Trastevere

A busy, charming and characterful district across the Tiber which has kept hold of its authenitic Roman feel.

TravelCurious Tip

Look out for the memorial plaque to director Sergio Leone, master of Spaghetti Westerns, on the apartment building of Viale Glorioso.

Trendy Trastevere

Located across the Tiber, which gives the district its name via the Latin trans Tiberim, is the happening Trastevere. It is the thirteenth rione of modern Rome, and historically was an important Jewish community from the time of the Roman Republic until the Middle Ages.

Today Trastevere is a buzzing hub of social and commercial activity, and is home to many delightful restaurants, cafés, bars, and shops. There is a daily market where you can buy fresh local produce, as well as a huge Sunday market on Via Napoleone Parboni, which offers food, clothes, jewellery and other trinkets. If markets are your thing then this one is well worth a visit.

Bohemian Rome

With its tendency to attract young and cosmopolitan types during the day and night, Trastevere is perhaps to Rome what Shoreditch is to London, and its youthful energy is accentuated by the presence of international and American universities. On a Friday or Saturday night it is typical to see crowds of people thronging the streets, the piazzas and the pedestrian Sisto bridge, chatting, drinking, and playing music.

If you decide to go out for a drink on a Saturday night, you might find it difficult to get a seat somewhere. Never fear, however, as most places offer a takeaway cup for your beverage which you can take with you to one of the beautiful squares and enjoy while soaking up the electric atmosphere. In recent years the popularity of the area has led to a slight increase in prices and a tendency to cater to the hordes of tourists that arrive each year, but you will still find some local gems down the cobbled streets where traditional character is truly preserved.

Nearby Attractions

See all attractions in Rome
Piazza and Palazzo Farnese
One of the most important palaces of the High Renaissance, once home to Pope Paul III and currently the French Embassy.
Ponte Sisto
Ponte Sisto is a 15th-century pedestrian bridge in Rome, famed for its arches and central oculus. It connects the city center to Trastevere with scenic views.
Chiesa di Santa Maria dell'Orazione e morte
Santa Maria dell’Orazione e Morte is a 17th-century Baroque church in Rome, once famed for its skull-adorned crypt, reflecting themes of death and salvation.
Piazza Santa Maria
A happening square in the heart of Trastevere where you can relax, people watch and enjoy the festivities in the evenings.
Jewish Ghetto
For over 300 years all the Jews in Rome were restricted to this small area; today it is a vibrant and fascinating district.
Tiber Island
Tiber Island, Rome’s ancient healing center, is home to the historic Fatebenefratelli Hospital and San Bartolomeo Church, linked to legend, refuge, and resilience.

Related Tours

Taste of Rome: Eat like a Roman All-Inclusive Private Food Tour

Enjoy a fun-filled, delicious and scenic food tour in some of Rome’s loveliest neighbourhoods, eating out and about like true Romans do, with the expert guidance and knowledge of your professional tour guide.

On your all-inclusive private food tour you will: 

  • Enjoy eating like a Roman with the expertise of your private tour guide;
  • Enter a variety of local eateries, sampling fresh, traditional local Roman produce on this lively, interesting and tasty tour!;
  • Try a variety of Italian cheeses and cold cuts of different cured meats;
  • Enjoy traditional Roman street food 'fritti' (fried food) like Suppli and trapizzino, as well as pizza ‘al taglio’ (by the slice);
  • Meet and chat with the passionate owners of the food stalls, shops, cafes and restaurants you’ll visit – many of whom have proudly worked in the business for several generations;
  • Enjoy wine and beer at different stops included throughout your tour;
  • Soak up the sights, sounds and delicious smells wafting on the breeze as you sample local produce and learn about where it comes from and how it’s made;
  • End your tour just off Piazza San Cosimato with a delicious artisanal gelato!

When in Rome, eat like a Roman! This fabulous and all-inclusive food tour takes in some of the most enchanting, traditional neighbourhoods of Rome as you taste your way through the delicious flavours of the Eternal City.

From traditional cheeses like burrata and pecorino and cold cuts of specialised cured meats to warming, delicious street food like trapizzino and pizza by the slice. Enjoy 'suppli' –traditional fried rice balls with tomatoes, mozzarella and minced meat and enjoy the sun-ripened flavours of Italy in one mouthful. You'll be introduced to all the favourite haunts of the local Romans!

This is a great opportunity to experience authentic Italian cuisine, and learn about the country’s delectable wines and flavours. Embrace the smells, buzz and charm of traditional neighbourhoods as you saunter down shady cobbled alleys and emerge onto enchanting, sunlit piazzas.

Your tour guide will take you to the best local eateries, where you will not only get the chance to taste many Roman delicacies but also learn about the people behind the magic. Understand the traditions and values that have produced such tasty, good food for generations.

The Romans – and all Italians – really appreciate homemade, fresh, local produce – so it’s not surprising that Italian cuisine leads the way when it comes to global gastronomy.

Your tour includes a very full meal’s worth of tastings; wine and soft drinks are also provided throughout the tour, so make sure to arrive on an empty stomach!

Please note: During the Jubilee Year, Rome is expected to experience increased visitor numbers and heightened security measures. While we strive to provide a seamless experience, some attractions may face last-minute closures without prior notice, longer-than-usual wait times, or time restrictions on visits inside certain attractions due to crowd control policies.

In such cases, your guide will expertly adapt the itinerary to ensure the best possible experience, using their local knowledge to navigate any challenges. We appreciate your understanding and patience as we work to make your visit to Rome unforgettable despite these unique circumstances. 

Jewish Heritage in Rome: Private Tour of the Ghetto & Trastevere

Rome may be known for its inextricable links to Catholicism, but it also has a long and fascinating history with the Jewish community. In fact, the Eternal City is home to the oldest continuous Jewish community in Europe, dating back to at least the 2nd century BCE. Roman Jews have their own dialect and culinary traditions, and they played an essential role in the city's economy, trade and medicine in the Medieval and Renaissance periods. There is evidence of early Jewish merchants operating in Trastevere, which was the city’s main port area at the time, and the community later became concentrated around a compact quarter on the other side of the Tiber, with the Jewish Ghetto being established in the 16th Century. The area remains an important hub to this day, with a wide range of Jewish shops and restaurants along with the Great Synagogue. Taking a guided walking tour with a local expert is a great way to peel back the layers of Jewish history in Rome and learn the stories that shaped the architecture, culture and cuisine past and present.

On this 3-hour walking tour, you will:

  • Delve into the Jewish history of Rome with a local expert;
  • Enjoy the personalized attention of your private guide who can tailor the tour to your interests;
  • Explore the Jewish Ghetto, a vibrant district where Jewish people have resided for hundreds of years;
  • Traverse the Via della Reginella, one of the last surviving streets from the original Ghetto; 
  • Stop by the Fontana delle Tartarughe, one of Rome’s most famous fountains;
  • Experience the Ghetto's unique mix of Jewish and Roman culture;
  • Learn about the renowned Jewish food scene and stop by a café to taste a local delicacy;
  • Visit the historic Piazza delle Cinque Scole and learn about the 5 synagogues that once stood there; 
  • Pass by the Great Synagogue, the largest in Rome and admire its distinctive architecture;
  • Cross over to Tiber Island and find out how it became a cultural and religious hub for Roman Jews;
  • Uncover the traces of the first Jewish settlements in Trastevere;
  • Discover how the area became a foodie hotspot and hear how centuries-old Jewish culinary traditions have influenced Roman cuisine.

Your tour will begin at a famous archaeological site in the heart of the historic centre, where you will get acquainted with your guide and make your way towards the area known as the Jewish Ghetto. This neighbourhood on the banks of the Tiber has been a crucial focal point of Jewish life since its establishment in 1555. As you walk along the Via della Reginella, one of the last surviving streets from the original ghetto, you will soon see how this once-restricted area has flourished into a lively cultural hub.

Your guide will lead you through other charming streets such as Via del Portico d’Ottavia, the main thoroughfare of the present-day Ghetto, where you’ll find Ancient Roman ruins interspersed with modern shops and businesses. Along the way, you’ll hear stories of Jewish residents across the centuries and their contributions to the area, as well as wider Roman society. You’ll admire the Fontana delle Tartarughe, an elegant 16th-century fountain with a mysterious past, and take a delectable detour to one of the Ghetto’s beloved bakeries or cafés to learn more about the distinct flavours of emblematic Jewish-Roman dishes and get the chance to sample one for yourself.

You’ll pay a visit to Piazza delle Cinque Scole, once home to five synagogues standing side by side—a testament to the diverse Jewish traditions that thrived here before taking some time to admire the Great Synagogue of Rome from the outside, with its striking Art Nouveau dome. Your guide will show you exquisite architectural details, a mix of Neo-Renaissance and Moorish styles, and illustrate how the place of worship and adjoining museum have become a symbol of Jewish resilience and integration.

After a brief pause at a lesser-known archaeological site that many visitors miss, you will cross the river to Tiber Island, which has served as a refuge for the Jewish community for centuries. Your guide will reveal how this tiny island has been associated with Jewish people from the very inception of their time in Rome and would become an important centre for healing and a place of both medical and spiritual sanctuary.

Last but certainly not least, your guide will take you over to Trastevere, where the very earliest testaments to Jewish society in Rome can be found. You’ll pass by the site of one of the first Roman synagogues and learn about what life was like for Jews in the city long before the Ghetto was established. As you stroll the picturesque streets, you will find out how the neighbourhood evolved into one of the city’s most beloved food and cultural districts, with deep ties to Jewish culinary traditions. By the time your tour comes to an end, you will be left with a deeper understanding and appreciation of the past, present and future of the Jewish community in Rome.

Please note: During the Jubilee Year, Rome is expected to experience increased visitor numbers and heightened security measures. While we strive to provide a seamless experience, some attractions may face last-minute closures without prior notice, longer-than-usual wait times, or time restrictions on visits inside certain attractions due to crowd control policies.

In such cases, your guide will expertly adapt the itinerary to ensure the best possible experience, using their local knowledge to navigate any challenges. We appreciate your understanding and patience as we work to make your visit to Rome unforgettable despite these unique circumstances.

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