is easy to plan out  and hit all the major must-see areas but it would be nice to be close to the lively areas in the evening without having to worry about a long walk back to the hotel.

[slidergirl]

1 hour ago, charity709 said:

Thanks, everyone. Very helpful. I agree, the daytime is easy to plan out  and hit all the major must-see areas but it would be nice to be close to the lively areas in the evening without having to worry about a long walk back to the hotel.

True.  I would keep staying down by the Pantheon, but my $89/night employee rate at the Westin was WAAAAY too good to pass up!!!  I actually didn't mind that walk - it is actually a very pleasant meander for me.

[PelicanLvr]

Yes, around the Pantheon is a very central location.  

 

Also, if you want to eat in any of the recommended or popular restaurants, they are busy and you MUST make reservations way in advance.  Don't wait until you get there....it will be too late.  Use their websites to request reservations.

[Daisyloo]

Each time we have been in Rome we have stayed in the Monti district and found it very convenient.  We walked from Termini with our luggage after getting off the train from the airport.  Ten minutes to the hotel.  We walked to the Colosseum from the hotel in less than 10 minutes.  The only place we didn't walk to was The Vatican - we took the subway there.  

We love the Monti district- it's a vibrant people friendly place.  Lots of nice restaurants and shops.  Our hotel was on a little side street just off Via Cavour (busy main street), but it was really nice and quiet.

[slidergirl]

Restaurants:  if you are staying at a hotel with concierge service, make good use of it before you arrive.  They can help with restaurant reservations for those places that don't have websites.  

[Hlitner]

Our favorite neighborhood is in the general vicinity of the Piazza Navona or nearby in the Campo dei Fiori area.  

 

Hank

[watertraveler]

We loved the Campo d' Fiori area.  During the day the piazza was filled with a market and was within walking distance of the Pantheon and Piazza Navona.  We stayed at Palazzo Farnese and the staff were wonderful.

[Host Bonjour]

First visit I stayed in a small apartment friends helped me arrange (pre-AirBnB which I still have not used) located on on small street just off VIa Veneto near Borghese and I loved it. I was also traveling solo (my friends lived in Modena so I went down to Rome on my own for a visit) and it was wonderful there. 

 

Why I loved the area was because it enabled me to divide centro historico basically into three zones, each of which I visited on a different day all on foot. Never once did I need to use the metro because each day I simply ventured out from this central location off to whichever area I was set to cover that day. It worked really well though I go back down a bit to see Castel Sant'angelo at night because it's just spectacular lit up especially looking at it from across the Tiber....well, in any direction I suppose. It's something else.

 

Particularly because I knew it would be crowded I did not go by Trevi. I live in a place that is packed all the time with visitors which is fine, as I have been a visitor too. So one makes the choices 😉 Instead, went to Piazza Navona and thought the fountain there, as others have commented here on the board have stated too, was simply breathtaking...cruisemom could tell you more. I'll name the wrong artist start with a B. I chose to linger there awhile, at the fountain, in the piazza. Might have even had a gelato...I don't know. I browsed at some of the local art on sale (just street-like, not galleries!) but did not purchase, eventually  bought a tiny water color in Venice. 

 

Pantheon area I felt was kind of busy and also Spanish Steps but if you can be right near there...cool. Where I was brought me to the Spanish Steps in a jiffy. but I wouldn't have cared where I was really - I liked my accommodation. I've visited Paris so many times and love it so much, it started to not really matter anymore where I was...it kind of never did after the first visit. Once I was there, I just needed a place to sleep and change. The rest is just details. Rome is this way too. It has good transportation and is walkable. 

 

Rome is magnificent. Make it yours. But definitely do an intentional passegiata in the evening after dinner wherever you are. A piazza makes for a good one or...Via Condotti might be good too....great eye candy 😉

 

Have fun! 🙂

 

 

 

[4cats4me]

We loved our hotel near Campo F’iori back in October, Smeraldo Hotel. We fell in love with Rome! Our hotel was within walking distance of the Colosseum,  Pantheon, Pza Navona, Trastavere, And Vatican, (one mile). We never took public transportation.   We went to visit the kitties every day at the kitty sanctuary near our hotel, too. 💕

[slidergirl]

1 hour ago, 4cats4me said:

We loved our hotel near Campo F’iori back in October, Smeraldo Hotel. We fell in love with Rome! Our hotel was within walking distance of the Colosseum,  Pantheon, Pza Navona, Trastavere, And Vatican, (one mile). We never took public transportation.   We went to visit the kitties every day at the kitty sanctuary near our hotel, too. 💕

 

There is a really good artisanal gelato place around there, Corona (a little hole in the wall).  I like to visit the cats, too - I always make a small donation.  I would walk at night in that area, back and forth, from my Via Veneto hotel without hesitation.   2 excellent restaurants in the area - Roscioli and Emma.   And, if you like to look at fun stuff - the Flying Tiger store around there is really fun.  Found a knit iPad cover, some toothbrush holders, magnets, pens - if I had more room in my carryon, I would have bought more.  It's kind of like the little stuff section of Ikea...

[4cats4me]

14 hours ago, slidergirl said:

 

There is a really good artisanal gelato place around there, Corona (a little hole in the wall).  I like to visit the cats, too - I always make a small donation.  I would walk at night in that area, back and forth, from my Via Veneto hotel without hesitation.   2 excellent restaurants in the area - Roscioli and Emma.   And, if you like to look at fun stuff - the Flying Tiger store around there is really fun.  Found a knit iPad cover, some toothbrush holders, magnets, pens - if I had more room in my carryon, I would have bought more.  It's kind of like the little stuff section of Ikea...

Roscioli was directly across from my hotel room.  Loved it! Thanks for the hot tip on Corona.   

[iancal]

We have stayed near P. Navona, near Castello S. Angelo, neat the Vatican, and between Termini and the Colosseum.

 

They all had merits both in terms of location and accommodation.  I think our favourites would be the P. Navona/Campo Fiori area or near Castelo S. Angelo 

[slidergirl]

21 hours ago, 4cats4me said:

Roscioli was directly across from my hotel room.  Loved it! Thanks for the hot tip on Corona.   

 

Was it the Salumeria that becomes a restaurant at night or the Forno that has bread and pizza?  Emma is part of the Roscioli group.  I've eaten at all 3, dinner at the Salumeria and Emma and some lunchtime pizza al talglio and pastries to go at the Forno.  They also have a new place over by the Coloseum/Forum area.   Dinner reservations are a MUST in advance!  

Oh, just a few doors down from Emma is an outlet of a Florence artisanal gelato shop, Carapina.  Also good, but the hole-in-the-wall Corona was my favorite.  Had a lemon and basil gelato that was perfection!

 

Edited April 30, 2019 by slidergirl

[4cats4me]

4 minutes ago, slidergirl said:

 

Was it the Salumeria that becomes a restaurant at night or the Forno that has bread and pizza?  Emma is part of the Roscioli group.  I've eaten at all 3, dinner at the Salumeria and Emma and some lunchtime pizza al talglio and pastries to go at the Forno.  They also have a new place over by the Coloseum/Forum area.   Dinner reservations are a MUST in advance!  

Oh, just a few doors down from Emma is an outlet of a Florence artisanal gelato shop, Carapina.  Also good, but the hole-in-the-wall Corona was my favorite.  Had a lemon and basil gelato that was perfection!

 

 

Forno was across the street, a stone’s throw.  Salumeria, maybe 100 feet away after turning left outside of  Hotel, then turn another left.  Maybe a two minute walk? 

[slidergirl]

On 4/30/2019 at 12:12 PM, 4cats4me said:

 

Forno was across the street, a stone’s throw.  Salumeria, maybe 100 feet away after turning left outside of  Hotel, then turn another left.  Maybe a two minute walk? 

 

I'm going to have to remember the Smeraldo!   For my food loves, that is a perfect location!  

[cruisemom42]

1 hour ago, slidergirl said:

 

I'm going to have to remember the Smeraldo!   For my food loves, that is a perfect location!  

 

I've been recommending them for years.  😉  But they are small and book up fast.

 

 

[slidergirl]

21 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

I've been recommending them for years.  😉  But they are small and book up fast.

 

 

My next trip is 2-3 years away.  If I'm still working for a hotel company that doesn't offer cheap employee rates (my current boutique group has no travel bennies), I'll look at this one!   I could eat and drink and not have to worry about getting all the way back up to the Via Veneto!!!  I'd just do my first night, as always, at my favorite restaurant by the Pantheon, then just give the rest of my meal money to the Roscioli Family 😉

 

[cruisemom42]

23 hours ago, slidergirl said:

My next trip is 2-3 years away.  If I'm still working for a hotel company that doesn't offer cheap employee rates (my current boutique group has no travel bennies), I'll look at this one!   I could eat and drink and not have to worry about getting all the way back up to the Via Veneto!!!  I'd just do my first night, as always, at my favorite restaurant by the Pantheon, then just give the rest of my meal money to the Roscioli Family 😉

 

 

I've currently got no plans to visit Rome this year and it's making me a little crazy. Granted, I have three other lovely trips planned, but still trying to figure out how to squeeze in a visit.