Monday, June 1, 2015

Where to stay in Rome?

Rome, the capital and the largest city of Italy, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe offering fantastic Italian food, 2,800 years old history, great art collection and a very good modern tourist necessities such as a colorful night life, shopping and entertainment.

The answer to the question-title where to stay in Rome is quite straightforward. In Rome, you should stay in the historic city center or centro storico. Although there are several different centers of Roman Empire, Ressienance and 19th century, Rome’s historic center is not a very large area. The historic center, the area with almost all the tourist attractions, only covers 4% of modern city of Rome.

But again although it is not a very large area, it is a very very large open air museum and you will need to spend at least 2 days and better 3 days to enjoy a bit of every major delights the city offers. Staying in the center will save you time you would spend to reach there from outside and note that the traffic in Rome is not very good.

Rome is divided into administrative districts known as Rioni of Rome. Rione I (District 1) is Monti, part of Roman Empire time historic center of Rome. In this post, we will look at the answer to where to stay in Rome questions from the perspective of Rioni’s.

Source : Wikitravel
Rome Modern Center

Rome’s night life and shopping experienced in centered in modern center. Rome’s most famous and expensive street Via Venetto (official name is via Vittorio Veneto ) is here as well as the current official residence of the President of the Italian Republic, historic Quirinal Palace is here. If you go to Rome this area is probably where you will stay.

Modern center is the area to the east of Termini station. Castro Pretorio district next to Termini  offers many smaller hotels. Via Cavour and via Nazionale host the larger hotels full of group travelers. And for those with deep pockets, Via Venetto offers some of the most expensive hotels in Rome.

Trevi Fountain in Rome
Old Rome

The most attractive part of Rome is the old Rome, the center of Rome in the Italian Renaissance era. Beautiful squares (piazze) and more beautiful streets and back alleys are full of pretty cafes, restaurants and lots of historic structures. Old Rome is the area around piazza Navona, Campo de’ Fiori, the Pantheon and the Ghetto.

For more information about Old Rome hotels you can check Piazza Navona hotels, Campo de’Fiori hotels, hotels around the Pantheon and hotels in the Ghetto.

Fountain of Neptune at the centre of piazza Navona
Colosseo

When the city in question is Rome, there is older center than the old center : Colosseo. This is the center of Rome in the antiquity during mighty Roman Empire.  Coloseeum, Roman Forum, Capitoline museums as well as the Imperial Fora, the Markets of Trajan, the Capitoline hill and lots of museums.

Here there are some nice hotels. Hotel Forum with 300++ EUR per night is the super expensive option with a fantastic roof garden restaurant with super view.  On the other hand of price spectrum Nicolas Inn (85 EUR) offers large bathrooms and a very nice dinner other than a comfortable stay.

Vatikan City

Independent city state Vatikan and the Roman areas around it like Borgo, Prati and Monte Mario probably house more historic artifacts than any place on the planet. Vatikan is a must see of course but if you are not high in Catholic spiritual ranking you will not stay in Vatikan. Still, there are many hotels to stay near Vatikan in Italian soil. For hotels near Vatikan you can refer here.

Vatikan City
Trastevere

On the opposite shores of Tiber River w.r.t Old Rome and south of Vatikan lies Trastevere, a center for Rome night life. Trastevere is full of pubs, night clubs and restaurants and houses the most of expat population living in Rome. For hotels here refer to Trastevere hotels.

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