For the Vatican
A B&B nine minutes from the Vatican Museums
Nine minutes on metro line A, from Battistini to Ottaviano, with no changes. You pay less than you would in Prati, and in the evening you come back to a street where nothing happens.
Vatican Museums
metro line A
on line A
centre
Where we are
00167 Rome, Italy
Nine minutes, one line, no changes
The house is a seven-minute walk from Battistini, the western end of metro line A. From there the Vatican Museums are nine minutes away: you stay on the same train until Ottaviano, walk out of the station and you are at the museum walls. There is nothing to work out, no interchange to catch, no second ticket. On the way back it is the same nine minutes, in the opposite direction, on a train that is emptier than the one going in.
Why sleeping outside Prati works
Prati is the neighbourhood immediately around the Vatican, and you pay for that proximity every night of your stay. Aurelio-Boccea, where the house is, sits further west along the same metro line. It is residential: bakeries that open early, cafés where people order standing at the counter, supermarkets open every day, Eden Park five minutes away on foot. In practical terms you trade six or seven minutes underground for a quieter street and a lower rate, and you get a patio and a garden that no room near St Peter's would include.
What a morning at the Vatican looks like from here
Most visitors book the museums for the first slot of the day. From here that means leaving the house around half past seven, walking to Battistini, and arriving at Ottaviano with time to spare before the doors open. The queue at that hour is short. By early afternoon, when the galleries fill up, you can be back on the train and have the rest of the day free, or carry on for two more stops and be in the historic centre in about thirty minutes, still without changing line.
St Peter's, Castel Sant'Angelo and the rest of the walk
The Vatican Museums, St Peter's Basilica and Castel Sant'Angelo are within walking distance of one another, so one metro journey covers all three. The basilica has its own queue, separate from the museums, and it moves faster in the late afternoon. Castel Sant'Angelo is a ten-minute walk from the colonnade along the river, and the bridge in front of it is the best place in the area to be at sunset.
The rooms you come back to
There are two rooms, each with its own bathroom, each sleeping up to three people. La Tosca is the larger one, eighteen square metres, with a private patio that opens onto the garden. Turandot is sixteen square metres, in warm earth tones, with a work corner for anyone who has to answer a few emails before dinner. Both have air conditioning, Wi-Fi, a television and a fridge. Ylenia welcomes every guest in person, which is the part most reviews end up talking about.
Getting here with luggage
From Termini, take metro line A towards Battistini and stay on until the end of the line, then walk seven minutes. From Fiumicino, it is twenty-eight minutes by car, or the airport shuttle to Termini and then the metro. If you arrive before check-in, you can leave your bags in the common area and go straight out.
The questions people actually ask
Is it really only nine minutes to the Vatican Museums?
Nine minutes on the metro, from Battistini to Ottaviano, with no changes. Add the seven-minute walk from the house to the station and the short walk from Ottaviano to the museum entrance.
Is the area touristy?
No. Aurelio-Boccea is residential: cafés and bakeries used by the people who live here, Eden Park five minutes away on foot, supermarkets. In the evening you come back to a quiet street rather than to a crowd.
Is it cheaper than staying in Prati?
That is the point of staying here. The same metro line connects the two, and the rate near the Vatican is higher for the same kind of room.
Can we walk to St Peter's from the B&B?
Not comfortably — it is a metro ride, not a walk. But once you are at Ottaviano, the museums, the basilica and Castel Sant'Angelo are all walkable from one another.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get to the Vatican Museums from the B&B?
Walk seven minutes to Battistini station, take metro line A towards Anagnina and get off at Ottaviano, nine minutes later. The museum entrance is a short walk from the station. No changes at any point.
How far is the historic centre?
About thirty minutes on the same metro line, with no changes.
What are the rooms like?
Two triple rooms with private bathrooms. La Tosca is 18 m² with a private patio onto the garden; Turandot is 16 m² with a work corner. Both have air conditioning, Wi-Fi, a TV and a fridge.
Is breakfast included?
No, there is no breakfast. You will find welcome water in the fridge, biscuits, tea and herbal teas, a Nespresso machine with capsules, a kettle and a microwave.
Is there parking?
Yes. Street parking in the area is free, and often right in front of the house.
What time can I check in?
From 4pm, in person, with some flexibility. If you arrive later, even at night, you can let yourself in. Check-out is by 11am, with an hour's flexibility when possible.