When I am traveling with small kids I want to stay as central as possible, so for Rome that would be somewhere around the Pantheon/Piazza Navona, maybe Campo dei Fiori.

We didn't Trastevere a few years ago and we took a street car/team and it was easy to get around.

They charge to enter the Pantheon now, boo.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We stayed near the Pantheon which was very convenient. We walked everywhere.

Me too, on two separate trips. The location was fantastic.

Same! We were a couple streets north of the Pantheon in a rental apartment so on one hand it felt surprisingly neighborhood-y (there were restaurants mainly purveyed by locals) yet close to everything.

Anonymous wrote:We stayed near the Pantheon which was very convenient. We walked everywhere.

Me too, on two separate trips. The location was fantastic.

We stayed near the Pantheon which was very convenient. We walked everywhere.

We stayed near the Spanish steps, which was a decent location, but my favorite neighborhood that we walked in was Trastevere and if we went again, I would rather stay there.

We usually stay at the Hotel Lord Byron, which is a bit out of the main action (close to the American Embassy) and the top of the Borghese Gardens (right near the modern art museum and Etruscan museum). We can walk to Piazza del Popolo and also are close to great green space/playgrounds. It's also a quick cab ride to almost anywhere. It works for us because we like to stay in Rome for awhile and aren't totally overwhelmed by crowds/other tourists that way. We found some great neighborhood restaurants, including a super family friendly and delicious pizzeria. We took DD when she was 2 and almost 4, and it was great.

I think Trastevere or the neighborhood around Campo dei Fiore also would be great. The latter is pretty central (not quiet) and, like the former, is near a lot of great food.

We went in July and stayed at the Parco dei Principi by the Borghese Gardens, we chose it because it had a pool and Rome is very hot in July, but you probably won't have that problem in April. It's close-ish to central Rome, we walked through the Borghese park to get to all the action, its closer to Piazza de Popolo, but I think most people choose to take a cab. We actually walked from Trastevere all the way to Borghese Gardens. The benefit if you stay there is that you are right next to green open space.

If you want to stay more central, anything near the Pantheon is central. We also stayed at Albergo Del Senato, very central location and made for easy walking trips through the the day.

Trastevere is great

Eur is nice too but considered a suburb- traffic on Cristoforo Colombo can be terrible at times. Great neighborhood though

I actually like the Vatican side - quiet, not too many tourists, can observe the locals drinking their espressos and heading to work, etc.

I've stayed in the neighborhood by the American Embassy and also a small hotel right next to the Forum. Both areas are nice and very easy to walk everywhere. Trastavere will be further.

We went to Rome two summers ago (kids were 9 and 7) and stayed near the Piazza di Pietra. It was a very central location - we could walk to everything - The Pantheon, Colosseum, Forum, etc. It was not the most quiet location, but it was convenient. We went to Trastavere twice for dinner, and while it was a cute neighborhood, it is pretty far from everything. We took taxis there both times we went. That said, if we went back I might look for a place close to the Borghese Gardens. One of the issues we had with Rome is there is really no green space to just run around. For my 7 year old who likes to just run and play, that was a problem. The Borghese Gardens are still close to everything, but there is green space to have some downtime and a picnic - something that is needed in chaotic Rome!

We are headed to Italy in April with a 5 and 8 year old, planning to rent an apartment on Airbnb. I have heard good things about Trastavere, but I'm wondering if it would be better to try and get closer to the sights to reduce the amount of walking. Any thoughts or recommendations appreciated!