Hotels near Trastevere

Trastevere - meaning across the Tiber - is Rome's most atmospheric neighbourhood, a maze of cobbled lanes, ivy-covered walls, and tiny piazzas just south of the Vatican. The 12th-century Basilica di Santa Maria in Trastevere, with its golden mosaics and 22 ancient columns lifted from a pagan temple, anchors the central square. By night the area transforms into Rome's main eating and drinking district, with hundreds of trattorias, wine bars, and cocktail spots packed along Via della Lungaretta and Vicolo del Cinque.

For something quieter, walk south to Piazza di Sant'Egidio, climb up to Janiculum Hill (the Gianicolo) for what locals consider the best free panorama in Rome, or visit the small but lovely Villa Farnesina with frescoes by Raphael. Trastevere is at its best on weeknights - weekends draw heavy crowds.

Pro Tip: Have lunch at one of the trattorias on Vicolo del Cinque or Via della Pelliccia, then walk uphill to the Fontanone fountain on Janiculum Hill for sunset views over the entire city - it is where the opening scene of La Grande Bellezza was filmed.