The best neighbourhoods for students in Rome

San Lorenzo

San Lorenzo is the Italian capital’s university neighbourhood par excellence, so it's undoubtedly one of the best neighbourhoods for students in Rome.

The buildings of one of the most prestigious universities in the country are located here: the University of Rome La Sapienza. It’s true that sometimes it may not be the safest neighbourhood, but it’s full of students and young people during the year.

It isn't a very touristy area, despite being very close to Roma Termini, one of the main train stations in the city. Thanks to this, and to the student population it hosts, it usually has a variety of cheap shops and bars.

San Lorenzo is well connected to the rest of the city through tram lines and buses.

Trastevere

One of the best-known neighbourhoods in Rome. In fact, you've probably already heard of it! Although it has gained popularity among tourists for its bohemian and local atmosphere, it hasn't lost its essence. It’s a very lively neighbourhood, with people on its streets both during the day and at night. Of course, that can cause a lot of noise, so keep that in mind.

Trastevere is full of bars, restaurants, trattorias, pizzerias, snack bars... everything you can imagine! You’ll also find music and performances in the streets and in different venues.

It has some cultural sites to visit, although they aren’t the most outstanding in Rome. As for natural spaces, some highlights are the Villa Sciarra and the Gianicolo Park, with very nice views of the city. Plus, a walk along the Tiber River is always a good option!

A disadvantage of this neighbourhood is its poor public transport connection with the rest of the city. It has a tram line and some bus lines, but many students prefer to walk to get to the centre of Rome.

Piazza Bologna, in Nomentano

The area of Piazza Bologna, which is located in the neighbourhood of Nomentano, is one of the most student-oriented in Rome. It's an area that’s further away from the central area of ​​the Italian capital, but it’s ideal for those who go to the nearby Sapienza University of Rome. Furthermore, we believe that it’s an advantage, because it means that there are not many tourists, something almost unheard of in such a touristic city. In fact, this makes the cost of rentals more affordable than in more central neighbourhoods. For all this we believe that it’s one of the best neighbourhoods for students in Rome.

Piazza Bologna has a very good atmosphere at night, with affordable bars, cocktail spots and restaurants for students.

As a cultural site, we recommend a visit to the Museum of Villa Torlonia, and its garden is also perfect for a walk in nature.

In this neighbourhood, there are transport connections with tram, buses, and metro (B and B1). In addition, it's very close to one of the city’s most important train stations: Rome Tiburtina.

San Giovanni / Appio-Latino

The neighbourhood of San Giovanni, currently known as Appio-Latino, is one of the oldest neighbourhoods in Rome. It's right next to the city centre, but it isn’t a very touristy area.

It’s ideal for students of the Pontifical Lateran University, which is right there.

In San Giovanni, there are a variety of bars and restaurants, as well as some nightclubs.

Among the cultural sites to visit are the Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano and the Porta Latina. Regarding green areas, you can explore parks such as Parco dell'Appia Antica, Parco della Caffarella and Villa Lazzaroni.

It's one of the areas with the best public transportation in the city, with bus, tram and metro lines (lines A and C).

Pigneto

Pigneto has become fashionable in recent years. Because of this, it has a more local atmosphere. In addition, it's a little further from the touristy areas. This also means that the prices of rent are more affordable, something ideal for students on a tight budget. In fact, it’s one of the best neighbourhoods for students in Rome because of its atmosphere and its affordability, although there’s no university based there.

The nightlife is very lively in Pigneto! It has plenty of cocktail bars, live music venues and snack bars. It also has a wide variety of pizzerias, trattorias, Latin restaurants, ice cream parlours and bars.

It doesn't have many green spaces, but it's close to the Parco delle Energie, a park with a small lake, trees and graffiti. There are no important sites of cultural interest.

It’s connected through bus lines, tram lines and metro line C.

FAQ about neighbourhoods in Rome