Rome's Modern Center: Complete Neighborhood Guide - Where to Stay, Eat & What to See

The modern center of Rome is like the beating heart of the Eternal City – here time flows between majestic fountains, lively streets, and elegant cafes.

The area unites the neighborhoods around Via Veneto, Piazza della Repubblica, Trevi, and the Quirinal, offering a perfect base for both first-time visits and return trips.

This is where tourist traffic meets local style, and every intersection hides history and Roman character. In this practical guide you’ll discover what to see, where to stay, and where to eat, so you can make the most of your time in Rome’s modern center.

Rome’s modern center is also home to a huge number of hotels and you’ll most likely be staying here, even though most of Rome’s historic landmarks in Italy are located in other parts of the Italian capital.

How to Get to Rome’s Central Area

Rome’s central area isn’t difficult to reach from Termini Station. When you exit the station, to the right is the Castro Pretorio neighborhood with many small hotels. To the left, the main roads Via Cavour and Via Nazionale lead down the hill. Here there are larger hotels that primarily serve groups and less often independent tourists.

Termini Station is a major bus hub with buses to all parts of the city. Watch out for taxi drivers working at the station, as it attracts many scam taxi drivers. Take taxis from the taxi stand and ignore drivers who approach you in front of the station. Always insist on seeing that the meter is turned on after you get in the taxi. Regardless of the time of day or night, the starting price should never be higher than €6 (less during the day), and the number 1 on the meter should show that the correct rate is being applied. For all trips starting from the station, a legal surcharge of €2 is collected.

Attractions in Rome’s Central Area

1. Trevi Fountain – completed in 1762 to a design by Nicola Salvi, this grand Baroque fountain features a mythological sculptural composition of Neptune, the god of the sea, surrounded by two Tritons: one Triton struggles to control a wild sea horse, while the other calmly controls a docile creature, both symbolizing the dual nature of the world’s oceans. The location of the Trevi Fountain marks the endpoint of the ancient Aqua Virgo aqueduct, completed in 19 BC to supply the Baths of Agrippa, and is named for its location at the intersection of three roads (tre vie). Legend says that whoever throws a coin in the fountain will one day return to Rome. Coins in the fountain are regularly collected to fund charitable causes. The fountain became even more famous thanks to the 1954 film “Three Coins in the Fountain” and the famous scene from Federico Fellini’s film “La Dolce Vita.” According to popular superstitions and customs, throwing coins with your right hand over your left shoulder into the Trevi Fountain is a practice guaranteed to bring you luck. Throwing one coin guarantees the thrower will return to Rome; throwing two coins guarantees the thrower will fall in love with a beautiful Roman (or handsome guy); throwing three coins finally guarantees the thrower will marry that girl or guy in Rome itself.

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2. Via Veneto (Via Vittorio Veneto) – immortalized in 1960 in Federico Fellini’s film La Dolce Vita. The US Embassy is also located here, housed in the massive Palazzo Margherita. In the 1980s, Via Veneto experienced a period of decline, but it’s regaining popularity, and the sidewalk cafes are a must-see if you’re into that sort of thing.

3. City Walls (Mura Serviane) (in front of Termini Station). Remains of the first city walls, built in the early 4th century BC and attributed to King Servius Tullius.

4. Capuchin Monastery, Via Veneto (right on Via Veneto when coming from Piazza Barberini). Built after 1631, the church’s crypt contains a macabre display – a series of chapels decorated with the bones of 3,700 dead monks. The bones are glued to the walls and ceilings in bizarre and striking decorations.

5. Le Quattro Fontane, intersection of Via delle Quattro Fontane and Via del Quirinale. Four fountains from the time of Pope Sixtus V, when much of Rome was redesigned. Each sculpture is dedicated to a deity. This is a busy intersection and if you don’t look twice, you might miss these elegant examples of Roman mythology.

6. Palazzo Massimo – magnificent collection of ancient Roman sculptures, mosaics, and frescoes, including the famous paintings from the imperial-era villa discovered under Villa Farnesina, as well as the dining room from Empress Livia’s villa at Prima Porta. Located at the other end of the square from Termini, across from the Baths of Diocletian. The fee is €7 for adults, €3.50 for EU citizens aged 18-24. This gives access to the four National Roman Museums within 4 days. Prices are higher when there are special exhibitions.

7. National Roman Museum at the Baths of Diocletian, Via Enrico de Nicola 79 (across from Termini Station, next to Santa Maria degli Angeli). On the site of the Roman baths, this museum houses a huge collection of statues and more. €7 is the fee for adults, €3.50 for EU citizens aged 18-24. This gives access to the four National Roman Museums within 4 days. Prices are higher when there are special exhibitions.

8. Palazzo Barberini (Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Antica), Via Quattro Fontane 13. This remarkable building, designed partly by Bernini, houses the National Gallery of Ancient Art and includes some famous paintings by Filippo Lippi and Caravaggio, as well as Raphael’s “La Fornarina.” Admission is €5, but there are also discounted tickets. Free entry for those under 18 and over 65.

9. Piazza Barberini with Bernini’s famous Triton Fountain. This is also where Via Veneto begins.

10. Palazzo del Quirinale (Quirinal Palace), Via del Quirinale (at the top of the Quirinal, the highest of the famous Roman hills). Home of the President of the Italian Republic and the Quirinal Gardens. Built in 1573 as a papal summer residence, it has since served as the residence of the pope and later the King of Italy. The artistic-institutional tour costs €1.50; the thematic tour is €10. Reservations are mandatory and can be made online, by phone, or at the information point (Salita di Montecavallo 15).

11. San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane, Via del Quirinale, 23. A very small and beautiful church, Francesco Borromini’s first commission.

12. Santa Maria degli Angeli, Via Cernaia 9 (Piazza della Repubblica). This church is built in the former Baths of Diocletian. Inside it’s very bright and spacious. Notice the unusual art on the outer doors. On sunny days at noon you can see the image of the sun on Francesco Bianchini’s meridian line inside.

13. Santa Maria della Vittoria (at the end of Via XX Settembre, near Piazza della Repubblica). This interesting Baroque church, which houses Bernini’s “Ecstasy of Saint Teresa,” is quite a popular spot among readers of Dan Brown’s “Angels and Demons.” On either side of this chapel are figures in what can best be described as theater boxes. These are members of the Cornaro family who paid for Bernini’s sculpture.

14. St. Paul’s Within the Walls (just off Via Nazionale from Piazza della Repubblica, on the corner with Via Napoli). More modern than most Roman churches: construction only began in 1873. This is Rome’s Episcopal church. Some very interesting works of art, especially the mosaics by Edward Burne-Jones of the Pre-Raphaelite school.

15. British Embassy, Via XX Settembre 80. At the northern end of Via XX Settembre, next to Porta Pia, designed by Michelangelo. The previous embassy was destroyed by a bomb in a terrorist attack in 1946 and was eventually replaced with this world-famous modern design by Sir Basil Spence. Built on stilts so as not to obstruct the view of the garden.

16. Palazzo Colonna (Galleria Colonna), Via della Pilotta, 17 (entrance). English guided tour is at 12:00. One of the most magnificent (still private) Baroque grand palaces in Rome. The price is €12 (includes additional guided tour); additional tour to Princess Isabella’s apartment (when available) costs €15; additional tour to the terraced garden on the Quirinal Hill (weather permitting) costs €10.

Places to Eat in Rome’s Central Area

1. Budget Restaurants in Rome’s Central Area

Habemus Pinsa, Via Umbria, 19
L’Insalatona, Via Marche, 62
Il Fiammifero Strano, Via Lombardia, 32
Rosemary terra e sapori, Via Modena, 15
PINSALLEGRA, Via Napoli, 50
Africa Restaurant, Via Gaeta, 26. Eritrean
La Famiglia, Via Gaeta, 66

2. Mid-Range Restaurants

al Piccolo Arancino, Vicolo Scanderberg 112 (near Trevi Fountain). 12:00-3:00 PM and 7:00 PM-midnight, closed Monday. Small and always packed restaurant with many Italian guests (but they’re tourists, not locals) and moderate prices.
Il Gelato di San Crispino, Via della Panetteria 42 (just up the hill from Trevi Fountain and turn left). Considered one of the best gelato shops in Rome. Try the meringue gelato and fruit sorbets according to season.
Gelato g Italiano, Via delle Muratte 18a/19. Excellent gelato, one minute walk from Trevi Fountain.

Cafes in Rome’s Central Area

Dagnino Tearoom, Galleria, Esedra Via V. Emanuele Orlando 75. If you haven’t tried “Cannolo” or “Cassatina,” then get them here, they’re amazing. Don’t sit at the tables (quite expensive), just get them to go. They offer good pastries too.
Harry’s Bar. You can’t visit Via Veneto and not go to Harry’s Bar, forever associated with Fellini’s La Dolce Vita. Today Harry’s is a luxury bar/lounge where celebrities can still be spotted. There’s also a piano bar. Sometimes guest artists take advantage of the piano and entertain visitors. For example, Australian pianist Fiona Cohn plays there.

Places to Sleep in Rome’s Center

1. Budget Accommodations in Rome’s Center

Alessandro Hostels, Via Vicenza 42, ☏ +39 06-446-1958, fax: +39 06-493-80-534. Other locations: Cattaneo 23, 2nd floor, +39 06 443 40 147. All locations are 5 minutes walk from Termini, include free breakfast, free linens, no curfew, cheap internet, video security, free pizza parties at the Palace location, computers with internet and Wi-Fi available at both hostels. Prices start at €15.
Domus Castrense Guest House Rome, Viale dell’ Università 25, ☏ +39 06 4469195, fax: +39 06 49385435. Single, double, and triple rooms with private bathroom, LCD TV, breakfast, internet connection, phone, and mini bar at this Rome guesthouse. Prices start at €75 for a double room with breakfast included.
Evergreen B&B, Via Milazzo 23, ☏ +39 06 44363186. No curfew. Price includes towels and linens. Daily room cleaning. Staff speaks English and Italian. Single rooms start at €40, with breakfast included.
Freedom Traveller Hostel, Via Gaeta 25, ☏ +39 06 47823862. Four minutes walk from the central train station, this hostel has suitable sleeping accommodations, some with nice balconies. Kitchen and common areas. No curfew, but the hostel is locked from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Prices start at €23 per night and include free breakfast, internet, and dinner.
Hotel Bed in Roma, Via dei Mille 64, ☏ +39 06 89687664, fax: +39 06 89687665. 8 guest rooms that can be booked as singles, doubles, twins, triples, and family rooms. All have private bathrooms and showers. You get special discounts from local bars for breakfast. Single night is €50, double night is €65, and triple night is €75.
Hotel Cortorillo Rome, Via Principe Amedeo 79/a, ☏ +39 06 4466934. Two-star hotel with 14 rooms, divided into singles, doubles, and triples, plus one family room with four beds. Singles and doubles are offered at prices from €40-50 with breakfast included.
Holiday Rome B&B, Via Palestro, 49, ☏ +39 06 4453024, holidayrome@yahoo.it. Bed and breakfast near Termini. Three rooms with private bathrooms and air conditioning. Price from €45 per person per night.
Hostel Papa Germano, Via Calatafimi, 14/a, ☏ +39 06486919, fax: +39 0647825202. Near the train station. Free internet, satellite TV, mini fridge, phone, air conditioning, free maps, no curfew, credit cards accepted. Prices start at €16 for dorms, €50 for private rooms.
Inn Central Rome, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, 55, ☏ +39 06 64870844, fax: +39 06 64870933. In addition to single, double, and triple rooms, this Rome guesthouse also offers a cozy independent mini apartment for four people with kitchen facilities. Single room: €60. Mini apartment: €95.
M&J Place Hostel Roma, Via Solferino 9, ☏ +39 064462802, mejhostelrome@gmail.com. Within walking distance of the train station. Friendly staff, reasonable prices, and nice private rooms. This popular hostel offers good breakfast for €3. No lockout or curfew. Stop by the Living Room bar for food or nice drinks. Free Wi-Fi, prices from €12.
Hotel Sonya, Via del Viminale, 58, ☏ +39 06-4819911, fax: +39 06-4885678. Hotel Sonya is a three-star hotel in the center of Rome, minutes from Termini Station and in front of the Opera. Single room prices start at €70, doubles from €90.
Stargate Hostel, Via Palestro 88, ☏ +39 064457164, fax: +39 0649384134, info@stargatehotels.net. 5 minutes walk from Termini Station, near Castro Pretorio metro stop. Dorm bed price is €22 with breakfast included.
Independence Square Inn, via castelfidardo 78, ☏ +39 3475730310, independencesquare@hotmail.it. Family guesthouse, single, double/twin, triple, or quad room with private or shared bathroom. Breakfast, LCD TV, air conditioning. Price from €40.

2. Mid-Range Accommodations in Rome’s Center

Alex Inn, Via Emilia 47, ☏ +39 06 97273360, fax: +39 06 97273150. Small guesthouse in central Rome, near Via Veneto. Relatively new with many amenities. Each room has a small terrace. Double rooms from €110 with breakfast.
Al Viminale Hill & Hotel, Via del Viminale, 38, ☏ +39 064 7823235, fax: +39 064 7823598, info@viminalehill.com. Three-star hotel on the Viminale Hill near Termini Station. Offers guests 15 rooms with jacuzzis. Double rooms from €80 with breakfast.
Art and Relax Suites Rome, Via Giolitti, 137, ☏ +39 339 6166937, fax: +39 06 69290948. Art and Relax Suites is a cozy bed and breakfast in Rome with 6 double rooms with private bathrooms, showers, and breakfast. Prices from €140.
B&B Trevi Rome, Via del Lavatore 83, ☏ +39 06 69380944, fax: +39 06 69293654. B&B Trevi Rome has 14 guest rooms, divided into doubles and twins, standard and deluxe. A third bed is offered if needed. Price for a double room is €120.
Hotel Atlantico, Via Cavour, 23, ☏ +39 06-485951, fax: +39 06-4827492, atlantico@bettojahotels.it. Four-star hotel in a building from 1912, located on the highest of the seven Roman hills – Esquilino, with good views of the city. From €145.
Hotel Cortina Rome, Via Nazionale 18, ☏ +39 06 4819794, fax: +39 064819220. Three-star hotel on the central Via Nazionale with 14 rooms, divided into singles, doubles, twins, triples, and quads with private bathrooms (with showers included). Two apartments are also offered 20 meters from the hotel. €95 for a single room and €115 for a double.
Hotel I Giardini del Quirinale, Via Firenze 43, ☏ +39 06 48930388, fax: +39 06 48989945. In the immediate vicinity of Via Nazionale and the Quirinale presidential palace. All rooms offer internet connection, mini bar, air conditioning, direct-dial phone, and LCD TV. Private parking and continental breakfast also available. From €165 with breakfast.
Hotel Martini Rome, Via Nazionale, 18, ☏ +39 06 4880994, fax: +39 06 4820812. Martini is a three-star hotel in Rome with a wide selection of rooms, divided into singles, doubles, triples, and family rooms; all equipped with private bathrooms and bathtubs. Double rooms: €160 with breakfast included.
Hotel Romanico Palace, Via Boncompagni, 37, ☏ +39 06-42083881, fax: +39 06-42815558, info@hotelromanico.com. Four-star hotel with 64 rooms spread across six floors, with a nice 360-degree panoramic terrace on the 7th floor with good views of the historic center. From €180 all inclusive.
La Piccola Maison, Via dei Cappuccini 30, ☏ +39 06 42016331. Guesthouse on Via Veneto. Rooms with TV with international channels, air conditioning, Wi-Fi, mini fridge, and phone. Double rooms from €80 with free Wi-Fi.
Nuovo Hotel Quattro Fontane, Via delle Quattro Fontane 149/A, ☏ +39 06 4884480, fax: +39 06 4814936, info@hotel4fontane.com. Three-star hotel housed in a completely renovated 18th-century palace. Double room from €120.
Residence At Rome, Piazza Barberini 2, ☏ +39 06 46661058. Guesthouse on the third floor of a residential building at Piazza Barberini, so the name is accurate. No elevator available, and climbing the stairs with luggage will be difficult. There are 8 rooms with private bathrooms, divided into doubles, triples, and apartments, but no common areas or facilities. You pay for a room and that’s it, some people complain about lack of air conditioning during the day, broken bathrooms, and noise from the busy square, but it’s a good price for the location. Average price for a double room is €220 per day.
69 Manin Street B&B Rome, Via Daniele Manin 69, ☏ +39 06 48987856, fax: +39 06 48907904. Cozy bed and breakfast in Rome’s historic center with double, twin, triple, and quad rooms. Bathroom with shower and breakfast included. €140 for a double room. Same price for double room for single use.
Magnifico Hotel Rome, Via Nazionale, 243, ☏ +39 06 488 4331, fax: +39 06 489 19332. Budget accommodation with six rooms, divided into singles, doubles, quads, and apartments. All have private bathrooms and modern amenities. Double room: €130. Breakfast included.
Target Inn, Via Modena 5, ☏ +39 06 4745399. Townhouse with 5 classic rooms, 1 deluxe, and 1 apartment that can accommodate up to four people. Modern amenities (plasma TV, fast internet), parking, free breakfast, private bathroom, and jacuzzi. Average price: single €110, double €150.
Hotel Esposizione, Via Nazionale, 66, ☏ +39 06 48913029, fax: +39 06 48913258. 3-star hotel in Rome’s center, near Termini Station, in front of the Palazzo delle Esposizioni exhibition center. Double rooms from €110 with breakfast.

3. Luxury Hotels in Rome’s Center

Hotel Villa Morgagni, Via G.B. Morgagni, 25, ☏ +39 06-44202190, fax: +39 06-44202190, info@villamorgagni.it. Single room €80-127, double €113-181.
Hotel Bernini Bristol (member of Summit Hotels and Resorts), Piazza Barberini 23, ☏ +39 06 488 931. Near the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain. All rooms have flat-screen LCD TVs and Wi-Fi access. Prices from €100-200.
Hotel Quirinale, Via Nazionale, 7, ☏ +39 06 4707, fax: +39 06 482 00 99, info@hotelquirinale.it. Check-in: 2:00 PM, check-out: 12:00 PM. 4-star hotel near Piazza Repubblica. Mid-19th century style, relatively large rooms and high ceilings. Internet connection costs €15 for 24 hours. Reception service can be very poor, and in some cases downright rude. From about €200.
Hotel Victoria Roma, Via Campania, 41, ☏ +39 06 423701, info@hotelvictoriaroma.com. Check-in: 2:00 PM, check-out: 12:00 PM. Four-star hotel near Via Veneto. From about €120.
Ambasciatori Palace Hotel, Via Veneto, 62, ☏ +39 06 47493, info@hotelambasciatori.com. Check-in: 2:00 PM, check-out: 12:00 PM. Prestigious five-star hotel. From about €160.
Relais Trevi 41 Rome, Via della Panetteria 41, ☏ +39 06 69921250, fax: +39 06 92913357. Relais Trevi 41 is a guesthouse with double rooms and twin rooms. All have private bathrooms and showers with whirlpool tubs. Double room with breakfast €200, double room without breakfast €190.
Hotel Mascagni, Via Vittorio E. Orlando, 90, ☏ +39 06 48904040, fax: +39 06 4817637, info@hotelmascagni.com. Single room €160-250, double €170-250.
Villa Spalleti Trivelli, Via Piacenza 4, ☏ +39 06-48907934, fax: +39 06-4871409, info@villaspallettitrivelli.com. Luxurious hotel in a quiet location. Rooms are large, with extremely high ceilings, quality linens and bedding, bathroom with shower and separate tub, bidet and two sinks. All interiors are beautifully decorated, and the outdoor garden is ideal for a lunch break. Staff is courteous. Prices from €363-1,067.
Residenza Frattina, Via Frattina, 104, ☏ +39 066783553, fax: +39 066783701, info@residenzafrattina.it. Clean, quiet, and small hotel. Free internet in the spacious lounge. Rooms aren’t very large but are really comfortable. Good continental breakfast – buffet with juices, toast, cereals, and pastries. Staff is attentive and really helpful. Prices from €300-500.