Choose your version of Rome.
For first visits & historic Rome
For palazzos, atmosphere & romance
For design hotels & strong ideas
ANCIENT ROME / CENTRO STORICO
Where Rome’s biggest landmarks become background scenery.
Centro Storico is the Rome that dominates postcards, films and first impressions. The Pantheon, Piazza Navona and the Trevi Fountain all sit within the same maze of streets, yet the neighbourhood rarely feels like a collection of landmarks. Life moves through it as it always has, which is exactly what makes it so compelling.
WINE BARS & LOCAL ROME / MONTI
The neighbourhood many visitors end up preferring.
Monti sits beside some of Rome’s most visited landmarks but rarely feels defined by them. Restaurants, wine bars, workshops and apartment buildings share the same streets, giving the neighbourhood a different rhythm from Centro Storico. It remains central, walkable and unmistakably Roman, while feeling slightly more relaxed than many visitors expect from such a historic part of the city.
Hotels shaped by atmosphere, old palazzos and the version of Rome people remember.
Hotels with strong ideas, distinctive design and a different perspective on Rome.
A place to slow down between long walks, late lunches and Roman summers.
Smaller hotels with personality, thoughtful design and a stronger sense of place.
Well-located stays that prioritise character, comfort and value over unnecessary extras.
More space, local routines and a way of living in Rome rather than visiting it.
Neighbourhood questions, answered simply.
Centro Storico. It contains many of the places that define Rome in people’s minds, the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, fountains, churches and streets that seem unchanged by time. It can be busy, but that is part of the experience. For a first visit, nowhere captures the city’s character more completely.
For most first-time visitors, it is worth staying in. Rome feels different when the Pantheon becomes something you pass on the way to dinner rather than a landmark you schedule into the day. Staying in Centro Storico places the city’s most recognisable streets, piazzas and restaurants within easy walking distance.
Because Monti often feels easier to settle into. The neighbourhood balances wine bars, local restaurants, independent shops and everyday Roman life while remaining close to the Colosseum and Forum. It is still central, but feels slightly less consumed by tourism than Centro Storico.
Monti is usually the strongest choice. The neighbourhood has some of the city’s most enjoyable restaurants, wine bars and casual places to spend an evening without needing a plan. Centro Storico offers more landmark dining, but Monti often feels more connected to contemporary Roman life.
Centro Storico remains hard to beat. Historic palazzos, rooftop terraces, candlelit restaurants and some of Rome’s most beautiful streets all sit within walking distance. Hotels such as Orient Express La Minerva, Palazzo Talìa and Hotel Vilòn are built around exactly the kind of atmosphere people travel to Rome for.
