Trastevere has always been there, and Testaccio is also a given. For years San Lorenzo, across the Termini railway tracks and close to Rome’s Sapienza University, was the new happening area and now, according to the city’s monthly magazine A Guest in Rome (get it for free at the various information kiosks in Rome), it is the turn of Pigneto.
The Pigneto neighborhood starts just beyond Porta Maggiore, the square where most of the ancient aqueducts end and where most of Rome’s tram lines come together. The area has the form of a triangle with the Via Prenestina bordering it in the north, the Circonvallazione Casilina in the east and the Via Casilina on the southern side.
Pigneto is characterized by the presence of houses, rather than flats like in the rest of the center of Rome and therefore has a more village-like atmosphere. Its main street, the Via del Pigneto is partly pedestrian and very interesting in the evening when the alternative crowd sits outside, drinking beer or wine and listening to music.
Some well-known restaurants are Primo (Via del Pigneto, 46), Necci (Via Fanfulla da Lodi, 68), which can be a bit hard to find, but has a gorgeous outdoor area, and Quarantuno (Via del Pigneto, 41/43), with rather formal, but friendly waiters, and excellent antipasti.
Circolo degli Artisti (Via Casilina Vecchia, 42) is Rome’s most important venue for alternative music and Fanfulla 101 (Via Fanfulla da Lodi, 101) organizes concerts and DJ sets.
Pigneto: Rome’s Latest Fashionable District Practical Information
| Address | Quartiere Pigneto |
| District | Partly Prenestino-Labicano, partly Tiburtino |
| Hotels nearby | All Rome hotels |
| Telephone | Not appliccable |
| Opening Hours | Always open |
| Closed | Never |
| Admission | Free |
| Public transport | Train: Ponte Casilino; Santa Elena. |
| Special Holidays/Events | None |
| Note | Rome's latest fashionable area. |
Directions to the Pigneto: Rome’s Latest Fashionable District
Until metro C is ready, it is best to take the "trenino" from the Laziale part of Roma Termini and get off at either the Ponte Casilino or Santa Elena stops.