Trastevere - love at first sight!

What to expect

A journey to the other side of the river
Houses covered in ivy, adorned with family crests and marble inserts, remnants of ancient columns, fragments of statues, and intricate Madonnelle. Cozy taverns and pastry shops with intoxicating aromas of coffee and sweets... You will enter this world by crossing the Fabricio and Cestio 1st-century BC bridges. Along the way, you will see a fragment of ancient Roman history - the textured Rotto Bridge. And on the Tiber Island, the only one on the river, you will hear legends of the ancient Pulcella Tower and learn where the temple of Asclepius and the well with healing water were located in ancient times.

Secrets of Piazza Piscinula
In this corner of the Middle Ages, you will explore the 15th-century Mattei houses and hear the story of the famous aristocratic family that gave its name to the square. At the ancient 16th-century palace, we will talk about the literate, musician, and courtesan Tullia d'Aragona - a colorful historical figure of Italy. I will also show you the church with the oldest and smallest bell tower in Rome and tell the legend of Saint Benedict and the foundation of the legendary monastic order.

Quarter's traditions
Near the Arch of Tolomei, we will talk about the ancient Sienese family, and on Athlete Alley, about the miraculous find of the famous statue of Apoxyomenos. Here you will hear the story of a beautiful 13th-century building, the oldest synagogue in the district. You will learn about the first street fairs in Rome, the special festival of Trastevere - Noantri, the local dialect, the residents who always stood out from the rest of the Romans, and the patroness of the district.

Basilica of Saint Cecilia
In the church of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere, I will tell you about ancient Roman buildings and the neo-Byzantine crypt in its underground. You will hear the mystical legend of the early Christian martyr and see the brilliant work of Stefano Maderno. You will also admire the 9th-century mosaic, the extraordinary baldachin by Arnolfo di Cambio, and the frescoes of Pietro Cavallini.

Basilica of Saint Mary
Then you will stroll along the colorful Lungaretta street with numerous gastronomic stalls and shops and reach the heart of the district, where another masterpiece is located - the church of Santa Maria in Trastevere. I will introduce you to the ancient legend of the advent of the Messiah and the history of the first church in Rome dedicated to the Virgin Mary. You will study the magnificent facade and the symbolism of the mosaic, learn about the amazing portico collection, and the main treasure of the monument - the Altamps Chapel, where one of the oldest icons of the Virgin Mary in the world is kept, presented in the guise of a Byzantine empress.

The spirit of Trastevere and Raphael's beloved house
You will also visit the San Calisto bar, where, according to locals, the true spirit of old Trastevere is preserved. You will explore the ancient Settimiana port, and near Raphael's beloved house, Fornarina, we will talk about the woman who gave rise to the most beautiful Madonna in the world of art - the "Sistine Madonna". There will be curious modern facts about the busiest square in Trastevere - Piazza Trilussa. And finally, you will see the 15th-century Sixtus Bridge, over which Olympia Mancini raced with chests of Vatican gold.

Our walk will end here, but if you wish to continue exploring Trastevere for another 1-2 hours, I will suggest climbing one of the highest hills in Rome - the Janiculum, where I will tell you the history of this romantic place and its monuments.