Santo Stefano & Giardini Margherita

Santo Stefano is a quiet area next to the center with good food and a large park. Nightlife is limited, which makes it one of the more comfortable places to stay on your own.

South of the Two Towers, Via Santo Stefano runs down to the large Giardini Margherita park through the quieter, mostly residential side of the historic center. The cobbled Piazza Santo Stefano, with its cluster of medieval churches, is a good place for a coffee or long lunch, and the tree-lined streets beyond have small wine bars, gelaterie and family-run trattorie. Evenings are quiet, with porticoes and steady foot traffic, and people alone are generally left alone. The park is used by families and joggers by day and has cafes inside, but it empties out by dusk and is best left before then. Eating alone is easy here, and the pace is slower than elsewhere. It is less lively late at night than the student district.