Above: St Peter's Basilica, Ponte Sisto and the Tiber River
Story and photographs by Brenda J Pederson
October 2016
I try to be a good global citizen. But sometimes my American-centric view blinds me to the obvious. The name Trastevere refers to the location of this neighborhood “on the other side of the Tiber River” from centro storico, Rome’s historical center. The name puzzled me as Tiber is not in the name. After I arrived in Rome I realized in Italy the river is called Tevere. Duh.
From the center of Rome, it's just a short stroll west to the Tiber, where you can cross any of a number of bridges to arrive in Trastevere.
The plan, for this first trip to Rome, was to spend a couple easy days in Trastevere, acclimating to the time change, getting a feel for Roman life, practicing my teeny-tiny smattering of Italian, and then branching out to centro storico, the Vatican and, if time, other neighborhoods around the city. What I didn’t get to, I’d save for the end of my trip when I’d return to Rome for a few days before flying back to Seattle.
You know what they say about the best laid plans…
I’m a travel chameleon, trying on each new place to see how it feels to live there. I pick a coffee shop or local market and make it mine. I walk most places to get the lay of the land and feel of being on the streets. Trastevere was the perfect location for me. A quirky place, once its own city until conquered by Rome. In more current times the narrow, winding streets were inhabited mostly by artists and craftsman. Over the years, others have moved in and now tourists wander through on a regular basis.
I fell head-over-heels for Trastevere and easily made it my "home". I spent lovely, aimless hours wandering the twisting, turning cobblestone streets, enjoying the slices of life around me: the daily market located in the square across from my apartment, the incredible art in the churches, the salumerias, and pasticcerie. Whenever I thought I’d seen it all I’d turn a corner and something new delighted me. I spent the better part of four days here. It is my kind of place.
During the day families and students prevail on the streets but the neighborhood really comes alive at night when the restaurants and bars open their doors, tables are set outside, and food, wine and laughter flow. The food varies from great to mediocre. There’s everything from tiny, hole-in-the-wall, pizza-by-the-slice shops to nice, white-tablecloth dining. Most options fall somewhere in the middle, though, the kind of place where groups gather and conversations linger. Neighborhood hang-outs where old friends return and new friendships are formed.
Travel Tip: If you fly into Fiumicino (Leonardo da Vinci) airport, it’s easy to take the train into Rome. An express train travels directly to Stazione Termini, the main station in about 30 minutes. But, if you are staying in Trastevere, there’s a local train which only makes six or seven stops before arriving at Trastevere station at the south end of the neighborhood. The trip took about 25 minutes.
Travel Tip: Italian shopkeepers love exact change. And if you don’t have exact change, make sure you have a bill close to the amount you owe. Coffee is generally one to two Euros, depending on your order. Save your coins so you’re always ready. Even grocery stores will hesitate to break a twenty or fifty Euro note if your purchase is small. Cities where the primary business is tourist business, are the exception.
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All photos and text copyright Brenda J Pederson.