What to do in Monti, Rome's No. 1 Neighborhood (By a Local)

Monti is one of the best neighborhoods for nightlife in Rome. So I recommend visiting it in the late afternoon or evening to end your day of sightseeing nicely.

1. Stroll around Piazza della Madonna dei Monti

Piazza della Madonna dei Monti in Rome, Italy, on a late September afternoo. The piazza is alive with people sitting on the steps of the central fountain. — Piazza della Madonna dei Monti

If you want to experience Monti the way a local would, this is the place to be at the aperitivo time (6:30 to 8:30 PM.)

Each day, at that time, everyone gathers at the cafes on the sides of the piazza and on the steps of the fountain Fontana dei Catecumeni.

Locals chat, have a drink, socialize, and discuss where they will eat dinner.

Piazza della Madonna dei Monti is located along Via dei Serpenti St.

The piazza is named after the Church of Santa Maria dei Monti, whose left side borders the piazza. Access to the church is on Via della Madonna dei Monti.

The style of the church reflects the transition from Renaissance to Baroque architecture. It was designed by architect Giacomo della Porta, who built it in 1580.

Pope Gregory 13th commissioned it to give a worthy destination to an icon of the Virgin who had performed miracles, such as giving sight to a blind girl.

The miraculous image is located in the apse.

Another element by the same architect is the octagonal fountain on whose steps locals gather in the evening – Fontana dei Catecumeni.

TIP: Near the piazza is the café with one of the best breakfasts in Rome: Bar La Licata. Run by women, you can enjoy a sweet and savory breakfast or brunch here.

2. Shop vintage and beyond

The window of the Pifebo shop in Via dei Serpenti St. in Rome, Italy, display colorful vintage clothes. — Vintage clothing shop, Monti

The Monti neighborhood abounds in vintage clothing shops.

Therefore, if you don’t really like to wander around Rome’s vintage markets, come here and try on clothing in the stores.

HUMANA Vintage Clothes

This shop has original clothes, accessories, and shoes from the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s.

It stands out for one reason: their clothes come from the collection campaigns carried out all over Italy by the HUMANA People to People Italia organization.

Part of the profits made by the shop goes towards financing humanitarian projects in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Address: Via Cavour, 102

Here are more vintage clothing and accessories shops in Monti, just in case, like me, you think vintage shopping is one of the most fun activities one can experience.

Le Gallinelle | Via Panisperna, 59
Flamingo Vintage Shop | Via del Boschetto, 123
Pifebo Vintage Shop – Kilo Shop | Via dei Serpenti, 141
Pifebo Vintage Shop | Via dei Serpenti, 135
L’Armadio di Oliver | Via degli Zingari, 54
King Size Vintage | Via Leonina, 78
Gocce di Memoria | Via Panisperna, 238

TIP: If you visit on a weekend, take a chance to see the Mercato Monti. You’ll find second-hand, designer, handmade clothes, and accessories in this indoor market.

Candle Store Roma

candle store in monti rome — At the candle store

Here is a place that embodies the artistic essence of the neighborhood.

This handmade candle workshop creates candles and design objects with wax and iron.

Entering this studio will make you feel good, as beauty and care for color and light shadows reign here.

There are candles of all prices, so consider buying part of your souvenirs here.

Address: Via Urbana, 21

Libri Necessari

A walk in the Monti district cannot go without a visit to Libri Necessari bookshop.

Here you will find thousands of new, used, antique, rare, foreign and Italian books in a small space.

Books cover the entire store and the owner can guide you in finding the book you need.

Address: Via degli Zingari 22/A

3. Have gelato

Trays with colorful gelato at Fatamorgana Monti shop in Rome, Italy — Summer Gelato at Fatamorgana Monti

Fatamorgana Monti is one of the best gelato shops in Rome.

It is a small shop in one of the nicest piazzas in the neighborhood, Piazza degli Zingari.

Fatamorgana is famous for creating unusual gelato flavors made with natural ingredients and free of additives.

The soul behind it all is Maria Agnese, a woman who is a true force of nature. Her idea are the more than 300 original recipes for gelato that she has exported all over Italy from this small shop.

Gelato is excellent, the staff is friendly.

4. Have tacos

tacos beer monti rome — Tacos Beer canteen

This tiny, colorful shop serves draft beer and Mexican dishes: nachos, burritos, and tacos.

This tiny place is always packed, but everyone eats their tacos fast, so you’ll have to wait not more than 10-15 minutes.

Address: Via del Boschetto, 130

5. Have crepes

If this is not your first time in Rome, you will already know that one of the locals’ favorite desserts are crepes.

Crepes are very thin pancakes made with flour, eggs, milk and butter. You can enrich them with your choice of jams and sweet creams. Locals love them with cocoa and hazelnut cream.

At Crepes Galettes, you can have these both sweet and savory. Therefore if you are looking for something nutritious but at the same time cheap and quick to eat, this is the place to go.

Address: Via Leonina 21/A

6. Enjoy local street food

Have you heard about the typical panini bread of Rome? It’s called “rosetta”. The soft yet crunchy round panini is perfect for cutting in half and filling with yummy ingredients.

The Zia Rosetta shop has given Monti another corner to enjoy delicious street food.

This shop creates gourmet small to regular-size rosettas, sweet and savory. For instance, you’ll find rosetta with capocollo, zucchini flowers stuffed with ricotta cheese, basil pesto and walnuts, or the rosetta with tiramisu.

There are also vegetarian and vegan choices. Rosetta is one of the most famous Italian bread types.

Have a peek at the menu on their page.

Via Urbana, 54

7. Taste vegan desserts and gelato

monti neighborhood vegan — Raw vegan desserts at “Grezzo”

Raw vegan gelato at Grezz

rome vegan gelato bakery — Raw vegan desserts at “Grezzo”

Raw vegan gelato at Grezz

Vegans will love this small café that specializes in raw chocolate.

The highlight is raw vegan gelato, made with fruit, cocoa, and self-made almond milk.

It costs almost twice as much as gelato in Rome, but it is worth tasting to understand the unique taste of gelato made with materials in their original quality.

There is also coffee, cappuccino, pralines, parfaits and cakes.

Watch your wallet because quality costs…

A must for vegans in Rome.

Address: Via Urbana, 130

8. Have lunch at Aromaticus

vegan dishes aromaticus rome — Vegan and non vegan dishes at Aromaticus Bistro

The first of the many times I walked through Aromaticus’ door, I thought it was a plants and seeds shop. I had to look twice. Then I saw the wooden tables and books about cooking and natural living.

With the aromatic plants, gardening tools, seeds, and eco-books, I’ve found some of the best dishes in Rome.

The creator of this venue is from Tuscany, but the food you find here is a unique fusion with an artist’s touch.

I’m thinking of the pumpkin black rice pie and the chia seed caramel dessert.

The burgers are the highlight. You will also find dishes for vegans and vegetarians.

Address: Via Urbana, 134

9. Have dinner at Pasta Chef Rione Monti

Strolling through the streets of the neighborhood, you will find that there are many Roman cuisine restaurants.

You will need help choosing one.

I recommend the hosteria Al 42 by Pasta Chef.

Don’t be fooled by the sign “street food gourmet.” Here you will eat excellent traditional Roman dishes and Italian first and second courses, such as tonnarelli carbonara and lasagna.

10. Make the wee hours

Monti is one of the prettiest neighborhoods in Rome at nightlife, and it’s also worth visiting for a fun night out.

Here are the venues to consider.

Liberia Caffè Bohemien

The name describes this café on Via degli Zingari St. well.

The rooms are filled with books and decorated with furniture from a bygone era. You will find not only coffee but all kinds of drinks and dishes to feed you.

You should also try the pinsa, which is similar to pizza but is made with at least three different kinds of flours.

Address: Via degli Zingari, 36

Black Market

After getting in, you are gently thrown into a dimension reminiscent of the first half of the 20th Century.

Brocade curtains, aged wallpaper, antique armchairs. This venue is famous for the best cocktails in the Monti neighborhood. The weekend can get jam-packed, so the earlier you get there, the better.

Address: Via Panisperna, 101

Charity Cafè

If you need live music to end your day in Rome on a high note, here you are.

This café hosts jam sessions every day, so drop in if you’re a live music junkie.

There is no entrance fee, you’ll only be asked to buy a drink.

If you arrive around 18:30-19:00, you’ll find tasty canapés ready to satisfy your cravings.

Good live music and a friendly environment make this one of the best cafes to hang out in Rome.

Address: Via Panisperna, 68

11. Visit the Exhibition Palace

The white marble facade of the Exhibition Palace on Via NAzionale St. in Rome, Italy. It is a neoclassical building with a big arched central gate, and to rectangular smaller side gates. — Exhibition Palace

Via Nazionale, which connects Piazza della Repubblica with the Imperial Forum area, is also part of the Monti district.

Via Nazionale is one of the best shopping streets in Rome. In addition to clothing and food stores, it also houses the Exhibition Palace.

This is the largest exhibition center in Rome, with 10.000 sq. meters dedicated to contemporary art.

It hosts prestigious film festivals and photography events like the World Press Photo Award.

It features conferences on digital arts and more exhibitions simultaneously.

The space also has a coffee shop, a bookshop, and a restaurant.

Address: Via Nazionale, 194

12. See the Trajan´s Market ruins

view from the Trajan Markets Rome — view from the Trajan Markets

The buildings under the name Trajan’s Markets house the Imperial Forums Museum, which display reproductions of the Imperial Forums’ decorations from original fragments.

The Imperial Forums were a large system of buildings up to 6 stories high that housed the imperial administration’s warehouses, shops, and offices.

Address: Via Quattro Novembre, 94

13. Visit the Domus Aurea

Where the Colosseum stands today, there used to be an artificial lake that belonged to the grounds of Emperor Nero’s splendid residence.

What remains of the “Domus Aurea,” as Nero’s opulent home was called, are located on the Colle Oppio in the Monti district.

The “Golden Mansion” area was an ensemble of palaces, gardens, and vineyards with thermal pools and buildings covered in marble, gold, and frescoes.

It was torn down after the Emperor was forced to commit suicide.

The remains were discovered in the 15th century and studied by Renaissance artists such as Raffaello, Pinturicchio, and Ghirlandaio.

The artists brought back to life those painting motifs and gave birth to the “grotesque” style.

The term “grotesque” derives from “grotta” which means “cave,” as the artists had to descend into the ground to examine the remains of the Neronian frescoes.

It is possible to visit the Nymphaeum, the Hall of the Golden Vault, and the great Octagonal Hall.

The visits features 12 stops throughout the rooms, which have been reconstructed with the help of multimedia technologies, allowing you to immerse yourself in something that looks like the original environment.

Inside, the temperature is about 4 degrees lower than outside, so come here if you visit Rome in the summer months.

Address: Via di Serapide

14. Discover the St. Clemente Basilica

Basilica di San Clemente's underground in Rome Italy has the remains of a temple from Roman times dedicated to Mythra. — Temple of Mithra

One of the reasons I think Monti is a top area to stay for first-time travelers to Rome is the presence of two spectacular basilicas. Of the two, the one I prefer (the choice is difficult) is the Basilica of St. Clement, because of the mysterious aura surrounding its history.

Visiting the Cathedral of San Clemente in Rome is like turning the pages of a history book.

Here you can explore the different “time layers” that make Roman architecture resemble a large “lasagna”.

At street level is a 12th-century cathedral dedicated to Clement, the third pope after St. Peter.

By purchasing a €10 ticket you can access the lower levels (highly recommended).

On the lower level is an early Christian basilica from the 4th century with frescoes.

Even lower is a temple dedicated to the God Mithras with marble sculptures and the remains of grand walls that must have belonged to a mint.

Address: Via Labicana, 95

15. Visit the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore

cathedral santa maria maggiore facade rome monti — The facade of Santa Maria Maggiore Cathedral in Monti

spiral staircase santa maria maggiore cathedral rome — Spiral staircase inside the Santa Maria Maggiore Cathedral

The origin of this cathedral,, which celebrates the Virgin Mary, belongs to a legend.

A prosperous Roman nobleman, on the night of August 4th 352, saw the Virgin Mary in dreams. She pointed to him a location which would be found snow in Rome on the following morning: there, a church should be erected.

A miracle happened: snow fell in Rome in August.

The nobleman passed on the message to Pope Liberio, who started preparing to build the cathedral.

The structure of the interior is that of an early-Christian cathedral with three long aisles and 42 columns per side.

Chapels and the vault feature baroque frescoes.

The visit is only complete with a walk on the upper floor (ticket is €5 but includes a guided tour in English).

Mosaics in the loggia on the first floor are an example of perfectly preserved Christian art and recount the legend of the snow in August. The spiral marble staircase, on the other hand, is a masterpiece of sculpture.

Address: Piazza di Santa Maria Maggiore