It sits on the Aventine Hill, in the heart of the ancient city. A prime location situated a few minutes' walk from the access to the Roman Forums, Colosseum and Circo Massimo. Adjacent to Viale Aventino, the area is sprawling with international restaurants, thrift shops, cosy bars and parks. Students have the luxury to explore the beautiful city of Rome right at their school’s doorstep.

What is there to do?

The campus is located next to Viale Aventino, a sprawling neighbourhood which has plenty of things to offer for students. Bars are a great place to grab a coffee in the morning, and there is a lot of diversity in the restaurants that you can choose to eat. From pizza to sushi, you have multiple options depending on what you like. Notably, there is also a small but convenient supermarket and a hair salon. Not too far down the street, you will also find a pharmacy and a flower shop! Everyone on the street is very lovely and welcoming, especially to the St. Stephen’s community.

Advantages of Location for Classes

One of the greatest advantages in the location of St. Stephen’s is the ability for classes such as Roman Topography and Medieval History to walk outside during class and visit important locations or monuments regarding what they are learning about in class. The ability to have that ''hands-on'' approach instead of reading from a textbook offers students more immersive learning experience. I remember I loved my roman topography field trips, which consisted of going to various places, some included: The Colosseum, Santa Maria Maggiore and the Trojan Forum. We would learn all about the place than have to write a lab report with a sketch of the monument we visited. It was always fascinating to learn more about the beautiful city in which I lived.

Public Transport

Besides all there is to see and explore in Aventino, the campus is incredibly well connected to the rest of the city. The metro in Circo Massimo is a short 2-minute walk, and there are numerous buses which can take you towards the centre or towards other neighbourhoods in the city. On top of that, there is a handy tram that takes you all the way from Piramide (a main train station) to the city centre. This encourages most students to take public transport or even cycle instead of driving to school, which is better for the environment.

Rome as a City for Students

Rome is one of (if not) the most beautiful cities in the world. Besides the 2000-year-old ruins and the countless churches, parks, museums, and monuments it has, it is a great city to be a student in. It is relatively cheap compared to other capital cities in Europe, and each neighbourhood is unique and has something different to offer. The food is incredible, but you don’t have to stick to Italian every night, there are so many different restaurants to choose from. The nightlife is also very enjoyable, nearby campus there is a Jazz centre that offers jazz nights from time to time. The city centre is also a lovely place to go for a run; there are numerous parks such as Villa Borghese, or even Terme di Caracalla near Stephen's; You will always run with 2000 years surrounding you from every angle. Exploring the city during the weekend is a very fun activity to do with friends. There is always something different to see; I would recommend going to the MACRO, a modern art museum in nearby the school, or to Testaccio and have a wonderful gelato and admire the vibrant and colourful street art on display.

Conclusion

Most times we would like to move to new places based on the location, and in this case, one of the biggest benefits besides the education and the community is the city in which Stephen's is located. Possibly the best location for an international school, possibly the best way to experience student life in Rome. No matter how you pitch it, you will always be immersed by the surrounding beauty of this city and the vast number of activities which you can do.

David Rosales is an alumnus of St. Stephen's School, Rome, Italy. He graduated in 2019 with a BSc Hons in Biotechnology from the University of Manchester.