For your apartment and apartments in Rome, remember that the center is small and that the monuments are all walking distance. Select apartments in Rome city Spanish Steps for shopping or a Rome apartment in Trastevere for nightlife... The center of Rome is a mixture of residential and commercial however each neighborhood has its own unique flavor...

The PIAZZA NAVONA area in the historic center of Rome

By day the Piazza Navona area is buzzing with local Romans and tourists. The streets surrounding Piazza Navona are full of interesting small boutiques and at night the area's restaurants and bars are filled by a mix of all age groups enjoying the liveliness.

If you fancy buying art, many local artists expose their work in the evenings in Piazza Navona, Rome. Most of them offer tacky representations of Roman places and monuments, but a talented few will catch your eye.

The area is also a five minute walk to Campo Dei Fiori -and should you wish to make use of your kitchen, this area is perfect for the purchase of the best fresh produce Rome has to offer.

The TRASTEVERE area in the city center of Rome

TRASTEVERE - is now a long way from the working class quarter it used to be, although you will still hear the Roman dialect spoken here, you will bump into the foreign residents, lured here by its characteristic narrow winding streets and its ancient piazzas.

Long well known by Romans for its restaurants and bars, Trastevere is a pleasant area to stroll in Rome, particularly peaceful in the morning and lively in the evening as dozens of trattorias set tables out along the cobblestoned streets.

The heart of Trastevere is Piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere, a pedestrianised square piazza lined with restaurants and bars, faded palazzi, and the beautiful church of Santa Maria in Trastevere. The steps surrounding the pretty central fountain are a popular hang-out and a great place to watch the world go by.

The SPANISH STEPS area in the historical center of Rome

SPANISH STEPS - this beautiful and elegant area of Rome is pumping daily with people, designer stores and upmarket bars and restaurants.

The Spanish Steps is found just south of Villa Borghese park, midway between Piazza Barberini and Piazza del Popolo and just off the Via del Corso.

The area is a very upmarket residential area, inhabited by Roman families who live there seemingly oblivious to the tourism and enjoying life - like in any regular neighborhood.

Many feel the pulsing heart of 'Roman Life' is centered around the 'triangle' - where the Spanish Steps, Piazza Augusto Imperatore and Piazza del Popolo are connected by such popular streets as Via del Corso, Via del Babuino and Via di Ripetta.

There's a large supermarket which home delivers, many other smaller supermarkets, a daily open fruit and vegetable market. After 8pm the area winds right down and becomes quite tranquil.

The CAMPO DE FIORI area in the historical center of Rome

CAMPO DE' FIORI - is located in the heart of the Centro Storico, the historic centre of Rome and close to the Jewish Ghetto and Piazza Navona. The Vatican is just across the river.

This ancient piazza, in at the heart of Rome, and has become a popular spot for people to hang out to admire wonderful Renaissance and Baroque buildings, street artists, musicians and poets.

By day Campo Dei Fiori is dominated by a world famous outdoor food market. A perfect spot for people watching from one of the many outdoor trattorias and bars.

By mid afternoon a large team of street cleaners have removed any trace of the market and it becomes the hangout for those in search of nightlife. In summer people spill out of the bars into the piazza and it has a party like atmosphere. The area always has a vibrant feel and there is always some type of action here.

The Colosseum area in the historical center of Rome

Colosseum - The residential area near to the Forum is called "Monti" and is one of Rome's oldest neighborhoods with a decidedly homely atmosphere, narrow cobblestoned streets and old trattorias.

In Monti you can still get a taste of life in Rome before the 'modern times'. In many ways it's very much like Trastevere with its ancient streets and culture. But it's less commercialised and somewhat more genuine.

Monti is very strategically located, close to all the important monuments and sights at one end and the Termini station at the other.

There is a daily fresh food market and many small interesting shops including Rome's best gelato and the Pope's favorite coffee supplier. It's a great location for visiting the ancient sites of Rome - and although a world away in atmosphere from the glamour of the Spanish Steps, it's just a short walk or a five minute electric bus ride away from the center.

The VATICAN area of Rome

VATICAN - the area surrounding the Vatican is a middle class residential area, that is busy in the day with Vatican tourists and locals - at night becoming very peaceful.

The Vatican City is found just across the river Tiber west of Rome's city center, walking distance from Piazza Navona and Campo Dei Fiori and linked by three bridges: Ponte Principe Amedeo, Ponte Vittorio Emanuele II and Ponte Sant'Angelo.

If your main reason for visiting Rome is the Vatican, then this area is perfect, as the accommodation here tends to be slightly less expensive also. So if you have a young family or for people who's choices tend more towards daytime, then this area is also a good choice.

The long shopping street "Cola di Rienzo" is the main shopping area and has a very good daily covered food market, all the chain stores and good small boutiques.

More Rome resources in our Rome Guide:

• Rome Overview
• Getting to Rome
• Rome Top Attractions
• Rome Quick Facts
• Rome Areas to Stay

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