Rome Neighborhood Guide: Piazza del Popolo & Flaminio

Issue #115

Welcome to the New Roman Times’ neighborhood guide series! Every now and then, I’ll spotlight a specific neighborhood that I think is worth a deeper exploration for paid subscribers. Have a neighborhood you’d like a guide to? Email newromantimes@substack.com or leave a comment here!

Piazza del Popolo—the People’s Square—marks the northern end of Rome’s centro storico. With an Egyptian obelisk in the center surrounded by four sphinxes spouting water, the massive round piazza feels a bit like a dramatic stage set. Crowned by the Porta del Popolo, which replaced the Medieval gate in the Aurelian Walls in the 16th century, the square was redesigned by architect and urban planner Giuseppe Valadier in the late 18th century. To this day, it’s one of Rome’s most important piazzas.

This is the beginning of the area also known as il Tridente (i.e. the trident), so-called because of the three streets that branch out from the piazza’s southern end: Via di Ripetta, the western branch, which slants toward the Tiber; Via del Corso in the middle, which goes all the way to Piazza Venezia; and Via del Babuino, the eastern branch that leads to the Spanish Steps. Above the piazza lies the Pincio terrace and Villa Borghese, as well as the neighborhood of Flaminio, which becomes more residential as you continue north. The area is served by the Flaminio stop on metro line A as well as Tram 2 and several buses.

When I first moved to Rome about 15 years ago, I lived off of Tram 2, so Piazza del Popolo really felt like my gateway to the city center. I have always loved this neighborhood and spend a lot of time here. Every year, I update the chapter of Fodor’s Rome that covers this neighborhood. Here are my favorite places to eat and drink, things to do, places to shop, and hotels in the area.

Where to Eat

Rosati may look more elegant, but I prefer Canova

There are two historic cafés right on Piazza del Popolo—Rosati and Canova—and my favorite is unequivocally Canova. It was filmmaker Federico Fellini’s haunt, as he lived right around the corner on Via Margutta. Supposedly he had an office in the back and today his drawings and images from his films line the halls. I usually stop by for a quick coffee at the bar, but the terrace is ideal for people watching.