Photo: Jebulon, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
To have Rome's best restaurants and bars within walking distance, stay in the historic centre, between the Pantheon and the Spanish Steps. It has the widest choice of trattorias, wine bars and hotel bars within ten minutes on foot, it is a 20-minute walk from the nightlife of Trastevere, and it is quieter after midnight than either Trastevere or Campo de' Fiori.
How do Rome's areas compare for eating and drinking?
| Area | Eating | Drinking | Noise at night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Historic centre (Campo Marzio, Pantheon) | Historic trattorias, classic Roman cooking, smart dining rooms | Wine bars, hotel bars, rooftop terraces | Low to moderate |
| Campo de' Fiori | Bakeries, delicatessens, casual tables | Busy bars on the square | High at weekends |
| Trastevere | Trattorias and pizzerias, many aimed at visitors | Rome's liveliest bar scene | High, Thursday to Saturday |
| Monti | Small modern restaurants | Wine bars and cocktail bars | Moderate |
| Testaccio | The home of traditional Roman cooking | Clubs, further from the centre | Varies by street |
Why stay in the centre rather than Trastevere?
Because you can walk to dinner in every direction. From Campo Marzio the tables around the Pantheon are seven minutes away, Piazza del Popolo twelve, Campo de' Fiori fifteen and Trastevere twenty. You choose the evening you want, then come home to a street where the shutters are already closed.
What does an evening look like?
Romans eat late. Begin with an aperitivo at around seven, sit down to dinner at half past eight, and finish with a walk: the Pantheon is at its best when the square has emptied, and the bridge at Castel Sant'Angelo is lit until late.
We have written separate guides to where to eat, where to drink and the centre after dark.
Does an apartment change how you eat?
It does. With a kitchen you can shop at the market in the morning, keep a bottle cold for the terrace, and save restaurants for the meals that matter. See our guide to food markets in central Rome.
Sources
- Walking times are our own, measured at an easy pace.
