The Esquiline St Maria Maggiore area

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The Esquiline St Maria Maggiore area along with the Quirinal area is a haven for accommodation options. Howevers many tourists tend to do reserve their accommodation in the upper Quirinal area (the part closer to Termini Station) and therefore closer to the transport hub. I would suggest that if this was your thinking you might reconsider.
While the Esquiline area does have its attractions I feel that the part of it closer to Termini station is a bit seedy and too residential. The area of Esquiline closer to the Colosseum has a more authentic Roman feel and your experience of Rome will be different.

Rome Italy Map: Esquiline St Maria Maggiore Area

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What to see in the Esquiline St Maria Maggiore area?

The Esquiline St Maria Maggiore area's main attractions are its churches, St Maria Maggiore being the drawcard (just off Via Cavour in Piazza di Esquilino).

Completed some time in the mid 5th Century the subsequent additions to the church have seen a medley of architectural styles right through and including the Renaissance and Baroque era.

Inside, the Basilica is dripping with decoration. The gold coffered ceilings and mosaiced domes which depict bible scenes are spectacular.

St Pietro in Vincoli (Piazza di San Pietro in Vincoli) is home to Michelangelo's Moses. The horns sculpted on Moses' head are actually an incorrect interpretation of the old Hebrew testament. The horns should instead be rays of light.

It is told that the two chains with which St Peter was shackled were sent to two different places, Constantinople and Rome (where this church was built by Pope Leo to house it). When the second piece was brought to Rome some years later they matched perfectly. The chains are still housed in the church.

Getting to and from the Esquiline St Maria Maggiore area.

(Refer to the street map of the Esquiline St Maria Maggiore area above.)

Rome Metro: No matter where you are in the area there is always a Rome Metro station close at hand. The main Metro stops are:

• Piazza Vittorio Emanuele (line A) - from here you can go to the Basilica San Giovanni, or in the other direction, to Piazza di Spagna (Spanish Steps) or the Vatican.
• Termini Station - it's the starting and finishing point of most public transportation in Rome, and the meeting point of the two Rome Metro lines.
• Cavour (line B) - the Metro in Via Cavour is one stop away from the ancient Roman Colosseum and two away from Circus Maximus.

Termini is the central station (metro, train, bus and tour bus) and where you can also change Metro lines.
For more information about the Metro see my dedicated page on the Rome Metro.

Rome buses: The main bus stop is at Termini Station.

• From Termini you can take the No. 64 Bus to the Vatican, it will pass by Piazza Venezia, the Pantheon (100m) and Piazza Navona along the way.
• From St Maria Maggiore you can take the No. 70 bus to Piazza Venezia and Largo di Torre Argentina, where you can visit the Roman Pantheon, Navona and Campo dè Fiori areas.

For more about the buses in Rome see my dedicated page Rome buses and Rome public transport.

Rome taxi: There are taxi stops at St Maria Maggiore, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele and Piazza Manfredo Fanti (refer to the street map above).

Rome tourist buses: There are tourist bus stops at St Maria Maggiore and Termini Station. The latter also being the starting point for many of the Rome tour bus companies.

Note: If you haven't already heard about it on my site then the ATAC public transportation in Rome site has a great tool for calculating the quickest route from point A to point B anywhere in Rome. When you arrive at the website click on the English language option to the right. Fill in your departure address and arrival address.

• Rome buses
• Rome trams
• Rome Metro

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Restaurants and nightlife in the Esquiline area.

There is a large concentration of immigrants living in the Esquiline area, especially in the vicinity of Termini Station, and the Restaurants and cuisine in the area reflects that. This caters more for residents than tourists - part of the reason we holiday in Rome is to experience the Roman food culture.

For a more authentic experience of Roman food, culture and nightlife you need to head towards the Navona, Campo dè Fiori and Trastevere areas or even the areas of Esquiline and Quirinal closest to the Colosseum.

For more advice about eating out in Rome visit my Rome restaurants page and also the Rome restaurant guide page for advice and tips from visitors to this site.

Finished with the Esquiline St Maria Maggiore area? Click on an area of the map below to visit another area.