Central Rome or Trastevere?

[ATriptoRome]

I am planning a trip to Rome in April, for me and DH to celebrate a significant birthday.

I am torn between staying in Central Rome or the Trastevere area.

Pros Central Rome

• all the landmarks are within easy walking distance

Cons Central Rome

• food (especially restaurants) are said to be overpriced and not that good

Pros Trastevere

• cheaper accommodation
• food is said to be much nicer and cheaper
• is a residential area, so an opportunity to experience "real Rome" and mix with the locals

Cons Trastevere

• longer walk to attractions
• lots of graffiti on buildings and windows

I would love to hear the advice and experiences of any MNr's who have been to Rome.

Advice on must sees and must do's also very much welcomed.

Also any accommodation recommendations. I just want clean, tidy and well maintained with pleasant owners/staff, in a good location. Any recommendations greatly appreciated.

Admittedly I was there for work so a whistle stop tour, but Trastevere has a lovely atmosphere and the food is better and cheaper than in the touristy centre. It's not too bad to get to the attractions in the centre (public transport was fine if busy) from there, walking there was fine although the roads are crazy! No recommendations for accommodation I'm afraid as I stayed in a different area.

Thanks couldhavebeenme.
I suppose we could stay central and walk to and from Trastevere to eat in the evening.

Can you recommend any places to eat couldhavebeenme?

I'd have to dig out a receipt or something, I can't remember the name of the restaurant, a small family run (trattoria?) place. Was spot on though. If I can find a receipt I will let you know!

Tons of ice cream places in the centre around the main attractions, not cheap but oh so worth it for the flavours

Ate in distinctly average pizza place in the centre, it was ok with a proper pizza oven but a bit bella italia like. Down the little side streets were some much nicer looking places so worth having a snoop about and ignoring people touting for business.

Thanks couldhavebeenme. Fingers crossed you come across that receipt.
After all the walking around we will deserve to treat ourselves to an ice cream or two

It depends what you want to see. Travestere is not far from the Vatican. The Colosseum/Forum are not in the historic centre so a bit of a walk from Pantheon, Trevi fountain etc.
Rome isn't huge so walking is no big deal but public transport is cheap and very easy to use, even without any Italian.

You will be able to find nice places to eat anywhere in Rome. As couldhave said, avoid places that have touts and tourist menus. There are some really nice places to eat in Central Rome, and not necessarily expensive, especially around campo di Fiori. There's some really excellent gelatarie near the Colosseum.

If I were you I'd look for good deals on nice hotels rather than worry too much about the area.

Siennasun we plan on seeing the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps and the Vatican.

I have found good deals and places in both areas, I am just trying to determine which to opt for. Thanks for suggesting the Campo di Fiori area to eat.

Would also recommend Travestere, we walked to most things from there.

Where did you stay whoneedstosleep? Was it any good?

We stayed in travestere and loved it, really pretty area and we walked everywhere.

We went with a company called Rome from home but this was about 8 years ago, stayed in an apartment that was someone's home usually, it was really nice!

Trastevere 100%!!

The restaurants are so much nicer, cheaper, friendlier and more authentic

It's not a really long walk in to town and is very pretty, it's so worth it just to be away from the constant harassment of being a tourist in a big city

Definitely get up early to see the flower markets one morning too

I booked through "feel at home in Rome" or similar, it was an apartment and would recommend booking there

There are so many restaurants that you might not need specific recommendations

Lastly, would recommend getting a four-person bike you'll see around, so so fun!

I will take a look at apartments. Though not sure if I would feel comfy being in someones home

It's not with them there! It's just like renting a self catering apartment, ours was lovely, it had a little balcony with fairy lights and stuff :-)

I know SwedeDreams, but I would imagine all their personal possessions are there.

It wasn't when I stayed, I guess the people that rent these places make them pretty neutral? Or maybe we just got lucky!

Ok then. Will look into it a bit further.

I also had an apartment. Booked through "sleep in Italy". You can stay really near the main attractions without the hideous pricing of the hotels.
Bear in mind that the only hotels with pools are further out. Literally every building in Rome is thousands of years old. Or hundreds of years old and built on something thousands of years old.

I would narrow down hotels in either place by looking at Google street maps. Don't go near the big roads and find a nice square or pedestrian lane.

Do the underground tour of the Colosessum. Mainly because you walk in with no queue and see the areas not available to the general public. The tickets also give you access to the other sites Forum and Palentine hill that are must do,

definitely Trastevere, it has a great atmosphere & a real buzz. We stayed at the Hotel Santa Maria & I absolutely recommend it - rooms are suites built around a cloistered courtyard full of orange trees, very atmospheric but quiet & secure, with amazing breakfasts (9 year old DS still speaks wistfully about the pot of hot chocolate the lovely staff brought him every morning). Rome is small for a capital city & we walked to all the sites, just wandering the streets is a joy in itself. I can recommend 3 restaurants in Trastevere that we really enjoyed. You get so much more bang for our buck on that side of the river. My Rome highlights were seeing the colliseum (breathtaking in real life) & I thought that the Trevi fountain was absolutely beautiful. Pantheon amazing too...so was everything really!

It was an apartment booked through booking.com
It wasn't a home, just a building turned into flats to rent out to tourists. Will see if I can find link to it.

Alastair Sawley has some nice Rome apartment recommendations on his site if you decide to take that option.

Second the hotel Santa Maria in Trastervere, stayed there for a special birthday and they couldn't do enough for us. Breakfast was wonderful, fresh ricotta and fruit especially memorable.

Trastevere! Lucky you!

Based on your con for Travastere being further walking distance to sights, as half of the sights you want to see are not in the historic centre, I would stay in Travastere.
Tbh you'll have a great time wherever. I love Rome. We are going this week.

*Trastevere

OP - not only did I find the receipt, I also found the website of the restaurant for you allefratteditrastevere.com/eng/home/Restaurant-in-Trastevere-Rome.html cost 25 Euro for 2 courses bread and drinks (non alcoholic) which I thought pretty reasonable.