The Quirinal Repubblica Area

Helpful articles about the Quirinal area...

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I will refer to the area as the Quirinal Repubblica area for ease of remembrance. The word Quirinal outside of Rome is rarely used but the Piazza della Repubblica with the Fontana delle Naiadi (Fountain of the nymphs) is something that may help you to remember the area and its location.
The Quirinal is the largest and tallest of the seven hills and it's believed that the ancient Sabines built an alter on this hill in honour of their God Quirinus. The Sabines, like the Etruscans, eventually became part of the rapidly advancing Roman nation.

The Quirinal Repubblica area is central and well connected with public transport. The area closest to the Roman Forum is where you find the most restaurants, cafes, cobbled streets and Roman nightlife. The section closer to Piazza della Repubblica tends to be more commercial and residential and has less of that authentic ancient Roman feel.
The Quirinal area is also blessed with an abundance of accommodation choices.

 

Street Map of the Quirinal Repubblica Area

Click for larger street map of the Quirinal Repubblica area.

(This street map connects with the Via Veneto, Trevi and Esquilino street maps.
View all of the Street Maps Rome Italy together.)

What to see in the Quirinal Repubblica area?

The Piazza della Repubblica (Republic Square) once part of the Baths of Diocletian, and the Fontana delle Naiadi (fountain of the mymphs), form the focal point of the area.
The fountain features four naked bronze nymphs controlling various sea creatures, the design was quite bold for its time.

Immediately off Piazza della Repubblica are the Ancient Roman Baths of Diocletian. Built in AD 306 under the reign of Emperor Diocletian the baths were the biggest to be built and had a capacity of 3000 bathers!

It's worthwhile noting that the Museo Nazionale Romano (the National Roman Museum) which holds many Ancient Rome antiquities including those unearthed in the last 150 years, has branches in the Baths of Diocletian and at the Palazzo Massimo in Largo di Villa Peretti (just off Piazza della Repubblica by Termini station.)

Along Via del Quirinale you find many beautiful parks, and just before the bend of the road would take you towards the Roman Forum, you will see Piazza del Quirinale on the right.
This large open square contains the Quirinal fountain with its Roman statues of Castor and Pollux (the patrons of horsemanship) and also the Palazzo del Quirinale, the official residence of the President of the Republic.

You will forgive yourself for thinking that the square is rather bland and sterile for Roman standards, but that's because it is. It does have one redeeming features though: the stairs off the Piazza lead down to the Trevi Fountain (down the stairs, second right into Via di San Vincenzo).

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Getting to and from the Quirinal Repubblica area.

(Refer to the street map of the Quirinal Repubblica 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:

• Repubblica (line A) - you can either head off to Piazza Navona, the Spanish Steps (Piazza di Spagna) or the Vatican in one direction or to Basilica di San Giovanni in the other. Termini is one stop away and you can change to line B and head off to the ancient Roman Colosseum and Circus Maximus.
• Barberini (Via Veneto area) - ditto the advice given for Repubblica.
• Termini - it's the starting and finishing point of most public transportation in Rome.
• Cavour - the Metro in Via Cavour is one stop away from the 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 Roman Pantheon (100m) and Piazza Navona along the way.
• From Piazza Barberini (Via Veneto area) the 116 Electric bus will take you up Via Veneto and into the Villa Borghese Gardens, and then going back it will head down past the Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Piazza Navona and finally to the front door of the Vatican City before heading back to Barberini.

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

Rome taxi: There are taxi stops at Piazza della Repubblica and Termini Station.

Rome tourist buses: There are tourist bus stops at Piazza della Repubblica 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 Quirinal Repubblica area.

Most Rome nightlife happens around the lower part of Quirinal hill i.e. the area closest to the Roman Forum. Here you will find many crafts and antiquity shops, restaurants, cafès, trattorias and bars, and the area has that authentic Rome feel.

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 Quirinal Repubblica area? Click on an area of the Rome Italy Map to go to its dedicated page.