From Wikitravel

Esquilino and San Giovanni are adjacent neighborhoods in Rome.

Esquilino is named for the Esquiline hill on which it stands. It lies south of the Termini station and centers more or less on the Piazza Vittorio Emmanuele II. It is now partly a Chinese immigrant neighborhood, and specialty groceries and shoe stores abound. (There is also still some disgruntled graffiti to be found lamenting this fact, such as "Esquilino - White and Catholic. Defend it with us."). San Giovanni is named after the Basilica, which is the parish church of Rome. The area is south-east of the Esquiline.

[edit] Get in

Metro Line A connects Termini station with the basilica of San Giovanni. There are also several buses from the downtown area, best caught at Piazza Venezia or by the Colosseum, where you can connect with Metro Line B.

[edit][add listing] See

• Santa Maria Maggiore, Via Liberiana 27, ☎ +39 06483195, [1]. Built in the 9th Century, this ancient basilica crowns the top of the Esquiline Hill. Tons of gold decorate the interior together with impressive mosaics (particularly when the floodlights are turned on), and there is a museum on the premises. If you are in Rome on Corpus Christi (Corpus Domini), which is the Thursday after the 8th Sunday after Easter, an early-evening service is held in San Giovanni by the Pope followed by a procession along Via Merulana to Santa Maria. Good opportunity for a close up view of the Pope.  edit

• San Prassede, Via di S. Prassede (leaving Santa Maria Maggiore walk very briefly down Via Merulana and take first right. S. Prassede is accessed by a side entrance straight ahead of you). Fantastic mosaics and some other interesting artwork. Not to be missed.  edit

• San Giovanni in Laterano, Piazza di San Giovanni Laterano. This is the cathedral church of Rome and first of the major basilicas. It's also the Pope's (as Bishop of Rome) Church. As such it ranks above all other churches in the Roman Catholic Church, even above St. Peter's. Be sure to check out the fourth century baptistery (still in use - in Piazza di San Giovanni, slighly apart from the main basilica) and the medieval cloister (brilliant Coamati columns)  edit
• Scala Sancta, (North-east of the basilica, across the road). The Scala Sancta (Holy Stairs) is, according to Roman Catholic tradition, the staircase used by Jesus Christ to approach Pontius Pilate to be sentenced to death. Attracts numerous pilgrims who climb the stairs on their knees.  edit
• Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, Piazza Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, 12, [2]. Originally constructed to hold relics of the Passion of Jesus. They include two thorns of his crown, part of a nail and three small wooden pieces of the Cross. The authenticity of these relics is much disputed, however.  edit

• National Museum of Musical Instruments, Piazza Santa Croce in Gerusalemme. 08.30-19.30 closed Mondays. Next door to Santa Croce. A collection of around 3000 pieces, although only a third of these are displayed.  edit
• Museo della Liberazione, Via Tasso 145 (Manzoni metro station on Line A), [3]. 09.30 to 12.30 Tuesday to Sunday and Tuesday, Thursday and Friday afternoons. This small museum records the liberation of Rome from German occupation during the Second World War. During the occupation the building was used as a prison. Free admission.  edit

[edit][add listing] Do

Movies are shown and some performances are held for free in Piazza Vittorio during the summer.

[edit][add listing] Buy

The area is also home to the Mercato Esquilino, an indoor market of ancient provenance that recently moved from its longtime outdoor home all the way round the outside of Piazza Vittorio; it is still only a couple of blocks east of the piazza. The mercato is divided into a food section, with good and cheap produce, meat, and fish, and a clothing section, with clothes of all kinds, shoes, luggage, etc. at low prices and generally not fabulous quality. Get there in the morning for food; it's generally closed by afternoon.

[edit][add listing] Eat

There are a lot of Chinese and Indian restaurants, but you will also find many typical trattorias.

• Palazzo del Freddo (Gelateria Fassi), Via Principe Eugenio 65 (just south-east of Piazza Vittorio Emanuele), ☎ +39 06 4464740. Ice cream: not as marvelous as Giolitti or San Crispino but still worth trying. Prices are reasonable, quality good. Old ice cream making equipment on display.  edit
• Ristorante Baia Chia, via Machiavelli 5 (corner of Via Machiavelli and Via Merulana), [4]. closed Sundays. Good value Sardinian fish restaurant. Seafood antipasto, three pasta dishes, grilled fish and dessert for around Euros 40. Don't try to order, just let them bring it to your table. Excellent Sardinian wines extra.  edit
• Panella L’Arte del Pane, Via Merulana 54 (5 mins from Santa Maria Maggiore). Very upmarket (with matching prices) baker. Great window displays but you may find the taste doesn't match the appearance.  edit

[edit][add listing] Drink

• Irish Pubs. The area around Santa Maria Maggiore is the main area in Rome for Irish Pubs. The Fiddler’s Elbow [[5]] is the oldest and is at Via dell’ Olmata, just to the south-west of S. M. Maggiore. The Druid’s Den is at Via San Martino ai Monti 28 (head down Via Merulana and take the second street on the right). The sister pub the Druid’s Rock Pub is at Piazza Esquilino 1, the other side of the basilica, just after you cross Via Cavour. [[6]]

[edit][add listing] Sleep

[edit] Budget

• Hotel Center Rome, Via Giovanni Giolitti, 415, ☎ +39 06 77590702 (fax: +39 06 77590702), [7]. Two star accommodation with private bathrooms and a breakfast hall, located south of Termini and two metro stops from San Giovanni. €60-65.  edit

• Mosaic Hostel, Via Carlo Cattaneo 23, 1st Floor,, ☎ +39 06 4470 4592, [8]. The Mosaic Hostel is a new dorm style hostel situated just in a 5 minute waking distance from Rome’s central station Termini. The hostel is designed for budget minded backpackers and offers clean and large rooms with a variety of services for backpackers. (PRICE?).  edit

[edit] Mid-range

• Best Western President Hotel, Via Emanuele Filiberto 173, ☎ +39(0)6-770121 (fax: +39(0)6-7008740), [9]. The President Hotel is housed in a modern building located in very a central position. Wifi, Pay and sat TV are among each bedroom facilities. From €123 including breakfast.  edit

• Hotel Edera, Via Angelo Poliziano, 75, (off Via Merulana in direction of Colosseum), [10]. On a quiet side street. 10-minute stroll to the Colosseum through the Colli Oppio park.  edit

[edit] Splurge

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