Rome Neighborhood Guide: Borgo & Prati Issue #164 LAURA ITZKOWITZ NOV 20, 2025 ∙

Just outside the walls of Vatican City, Borgo and Prati are two of Rome’s essential neighborhoods. Prati in particular is rather underrated by tourists but beloved by Romans. Borgo is more of a micro-neighborhood made up by a handful of blocks that lie between the Vatican and Castel Sant’Angelo. Prati was developed in the 19th and early 20th centuries, so it’s characterized by long, leafy boulevards lined with elegant buildings containing apartments, offices, restaurants, bars, and shops, while Borgo has quaint cobblestone streets and ivy-draped buildings.

Though there are plenty of tourist traps in Borgo that cater to the hordes of hungry people who stumble into the first place they find after hours traipsing through the Vatican Museums, there are some genuinely worthwhile restaurants and bars in the area. Prati, meanwhile, has lots of great restaurants and shops where Romans actually go.

Prati developed in the 19th and early 20th century
Prati is well connected to the rest of the city by three metro stops (Lepanto, Ottaviano, and Cipro), while Borgo is easily reached via a short stroll from the Ottaviano stop or by crossing the Ponte Sant’Angelo from the Centro Storico. Once you’re there, it’s easy and pleasant to walk around both neighborhoods.

Every year, I update the chapter of Fodor’s Rome that covers the Vatican, Borgo, and Prati, so I’ve gotten to know these two neighborhoods pretty well over the years. Here are my favorite places to eat and drink, things to do, places to shop, and hotels in the area.