Val Melaina is the 1st zona of Rome, identified by the initials Z. I, lying north of the city centre and covering an area of 6.2447 km².

The classic 1948 film Bicycle Thieves[2] and Luigi Zampa's Il medico della mutua (1968) were shot in Val Melaina.

To the east, Val Melaina borders with Casal Boccone (Z. IV), whose boundary is marked by the stretch of Via delle Vigne Nuove between Viadotto Antonio Segni and Via Monte Resegone.

Southward, Val Melaina shares a border with Quartiere Parioli (Q. II), which is outlined by the stretch of the river Aniene, between Ponte Salario and the Tiber.

Streets and squares of Val Melaina are chiefly named after Italian politicians and, particularly in the borough of Nuovo Salario, after towns in Tuscany.