Professional Relo is specialized in Relocation in Rome. Roma is a great metropolitan city, It is one of the most important cities from the historic, architectural and artistic point of view, as well as being one of the most important working and dynamic cities for the mid-south of Italy. The city is quite large and it is inhabited by nearly 3.000.000 people; the circular city map allows a good orientation: 95% of the city is surrounded by the GRA (Grande Raccordo Anulare), that’s a toll-free highway with several exits to different sides of the city and allows to circumnavigate the city. Due to the fact that the city is so large, driving is not always the most convenient way to go from one side of the city to another, but it is usually faster, if you avoid rush hours.
The city centre, despite the map’s size below, is quite large and includes some important historic places sites like the Coliseum, Piazza Venezia, Via del Corso, Piazza di Spagna, Piazza del Popolo and Fontana di Trevi just to name a few. The entire historic centre is well serviced by public transportation, that efficiently connects the city centre to all other areas of the city through several bus lines and by both lines A and B of the underground (commonly named Metro; to get more, see our Rome Relo Guide). The city centre is one of the most desired areas by tourists and expats that want to enjoy “Real Rome” during their stay.
Areas
City centre
The city centre is divided in several districts. It is highly unlikely to find houses available in these areas, being apartments more common. Elegant, historic apartments are usually very expensive, but they are very well serviced by public transportation, being reached by both metro lines A and B and by different bus lines that connect the centre with all other sides of the city.
Trastevere and Aventino, Testaccio, Celio and Piazza Venezia
Trastevere was one of the working-class neighbourhood of Rome in the past and has become in time place famous for its traditions, arts and typical roman food. Its alleys are full of shops, restaurants often with outdoor-street tables, bars and stalls with every genre of products. The Aventino area is one of the most requested and characteristic areas of Rome, very well connected, very close to Metro line B, several trams & bus lines, railway station Ostiense and also easily reachable by extra-urban transportation leading to the seaside or other peripheral areas. Apartments in this area are elegant and often small in size, with just a few exceptions (most of them just have one master bedroom and a maid’s room, with no living room but quite large kitchen). One of the main reasons why Aventino area is so sought after is also because is the site of the outstanding building of FAO International Organization, where many expats work.
Also Testaccio (that’s close to Aventino area) was a working-class neighborhood in the past and, contrarily from Trastevere, it still preserves the folk atmosphere and old traditions of its market, one of the most well-known markets of Rome, Piazza Testaccio. The access to the city centre is very easy as Testaccio district is actually located between river Tevere (Trastevere is on the opposite side of the river at only 20 minutes’ walk), Piazza Venezia (5-10 minutes by bus) and San Giovanni.
The shopping streets of the city centre with Via Nazionale, Piazza della Repubblica, Via Cavour, Corso Vittorio Emanuele, via del Corso and Via dei Serpenti are some of the most famous streets for shopping. Elegant apartments in the above-mentioned areas are expensive due to the high demand and because the above-mentioned streets are really close to the old, historic city centre. The new city centre doesn’t offer many houses, as it was developed during the years of the strong urbanization, so it is common to find apartments (generally of small sizes), elegant and really expensive; their prices are also affected by the proximity of the metro A and B stops (stops Spagna, Flaminio, Cavour and Colosseo).
The area named “Celio” (the name is taken from one of the Roman hills), is at about 1 km from the Coliseum. It is a small, elegant and quiet, near San Giovanni, very well serviced with small shops and supermarkets, as well as other useful shops here and there. Apartments in this area have various sizes, but they do not usually exceed 110 sqm and they are usually quite pricey.
Navona area and Campo de’ Fiori are both the main squares located in between Roman Forum and the river Tevere. Apartments in these areas are usually small in size (there are just a few that are bigger than 80 sqm.), and prices may vary, starting from 1.400 Euro/month for a small one. Spanish Steps do not need any presentation. It is the best option for people wishing to be in the heart of Rome near the best shops and the historic Rome represented by its monuments and its central alleys. The charm of the area makes apartments quite expensive: depending on the size, it is quite common to find apartments to rent for about 5.000 Euro/month. The area is very well connected by public transportation.
Piazza Venezia represents the central hub of Rome historic city centre and is located in between Roman Forum and the Coliseum, Termini Central Station, via del Corso, Capitoline hill and Circo Massimo, Corso Vittorio Emanuele which leads to Navona area and Vatican City. This area is in a very strategic position close to city centre. The downside is the noise, as the square is heavily congested day and night.
Areas in proximities of the city centre
Prati, Castel S. Angelo and San Pietro, Aurelio
The Vatican districts Prati and Vaticano are considered to be centreed located, walking distance from Flaminio or Corso Vittorio Emanuele, which are reachable by simply crossing the river Tevere. Apartments in these areas can be expensive because of their proximity to the Vatican, but they are not so expensive as in the city centre, representing a good compromise. The area is very well serviced by public transportation, with several bus lines and the metro line A that connects them to the historic city centre.
The Prati and the Vatican areas are highly populated and, depending on location, could be not easy to find a parking space available on the way back home. Therefore, renting an apartment with a proper parking space or a private garage is always recommended (although there are not many available, it’s worth trying renting a parking space in a private garage at least). Aurelio, a semi-central district near the Vatican City. this is a more residential semi-central district, very well connected to the centre where it is possible to find out a less expensive apartment available. Aurelio is indeed a modern location of Rome just on the top of Vatican city and Prati districts.
Parioli and Pinciano
The areas named Parioli and Pinciano are just close to the ”new” city centre, immediately close to Piazzale Flaminio and Piazza del Popolo; they’re also close to the big park of Villa Borghese. These areas were used to be inhabited by rich, high-class aristocratic families, so buildings and apartments have often a doubled entrance (for the maid, a secondary entrance connected to the kitchen/service area, maid’s bedroom and maid’s bathroom) and a living/family area. The real heart of Parioli is really residential with just a few small shops, a lot of green areas, and it is in high demand. Prices are usually quite high, especially for elegant apartments in nicely decorated buildings.
The Pinciano area is not so different from the Parioli, but it’s a little less expensive as it’s more congested and a little more noisy. The Trieste area is close to Parioli and Pinciano; it is an elegant area as well and it was built in the thirties too. The area is truly pleasant even if near the traffic, close to offices, restaurants, medical facilities, universities and facilities, etc. Fortunately, many buildings in this area are provided with a main entrance that leads to an internal garden or courtyard, a little more secluded apartments away from noise and traffic. The buildings and the apartments in this area are classic in style with high ceilings and thick walls, but they rarely have a terrace or a balcony. The area is quite busy; parking could really be a challenge in this area.
North and northbound
Nomentana and Montesacro
Nomentana and Montesacro areas are located at about 5 kms from the city centre. These areas were built up in the seventies, so the buildings reflect the typical style of those years: they are squared, taller and less characteristic than the buildings that can be found in the Parioli area or in the city centre, but apartments can be rented for a much lower price and they could represent a very good compromise not to stay far from the city centre. The apartments often have one or more balconies, but they rarely have a terrace when not placed on top of the building, and they vary in size. In fact, smaller apartments consist of about 80 sqm., whilst larger apartments can reach a size of approx. 300 sqm., but the most common have a size of around 100 sqm. Prices vary from 1.200 Euro/month to reach their top at around 3.500 Euro/month.
Camilluccia and Trionfale, Cassia and Tomba di Nerone, Olgiata
The Camilluccia district is situated along the road which takes the same name. It’s a quiet residential area with most of the compounds set back from the winding road. Many of them have swimming pools and tennis courts and communal gardens. There are several supermarkets, especially along Via Trionfale, directly connected to via Camilluccia, and public transport is poor and the area is somewhat isolated from the rest of the city. Despite these aspects, the Camilluccia area is the house of many consulates and embassies, so it is well guarded and safe, as well as inhabited by high-class, rich families. Apartments in this area are often large in size and they are not as expensive like in more central parts of the city.
Cassia and Trionfale, sited a little more North of Rome, are areas in which apartments are often inserted in residential complexes with green parks, playgrounds and sometimes tennis courts and soccer fields. The presence of numerous International Schools like the Marymount, St. George’s, American Overseas School of Rome and St. Dominique’s French School make these areas highly requested by expats that really would like to set their lives at short distance from schools.
Apartments in this area are often large and they offer three or four bedrooms, are not highly pricey as the ones near the city centre (with an average cost of 2.800 Euro/month monthly rent), but their condominium’s expenses could be as high as 500 Euro/month if inserted in residential complexes with many amenities The outer portion of Via Cassia and Tomba di Nerone area offer the chance to live in a detached villa, like being in the country: modern and gorgeous villas are mixed to older ones but in any case very charming properties available in a price range that starts from 3.200 Euro/month up to 12.000 Euro/month for bigger ones with a huge garden.
A little more expensive, but less isolated is the Olgiata complex. It is a gated and guarded complex at about 25 kms from the city centre that offers many solutions for living in a detached property, with the plus of being in a silent, elegant residential complex. Another factor to take into consideration is that via Cassia is, for many of the listed areas, the only road that connects them to the city centre. Therefore, it is heavily congested especially during rush hours, so commuting can become an issue.
South
Eur, Magliana and Laurentina
Eur, Magliana and Laurentina areas are located more in the south of the city centre, in the main business districts of Rome, with many offices owned by Italian public administration, as well as many private buildings and multinational Companies. A reflection to how the urban Italy might have looked, if the Fascist regime had not fallen: wide axially planned streets and austere buildings of either stile Littorio, inspired by ancient Roman architecture, or Rationalism, modern architecture built using traditional limestone, tuff and marble. Apartments are usually of a large size and often in modern style. The buildings generally have their proper parking spaces or garages.
The Eur area is considered to be the most elegant of the three mentioned, and it is not rare to find apartments of a large size (more than 140 sqm), in very good condition, elegant, priced for less than a much smaller apartment sited in the city centre. Magliana and Laurentina, even if imitate the same style of the Eur, offer large apartments but in quiet environments with plenty of green areas and trees. They are very residential and all three areas are well equipped with shops, malls and several amenities, walking distance.
South and seaside
Casal Palocco, Axa and Infernetto
South of Rome is out of the city and closer to the beach and the Roman seaside with the areas of the Infernetto, Casal Palocco and Axa. Apartments and houses in these areas are usually of a good size. Casal Palocco and Axa areas are considered to be of a good level and they are quite elegant, even if the apartments avalable are, often, pretty old-fashioned. Casal Palocco and Axa: Generally speaking, the elegant part of Casal Palocco area is about two kms from Via di Casal Palocco, that’s the street that gives the name to the area. Axa, on its side, was built in the same years of Casal Palocco, but most of its area has also very old fashioned properties.
The Infernetto area is the newest of the three: it was built only in the 90ies with new urbanization, characterized by small villas, terraced houses and independent properties with gardens that immediately led people to name it “the Beverly Hills of Rome. Properties’ prices starts from a minimum of 1.200 Euro/month for a small apartment to a maximum of 4.000 Euro/ month for big detached villas, a good option for who likes to live near the seaside, in a property with good outdoor space. Traffic is heavy during rush hours and public transport is not so frequent, with just a few connections by bus to Eur area, so it is necessary to have a car.
What kind of property?
Rome is an apartment-dominated city, there are some areas where is possible to find some independent properties and villas available, but the compromise is moving outside the city centre. A standard unit of accommodation in Rome has 2 or 3 bedrooms. 4th bedrooms are at a premium. In luxury apartments, especially those in historical buildings, the 4th bedroom is typically near the kitchen, as it was used as the maid’s bedroom. Depending on the size, and obviously on the family’s requirements, it will be used for a wide range of purposes, such as a guest or maid’s bedroom, a study, a laundry room or a walk-in wardrobe.
Apartments’ sizes start from only 50 smq to reach 320 sqm. Larger apartments of 3 or 4 bedrooms are more usual in the Parioli and in the Trieste areas, but also in the Cassia, Camilluccia, Tomba di Nerone areas, as well as in the southern part: Eur, Laurentina, Casal Palocco and Infernetto districts. One bedrooms apartments are more easy to find in the historic city center, in particular in proximities of via del Corso, Piazza Venezia, Trastevere, Aventino, Testaccio, San Saba areas.
The market mainly offers semi-furnished or unfurnished apartments, but also a good number of fully furnished properties that, too often, do not have quality furniture reflecting prices. The larger the accommodation unit is, the less likely it is to be furnished, and it is even less likely to be furnished tastefully. In university areas in particular, large furnished apartments mainly aim to cater to students. There are very few furnished houses, although there are some exceptions in areas near international schools. Buildings are generally in classic old style with luxury interiors and do not have parking facilities.
People willing to live in the centre can either leave the car on the street, which may be not an easy task, or rent a parking place at the closest car park. The minimum cost is about 200 Euro/month, depending on the area and size of the car. It is a custom in condominiums to have a doorman: he usually provides in cleaning common areas, control the access to the condominium during working hours, receive packages and registered mail from mailman and couriers. Just a few condominiums in Rome opted for the dismissal of the doorman and they hired instead a cleaning company just for the maintenance of common parts.
Most of the building have an elevator, but not in the historic centre where buildings’ structure and architectural aesthetics does not allow the installation of such a comfort. Parking spaces could represent an issue: in some areas like historic centre, Prati and some parts of the Parioli is almost impossible to find an available parking space during working hours, so it is recommended to give priority to properties that have their proper garage or a reserved parking space in condominium’s garage.
Anyway, apart from some areas, it is not difficult to find a parking spot on the streets or a private garage that will offer a parking space for a monthly fee. Real estate is particularly expensive in Rome, especially if one chooses to live in the City Centre or in the nearby areas. Although the crisis in recent years has helped to increase the availability of accommodations and to bring rent prices down, or at least make landlords more inclined to negotiate, the property market still mainly revolves around buying and selling rather than renting.
What to expect, or not to expect, from the market?
House with a garden: The few houses with gardens that are available are located outside the city centre.
House/apartment with 4 or more bedrooms: A “standard” unit of accommodation in Italy will have 2 or 3 bedrooms. Four bedrooms are at a premium. In luxury apartments, especially those in historical buildings, the 4th bedroom will be near the kitchen. Depending on the size, and obviously on the family’s requirements, it will be used for a wide range of purposes, such as a guest or maid’s bedroom, a study, a laundry room or a walk-in wardrobe.
Furnished accommodation with 3/4 bedrooms: The larger the accommodation unit is, the less likely it is to be furnished, and it is even less likely to be furnished tastefully. In university towns in particular, large furnished apartments mainly aim to cater to students. There are very few furnished houses, although there are some exceptions in the more “international” towns and cities and/or in areas near international schools.
Terrace/Balcony: The availability of apartments with terraces or balconies is extremely limited, especially in city centres. Due to this shortage, the presence of a terrace/balcony is considered a “plus” which significantly increases a property’s value and therefore the rent.
Parking: The closer the accommodation is to the centre, the more limited the parking will be. When it is available, parking is considered a “plus” and it significantly adds to a property’s value. People who require a parking space in city centres tend to rent one separately in a public garage. In Milan and Rome, the monthly cost is likely to be €200 or more, depending on the area and the size of the car.
Air Conditioning: Despite hot summers, air conditioning does not come as standard. It is more likely to be found in luxury accommodation. When it is not available, owners will not normally be willing to install air conditioning units if asked to do so by tenants. Portable units may be a reasonable compromise in these circumstances.
Contact Us for relocation in Rome!