Franklin Feel The Sound

Location

The Franklin is in a fairly bourgeois residential area bordering the gardens of the Vatican, so is not necessarily a hotel you would chose for your trip to Rome on the basis of its location.

However, on closer reflection, the area has much to offer. This is more than a tourist area, it is an area where the Romans live and work. The hotel is in a quiet street on the doorstep of one of Rome’s major open-air markets and has the city’s flower market at the end of the road. (This is an early-morning market mainly for professional florists and, although the hall itself is concrete and rather uninteresting, the scent of flowers is captivating).

All may appear to be quiet in the evening but the local cafés are a meeting point for the young locals. Of particular note is the excellent Gallo Ebrillo wine bar on the via Saint Bon or the Alexander Platz, one of the best jazz clubs in the city. There are also lots of small restaurants catering for the needs of the local foodies. Indeed, Rome is certainly not just for tourists.

The museums and gardens of the Vatican are about ten minutes walk away. The Ottaviano metro station (less than ten minutes from the hotel) will take you to the city centre. The Spanish Square is three stops from the hotel.