Your own private apartment in Piazza Dante, in the heart of the Esquilino neighbourhood, in the center of Rome. Walking distance from Colle Oppio, the Colosseum, Roma Termini, Santa Maria Maggiore, San Giovanni, Piazza Vittorio, Monti, Imperial Forum archaeological area and more. Piazza Dante is well connected by metro, bus, tram and public transportation, and surrounded by numerous shops, bars, restaurants, supermarkets and food markets.
Guests have the entire apartment at their disposal for maximum comfort and privacy. My house is small but can be a perfect solution for the “vacanze romane” of single travellers, couples or friends/families up to 3/4 people. The apartment is equipped with everything you need for your stay. Fast wi-fi connection but no TV, sorry.
DANTE SQUARE + ESQUILINO
I like to stay in nice places when I travel, so I decided to "return the flavor", making my home available to those who want to explore Rome!
My apartment is at an excellent location, surrounded by some of the main attractions of Rome, all at walking distance: Colle Oppio, Colosseum, Fori Imperiali archaeological area, Basilicas of Santa Maria Maggiore and San Giovanni, Monti, the famous Piazza Vittorio food market and more. Piazza Dante has a central public garden and everything you need is around the corner.
If you don't have time to visit the Piazza Vittorio market, you will find 6 supermarkets and food shops of all kinds within 2 blocks of the house, as well as plenty of bars, cafés and restaurants with outdoor terraces. Esquilino is famous for being the "melting pot" district of Rome; here you can find food of all kinds, from traditional and modern Roman cuisine to delicacies from all over the world.
The whole city is close at hand, as Piazza Dante is well served by public transportation. Metro lines A and B have stations within walking distance, and so are the first stations of line C under construction. The area around Piazza Dante (Via Merulana, Via Labicana, Piazza Vittorio) is served by buses and trams that take you anywhere in the city. Within walking distance (or 1 metro stop) is Roma Termini, central train station for all long and short distance trains, airport shuttles to Fiumicino and Ciampino airports, and regional trains to explore places such as Ostia or Tivoli.
THE APARTMENT
My house is not big (less than 40 sq mt / 430 sq ft) but it’s very comfy. Small entrance hall with mirrors, bedroom with queen size bed, bathroom with walk-in shower, and living room with double sofa bed, kitchen corner and small office corner.
You will find a lot of art in the house (my works) and many books and objects from my travels around the world. A bit "bohemian" atmosphere and perhaps there is too much stuff, but it’s not a house "for tourists"; it's the house where I've been living for over 30 years and my stuff is around. I made room in closets, drawers and shelves for guests, don’t worry. Look at the photos to understand if my home can be suitable for your needs.
I have hosted up to 5 people in the past while I was away (a couple with 3 children), but I have to honestly say that my apartment is only suitable for:
- SINGLE TRAVELER: personal space to regenerate after a day out in Rome;
- COUPLE: perfect "little home" for 2 in a romantic exploration of the city;
- COUPLE OF FRIENDS: the sofa bed in the living room can offer a personal space for traveling friends;
- 3 FRIENDS: OK for 3 friends, if 2 agree to share one of the beds (bedroom or sofa bed);
- NOT RECOMMENDED FOR: 3+ friends, or 2 couples. The living room with sofa bed has no doors, so there is no privacy, and with the small bathroom, the apartment is not ideal for more than 3 people. My home is also not suitable or equipped to accommodate babies and kids, sorry.
Contact me for more information, I will reply within a few hours. Feel free to ask me info on what to see or do in Rome, or about the house or neighbourhood. I'm always happy to share tips that can help you plan your holidays better! I speak Italian, English, Spanish and French.
If you need to book a guided tour in Rome, I can put you in touch with a good friend who owns a licensed tour operator agency, who will offer you priority and discounted tours. Let me know if it can be useful.
CHECK-IN AND CHECK-OUT
Check-in from 9:00 to 21:00.
Flexible late checkout.
I will welcome at your arrival to give you the keys, info about the house, and some local tips. I will always be reachable for any need via messages, telephone and whatsapp, but I will not disturb you during your stay unless you contact me.
Sorry, no check-in before 9am or after 9pm, it would be too complicated for me to welcome you and give you access to the apartment. If you have special check-in needs, contact me and I'll see if I can accommodate you.
Checkout is totally flexible. If you leave Rome in the afternoon or in the evening, you can leave your luggage at home, enjoy your last day in Rome and come back later to collect your luggage, leaving the keys at home. Let me know in advance to better plan the cleaning and sanitization of the apartment.
GETTING AROUND ROME
The apartment is located in a strategic position to visit all the most iconic places in Rome. The district is the Esquiline, on the side of the Colle Oppio Park, the park next to the Colosseum. All the main attractions of Rome are within walking distance: Colosseum, Fori Imperiali and archaeological area, cathedrals of Santa Maria Maggiore and San Giovanni, Rione Monti, Trevi Fountain and more.
The other key places of the city (Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, the Spanish Steps, Piazza del Popolo, the Vatican, Trastevere, Testaccio and the whole centre) are easily reachable by metro and direct public transport.
My house is a short distance from Termini station (10-15 minutes on foot, or 1 metro stop); easy to reach if you arrive in Rome by train or with the train/bus shuttles from Fiumicino and Ciampino. For 3 or more people, the most comfortable option to get home from the airports is by taxi, which is also fastest: max 45 min, while it can take a couple of hours with train, bus and metro. There is a fixed taxi fare of €50 from Fiumicino to everywhere in the city, €31 from Ciampino. Don't get ripped off, don't pay extra for luggage!
Street parking in the area is paid (blue stripes), but there are also many free parking spaces (white stripes). Unfortunately, parking can be difficult to find. If you have a car, I suggest you park it and use public transportation, e-scooters or e-bikes to get around Rome. If needed, there are garages in the area with paid monitored parking services.
MORE ON ESQUILINO
Around Piazza Dante there are several restaurants, many open all day or until late at night, and for all budgets: trattorias with typical Italian and Roman cuisine, Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, Korean (lots of Bubble Tea!), Indian, Middle Eastern, African, Latin American, even Asian and international food supermarkets. Don't forget the pizza: it's everywhere and it's delicious!
Esquilino offers many bars with outdoor terraces where you can sit and enjoy a cappuccino, aperitif or glass of wine while observing the frenetic life of Rome or connecting with the locals. My favorite bar/cafe/bistro is Callimaco, just a few steps from my front door. I love having breakfast at Callimaco in the morning, relaxing in their outdoor terrace in the afternoon, or having an aperitif or glass of wine in the evening.
There are 6 supermarkets less than 2 blocks from the house and many grocery and household items stores, as well as the Piazza Vittorio market, Rome's historic food market. ATMs are everywhere (3 in Piazza Dante), as are wash-and-fold laundries and other shops and services. Need more info? Just ask!
SECURITY AND MORE
While the Termini Station area and partially Esquilino can be considered a bit unsafe, Piazza Dante has always been a safe area thanks to the presence of Police and Carabinieri stations, and even more since it houses the headquarters of the State Security Services. There are cameras everywhere, you can walk around and back home safely even at night.
These are things to say in case you are not used to life in big cities; Rome is as safe as any other major city, just be careful and use common sense. Always keep your belongings safe, don't show cash or jewelry, beware of pickpockets on public transportation and busy tourist spots, be careful when crossing the street, don't let people into the house, make sure you lock the door well when you go out, let it go if some people can be rude at times, and you will enjoy Rome without any worries.
Expect a dirty and chaotic city, not only Esquilino. Apart from the traffic, there has been no solution to waste disposal for years, and the bins are usually overflowing. The "city of eternal rubbish", as it is sarcastically called. There are some homeless people in the area, good people who I greet when I meet and who don't bother, even if it's bothering to see that there are people living in such conditions, in Rome as in all big cities.
My house is very safe. Mezzanine floor of one of the buildings around the park of Piazza Dante, with all windows protected by metal bars, and window filters for max privacy (see photo). Even with the windows closed there is a plenty of light in the house and you can look at the sky and the trees in the park, but from the outside the visibility is blocked by a mirror effect during the day, and by a blurred view in the evening when the house lights are on. Opening the windows to get some air at the dining or mini-office tables, a visual barrier is provided by fake plants on the windowsills, which help maintain privacy.
The apartment is equipped with a fire extinguisher, that gets regularly serviced and maintained.