Italy, Rome: where to sleep

Is your next trip in Rome and you don’t know where to sleep yet?

With no doubt, the fantastic capital city of Italy may appear vast, chaotic and dispersed if you do not have any ideas about where you want to stay.

The neighbourhoods where to look for accommodation are a lot, and say what’s the best is not that easy. It depends on several factors, such as the budget available, the means of transport by which you arrive, the local transports that link to the city centre and also personal preferences.

Personally, when we can’t afford to sleep in the city centre next to the main attractions, we always look for a cheap accommodation not far from the centre and above all well connected by local transports with it.

The best neighbourhoods where to sleep

1) Termini

Termini is the neighbourhood next to the main Railway Station Roma Termini. Here you’ll find a good range of accommodations offering affordable prices.

This area is ideal if you need to take a train early in the morning or arrive late at night. Along Via Marsala (in front of Best Western Hotel) there is the alighting point of Ciampino Airport and Fiumicino airport buses.

The area is relatively quiet, but as in all the big city, avoid going into the secondary streets late at night. Termini is well connected to the centre and the other part of Rome.

In front of the railway station, on Piazza dei Cinquecento, you’ll find the alighting point of several local buses, and you can quickly move around. The metro stations are 3: Termini (A and B lines), Repubblica (A-line) and Castro Pretorio (B-line).

2) Center of Rome

As you can get, this is the best place where to sleep. The centre of Rome is unique and suggestive, the most famous attractions are here, and it’s the most touristic and expensive part of the city.

Walking through this vibrant neighbourhood, you’ll find Navona square, the Pantheon, Spain square and the Spanish Steps, Piazza del Popolo, Via del Corso, the fancy Via Condotti, Venezia square and the Trevi fountain.

If you decide to sleep here, you don’t need to use the means of transport. The metro station is Spagna (A line). Around Venezia square, you’ll find the bus stops of several bus routes like St. Peter square, Trastevere, Colosseum or Termini.

3) Trastevere

Trastevere is our favourite district, one of the fascinating areas of Rome and soul of the Roman nightlife, characterised by narrow cobbled streets, old medieval houses, interesting churches and many cafes and good restaurants.

Since Trastevere is very frequented by tourists and Romans especially in the evening and by youth and students at night if you don’t like too much noise try to avoid accommodations that overlook Vicolo de Cinque, Vicolo del Bologna, Via Della Lungaretta.

It has no nearby Metro station, but being central it allows you to get around all the areas and monuments of significant interest by walk. Alternatively, you can catch the Tram next to Garibaldi Bridge (Tram line nr 8 from Gioachino Belli stop to Venezia square stop) or by bus (Bus stop Gioachino Belli – bus nr. 780 to Venezia square or bus nr. H to Venezia square / Termini railway station). Click here to discover the most interesting spots of Trastevere. 

4) Prati / Vatican City

Prati district is very close to Saint Peter square, Vatican Museums and Castel Sant’Angelo. It is perfect if you are looking for a place to stay in Rome that allows you to walk to the Vatican.

At the same time, Prati is well connected by catching the metro (A line – Ottaviano and Lepanto stop) or by bus to the rest of the city. You can quickly get to the city centre by walk as well. Prati is also a touristic and elegant district full of restaurants, cafes and shops.

5) Celio-Colosseo

The Celio district includes the Colosseum area, the Roman Forum, the Circus Maximus and the Palatine Hill. In this district, you’ll be surrounded by ancient ruins, and at the same time, you’ll be well connected to the nearby centre of Rome.

Anyway, you can get to Venezia square and Via del Corso in 15 minutes walk. The metro station is Colosseum (only 2 stops from Termini railway station – B line) and you can also catch the bus (nr. 51, 81 85, 87 towards Venezia square).

6) Monti

Monti district is a mix of ancient and modern, it stretches between the Colosseum and the Imperial Forums/Venezia square. It boats pedestrian streets, shops and many local restaurants (trattorie), cafes and a vibrant nightlife.

The metro station is Cavour (only 1 stop from Termini railway station and 1 stop from Colosseum – B line). You can quickly get to Venezia square and via del Corso by walk in 15 minutes, Colosseum/ Imperial Forum in 10 minutes walk, alternatively catch the bus (nr. 85 – 87).

Need to Know about Rome