Trastevere & Gianicolo

With its old-world cobbled lanes, ochre palazzi, ivy-clad facades and boho vibe, ever-trendy Trastevere is one of Rome’s most vivacious and Roman neighbourhoods – its very name, ‘across the Tiber’ (tras tevere), evokes both its geographical location and sense of difference. Endlessly photogenic and largely car-free, its labyrinth of backstreet lanes heaves after dark as crowds swarm to its foodie and fashionable restaurants, cafes and bars. Rising up behind all this, Gianicolo Hill offers a breath of fresh air and superb views of Rome, which is laid out at your feet.

Explore Trastevere & Gianicolo

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Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Trastevere & Gianicolo.

  • Basilica

    Basilica di Santa Maria in Trastevere

    Nestled in a quiet corner of Trastevere's focal square, this is said to be the oldest church dedicated to the Virgin Mary in Rome. In its original form,…

  • Gallery

    Galleria Corsini

    Once home to Queen Christina of Sweden, whose bedroom reputedly witnessed a steady stream of male and female lovers, the 16th-century Palazzo Corsini was…

  • Historic Building

    Villa Farnesina

    The interior of this gorgeous 16th-century villa is fantastically frescoed from top to bottom. Several paintings in the Loggia of Cupid and Psyche and the…

  • Basilica

    Basilica di Santa Cecilia in Trastevere

    The last resting place of the patron saint of music features Pietro Cavallini's exquisite 13th-century fresco in the nuns' choir of the hushed convent…

  • Hill

    Gianicolo

    The verdant hill of Gianicolo (or Janiculum) is dotted by monuments to Garibaldi and his makeshift army, who fought pope-backing French troops in one of…

  • Gardens

    Orto Botanico

    Formerly the private grounds of Palazzo Corsini, Rome’s 12-hectare botanical gardens are a little-known, slightly neglected gem and a great place to…

  • Viewpoint

    Viewpoint

    Many of the vaunted viewpoints along Gianicolo (aka Janiculum) are obscured by trees, but this lesser known overlook at the north end has sweeping views…

  • Fountain

    Fontana dell’Acqua Paola

    Featured in the opening scene of Paolo Sorrentino's Oscar-winning La grande bellezza (The Great Beauty; 2013), this monumental white fountain with its…

  • Church

    Sant'Onofrio

    If this church were in another town, it would be a highlight, but in Rome it's just another church. Atmospherically forlorn, with weeds sprouting between…

  • Park

    Villa Doria Pamphilj

    Lorded over by the 17th-century Villa Doria Pamphilj is Rome’s largest landscaped park – many a Roman's favourite place to escape the city noise and…

  • Memorial

    Stumbling Stones

    These polished brass stones, shaped square like a Roman cobble and engraved with the name of a local Jewish resident, marks the exact spot where Holocaust…

  • Piazza

    Piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere

    Trastevere’s focal square is a prime people-watching spot. By day it’s full of chatting locals and guidebook-toting tourists; by night it’s the domain of…

  • Piazza

    Piazza Trilussa

    Right where the cute little Ponte Sisto pedestrian bridge crosses the Tiber, this small square is a fine entrance to Trastevere. The star attraction is…

  • Tower

    Torre degli Anguillara

    Dating to the Middle Ages, this tower was part of the fortified holdings of the powerful Anguillara clan, which ruled this part of Rome until the 15th…

  • Park

    Villa Sciarra

    In ancient times, this little park on the slopes of the Gianicolo (Gianicolo Hill) was believed to be a sanctuary dedicated to nymphs. It's equally…

  • Public Art

    Triumphs & Laments

    This vast and fading frieze adorns the River Tiber walls between Ponte Sisto and Ponte Mazzini. The creation of South African artist William Kentridge, it…

  • Monument

    Porta Settimiana

    Resembling a crenellated keep, Porta Settimiana marks the start of Via della Lungara, the 16th-century road that connects Trastevere with the Borgo. It…

  • Museum

    Museo di Roma in Trastevere

    Housed in a 17th-century Carmelite convent, this museum hosts excellent temporary photography exhibitions. Upstairs the permanent collection contains a…