If you’re pondering over the best areas to stay in Rome first time, let a local guide you.
Choosing the right area in such a chaotic city is essential for the success of your trip. It’s not just about a location that’s close to attractions, but about a neighborhood that offer you glimpses of authentic local life.
Balancing these two most important factors, I present to you 5 areas that are also delightful to live in, not just where to stop for a few days.
Monti offers an unbeaten path just a stone’s throw from the Colosseum. Parione serves as the picturesque heart of Rome, where art is just part of daily life.
For shopping and the city’s finest gelato, Prati’s your spot. Families will adore Pinciano for its lush Villa Borghese, a peaceful haven for both kids and adults. And for that authentic Roman culinary adventure? Not the over-touristic Trastevere please.
Read on to knwo the answer, here’s a straightforward guide from someone who’s lived it.
Best areas to stay in Rome for first time travelers
1. Monti
Monti is my top choice for staying in Rome’s historic center. A mere five-minute walk from the Colosseum, yet its throngs feel worlds away. Somehow, Monti remains delightfully off the beaten path—a marvel I’ve yet to understand given its enchanting architecture. Ivy-clad facades of Renaissance and neoclassical buildings, cobblestoned streets, and hidden staircases leading to secret alleys define this quarter.
It’s home to a vibrant community of local intellectuals and expats alike, all united by their love for Rome. Staying here might not come cheap, but with some digging and early booking, finding a reasonably priced room or apartment is possible.
The Monti neighborhood features delicious cuisine, from pizza by the slice to Fatamorgana’s gelato, and Zia Rosetta’s stuffed bread.
Come evening, the neighborhood buzzes—a gentle hum rather than a roar—with spots like Charity Jazz Café for jam sessions and Black Market’s retro vibe. For an authentic local experience, head to Piazza della Madonna dei Monti at aperitivo time by the octagonal fountain; it’s the perfect spot for Colosseum views and contemporary Roman life.
And for mornings craving both sweet and savory, Bar La Licata is my go-to, offering options for vegetarians and vegans alike. Monti, with its blend of history, community, and cuisine, captures the essence of contemporary Roman life while keeping the city’s past alive.
2. Parione
If Rome were a house and its districts its rooms, Piazza Navona would undoubtedly be the living room. For someone like me, born and raised in Rome, perhaps in an outlying district, ‘going downtown to see the city’s beauties’ means heading to the Parione neighborhood for a stroll. Here is Piazza Navona, arguably the most beautiful square in the world. Masters such as Bernini and Borromini, commissioned by the papacy, redesigned and renovated the entire neighborhood, including this square, in the Baroque era of the 17th century.
If you love being surrounded by as much artistic beauty as history, then seek accommodation near Piazza Navona. Its unique shape, the Baroque church, and fountains adorned with travertine marble sculptural groups cast an atmosphere of wonder on anyone who sees it, compelling you to linger and admire for hours. And then there’s Campo dei Fiori, the food market that Anita Eckberg, star of La Dolce Vita, favored. Piazza del Fico and its surrounding streets fill with sophisticated spots to spend the evening, but for a more local activity, enjoy an aperitif at Cul de Sac wine bar.
Moreover, countless shops will beckon you inside; Via dei Giubbonari St. stands as one of Rome’s shopping thoroughfares. In the small square of Largo dei Librari, the street food institution Dar Filettaro a Santa Barbara offers its renowned traditional fried cod fillet, served with sautéed vegetables and a glass of white wine—an experience that embodies the authentic Roman way of life.
3. Prati
The Prati neighborhood is just outside the historic center, beyond the River Tiber, yet it remains a hotspot for many travelers because it offers access to Vatican City.
Naturally, if the Vatican Museums with their treasures and St. Peter’s Square, where the Pope makes his appearance, are on your Rome bucket list, staying here means you can reach them with a short walk.
I, on the other hand, head to Prati during the sales seasons to browse through the numerous clothing and shoe stores on Via Cola di Rienzo and Via Ottaviano, among the city’s most famous shopping streets.
Prati is a populous and bustling neighborhood. Its buildings and urban design date back to the 19th century when the king wanted to transform Rome into a major European city with grand boulevards.
It’s different from all other districts in Rome, and that’s a plus in its favor. But the palate has its demands too, so know that Prati is home to my two favorite gelato shops in the city: Neve di Latte and La Romana.
If you intend to indulge in outstanding gelato every day you’re in Rome and wish to do so where the locals go, then Prati is the best area to stay in Rome for the first time and where to enjoy the best gelato.
From Prati, you can easily move towards the historic center either on foot or by subway. Prati also stands out for its cafes, breweries, and coworking spaces.
4. Pinciano
The Pinciano neighborhood is our most frequented district in Rome since the birth of our daughter. I bet it’s new to you, but surely you’re familiar with the Borghese Gardens, Rome’s most famous and undoubtedly most beautiful public park in the historic center.
This park spans a significant portion of the neighborhood and becomes the destination of choice for families with children. Playgrounds, green spaces with monumental trees and biodiversity, a play library, a small lake for rowing boats, a cinema for kids, and the Borghese Gallery with its Italian sculpture masterpieces fill the park, among other attractions too numerous to list here. Villa Borghese sits next to the Aurelian Walls that mark the true historic center: cross the street, and you find yourself in Piazza del Popolo, the entrance to all the major historic-archaeological attractions of Rome.
For its park alone, offering numerous leisure (and relief) opportunities, I recommend this neighborhood to anyone traveling with young or older kids.
The Pinciano district is home to dozens of 20th-century villas, some hosting embassies and others beautiful hotels. Here, you’ll also discover Explora, Rome’s top museum for children, alongside the National Gallery of Modern Art and the National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia, which I always enjoy visiting.
In summary, this area, being off the beaten tourist path—a point in its favor—is the best for those traveling with little ones, but I also recommend it to everyone else.
5. Testaccio
And now it’s time for me to talk about the lesser-known (to travelers) best area to stay in Rome for the first time: the Testaccio district. Romans like me have always known about it. Like the nearby Trastevere but less expensive, it’s famous for food and nightlife, boasting small bars and clubs. Here, you mainly find locals like me. You’ll especially find me here in the morning, taking a walk through the streets with public housing to snap some street photos and eat delicious street food at the Testaccio Market.
I can’t say it enough: if you’re a foodie, you can’t miss this recently renovated covered market with a modern structure. There are stalls of fresh food as well as those where you find all the local street food and hot dishes, pasta, pizza. And under your feet, separated by glass, is a much older construction level, from Roman times.
At the center of the neighborhood, there’s a 50-meter high mound created from the accumulation of shards from Roman ship amphorae, which docked and unloaded on the nearby Tiber River. Interesting and bizarre, right? That mound is still here. Testaccio also has one of the most famous Roman trattorias, “Da Flavio al Velavevodetto”, where you can taste authentic Roman pasta without being surrounded by tourists.
Testaccio is a popular district but at the same time one of the most coveted in Rome: many would love to live here! The atmosphere is youthful because there is a branch of the Roma Tre University. With just a half-hour walk, you arrive in the historic center. And in the evening, you won’t get bored with all the small venues animating Via di Monte Testaccio St.
Wrap-up
To conclude, I would like to emphasize again how important it is to choose an area to stay in Rome where you will feel comfortable. This is not always possible in the historic center, which is quite crowded and geared towards tourists, offering few outlets for authenticity and everyday Roman life.
In this article, I have described 5 neighborhoods close to the historic center of Rome where you will feel part of something, neighborhoods to explore on their own in search of monuments you won’t hear about in guides, street food, small shops, and cafes.
If you are still undecided about where to set up your base in the Eternal City, know that I have created a quiz that will help you find the Rome neighborhood that best suits your personality, it will help you shake off some of the stress that this decision entails.