Prati is a popular shopping neighbourhood with numerous connections to ancient Rome in its well-preserved architecture, yet it's comparable to Paris with its luxurious stores and elegant sense of style. Prati's Via Cola di Rienzo is one of Rome's primary shopping streets, boasting a consistently high ranking among others. The neighbourhood’s renowned landmark of Hadrian’s Mausoleum, or Castel Sant’Angelo, is the symbol of Prati’s coat of arms and is depicted in blue with a silver backdrop.

An ornate and intricately detailed building that was repeatedly reinforced due to its proximity to Tiber floodwaters, the Palace of Justice today houses the Supreme Court of Cassation and the Judicial Public Library. The area’s religious and spiritual focus is revealed in churches such as San Gioacchino, a cardinal basilica dedicated to Saint Joachim, who was the father of Mary, mother of Jesus. Residential areas display Prati’s Renaissance revival, or Stile Umbertino, and art-nouveau architectural designs as well.

Prati in Rome - one of the highlights of 11 Most Popular Neighbourhoods in Rome and 12 Best Places to Go Shopping in Rome (Read all about Rome here)

What are the highlights of Prati in Rome?

Once the highest structure in Rome, Hadrian’s Mausoleum is a high, cylindrical mausoleum built by the Roman emperor Hadrian for himself and his family. The building has been used as a castle, fortress and prison by several popes and is now used as a national museum, prominently featuring the statue of Archangel Michael atop its highest point. Teatro Adriano is a cinema in Prati and was also a theatre for performing arts, known for being a venue of the 1965 Beatles European tour.

The Museo delle anime del Purgatorio, or the Museum for the Souls of Purgatory, showcases a collection of imprints left behind by the deceased thought to be condemned to purgatory, inspired by images seen in a fire at Chiesa del Sacro Cuore del Suffragio. These in-between individuals were believed to be asking for prayers in order for them to go to Paradise.

Where to eat and drink in Prati in Rome?

Prati is home to many sophisticated restaurants, speciality wine bars and comfortable cafes serving mainly classic Italian dishes with international offerings here and there. The popular restaurant Quarto is known for its burgers offered beside appetisers such as fries and cheesecake. The Pizzarium is also well-known in Rome, with a regularly rotating selection of toppings for their traditional pizzas. Fratelli De Luca offers fresh sandwiches, salads, smoothies and juices, all with appealing Mediterranean aromas.

Zen Sushi supplies seafood lovers with their preferences in a sleek, modern setting, providing not only ample sushi and sashimi but also shrimp, prawns, oysters, sea urchins and many more delicacies from the sea. Gelateria dei Gracchi serves an interesting range of flavours for its Italian desserts and is known as one of the best places in the city to get gelato.

What else is good to know about Prati in Rome?

Within walking distance of the Vatican and across from the Tiber, Prati has wide roads organised geometrically or by grid layout, optimising its use of available space. It’s largely an upper-class, corporate-centric neighbourhood with some bourgeois options. The atmosphere is fast-paced and lively as a result, making for an engaging place to conduct matters of both leisure and business. Live music helps you live in the moment, adding an element of mystery as you take in your Roman experience.

Prati is close to other popular neighbourhoods, such as Trastevere, Testaccio, Termini, Monti, Ostia and Ostiense. Nearby attractions include the Colosseum, the Pantheon, the Roman Forum, the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, St Peter’s Basilica, St John Lateran, Santa Maria di Maggiore, the Aurelian Walls, Vatican City, the Vatican Museums and many other places of significant cultural and historical interest in Rome.

Prati in Rome

Lage: Roma RM, Italy