This week marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Rome. For context, Rome had been under German control since 1943 and it was considered the heart of Fascist Italy during Mussolini’s rule. On June 4th, 1944, the US Fifth Army liberated Rome, following their success at the Battle of Monte Cassino.
This liberation led to celebrations in the streets as the city was freed from Nazi German occupation. This victory marked a huge changing point in Rome, some might say it was the starting point for Rome to grow into the cultural capital it is today.
For international buyers, Rome is a desirable location to buy property, not only for its historical, religious and political appeal but also for its beauty. Today, we share information on where to buy property in Rome for international buyers with a penchant for Italy’s capital city.
Vatican dome of Saint Peter Basilica I Image: ecstk22 via Shutterstock
Rome, Lazio
In the capital city, there is history at every turn. Alongside the remains of the Roman Empire, the city centre has Baroque and Renaissance buildings, converted into luxury apartments and penthouses. Some of the most sought-after properties have views over the Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona, the Pantheon or the Trevi Fountain. You can also find elegant 15th-century palazzos with hardwood floors, ornate fireplaces and frescos. Other exclusive villas and hotels can be found for sale on the outskirts of the city.
Even though central Rome is always busy with tourists, you can still find a slower pace of life in the side streets, where you can relax outside a café, take a stroll along the banks of the river Tiber and cycle or walk through Rome’s most famous park, Villa Borghese. It is in these narrow back streets that you will find quiet apartments above small shops and restaurants.
Some of the most sought-after properties have views over the Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona, the Pantheon or the Trevi Fountain.
The central, historic centre is more expensive, but then you are living in the attics of the houses from ancient Rome. After the Empire fell, silt from frequent floods from the Tiber led the street level to gradually rise up, engulfing the lower floors of houses. The residents simply built on top, so the streets and houses are just the same as 2,000 years ago, but a couple of storeys higher up.
Apartments around Centro Storico start at €135,000 and increase according to quality and size. The average price per m².is €3,582 (Idealista), but some areas are more affordable than others. One affordable area to watch is the trendy Quartiere Trieste, a favourite of students and yuppies, where prices are closer to closer to €4,000 per m². In the suburbs, you can pay under €2,000 per m².
Rocca di Papa, a small italian town on Alban Hills, one of Castelli Romani, Rome province, Lazio, Italy I Image: Boris Stroujko via Shuttterstock
Lazio
Lazio sits halfway down the western side of the Italian peninsula. The region has beautiful countryside, dazzling lakes and rolling hills. It also has some of central Italy’s most affordable rural and village houses within commuting distance of Rome. You can happily combine a relaxing country life with time in Italy’s vibrant capital city. Lazio is often overlooked by foreign buyers in favour of the more famous neighbouring regions of Tuscany and Umbria, yet it has so much to offer, from hilltop villages to sea and lakeside villas. Lazio was once home to the Romans and the Etruscan civilization, so if you love history Lazio is a great region to explore and make your home.
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The City
Rome is the political, spiritual, and cultural heart of Italy. It was the centre of the Roman Empire and still boasts many ancient architectural landmarks, as well as elegant baroque and Renaissance buildings. In Rome, there is history around every corner. It’s a city that visitors keep coming back to, making it a good investment for property buyers looking for a rental income — you could charge around £120 a night for a one-bedroom apartment.
As a tourist hotspot, as well as a major employment hub, Rome has some of Italy’s most expensive homes. You can find two-bedroom apartments from €290,000 but expect to pay over €590,000 in central Rome. Desirable areas include Centro Storico and Trastevere.
Anguillara Sabazia on a sunny summer morning, Rome Province, Lazio, Italy. Image: essevu via Shutterstock
The countryside
Lazio’s loveliest country areas include La Tuscia in the north of the region, bordering with Tuscany and Umbria, the Sabine Hills northeast of Rome, the Albano Hills to the southeast, and the wild open spaces of Ciociaria in the far south.
La Tuscia is a place of enchanting medieval towns, rolling hills and Etruscan remains. A popular area is around the clean waters of Lake Bolsena, Italy’s fifth-largest lake. You can still find village houses in the Viterbo province for under €100,000.
Lake Baracciano is within a twenty-mile commuting distance of Rome and has lovely lakeside homes. Due to its proximity to the capital, property prices are higher than in Lake Bolsena, but the area is a beautiful haven just a 30-minute train ride away and has some superb properties.
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Looking to the east of the city, you can find a home you can rent out to tourists in the countryside around Tivoli, as this famous spa town is home to two villas on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Villa D’Este, with its splendid fountains, gardens and magnificent Renaissance palace, and Villa Adriana, the ancient residence of Emperor Hadrian.
Thanks to the E45 motorway, you can easily visit Tivoli and Rome from the province of Frosinone, which has some of Lazio’s cheapest property prices. A few British people have already bought in Veroli, which has charming properties for sale and palazzos with beautiful frescoed ceilings. The Frosinone area typically has a good selection of village homes and apartments at good prices. Lake Albano and the Albano Hills are also worth looking at, where you’ll find many attractive little towns.
Gaeta City on the Tyrrhenian Sea, Lazio I Image: Buffy1982 via Shutterstock
The seaside
If you want a seaside property near Rome, Cerveteria is a short drive from Fiumicino airport, Rome and three golf courses, making it perfect for a weekend getaway. Lazio offers some good seaside towns, such as Gaeta, Sabaudia, San Felice Circeo, Ostia, Sperlonga and the Islands of Ponza and Ventotene. The Province of Latina in particular boasts some lovely beaches lapped by the Tyrrhenian Sea, along with old villages and the National Park of Circeo. In Gaeta, a two-bedroom waterfront apartment can cost less than €300,000 and further into the Medieval town they start at around €150,000. Other properties in the Latina province include country houses and luxury villas.
The mountains
Those who prefer the mountains can choose from nine ski resorts such as Terminillo, Leonessa and Campo Staffi, or enjoy trekking, mountain biking and climbing among the region’s peaks. Lazio’s spas are also a prime attraction for those seeking health and beauty treatments and relaxation; Fiuggi, Tivoli, and Viterbo, to mention just a few, combine ancient charm with well-equipped facilities.
Getting there
Rome has two airports that, as you would expect from a capital city, receive flights from all over the world. Ryanair flies from London Stansted, Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow Prestwick, East Midlands to Rome Ciampino and also London Stansted, Manchester and Edinburgh to Rome Fiumicino. Easyjet flies from Bristol, London Gatwick and London Luton to Rome Fiumicino. British Airways flies from Heathrow and Gatwick to Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO).
The airports are fairly close to the city so you can hire a car or take a taxi from Fiumicino airport and be in the centre of Rome within half an hour. There is also a half-hourly train service from the airport to Rome’s Termini station or you can catch a bus from the airport to Rome’s Central Terminal, which takes about 50 minutes. The Central Terminal is also where all the trains come into the city and prices are reasonable. You could live in or near the very affordable town of Frosinone and get the train into Rome for as little as €5, with the journey taking little over an hour.
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