There are places in Rome where you go for the sights.

And then there's Trastevere.

A district on the west bank of the Tiber where you go mainly for the atmosphere. For the food. And for the evening walks: that feeling of turning into a random alley and suddenly feeling like a completely different city.

If I had to recommend one part of Rome to just walk around in the evening without a plan, it would be Trastevere.

View the best hotels in Trastevere

What is Trastevere?

Trastevere is a historic district on the other side of the Tiber River.

The name comes from the Latin Trans Tiberim - "beyond the Tiber".

Historically, it was mainly inhabited by craftsmen and common people of Rome. Today it's a mix:

• Historic streets
• restaurants and bars
• local atmosphere
• tourists
• nightlife
• and one of the most photogenic places in Rome

There are no iconic sights in Trastevere, but it's still my favorite place in Rome. This is despite the largely touristy locations.

But you'll also find completely deserted narrow streets. Exactly what you imagine when you talk about Italy.

What to see in Trastevere

These are the main sights and, for me, the reasons to visit Trastevere.

Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere

The heart of the whole neighbourhood.

A small square with a fountain and one of the oldest churches in Rome.

If you come to Trastevere for the first time, you'll probably end up here.

Basilica Santa Maria in Trastevere

One of the oldest basilicas in Rome.

The main reason to visit:

• The beautiful mosaics
• significantly less crowded than more famous churches
• free entrance

If you've seen several churches during the day and are thinking "not another one", I'd give this one a chance.

The streets of Trastevere (the main one)

This is the real reason to go here.

There is no "best route".

The best option is to just get lost and wander aimlessly through the alleys. Trastevere isn't a big neighborhood, so within 15 minutes you'll always find a bigger place that's easy to navigate by.

When to go here?

I visited Trastevere several times during different times of the day.

During the day

Significantly quieter and better for photos as there are fewer crowds.

If you mainly want to take photos, head here early in the morning between 7am and 9am.

Book hotels directly in Trastevere

Evening (recommended)

This is Trastevere at its best.

After 6-7pm:

• the restaurants come alive
• the bars fill up
• the whole neighbourhood gets a completely different atmosphere

If I had to recommend one night out in Rome, it would be here.

Overtourism? Overtourism? Yes. But different.

Yes. Trastevere is no longer a "secret local district".

But it still works much better than some of the congested places downtown.

My tip?

Turn off the main streets 2-3 blocks away.

Suddenly you'll be almost alone. Where are the other places in Rome without people? Check out my article:

• 👉 Rome without crowds: where to go

Where to eat and drink?

Trastevere is the most popular, among other things, because of the food.

On our last visit we went to one of the most famous restaurants, Tonnarello Paglia, and in the evening to the iconic Freni e Frizzioni bar.

I've written a whole article about our favourite restaurants, bars and ice cream parlours:

• 👉 My tips for eating and drinking in Rome

Where to stay in Trastevere

Trastevere is one of the best neighborhoods to stay in Rome if you want an evening atmosphere, restaurants literally under your windows, and walking distance to the historic center.

The best hotels in Trastevere

My picks:

• Hostel Trastevere - cheaper option, more modern hostel, good public transport accessibility
• Trastevere Roma UNA - excellent location, rooftop terrace, very good price/location ratio
• Villa Agrippina Gran Meliá - luxury hotel, pool, resort feel, walking distance to the centre and Vatican

How to get there

I think it's best to walk through Rome, so I also walked to Trastevere 3 times by a very nice walking route.

• Afternoon/early evening: headed from the Vatican to the Gianicolo hill for a sunset view. And then down past the fountain dell'Acqua Paola to Trastevere for dinner.
• During the day: got off at Ostiense station from Fiumicino airport, took tram number 3 (or maybe number 8) to Trastevere for lunch. And then walk across the bridge into the historic center towards Piazza Navona
• Evening: from the Altare della Patria monument we walked across Isola Tiberina to the famous Freni e Frizzioni bar for a drink

What to see around

Discover all the places to see in Rome.