The historic center of Rome contains many attractions the average tourists have come to see. But staying there is expensive, and sometimes less comfortable than lodging at the edge of this marvelous open-air history museum. We’ve decided to unleash the locations of a few places we find way above average for the person looking for a decent place to stay near great restaurants with easy access to the historic center of the Eternal City.
We’ll concentrate on the southern fringes of Rome, Testaccio and the Aventine Hill, and will resist the easy generalizations often made about the exact location of “the real Rome”. Decide for yourself.
Roma Ostiense is the closest station in an advantageous location so you can get to the ruins of Ostia Antica and the coastal resort town of Fiumicino near the airport with a cheap train ticket. Getting to the station is an easy stroll from Testaccio and takes you near the Porta San Paolo and its museum as well as the marble-faced pyramid (built between 18 and 12 BC).
Let’s get to those places to stay.
Casa Testaccio
There’s a reason to rent a vacation apartment in Testaccio. Some of the best food is available here, and many food tours take you to the new Market of Testaccio, where you might buy food to go or bread and cheese for a light snack after that huge Italian lunch. Of course, you’re staying a few days, so you might figure things out on your own. In any case, Casa Testaccio stands at the market gates and is a highly rated place to stay.
The marker on the map indicates the location of Casa Testaccio. It sits conveniently on the north side of the Testaccio Market. The green area to the south is the mountain of broken Amphora bits that make up Monte Testaccio. Fronting this historic hill are some great places to eat. We enjoyed Ristorante Angelina a Testaccio and Pecorino along the Via Galvani.
Find Out More or Book Casa Testaccio
As an alternative, we had a very nice stay near the Piazza Testaccio at Domus in Testaceo.
Fauno Urban Resort Roma
If you know the Circus Maximus, you know that there is a hill on one side of it, the Aventino side. And this is where the highly-rated Fauno Urban Resort Roma is carefully placed.
The Aventine hill is one of those quiet places, and the Fauno Urban Resort is like having a country house inside of Rome; yet its location is perfect for seeing the best of ancient Rome a short walk north. The Palatine Hill and the Colosseum are nearby.
If you stay inside the Aventino, you can easily walk to my favorite Basilica, the Basilica di Santa Sabina all’Aventino, right next to the Orange Garden where you can get some solitude as well as great pictures of central Rome.
And guess what! They offer parking! Right in the center of Roma!
Find Out More or Book Fauno Urban Resort Roma
Il Granello Di Senape (The Mustard Seed)
Let’s get outside the Aurelian walls of Rome for a minute and explore the Portuense district, just south of the Trastevere Rail Station. The highly-rated Il Granello Di Senape has that fine Italian hand in its modern furnishings, as well as soundproofed walls and air conditioning. The rave reviews mention the presumed owner, Alex, with astounding frequency. Directly to the east across the Tiber is one of my favorite Rome Museums, Centrale Montemartini.
And if you’re into odd little museums almost nobody knows, the Drugstore museum necropoli portuense is near as well. And it’s free to visit!
Find Out More or Book Il Granello Di Senape
What if I can’t walk to some attractions in Rome that interest me?
What if there was a way you could get a taxi certified to operate in Rome, from anywhere in the Eternal City to anywhere easily and without haggling in Italian? The answer is the Uber app, as we discovered on a recent trip to Rome.
Other “Fringe” Neighborhoods in Rome We Like…and a Map of Rome
Prati & Aurelio (Vatican Adventures)