Filed under: Art, attraction, Church, featuredarticle3, museum, neighborhood, top-feature
Old World Charm in Trastevere
Trastevere charms the traveler in so many ways. A formerly working class district, today it’s one of the city’s trendiest entertainment districts with restaurants, pubs and clubs for every taste and budget. Trastevere, which translates to “across the Tiber,” is also one of Rome’s most picturesque districts. Laundry lines hang from open windows, narrow cobbled streets wind through pretty piazzas and ivy clings to the walls of terracotta buildings. Weekday mornings are the best time to tour the district. Outdoor markets are bustling, the district’s quirky shops and cultural attractions are open and the streets are full of life.
San Cosimato market in Trastevere
Begin your day at the open-air fruit and vegetable market in Piazza di San Cosimato (map). In the early morning hours vendors selling a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables set up their tents in the square. Throughout the morning locals peruse the colorful stands shopping for the freshest ingredients for the day’s meals. The market is open every weekday, but get there early as the action begins to wind down around noon.
You’ll find that the streets close to the Tiber River and south of Viale Trastevere are quieter than the tourist streets to the north. After departing San Cosimato walk east toward the river passing through Piazza Sonnino (map) and visiting the church of San Crisogono and the church of Saint Agata, home to the famous statue of the Madonna de Noantri, patron saint of Trastevere.
Built on the reputed site of Saint Cecilia’s former palace in Piazza dei Mercanti (map), the church of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere is one of the more interesting churches in the Trastevere district. Visits to view the Cavallini frescoes are by appointment only (Open daily 9:30am-12pm and 4pm-6:30pm).
Wander the narrow streets leading from Piazza dei Mercanti toward the Tiber River. It’s just a short walk to visit Tiber Island (map). Visit the church of San Bartolomeo on the island’s eastern end, tour the historically-significant complex of structures on the island’s west end and take in the impressive views before heading back across the Ponte Cestio bridge to Trastevere.
Several blocks to the west is Piazza di San Calisto (map). Many of the buildings in this square, including the 17th-century Palazzo San Calisto, belong to the Vatican. In the early afternoon locals congregate in the square socializing over friendly card games. The nearby streets are packed with restaurants and bars.
Piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere
Piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere (map) is one of Rome’s most famous squares and the heart of the Trastevere district. It’s a popular meeting place and the restaurants and bars lining the square are always busy. The octagonal fountain in the center of the square is an ancient Roman original that was restored in the 17th century by Carlo Fontana. The fountain steps are a popular gathering place for locals and the square stays busy late into the evening, often into the early morning hours.
Piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere is home to the most famous building in the Trastevere district, the church of Santa Maria in Trastevere. Originally built in A.D. 350, it’s believed to be one of the oldest churches in all of Rome. Inside the church are 22 granite columns taken from the ruins of ancient Roman buildings. The façade was restored in the 17th-century, though most of the mosaics date back to the 12th-century.
Take in the unique atmosphere of Piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere from an outdoor table at one of the many cafes lining the square or do as the Romans do and savor your expresso while standing at the counter. Café Bar di Marzio is a local favorite or, if you’re in the mood for something a bit quieter, grab a seat indoors at the historic Bar Berti (map) located just south of the piazza on Via Natale del Grande.
To the northwest of Piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere is Piazza di Sant’Egidio (map). Here you can visit the Church of Sant’Egidio and The Museum of Rome in Trastevere, the city’s folklore museum (Open Tuesday-Sunday 10am–8pm). Directly across the square is the English-language Pasquino movie theater. In the evenings artisans and vendors take over the piazza selling a variety of crafts and jewelry.
Walking north along Via della Scala you’ll arrive at Santa Maria della Scala (map), a 17th-century baroque monument. The simple façade gives no indication of the heavy ornamentation on the interior of the church which includes works by Caravaggio. Be sure to take a look inside before continuing along Via della Scala and visiting the Corsini Gallery housed in the Palazzo Corsini (map). On display are works from Rome’s National Gallery of Ancient Art (Open Tuesday-Sunday 8:30am-7:30pm).
Situated along the Tiber River at the base of the Ponte Sisto bridge, Piazza Trilussa (map) is another popular gathering spot. The bridge offers excellent panoramic views of the river and surroundings. Stop in to the gourmet food and wine shop, Ferrara , located on the square. This upscale shop and restaurant offers a variety of Italian specialties.
Ponte Sisto pedestrian bridge, Trastevere
Refuel with a coffee or quick snack at Checco (map), a local favorite, before continuing a few blocks north to Villa Farnesina (map), once one of the finest villas in Rome. On display are sculptures and frescoes dating back to the early 16th-century. (Open Monday-Saturday 9am-1pm; closed Sundays). The nearby Orto Botanico (map), Rome’s botanical garden, is an attractive place to get close to nature (Open Monday-Saturday 9am- 6:30pm, 5:30pm in winter).
Spectacular views overlooking Rome can be had at Mount Janiculum (Giancolo) (map). Hike or hire a taxi to reach the hill-top park. On the way you’ll pass the church of San Pietro in Montorio; believed to have been built on the site of the crucifixion of Saint Peter. Other points of interest include the Fontana dell’Acqua Paola, Palazzo Venezia and Castel Sant’Angelo. Further up the hill you’ll find the park at Villa Pamphili in Monteverde.
Finally, if you happen to be in town on Sunday, check out the weekly Porta Portese flea market. The market attracts bargain hunters from across Rome. The Porta Portese flea market is located off Viale Trastevere at the corner of Via Portuense and Via Ippolito Nievo (map) (Sundays 6:30am-2pm).
Photos: San Cosimato market by paz.ca on Flickr; Piazza di Santa Maria by Damouns on Flickr; Ponte Sisto bridge by zac mc on Flickr
