1. Keep in mind that this is an active church with daily Mass services. April 28, 2018 by Sky Trying to decide where to stay in Rome? The Colosseum was large enough for theatrical performances, festivals, circuses, or games, which the Imperial Court and high officials watched from the lowest level, aristocratic Roman families on the second, the populace on the third and fourth. If you are looking for a good artisan gelato in the city center, some of the best places are Otaleg (Via di S. Cosimato in Trastevere), Fiordiluna (Via della Lungaretta), Gunther Gelato Italiano (Piazza SantEustachio). However, you can access a prerecorded audio tour by downloading it to your smartphone from a QR code available on-site. Piazza Navona 8. Egyptians built it around 1300 B.C. This is one of the best areas where to stay in Rome for 3 days if you are visiting for sightseeing and exploring the city center. 13. Discover destinations, find outdoor adventures, follow the journeys of our travel writers around the world, and be inspired. The Pantheon was rebuilt after damage by fire in AD 80, and the resulting brickwork shows the extraordinarily high technical mastery of Roman builders. THE TOP 10 Rome Tickets & Passes (w/Prices) - Viator You'll be able to choose the best places to visit with this handy list of the top attractions in Rome. Past visitors also suggest allotting plenty of time to see the ruins and wearing weather-appropriate attire as there is little to no shade at the site. By Matt Hansen Updated on May 15, 2023 There aren't a whole lot of places in the world where you can walk by a column that was completed in 113 A.D on your way to a massive amphitheater that was built more than a millennium ago. For more information on tours and things to see in Vatican City, read these tips. 7. Craving gelato? If you've come hoping to catch a glimpse of the pope, you should consider attending the Wednesday General Audience, when he addressesthe crowd in St. Peter's Square with prayers and songs. But baroque art fans might want to brave the crowds for a look at Gian Lorenzo Bernini's Cornaro Chapel, which features the Ecstasy of St. Teresa statue. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. One of Rome's most majestic churches, Santa Maria Maggiore has stood here since the fourth-century Pope Liberius had a vision of the Virgin directing him to build a church where snow fell the following day. 1. Find out here what is the best area to stay in Rome for you and your family. From the Aventine Hills Orange Garden, close to Santa Sabina Basilica, you can also enjoy a great view of Romes city center and landmarks. In fact, three major roads intersect here: Via di Ripetta, Via del Corso and Via del Babuino. This is despite the fact that Pope Gregory III removed the gilded bronze roof tiles, and Pope Urban VIII ordered its bronze roof stripped and melted down to cast the canopy over the altar in St. Peter's and cannons for Castel Sant'Angelo. If you ask me, this is one of the best places to stay in Rome. Many visitors enjoy trekking to the top of the dome. Rome Attractions - Top 25 Sightseeing & Landmarks - RomeSite.com Plus, with an easy walk, you reach Via del Corso . Though many don't consider it a "must-see," especially for first-time visitors,reviewers did concede that a trek here offers a nice respite from the city's crowded tourist spots. Outside the Porta San Sebastiano, the Arch of Drusus is near the beginning of the Via Appia Antica, one of the oldest and most important of the Roman highways, built around 300 BC and extended to the port of Brindisi about 190 BC. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Recent visitors gushed about the Vatican Museums, but warned future visitors to reserve tickets online well in advance. Staying in Prati and Trionfale is for you if: Top hotels in Prati and Trionfale neighborhoods: Testaccio One of the best areas in Rome to mingle with locals, Ostiense Where to stay in Rome for modern history and street art, Castro Pretorio and Esquilino Rome neighborhoods near Termini train station, Map of Castro Pretorio and Esquilino neighborhoods. The Vatican Museums are so immense that guided tours are highly recommended, though they make the price of visiting pretty expensive, with some costing more than $200 per person. To do this, we will give you essential tools such as what to expect in each area, what are the best hotels, and also some options for local restaurants. The steps are especially alluring come spring when they're flanked by blooming azaleas. The RomeHello Hostel - If you're travelling solo or on a tight budget, this hostel is an excellent choice. You'll find one of Vatican City's most notorious attractions housed within these walls the Sistine Chapel (and Michelangelo's famous frescos). Things to Do in Rome In between bites of pasta and pizza, discover ancient architecture like the Colosseum, Pantheon, and Trevi Fountain get a local guide to show you all the hidden gems. Between charming hidden gems to discover, great eateries, and quiet alleys, I think this is a fantastic neighborhood of Rome to book your hotel. Built between 1885 and 1935, it is a monument to King Vittorio Emanuele II, the first king of the unified Italy, represented here in an equestrian statue. ), the tomb of Caecilia Metella, and many a Roman military march. Weekends are crowded, and if you have your own car, make sure you know you are bound to walk as finding parking nearby is pretty hard. Others say the staff can be rude. Where to stay in Rome: best areas and neighbourhoods - Telegraph There are also several lesser-known landmarks to visit if you are a fan of offbeat traveling. The fountain was created for Pope Clement XII between 1732 and 1751 by Nicol Salvi, and built against the rear wall of the palace of the Dukes of Poli. Rome's oldest mosaics, as old as the fourth century, decorate the upper walls, and the floor is inlaid with colored stone in the style of the expert 12th-century artisans of the Lake Como region. To eat, you will find something around the area but mainly in Testaccio, where you are going to find for sure a better selection of eateries of all types. You'll want to stay aware of both your surroundings and belongings, as you would in any large city. Whether it's your first or fifth time in the city, this guide will help you choose the best area to stay in Rome based on your plans and travel style. Inside St. Peter's Basilica is Michelangelo's masterpiece, Pieta, along with statuary and altars by Bernini and others. Even if you don't plan on eating or buying anything within the area, the architecture alone may be enough of a draw, as it was for some. With our guide, we hope to help you make a more informed decision about whats the best neighborhood in Rome for your stay. Its namesake museum contains busts of Roman emperors, statuesincluding a famous one of Marcus Aurelius and paintings by Caravaggio and Battista, among others. Spend some time just to absorb the neighborhood's atmosphere instead of going from one of its must-see sights to the next. Da Felice a Testaccio (Via Mastro Giorgio 29) is your best bet. Because St. Peter's Basilica is one of the area's major attractions, there is almost always a long queue though it tends to go fast. 8 Telegraph expert rating. If you know you are going to rent a car in Rome, this is the perfect area because its out of the ZTL (Limited Traffic Zone). These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Where to Stay in Centro Storico The Roman Forum comprises much of the Ancient Rome's most important structures, from shrines to government houses to monuments. The park is an English-style landscape garden, with walking paths and ponds where you can rent row boats. Including two of Romes most famous squares, Piazza Navona with its baroque charm and fountains, and Campo de Fiori, the piazza symbol of the florist profession as it was in the past. Travelers invariably have high praise for the fountain's artistry, saying that it is a must-see. A favorite among travelers to Rome, the Galleria Borghese is half-villa/half-museum, and it has some resplendent gardens, too. Recent travelers raved about the people-watching throughout the day; the fresh veggies and fruits at the market and the hopping bar scene at night. Offers include discount cards, group offers and the option to skip the waiting line at all the major attractions. This is the Centro Storico, the historic center of Rome, with so many art-filled churches, resplendent palaces, and lively squares that you could spend your whole vacation strolling its ancient streets and lanes. Between the Castro Pretorio and the Esquilino neighborhoods, you will be close to some of the most famous churches in Rome including Michelangelos Santa Maria degli Angeli and one of the four papal basilicas, Santa Maria Maggiore. These days, it stretches for 38.5 miles, though several monuments and historic sites are centered around an approximately 2-mile stretch along Parco dell'Appia Antica. Staying in the Trieste/Nomentanto neighborhood is for you if: Staying in the Trieste/Nomentanto neighborhood is NOT for you if: Top hotels in the Trieste/Nomentano neighborhood of Rome, What to see and do in the Trieste/Nomentano neighborhood, Where to eat in the Trieste/Nomentano neighborhood of Rome. A tour of the Vatican Museums grants access to various sections of the palaces, the Sistine Chapel included. A Local's Guide to the 8 Best Areas To Stay in Rome - Travel Passionate One of Rome's oldest churches and with the city's most beautifully decorated apse, covered in mosaics of Old and New Testament scenes, San Clemente has a further fascination: the multiple layers of its history as each era built upon the last. This means that for any purchase you make through one of my links, I receive a small percentage which however does not affect the final price for the customer. Although Borromini designed the square and its surrounding facades, it was his archrival, Bernini, who created its centerpiece, the beautiful Baroque fountain, Fontana dei Fiumi. While the surroundings of Stazione Termini were once considered unsafe, especially at night, now its really not the case. It's free to attend, but tickets are required; you should request them well in advance of your visit. Trastevere Prati and Vatican City Where to Stay in ROME for 2021! I am an Italian journalist, photographer, and blogger. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Many restaurants in this Rome neighborhood have probably tourist quality, but its not uncommon to find pretty good ones. Staying in Romes city center is for you if: Top hotels in the city center for every budget: Where to eat: Restaurants Romes Centro Storico, The Spanish Steps The best location to stay in Rome near famous attractions. Animals, plants and other iconography help to further differentiate the four nudes. The 8 Best Areas in Rome for Tourists. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Rome: Where to Stay for the First-Time Visitor - Tripadvisor So, what are the best places to visit in Rome? The Best Place to Stay in Rome - Monti. Take a look at a Rome tourist map, and you'll see one area so filled with things to do that it's hard to read the street names. Here, visitors can tread the same stairs that writers and artists have climbed for centuries. But don't overlook the treasures housed within the museums themselves, including the spiral staircase and the Raphael Rooms. MAXXI. The collections you can see in these cover everything from papal coaches to 20th-century art reflecting religious themes. 5. Spanish Steps: one of Rome's smartest district. Is it your first time in Rome? While it is not possible to walk to everything in Rome, many sights (as well as bars, restaurants, and shopping) are concentrated within Rome's historic center, and you can see many sights without needing to resort to transportation. Staying near Villa Borghese is for you if: Where to eat near Villa Borghese and Parioli areas, Nomentano/Trieste elegant neighborhood in Rome. Adding to that, much of this area is ZTL so watch out the signs varco/ZTL attivo or non attivo. Click here to check their availability Not quite what you're looking for? Things to do Hotels Dining When to visit Getting around Map & Neighborhoods Photos 20 Best Things To Do in Rome Updated April 4, 2023 Take time to enjoy la dolce vita - even a week isn't long. Across the piazza, in the church of the Scala Santa, is the Holy Staircase, 28 steps believed to have been brought to Rome in the fourth century by St. Helen, from Pilate's palace in Jerusalem. This site earns mixed reviews from travelers: Many say it's a must-see, especially for first-time visitors, while others reported feeling underwhelmed. Colosseum The number 1 attraction of Rome is the Colosseum; the large amphitheatre that housed 65,000 spectators in Roman days. Great restaurants, nice pubs and bistros, enticing shopping streets, and close to major tourist landmarks yet, it conveys a more residential type of vibe. Where to Stay in Rome - The Neighborhood Guide. According to lore, the wolf nursed the half-wolf, half-god founders of the city, twins Romulus and Remus. Best area to stay in Rome - make an informed choice of Rome hotel With some great hotels, this is probably the best location to stay in Rome if you want to be in the heart of tourist life. Elegant and residential-style, its made of large streets such as Via Nomentana and Viale Regina Margherita, as well as more narrow alleys like Via Nizza or Via Mantova. The church is free to enter, but there is a fee to go down to the lower levels, which people say is worth the cost. At night, I would avoid also the area around Stazione Termini, especially all along Via Giolitti. Make sure you hold onto your ticket throughout your entire visit according to past travelers, you'll be asked to present your ticket if you need to use the on-site restrooms. Archaeology buffs might find the Basilica di San Clemente interesting as it's a veritable nesting doll of churches. Sant'Agnese provided a model for Baroque and Rococo churches in Italy and elsewhere. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Its 43-meter dome, the supreme achievement of Roman interior architecture, hangs suspended without visible supports these are well hidden inside the walls and its nine-meter central opening is the building's only light source. They are far from the city so of little interest to tourists and probably at night they are not safe to go around. With a circumference of 573 yards and sitting on marshland, experts say the Colosseum is an engineering wonder not to mention an animaland human rights atrocity. It was still used for festivals and horse races during the Middle Ages, and was rebuilt in the Baroque style by Borromini, who also designed the magnificent series of palaces and the church of Sant'Agnese, on its west side. While for a vegan organic buffet lunch, 100% Bio (Piazza di Porta S. Paolo 6a) is excellent and so is Brivido (Via Giovanni Battista Bodoni 62) for fantastic artisan gelato. Top Attractions Top 10 Sights in Rome The Colosseum, Fontana di Trevi, Sistine Chapel, CatacombsEnjoy an unforgettable trip to Rome by visiting these 10 essential visits. Music festivals, parades, marches and more commemorate Juneteenth across America. The most prominent of these is the first-century tomb of Caecilia Metella and her husband. Find here all the info you are looking for about Italy's capital, the Eternal City! 25 Best Hotels in Rome | U.S. News Travel Inside this church nearPiazza Navona are three of the baroque artist's works, including the "The Calling of St. Matthew" (one of his most famous paintings), "Saint Matthew and the Angel" and "The Martyrdom of Saint Matthew.". Moving further north of Rome in areas like Flaminio, Monte Mario, and Ottavia you will certainly be surrounded by fewer landmarks to visit but also the traffic is less mental. If the octagonal baptistery, San Giovanni in Fonte, looks a bit familiar, it's because it provided the model for later ones throughout Europe. Whatever the area, you never know whos passing by at a certain moment in time, so always make sure your bag, purse, or backpack is tightly closed, especially if you are on a bus or on the metro. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". On the other hand, for your sweet tooth, there are quite a few delicious options. Rome's best attractions are its ancient and historic sites including: In fact, Rome is home to some of the best tourist attractions in the world. What's more, it's open daily for free. At the latter, you'll want to admire the central obelisk (originally from Egypt) and pop into the surrounding churches to admire their art. Once at the top, visitors will be able to spot some of Rome's most famous buildings, includingSt. Peter's Basilicaand the Altare della Patria. For a gelato, you can stop at La Romana (Via Ostiense 48) and for a great maritozzo for breakfast, you can try Andreotti (Via Ostiense 54). Copyright 2023 PlanetWare Inc. All rights reserved. Visitors who weren't impressed said they were nothing more than just steps, and that the aggressive local vendors detracted from the experience. Many agreed that visitors should come prepared with good walking shoes and water.