A local’s selection of five fantastic quiet neighborhoods in Rome to escape the crowds. A list of non touristy areas in Rome you’ll love for a walk or as a base to explore Rome away from busy tourism spots (yet very well connected to top sites)
Rome’s city center has the highest concentration of landmarks and famous pizza and is, therefore, also the busiest part of Rome when it comes to the number of visitors.
It is a fantastic place to stay for beauty and convenience and usually the place I recommend as the best area to stay in Rome for first timers: being able to get out the door and have the Pantheon in front of is pretty special!
However, overcrowding and over tourism in Rome city centre are a problem lately and as we head into the bust Jubilee year, the desire to get away from the maddening crowds will only increase.
Today, I want to share with you fantastic areas of Rome to escape the worst of the crowds yet still experience a real, authentic Roman atmosphere.
These are areas you can visit for an afternoon, if you feel like having a stroll away from the tourists or you can use as your base to explore, the city.
At busy times, the tranquility of these neighborhoods will be a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of the city!
I am from Rome and have chosen these neighborhoods from those I myself love the most and find the most interesting for tourists.
I know them all personally and I live in one of them so, this guide is very much based on first hand experience!
Out of the many Rome neighborhoods, I have chosen these ones because they are quintessentially Roman, but also safe, beautiful and real
They offer a new perspective of Rome as a real city, and will show you that Rome is not just a collection of landmarks but a city with fabulous residential architecture, a variety of authentic dining options, and a wonderful family friendly vibe.
As a local, I find that exploring these districts is one of the most satisfying ways to truly enjoy Rome. I hope you love them!
This is my guide to 5 top quieter neighbourhoods in Rome to visit and stay!
Trieste Salario
I open this list of Rome non-touristy neighborhoods with my favoriteof all: Trieste/ Salario
This area is a green, leafy and quiet neighbourhood immediately outside Rome city centre, about a 20min bus ride from Piazza Venezia.
The area is upscale and residential, close to a couple of universities, and it is popular with intellectuals, lecturers, doctors, and their families who’ve elected it as their home for the last five / six decades.
The area is very well served with restaurants and shops, it has schools and it is close to a hospital.
Since all amenities are here, while it doesn’t feel like a small town (it is very Roman) it does have a slower pace and is very suited to people who may like a more local feel and the option not to go into the centre at all at least some of the days.
In terms of the atmosphere, think small buildings, front yards, people walking their dogs and many schools (primary and secondary)
The area has buses into the city centre and, depending on where you stay, has metro connections to Termini station.
In terms of things to see, the area has the unique Quartiere Coppede’ District, which is a treat for architecture lovers with its unique 1920s buildings and Villa Torlonia, which is a wonderful park perfect for kids but also history lovers (Mussolini lived here and his bunker is often open for visits).
You can find a complete guide to this area, with things to see, places to stay and restaurants here >>> my guide to Rome’s Trieste Salario neighborhood
Monteverde
Monteverde neighbourhood is just beside the famous Trastevere and is now all that Trastevere used to be before the crowds: a local, beautiful, authentic neighbourhood with tremendous Roman charm.
The area has older and newer parts: Monteverde Vecchio (Vecchio = Old) and Monteverde Nuovo (Nuovo = New), and sits on the same side of the Tiber as the Vatican, developing from Trastevere up to Janiculum Hill and Villa Doria Pamphili, one of the biggest and most beautiful parks in Rome.
Monteverde has all you can wish for: parks, shops, restaurants, views, and a local feel.
Here, you find beautiful and green Villa Doria Pamphili, one of the biggest and most beautiful parks in Rome, underrated stunning Villa Sciarra, the beautiful Fontana dell’Acqua Paola on Janiculum, one of the most famous fountains in Rome, and lovely commercial streets for local shopping.
Many families live here, and the atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming: gentle to the budget, it is an area becoming increasingly popular as it mixes traditional Rome vibes with the feel of a smaller centre, complete with the local market!
The feel between the older and newer part is different due to different architectural styles, smaller and more historic in the old part, taller buildings and more recent feel in the new part, but both are pleasant and family friendly.
The area is well known for its food and has some popular addresses such as La Gatta Mangiona on Via Federico Ozanam, 30-32, 00152 Roma RM, Italy (among the best pizza places in Rome), Da Cesare al Casaletto (delicious for traditional Rome food).
Garbatella
Garbatella is a unique area of Rome with a very distinct personality, appearance and history.
The area originally developed in the early XX century as the living quarters of workers hired to build a canal connecting Rome to Ostia and has architecture typical of that time: think small houses, front yards and common gardens for community living.
The area has changed over time to an extent and is now also a cool place for food, theater etc, yet it still maintains that ‘popular’ feel of laundry drying in the sun and cats sleeping on car tops and a somewhat alternative atmopshere.
Garbatella is a place Romans love as it embodies Rome as we remember it from the past (in a good sense!).
It is a fantastic place for a stroll and a great place to call home for a few days but I want expectations to be right here: this is old charming Rome so while you find absolutely all you may need, the atmosphere is not trendy yoga studios and overpriced fancy drinks.
This is more a ‘no fuss, good earthy food at normal prices’ type of area which embodies the most authentic roman style!
The things to see in the area are very much the area itself, so my recommendation is to take your time for a stroll and let your fancy guide you.
You can find here >>>> My guide to Garbatella
Aventino
An absolutely stunning, upscale and quiet neighbourhood in Rome, perfect for an afternoon away from the crowds or a tranquil base to visit Rome is the Aventino Hill.
Aventino is known to tourism because of the beautiful views over Rome from the Orange Garden and the ever-more-popular Aventine Keyhole, from where you catch unexpected and stunning sight of St Peter’s Dome.
Despite the popularity of this once hidden corner, the area is largely residential and this means that most of its streets see no tourism at all. The Aventine is an elegant, upscale area, with beautiful historic houses and a lot of greenery.
As well as residential building, you have private clinics and the Academy of Dance here, which I mention to help you picture the type of feel of this elegant district.
Aventino is above Circo Massimo and above Testaccio, where you find the biggest concentrations of shops and services to the area.
While Aventino itself has services, this is mostly a residential area so to get a large commercial street or many restaurants you’ll want to walk down to the bottom of the hill (not far, yet you need to have good mobility to use this area as a base or be ok taking taxis).
On the hill you find some stunning churches (Santa Sabina deserves a special mention it’s one of the most beautiful churches in Rome!), the beautiful Rome Rose Garden and the above mentioned Keyhole and Orange Garden terrace.
You can find here >>> my guide to the Aventino Neighborhood
Castro Pretorio/Universita’ (great for a budget stay)
The area of Castro Pretorio is a nice, studenty area with the University of Rome and all related services.
The area has a mixed population of families, students and visitors; it is well-served and safe and has the great advantage of being gentler to the budget than many others without you have to compromise on the atmosphere!
The main streets here has a lot of student-friendly eateries and cafes (think take out pizza, street food, cheap sandwiches), but you also have a park nearby like Villa Torlonia (this neighborhood is beside Trieste Salario mentioned above) , a lovely food market on Via Catania, and nice residential streets for a quiet stay.
This area ideal for young visitors, visitors on a budget or even families with older teens who may enjoy a glimpse into students’ life!
In terms of architecture, there is a mix of small, leafy streets around the area of Via Forli’ / Via Como etc and bigger streets such as Via Catania and Viale Ippocrate, where you find shops, buses etc.
This is a fantastic, safe area to stay and while it doesn’t have landmarks as such, it is pleasant for a local walk or for days when you don’t feel like getting on the bus / metro and head into the center.
Prati
Prati is a big, residential, well served neighborhood in Rome on the same side of the river as St Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican, only a short bus ride away from the historic center.
Prati is one of the newest Rome’s Rioni (Rome’s historic neighbourhoods) and it is a large area historically popular with lawyers and professionals, who have elected it as their home for there last several decades.
The area has beautiful architecture of tall palazzi with elaborate facades and, often, great inner yards ready to reveal themselves to the curious visitor in search of hidden gems.
As a district, it has a mix of wider streets with buses and tram and smaller, quieter ones.
The area is upscale in most parts and pleasant everywhere.
Depending on where in Prati you are, you can be very close to the Vatican, a location that comes with higher crowds, or in more local parts of the district such as around Piazza dei Quiriti, which are well served and more local in feel.
The area has homes, schools and offices, it is very well served and has many restaurants: the quality is very high so you can easily stay here and try a different one every night with confidence!
Prati is a great area for all types of travelers looking for a quiet area in Rome and it is family friendly.
You can find here >>> my guide to Prati neighborhood
San Giovanni
San Giovanni neighbourhood is a beautiful, large, very well-served area with all the amenities and connections you can wish for, only a short bus ride away (or even a walk!) from the Colosseum.
The area takes its name from the magnificent Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano, one of Rome’s four major basilicas, and it is a lively and historically rich neighborhood, with traditional Roman charm and yet modern, urban vibrancy.
The area has a mix of residential and commercial zones.
Via Appia Nuova, a major shopping street, is mostly made of tall buildings, some historic and some recent, but the district also has small, leafy, quiet residential streets with family atmosphere, front yards, etc (the area around via Gallia for instance has adorable sweets!)
The neighborhood has a dynamic atmosphere, a well established market on Via Sannio (clothing etc), and a variety of cafes, restaurants, gelato places etc.
The area has many families and professionals, schools, theatres, and shops, and tourism accommodation is usually very well-priced too, since the area is outside of the main tourist track. Connections to the centre proper are by bus and metro.
The area is a fantastic base to explore Rome and due to its shops and the stunning basilicas of San Giovanni and Santa Croce is also a great places to explore one afternoon.
I hope you enjoyed this list of quiet neighborhoods in Rome and it helped you plan your trip to Rome at best.
Quiet Rome neighborhoods you’ll love to escape the crowds and experience local feel -pin this!
