Trastevere, Rome
Trastevere is rione (region) XIII of Rome. It is a medieval area in Rome which is separated from the central city by the Tiber river. Despite its narrow lanes, many tourists are attracted by its liveliness and the beautiful sceneries surrounding it. Trastever means literaly beyond the Tiber. It is the only place in Rome that survived the medieval period. Trastevere has a diverse nightlife and houses several archeological gems, as well as an international body of artists, students and expatriates who love the area’s special picturesque atmosphere and many secrets alleyways.
Trastevere has several historical attractions among them are the following:
Church of Santa Cecilia: this is a historical landmark decorated with beautiful frescoes and mosaics. It also has a fountain that contains a water vessel that lights up during the night. Behind this church, there is a sculpture dedicated to the martyr Santa Cecilia.
Gianicolo: it is also known as Janiculum Hill. If you climb this hill you will be rewarded with a breathtaking view of Rome. This is the hill became famous in the ancient days because it is where pagan priests used to go to in order to read the omens provided by the flight of birds; from these they would divine the outcome of different events which occurred in the city. The Janiculum Hill was also known as the site of a battle between troops that were under Giuseppe Garibaldi’s command and fought against the French.
Nightclubs: Trastevere is an awesome place to spend some time during the night. There are many lively nightclubs in the area that plays all types of music and keeps people entertained for the whole night. If you want to have some good time out in Rome, then Trastevere is the place to go. Some of the popular clubs in the area are Big Mama and Freni e Frizioni.
Restaurants: Trastevere area is also full of world class restaurants where you can enjoy Roman food at affordable prices. The restaurants offer classic dishes that are not easy to find in any other place. Some of the renowned restaurants in the area include Checco er Carettiere, Osteria Zi Mberto, The Mirror, Ai Marmi, among others. The restaurants offer both in-door and out-door services. The atmosphere at the restaurants is relaxing and soothing.
Trastevere also has an excellent museum as the Museum of Rome in Trastevere, located in Piazza Sant'Egidio, which hosts the permanent exhibition dedicated to folklore and Roman dialect poets, but also many temporary exhibitions. But that is not the only museum in the district: the House of Memory and History presents exhibitions and events to keep alive the memory of anti-fascism, Resistance and Liberation war; the Corsini Gallery which is full of historic pictures, the Botanic Garden located in the park of Villa Corsini, etc. The Trastevere area also has many Roman Catholic churches such as San Crisogono, Santa Maria in Trastevere.
On Saturday mornings Trastevere hosts a huge flee market called the Porta Portese. If you like flee markets this is most definitely the place for you as you can find there anything from clothes to antiques and old records.