My essential guide to the best areas to stay in Rome with kids for charm, convenience, beauty and kid friendly amenities. All safe and handpicked by me, a local mama from Rome.
Picking the best area to stay in Rome with kids is an overwhelming task, but help is on hand!
I am from Rome and a mama of two.
In the last decade, I have devoted myself to helping families to plan the perfect trip to my beautiful city of Rome with children in tow (this website is my labor of love) and as you can imagine, this has meant I am perfectly equipped to recommend where to stay to make the most of your time.
Because the right area to stay can really make or break a stay!
In previous posts, I have shared my lists of the best family hotels in Rome city center, baby friendly hotels in Rome and several accommodation guides by neighborhood (‘where to stay’ section, on the main website menu).
Today I want to take a step back and help those of you who are just starting out looking for the best area to stay in Rome with kids and want an essential, easy to understand overview of what each area has to offer and if it may work for you.
To each short description I have added a link with a more specific travel guide to help you get a better idea of each place and specific accommodation recommendations options.
Safe travel planning!
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The best area in Rome to stay with kids TL;DR
The best area to stay in Rome with kids for a first time visitor is the city center, and specifically the area of Monti and Pantheon / Navona.
From the point of view of the first time visitor, it is handy to think of the city center, the area with most attractions, as stretching between the Colosseum one one side and the Vatican onto the other.
The distanced between the two is about 1hour on foot (a little less even), about 40 minutes by bus / metro or about 20mins by car.
This means that depending on where in the city center you are, you will be closer to one or the other main landmarks or nicely in between the two.
Good to know: no matter where in the city center you stay, you will be in a safe and beautiful area. This is the area of Rome everyone thinks of when they think of the city and where you get Rome’s most beautiful piazzas, fountains and attractions.
Within the center, handy areas to know are the Monti district, Pantheon/ Navona area (see below), both an excellent base to explore Rome.
Best area to stay in Rome with kids: Navona / Pantheon, ‘the historic center’ (centro storico)
The city center area of Pantheon / Navona is the most popular choice for all types of visitors as a place to stay in Rome as it is centrally located for sightseeing, it is beautiful, safe, it has plenty of options and it is very ‘Roman’.
Almost all attractions you may think of in Rome are here and so, by picking this location, you truly are in the heart of it!
The main part of the center develops between the Pantheon and Piazza Navona area, which are two contiguous neighborhoods, walking distance to one another.
They are so near one to the other, for planning uprises you can consider them as one.
The area is walkable, safe, tons of restaurants on your doorstep, you can walk to many of the most popular attractions since they are other a short distance from here orone short taxi ride away at most.
This area is also good for kids, as it means you have all services on your doorstep and may never need to get a bus or a taxi (depending on how much you’re happy to walk, of course).
There are however some cons to the area: cost, crowds (it is very sought after as so convenient) and the fact that it is not very green.
While this is not an issue if you stay a short amount of time and have many tours or older kids, the lack of green spaces near your hotel may be an issue.
However, there are parks close to the Colosseum, Vatican and several of Rome’s top attractions so I feel this is issue is easily overcome. Find here >> parks and playgrounds in Rome city center.
Resources you may find useful:
- My guide to the Pantheon area – to get a sense of the feel of the place, what to expect, restaurants etc
- My guide to hotels near the Pantheon – for young kids but also families with older kids
- My guide to hotels in Piazza Navona area (just beside the Pantheon, they are contiguous areas)
Tried and tested Family Accommodation in Rome centro storico
| Name of Hotel, Link | Short description |
|---|---|
| Hotel Smeraldo | Lovely, well priced hotel with family rooms and serviced apartment |
| Palazzo Navona | Lovely 4 star boutique hotel with family rooms, lovely terrace, option to eat on site (gluten free options available) |
| Palazzo Nari | Large, beautiful rental perfect for larger families or a group. They have several apartments in different size |
| Martis Palace Hotel | Lovely 4 star hotel with family suite, terrace and option to eat on site |
You can also find here >> additional family hotels in Rome city center you may like
Monti district – my favorite area to stay in Rome with kids!
Monti is the historic are close to the Colosseum and it is very much Rome city center, even if technically a different district than the one above.
It has a lot of the same charm and services than the area above but requires some slightly longer walks to some of the attractions, so many people tend to prefer the area mentioned above.
However, Monti is spectacular with kids!
As well as being pretty and typical, Monti is a real local neighbordood so you are not only surrounded by tourists here: you also have schools, parks, kids’ attractions and several nice parks with playground, one even with view over the Colosseum!
As well as this, the area is close enough to the station that you could walk there. This means it is perfect for day trips and may also avoid the whole issue of getting a transfer with car seat on arrival, which is possible but costly (standard taxis do not carry car seats, you can read about taxis in Rome here)
You’ll want transport to get to the Vatican from here but access to all the rest of the center is easy and the atmosphere wonderful. A great mix of locals and tourists, one of my favorite areas of all. Lovely park with Colosseum views here.
Tried and tested Family Accommodation in Rome centro storico
| Hotel, link | Quick description |
|---|---|
| Hilton Doubletree Monti | Fabulous 4 star hotel with interconnecting rooms, perfect also for families with older kids |
| Boutique Hotel Nerva | Lovely small hotel with family suites |
| Palm Suites | Luxury suites in a quiet and scenic location |
| FH 55 Grand Hotel Palatino | Great modern hotel with family rooms and onsite dinner options |
Find more of my hotel recommendations in Monti here
Other areas – Prati: best area to stay in Rome with kids near the Vatican
Close to the Vatican, the Prati neighborhood is more local than the center yet still near it, safe, walkable and upscale.
This is a good area if you want to get a taste of a more local Rome or if your main aim is easy access to the Vatican.
The area has a good mix of locals and tourists, some excellent shopping streets (Via Cola di Rienzo is excellent for high street shopping), it is a great foodie neighborhood and it is perfect if you want to the Vatican on your doorstep.
For kids, you have all the services you may wish for and a nice playground just outside Castel Sant’Angelo. A good family hotel in this area is Hotel dei Mellini
Find here my guide to Prati with hotels and restaurant recommendations
Other areas to stay in Rome with kids
If staying in the city center doesn’t appeal for budget or feel, there are many other areas that areas to stay in Rome with kids that are beautiful and safe.
To be honest, the whole of Rome is pretty much suitable and safe, the only reasons why some areas are better than others for visitors are proximity to the center and the presence of a park or playground!
Good areas I’d consider ahead of others to stay in Rome with kids, outside of the historic center:
- Trastevere – popular with tourists, this is a charming area just across the river Tiber from the center. Pros: vibrant area, charming, many food options, playground in piazza San Cosimato. Cons: overrun in parts, very noisy at night in parts. A good family hotel and well priced here is Hotel Santa Maria.
- Ludovisi (Borghese Gardens) – elegant, quiet area a little detached from the main attractions but quiet and well served. Pros: upscale feel, proximity to stunning Borghese Gardens (park with bikes, carouse, playgrounds, zoo…) Cons: less central, would require the occasional taxi / bus ride. Good hotels here: Hotel Parco dei Principi
- Spanish Steps – super central and beautiful, places you in the very heart of Rome tourist area. Pros: beautiful, well served, upscale. Cons: touristy, overrun, costly, if you’re not close to the Borghese Garden there is no greenery nor playgrounds for kids (its’ an upscale shops and sightseeing area, not a residential one anymore). Great hotel in the area: Hotel de Russie; Palazzo Ripetta
- Trevi – super central, places you in the very heart of Rome tourist area. Pros: beautiful, well served, upscale. Cons: touristy, overrun, costly, doesn’t have greenery or facilities for kids. Best for a short stay. Very close to this area but in a good location and not overrun is Hotel Cosmopolita
- Local neighborhoods – if you want to tap into local life in Rome, be in a less busy, greener and family oriented area, for instance for a longer stay, I recommend you look outside of the center. While this will require a little more moving by taxi or bus, local areas are wonderful in Rome and can be a wonderful escape from the crowds of the busiest areas. You can find here >>> my favorite local quiet neighborhoods in Rome.