What is the best place to stay in Rome? In this guide, we look at the most convenient neighborhoods in Rome to stay as a visitor and will help you choose based on expectations, tastes and needs.
Picking the best place to stay in Rome is not easy.
With accommodation at a premium and a choice of hotels and apartments in the thousands, you can easily lose yourself in the search and pick a place that does not meet your requirements.
While the best area to stay in Rome will depend largely on taste, budget and needs, there is no doubt that some Rome neighborhoods are better than others for visitors.
Top tip! if you are planning a first trip to Rome, also read here >> my travel guide to Rome for first timers
I was born and bred in Rome and regularly help visitors find the best place to stay in Rome, so they can have a wonderful stay.
I do this, using my personal experience of the city and of hotels. I often stay in these myself (I love to give first hand recommendations!) and I update this list regularly, so you can be sure information if up to dates.
I have selected hotels that are:
>>> In the best Rome locations for sightseeing, so you can visit all Rome’s top monuments easily
>>> In the best areas for beauty, so you can enjoy Rome as the open air museum it is
>>> Safe, of course
>>> Well served, so you have restaurants, shops and tours on your doorstep
>>> At various budget point, always staying within a high level of cleanliness, professionally of staff, facilities and overall pleasantness of the stay.
As well as the most convenient areas in Rome for sightseeing, I have included the best areas to stay in Rome for families and for those who may come to the city with a specific need, may it be catching an easy train or see a specific attraction.
I hope you enjoy my selection of the best districts in Rome for hotels and apartments for visitors and helps you pick the best place to stay in Rome for your needs!
Need to know! 2025 is Jubilee Year which means Rome will see an even higher number of visitors. At this time, if you want to avoid crowds I suggest you stay away from the city Center and opt for areas such as Aventino or Trieste instead (see below)
Please note: this post contains affiliate links and, should you make a purchase through them, we might make a small commission.
The best place to stay in Rome for visitors TL;DR
The best area to stay in Rome for visitors in general is the so called Historic Center.
This area is the part of the city with all the Rome top attractions and what visitors think of when they think of ‘Rome’, the part that feels like an open air museum.
This area of Rome lies between the Colosseum on one side and the Vatican on the other.
You can cross side to side in 45 min to 1 hour of foot and can be subdivided into additional districts (see below).
While each district within the centro storico is a little different form the other, all work great so, location-wise, you can pick your favorite hotel here with peace of mind.
My tops choice hotels in the Historic center of Rome are:
Hotel Smeraldo 3 star hotel – Fantastic hotel close to Campo de’ Fiori, Piazza Navona and the Pantheon, offering rooms and suites. Some rooms are accessible to visitors with special mobility needs.
Perfect for all types of travelers including families, the hotel has a generous breakfast and offers great value for money in such a sough after location.
Martis Palace – Excellent 4 star hotel just beside Piazza Navona, with well appointed rooms, pleasant lobby area and beautiful rooftop terrace. The hotel has family rooms and accessible rooms, top floor are served by an elevator.
Palazzo Navona, 4 star hotel – Palazzo Navona is an excellent hotel just beside famous Piazza Navona and the Senate. The hotel has a modern yet cozy feel, 24h front desk and offers a generous breakfast. Family rooms available.
Hotel Lunetta, 4 star hotel – just beside campo de’ Fiori, city, elegant and well appointed hotel with spa. Family rooms available
Hotel Kolbe – 4 star hotel close to the Forum and the Colosseum, with pretty outdoor garden and restaurant on site. The hotel has family rooms.
Keep reading to get my tips for alternative areas in Rome I recommend to first time visitors!
The best areas to stay in Rome chart
| Name of Rome neighborhood | Best area in Rome for | Vibe | Crowds |
| Historic Center Pantheon/Navona/Campo de’ Fiori TOP PICK | ALL Sightseeing, couples, families, foodies | Cobbled streets, some of Rome’s most scenic piazzas, elegant and grand architecture mixed with charming smaller alleys. Busy feel. | High |
| Spagna / Trevi (city center) | High end. Sightseeing, shopping, romance | Glamorous roads and designer shops, beautiful hotels, upscale feel | High |
| Monti (city center/Colossseum) TOP PICK | Sightseeing, couples, families | Cobbled streets, hipster feel, churches, many restaurants, proximity to the Colosseum | Medium, depending on exact location |
| Celio (Colosseum) | Sightseeing, easy transport, families | Scenic, many restaurants, well located, some pretty streets but also some high traffic ones | High |
| Termini/ Esquilino | Budget travelers, transport | Busy, multicultural area, perfect for easy access to the train station and public transport | Medium, depending on exact location |
| Trastevere | Foodies, couples | Cobbled streets, many restaurants, romantic corners, this is also where you find the American University of Rome | Medium/ High, depending on exact location |
| Trieste | Families, Business travelers | Green, residential area immediately outside of the center, well connected by bus | Low |
| Prati | Families, Business travelers | Beautiful, residential area close to the Vatican and the city center | Low/Medium |
| Aventino | Couples | Romantic residential area of Rome perfect for sunset views | Low |
| Parioli | Families, business travellers | Elegant neighborhood immediately outside of the center | Low |
The best area to stay in Rome for sightseeing: Historic Center – Pantheon, Navona, Campo de’ Fiori
Within Rome’s historic centre, you find different districts, sometimes identified by the presence of the closest landmarks, sometimes by the Ancient Rome neighborhood making system of Rioni.
In practice, you can consider Navona / Pantheon / Campo de’ Fiori as all the same area.
Perfect for:
- Sightseeing, Rome main attractions are nearby
- Feel: a mix of charming cobbled streets and ‘grand’ Rome piazzas, busy with tourism yet still very Roman
- Perfect for Discovering Rome on foot
- Easy access to restaurants and shops
This is the center of historical Rome and a room here guaranteed easy access to Rome’s famous cobbled streets, walking access to some of the main attractions and plenty of atmosphere.
This is the best place to stay for sightseeing, charm, convenience, evening drinks (some of the best rooftop bars in Rome are here) , culture lovers – basically, if budget allows, this is very much Rome as you dream of!
However, staying right in the heart of Rome has its disadvantages: one is that this area can be pricey, which is to be expected in such a wonderful location.
Also, it is not very green, which can be a problem if you are traveling with kids or hoping to go for a morning run while working here or on vacation.
Finally, this area that it tends to be crowded, making some of the rooms potentially noisy.
Top tip! Pick a hotel with double glazed windows and ask for a room on a high floor to be sheltered from noise.
If you are coming to Rome and you are looking for easy, lazy people-watching in amazing surroundings and with good food, this is the place to be.
If you have a preference about proximity to one landmark over the other,
You can find all my tops picks of the best Rome hotels near the Pantheon here.
You can find my selection of the best hotels near Piazza Navona here.
The best place to stay in Rome near the Colosseum: Monti
Monti is an old part of town nestled between Termini station and the Roman Forum.
It is a very charming, Roman, exceptionally served area and the best place to stay if you want to be close to all main attractions but want a taste of local Rome, very much alive and well here!
Perfect for:
- Cobbled streets
- Access to wine bars/ restaurants
- Sightseeing
- Hip atmospheres
This was historically a run-down area but over the last few decades, it has grown to be a hugely atmospheric and welcoming part of town, with stellar location, great restaurants and amazing hotels.
When you look at photos of Monti, you may be out off by the presence of graffiti, which make is look rougher than it is, but don’t let them deter you!
Monti is safe, charming and great for all types of travelers including families (there is a lovely small park with Colosseum view).
While the feel is less upscale than the area of Navona or Spagna, this is an excellent location for sightseeing and experience Rome and a personal favorite of mine.
I recommend it especially to visitors looking for a romantic place to stay in Rome and for lovers of vintage shopping too: this one of the best places in Rome for shopping away from the high street.
You can find our full guide to the Monti neighborhood here. Bonus! This area is also the best for visiting the Colosseum.
Where to stay in Rome near the Colosseum: top areas
Perfect for:
If a visit to the Colosseum is at the heart of your Rome itinerary, then what can be best than being just beside it? Several neighborhoods match this need: Monti, Celio being the top two. They offer:
- Easy access to the Colosseum, of course
- Good connections to the rest of the city
- Sightseeing options (Domus Aurea, short walk to the city center etc)
Also one of our top picks for families! Find here >>> our complete guide for visiting Rome with kids!
Each these nightborhoods has a slightly different feel.
Monti, mentioned above is often the most appealing to tourism as it mixes local charm, cobbled streets and sightseeing opportunties.
Celio is on the other side of the Colosseum and more local and low key in style, yet maintaining a very appealing feel.
You can find our full guide to the best hotels near the Colosseum here.
The best place to stay in Rome for glamour: Spagna and Trevi
Perfect for:
- Luxury stays
- Shopping opportunities
- Sightseeing
If you are looking for all-out glamour, including designer shops and stunning Roman palazzi, Spagna and Trevi are the areas for you.
Accommodation here comes at a premium and if you can afford 5 star accommodation, you won’t be disappointed.
This area is great for sightseeing opportunities and has plenty of restaurants and shops.
In this neighborhood, you have Via Condotti, the elegant, designer shop hub in Rome city center, and Via Margutta, famous for its stunning art galleries.
The whole area has a cosmopolitan feel thanks to the many international tourists who elect it as their base.
This is the best place to stay in Rome if you want an expensive romantic night complete with terraces overlooking Trinita’ de Monti
For a 5 star stay, check out the Portrait, in a fantastic location and with outstanding views for the room terraces.
Near Trevi, consider the beautiful Palazzo Scanderbeg (perfect for couples and families alike)
You can find my travel guide to the Trevi District here.
The best area to stay in Rome for connections: Termini
The area around Stazione Termini gets mixed reviews because it is itself quite mixed.
Beside very elegant hotels (there is quite a selection of 5-star hotels here), you have the small and charming streets of the Monti and also some more budget accommodation options, with a city atmosphere that range from grand to hipster to busy.
The main reason to stay in this area is the convenience of the many trains departing from here and the shuttle to Fiumicino airport, although the presence of the metro and buses means it can be a good budget option to visit the city center too.
A good hotel just beside the station is the NH Hotel Palazzo Cinquecento, luxurious and hugely convenient, but several others are in the area, to suit all budgets.
You can find our selection of recommended hotels near Termini here.
The best area in Rome for nights out: Trastevere
Trastevere is the area of Rome ‘over the Tiber’ so on the other side of the River Tevere, from the city center.
It is a lovely area on many accounts.
Here you have charming small streets with cobbles and meandering alleys (it is a favorite of Directors, many movies set in Rome are filmed here) and for the longest time it also maintained a local charm that, in the past, made tourists think of it as the ‘real Rome’
Nowadays, Trastevere is so well known it is not a hidden gem anymore however and can get very crowded. However, it is still a lovely place to be especially on a summer night and is one of the best places to stay in Rome if you want to go out for drinks and casual food (it is very populate with college students)
Find my recommended itinerary to discover Trastevere here.
Blessed with small streets perfect for a stroll, Trastevere has many restaurants, wine bars and cafes and it is the place of choice especially for younger people to go for a lazy drink and a chat in its stunning squares.
This is a nice place to be if you want to make the most of Rome at night.
Close to Piazza Trilussa, you run the risk of a noisy night however, if you move a little more towards the heart of the neighborhood, you can have a lovely stay here!
You can find here >> our recommended hotels in Rome Trastevere
The best area in Rome for romance: Aventino
The whole of Rome City center is perfect for Romance however, Aventino takes the cake!
One of the historic seven hills of Rome, Aventino now hosts a lovely residential area with quiet, beautiful and elegant streets and some of the best sunset spots in Rome.
Find here >>> my complete guide to the Aventine Hill, Rome
The best area to stay in Rome for residential atmosphere: Trieste neighborhood
If you have been to Rome already and want to get away from the busy city center and enjoy a residential and gorgeous part of town, I recommend the area around Villa Torlonia, on via Nomentana.
This area is just outside the historical center, which you reach with a 15 min bus ride on a direct line, and it is a gem. Parks, restaurants, local schools and a lovely family feeling, plus some beautiful architecture in the nearby Quartiere Coppede.
This is an area popular with academics and intellectuals and has a distinctive radical chic feel to it.
If this sounds appealing, check out the lovely Hotel Villa Pirandello, a small oasis of peace in this green corner of Rome
You can find here >>> my guide to Trieste-Salario neighbourhood.
The best area of Rome to stay for access to the Vatican: Prati
A nice residential area, well equipped with shops, restaurants and a stone throw from the Vatican is the residential area of Prati.
This is an elegant, beautiful area with large palazzi: to give you an idea of its feel, this is traditionally the area where lawyers live since it is close to the courts and Rome ‘palazzo di giustizia’.
This characteristic means Prati sees a nice mix of business activity during the weekend a lazier, family life pace at weekends.
This is a lovely area to stay if you want a local, residential feel and want east access to the Vatican (it is a large area so check the location of hotels if access to St Peter is important to you).
This area is well connected with the rest of the city by bus and metro.
Lovely hotels in this area are Hotel dei Mellini, Le Meridien Visconti
You can find here >>> my guide to Prati neighborhood.
The best area for luxury away from it all: Parioli
Luxury comes in many shapes and sizes and sometimes takes the form of gorgeous hotels in an upscale residential area where a permanent tan gained on a winter sun holiday is almost a prerequisite for social interactions.
The Parioli area, a synonym of aristocracy and luxury, is not everyone’s cup of tea but is beautiful and very well located: distant enough from the city center to be quiet and green but close enough to still give you access to all the main sites.
This is the best place to stay in Rome for an elegant and residential feel.
If you are staying here, opt for the beautiful Aldrovandi Palace which comes with the added bonus of a pool and stunning Villa Borghese just in front. This is the best place to stay in Rome to visit the Borghese Gallery.
I hope you found this quick overview of Rome’s neighborhoods and the best places to stay in Rome useful. If you are traveling with kids, also check out our guide to family hotels in Rome here
I hope you found this overview of the best area to stay in Rome useful and it helped you pick the one that is best for you!
This article was originally written in 2019 and has now been fully updated with links to in depth guides to each of the areas mentioned and current hotel recommendations. (September 2024)
The best place to stay in Rome: where to stay in Rome guide – pin this!
