Where to get tattooed in Rome

The best tattoo studios & artists in Rome

Winter is slowly falling asleep and spring is awakening in Rome, which means we’ll be putting less and less clothes on our shoulders. It’s the end of big woollen scarfs and the beginning of denim jackets…and it’s also the best moment to get tattooed. No need to cover yourself as if you were about to climb the Everest anymore, but the sun isn’t too hot either, and its rays are still gentle on new inked skin.

As a city of art, Rome has many tattoo studios and artists, and what better place to get an eternal mark than in the Eternal City? That’s what I did last autumn, and because I’m very into finding the best artist to color my skin, I’ve made a list of the best tattoo studios in Rome.

Aureo Roma Tattoo & Gallery

Let’s start with the top-rated spot in 2023: Aureo Roma Tattoo & Gallery is the ultimate tattoo destination in Rome, just minutes away from the iconic Colosseum. Renowned for its unparalleled tattoo artistry, this studio stands out for its exceptionally detailed and high-quality tattoos. Each piece crafted here transcends ordinary ink to become a true work of art. The team at Aureo Roma, made up of the most skilled tattoo artists in the industry, ensures every client leaves with a masterpiece.

The studio prides itself not only on its artistic excellence but also on its accessibility and customer satisfaction. Fluent in multiple languages, the team caters to a global clientele, prioritizing comfort and ease during every session. Furthermore, to accommodate international visitors, Aureo Roma accepts payments via Venmo and Zelle, thanks to their additional office in Los Angeles.

Adding to the studio’s appeal is its owner, Alex Aureo, also known as the “Singing Tattooer”. Alex is a TikTok and Instagram sensation and a celebrated figure in the tattoo world. Known for his unique approach and captivating designs, he brings a vibrant and innovative energy to the studio, attracting a high-profile clientele that includes celebrities like Demi Lovato, Ashley Greene, Scooter Braun, and Ben Hardy.

At Aureo Roma, you’re not just getting a tattoo; you’re experiencing the zenith of tattoo art in one of the world’s most historical settings. Walk-ins are welcome, so feel free to visit and explore the possibilities that await at Rome’s top tattoo studio.

Wisdomless Tattoo Club

Footsteps from Piazza Navona, but also in the periferia and even in Copenhagen, Wisdomless is a brand that provides the gentlemen-bad boys way of life. When you enter the studio (which is also a bar), traditional Italian decoration is mixed with a “so British” style. Men are dressed like dandies and if I were to see Ernest Hemingway on a chair ready to get tattooed, I wouldn’t be surprised! At Wisdomless you will find a lot of artists with different styles and specialities. When I got my last tattoo, I had Fabio Fantozzi make it. Call him for a tattoo full of colors, and take a look at his Instagram: he designs a style looking like a realistic croquis and he loves to work on contrast and “clair obscur”. But Fabio isn’t just focused on the design: “I need to get into the story of this tattoo, of this design, to know the motivations and the meanings. It’s important for me to make a tattoo that fits the desires of my client, but also to be able to give good advice and suggestions when I have some idea to adapt to the design. This relationship of trust between the client and the tattoo artist is very important for me. Every tattoo is a part of my heart”. In the warm vibes of the studio we also met Eleonora Urbana. She has been working at Wisdomless for just 2 years, but she has already found her mark: after artistic studies she developed a great skill for surrealism painting, and when she started to tattoo she decided to focus on the new-traditional and figurative style: faces, jewellery and flowerss – he is fascinated by all things vintage. And finally, if your tattoo plan is a little but realistic design, just call Leonardo Da Amicis – one of the youngest of the team, but for sure a great talent in the black and white and realistic reproduction.

Dharma Tattoo

This tattoo studio is for sure the newest of this selection, as the name suggests, it’s full of Asian and Buddhist decorations: you will be relaxed and inked. It may be a little bit far from the center of Rome, but for sure the talent of the artist will make you forget that you needed to take the subway to get your tattoo. First I met Simone Phobia, a terrific name for a sweet and passionate artist. If you love classic style but you don’t know which one to choose between Japanese ancestral design, new traditional and new school…you are lucky because Simone built his style around the perfect mix of those three unforgettable styles: “I’m very inspired by the Japanese culture, old or new, and the traditional Japanese tattoo style is very interesting to work on because it’s full of history. With that I decided to take in the new traditional style the way to compose the tattoo, and finally I’ve studied the color works in the new school style”. What a program for a unique piece of art on your body! With the same idea of mixing styles but in a completely different result, let’s talk about his friend, Marco Bordi Borderline. In a black and grey design, Marco tattoos in a realistic style modernized by a serigraphy filter, dot works and geometric technique. All of this comes from his art studies, graffitis experimentation and street art inspirations.

Swan Song Tattoo

Behind the Trastevere station, along the Tevere, Swan Song tattoo makes me travel back to the tattoo studios of New York. Vintage furnitures, tattoo drawings on the walls, and an enormous desk where a girl was braiding her coworker. When you enter this place, you instantly feel the friendly atmosphere. Do not miss the talented Flo Nuttall. She has been in Rome for 4 years and she has already broken the game of the tattoo field. People come from all around the world to have the pleasure of get tinga veritable art piece. For figurative design she plays with the lines of realistic style and illustrations figures. And she also does amazing ornamental masterpieces inspired by Asian culture. And if you don’t speak Italian at all, don’t worry, Flo is from Scotland! After doing do her scales the UK during three years, she decided it was time for her to move somewhere else, and it’s literally by chance that she came in Rome: “I was already in touch with this studio, they told me they were looking for someone to replace another tattoo artist for a few months…and here I am since 4 years!”. After having a coffee with Flo, I met one of her coworkers: Mr. Timmo, or as I would say in my mother tongue: Monsieur Timmo. Smiling like a child, this Monsieur is able to work on a lot of styles: colors, black and grey, realistic, waterworks, geometric, etc. But I really advice you to call him if you want a 3D effect tattoo or a recovery: “it’s more a passion than a job for me. Adapting myself to my clients’ needs is my biggest challenge in this work, and I love challenges”.

Nightmare Tattoo

In Re di Roma area, hidden in a little street behind a very discreet door, there is this tattoo studio where I met with two artists. The first one was Diego Brandi, who considers tattooing like a mission of transmission of our ancestors’ knowledge. “This form of art has a very long history, and I believe that it’s important to know it when you want to be inked. My clients give me a big responsibility, so it’s really important for me to also know their story, and the emotions they want to put in the tattoo. It’s a way to communicate, if you want it or not, and that’s why it’s primordial for me to create a strong relationship of trust with each of my clients”. After 21 years of career, Diego has done almost every tattoo style because he loves to explore different universes, and those last times he focused on a very classic art design: mosaic. “When I was a teenager I learned the art of mosaic, and I’ve decided to put it in my tattoo work because It’s a very good way to get in touch with ancient civilisations and ancient artistic and artisan protocols”. In this large tattoo studio, you can also meet the sweet and kind Eliana aka Anomalia12. Inspired and fascinated by a friend of hers (a tattoo artist of course), she started to get into inking, drawing, and improving her skills. “I chose my name “Anomalia” to indicate my alternative came in the world in this respectable form of art, expression and way of life”, she flies through different styles and inspirations: botanical, black work, geometrical, symbolical, esoteric, and also ornamental pieces, both oriental and occidental art nouveau inspired. “I am what I am is my motto, and I’m constantly changing. That’s my personal research, to be one single thing with my art, my work, my soul and my purpose”.

Yama Tattoo

In the heart of Monti, at the beginning of Via Urbana, there is one of the most famous tattoo studios of Rome. The entrance door is kind of discrete, but the red lights lead the way and show you where to look to discover a room covered with drawing and pictures of tattoos. Just like in an old Californian tattoo studio. Here you will meet resident and guest artists specialized in esoteric, medieval and mythical styles, decorative tribal, old school, mendhi and oriental. In simple words: if you like classic styles, you can’t miss Yama Tattoo because you will for sure find the design of your dreams.

InkForBlood

For old school, realistic and Japanese tattoos, InkForBlood is the place to go. You can even get a piercing here, if a tattoo isn’t enough for you. From the deepest blacks to bright colors, artists of InkForBlood are masters in the classics styles and large pieces. For example, Alessandro Albrigi, one of the artist tames the colors with an impressive skill. And if you want a piercing, he is the one you have to deal with.

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