They say that all roads lead to Rome, and there is some truth to this. After all, almost every traveler seeks to visit this Eternal City. Going on a trip, tourists primarily think about which area of ​​Rome is better to stay? We will tell you about how this city is arranged, how to choose the best place to stay, and how different parts of the city are remarkable.
Geographical position
Rome occupies almost 1,500 km 2 , according to the myth it lies on 7 hills, but this is true today only in relation to historical quarters, because the city has grown in breadth and there are more hills. The capital of Italy and the administrative center of the Lazio region includes the city-state of the Vatican and has more than 2500 years of history. The ancient regions of Rome still remember pre-Christian times. The city is located on both banks of the Tiber River, near the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea. The hilly plain on which Rome extends is surrounded on all sides by small mountains.
History
Telling the story of Rome is like telling the story of European civilization. You can study it while walking around the city. After all, the oldest and newest areas of Rome bear the imprint of time. There are ruins of the pre-Christian period, narrow medieval streets, ancient churches, palaces of the Renaissance, fashionable houses of the bourgeoisie of the XIX century, buildings from the time of the Mussolini regime and the construction of modern architecture. This city is history itself. But in order to qualitatively examine Rome without spending a lot of time on the road and enjoying living, you need to correctly answer the question, in which area of ​​Rome to stay? To do this, you need to understand how the Eternal City works. Its special character is due to the fact that over the centuries it has performed two important functions: it is the capital of the state and the center of the Christian religion. Therefore, there are administrative districts with large-scale official buildings, as well as a large number of cathedrals, not counting the most important Catholic church.
Historical layout
The development of Rome reflects its long historical path. The systematic development of Rome in accordance with the plan began in the 16th century, when, according to the idea of ​​the Roman popes, the radial layout of the city was adopted: straight streets depart from large squares. Long streets - Via, furnished with houses in a palace style, and today represent the foundation of many areas of the city. The second “revolution” in the development of Rome took place at the end of the 19th century, when the city was liberated from papal authority. At this time, new streets appeared, bridges over the Tiber were built, parts of Ancient Rome were cleared. At the beginning of the XX century, new residential areas of Prati, Monti were built, for this, the quarters of the older buildings were destroyed. Only Trastevere district retains its appearance to the greatest degree. With the advent of the fascist regime, the architecture of Rome began to gravitate toward imperial proportions, and under the new broad avenues, the quarters of old narrow streets were demolished. After the fall of Mussolini's reign, new modern areas appeared in the city. And for the 1960 Olympics, an ultramodern Olympic village is being built. Today, the city includes areas of mass residential development, but they are of little interest to tourists.
Administrative division
The first attempt to divide Rome into territorial units was made back in the VI century BC. e. The second stage of administrative division falls on the Middle Ages, then 12 main districts of the city were allocated. The modern system took shape at the end of the 19th century. Today, officially, Rome is divided into 19 municipalities. 22 historical areas with their own history, mythology and sights, 35 quarters and six suburbs stand out inside them. Almost 3 million people live throughout this territory and at least as many tourists come every year. The most interesting for travelers, the best areas of Rome, belong to the municipality number 1. It distinguishes 22 territorial units. The latest to this municipality was the Prati district. He and Borgo are the only parts of the city that go beyond the historical walls of Aurelian.
Historic areas of Rome
Since the end of the 19th century, a modern administrative-territorial system has been formed. By the 20s of the 20th century, the districts had acquired a modern state. All historical areas of Rome in 1980 were included in the list of objects protected by UNESCO. On this territory there are more than 25 thousand unique historical and architectural objects. Therefore, it is advisable for tourists to settle closer to the sights, however, you need to remember that Rome is a big city and therefore there is no local center in which all interesting places would be concentrated. In addition to officially recognized historical areas within these units, there are even smaller territorial divisions. Local residents keep the historical names of places or assign them new ones to specify the location of certain objects. For example, around the Campo dei Fiori market there is a quarter of the same name, the territory near the Pantheon is called that. In any case, you need to decide on the priorities and the program and then choose a location.
Where is better?
Each district of the Eternal City has its own characteristics, its own set of attractions and even its own character and atmosphere. The choice of location in Rome is related to the tastes and goals of the traveler. If you plan a lot of trips from Rome to the suburbs and other regions of the country, then the area of ​​Termini station will be the most correct option. If the task is to visit as many authentic restaurants as possible, then you need to look at the untwisted area of ​​Testaccio. This is where traditional Roman restaurants are located. If you want to settle in a typical Roman place, then the choice is best made in favor of Trastevere.
For shoppers, the ideal location is the area next to the Spanish Steps. All mods seek to settle in Monti, so the prices are appropriate. But the atmosphere of the place is worth it. Thus, the question of where it is better to settle does not have an unequivocal answer; everything here is determined by personal addictions. The good news is that there are many hotels in Rome, for every taste and budget. They are mainly concentrated in historical quarters, so you need to look at the set of attractions and features of the main places to stay. Nevertheless, the most desirable place is considered to be the space from the squares of Campo dei Fiori and Navona to the Pantheon. This is perhaps the real center of Rome. The areas of the squares are the most beautiful places in Rome and the most charming, there are many churches, fountains, palaces. It may take several days to explore this small area.
Ancient Rome
The oldest part of the city is the Roman Forum, the Baths of Titus and Trajan, the triumphal arch of Constantine and the Colosseum, all these are the oldest areas of Rome, where it is best to devote time to visiting archaeological sites.
Administratively, these attractions are included in two areas - Monti and Celio. In addition to the ancient ruins, there are many attractions: in the blocks you can find more than 50 churches, from the most famous, such as Santa Maria Maggiore and St. Clement, to the unpopular but interesting (Chiesa di San Lorenzo in Fonte and Chiesa di Santa Maria del Buon Consiglio) . About 10 palaces have been preserved here. The most interesting of them are Lateran and Exhibition. These areas have retained part of the historical buildings and successfully combine them with wide avenues. Walking here is a pleasure. In addition, Monti is known for its nightlife, it has collected the largest number of clubs, discos, trendy bars. And Celio, on the contrary, is considered a quieter and chamber area. There are a lot of old Roman-style houses with elegant balconies and stunning views of the Colosseum.
Trastevere
Those who want to see postcard Rome should go to Trastevere. This is another very popular area for tourists. The medieval buildings of narrow streets with small plastered houses have been preserved here. Today the area is very popular, there are many cafes and restaurants, prices are also tourist. Important sights of the area are the churches of Santa Maria in Trastevere and Santa Cecilia in Trastevere, which have been standing here since the first centuries of Christianity. The atmosphere of Trastevere has now become too noisy and vain, so the past patriarchal silence can no longer be found here. A decent distance separates the area from the main attractions, so settling here, planning to watch the city, is not very convenient.
Esquilino
Another large district formed around the station. The Termini district in Rome, according to tradition, is considered too dirty, noisy and unsafe. But this reputation has long been in the past. Now it’s quite clean, there are many cafes with reasonable prices. And the station offers to use grocery supermarkets that work at night and on weekends, which is very rare for Rome. It is convenient to travel outside the city from here, and the hotels around will suit even the most economical tourists. Since the stations have recently been carefully guarded and patrolled by the police, the area has become quite safe, with the exception of bus platforms at night. In addition to the train station in Exvilino, there are several worthy churches and interesting streets.
Trevi and Borgo
Another place adored by tourists is Trevi, as well as all the main areas of Rome. Reviews of tourists most often mention the attractions of this quarter. After all, there is something to see: more than 15 palaces, about 20 interesting squares, 3 famous fountains, more than 25 churches. And you just can’t count the bars, restaurants and shops!
Borgo is interesting, of course, by the Vatican. The distance from St. Angel's Castle to St. Peter's Basilica is small, but crowded with interesting places and attractions. Living in the canopy of the Vatican is pleasant and calm, although the prices are not low here.