Trastevere is a charming neighborhood across the Tiber from the historic center of Rome. It’s a great spot to have lunch and spend an afternoon walking around, admiring the warm, faded colors of the buildings. They bake wonderful breads and cookies at La Renella and sell handmade chocolates at Valzoni to locals and tourists. My favorite book shop in Rome is The Almost Corner Bookshop, an all English language store filled with fiction and non-fiction dedicated to Rome and Italy, lots of great classic literature and the latest publications in English. I always pick up something perfect to set the tone of my visit to Rome – in March it was Geothe’s near perfect Italian Journey, which colored my walk on the Appian Way and walking through the Porta San Sebastiano. In October it was my favorite Odes of John Keats in a neat little volume, with a little Shelley and Byron, who all accompanied me on my visits to The Keats Shelley (Byron) House and for a prosecco at Caffe Greco and even to Keats tombstone in Testaccio.
Trastevere is not usually overrun with tourists and has a little bit of an off the beaten path feel to it. One can walk to Tiber Island for curious sights or the Giancolo (Janiculum Hill) for an alternate view of Rome or even to the residential neighborhood of Monteverde which boasts the lovely Villa Sciarra parks and is truly off the beaten path. I love the beautiful curves and colors of the architecture.
Trastevere has the chicest farmacia I’ve ever seen. Each little shop and boutique is delightful and covered with crawling greenery. The curb appeal and doorstep gardens of Italy are an obsession of mine.
The gorgeous overhanging vines and ivy of your typical Trastevere pedestrian street next to little cafes and restaurants.
The layers of stone and paint and greenery are lush all year long. I adore this section so much.
A charming respite to duck in when caught in the rain (as I was that afternoon)!
The main piazza of Trastevere with the cannot be missed church. A great people watching locale.
They even have the ambulatories in Rome to bounce one over cobblestoned paths. The green grows thick and spreads over garden walls.
Miniature terraces with majestic potted plants which grow as long as Rapunzel’s hair!
The place to see and be seen.
The exceptionally old exterior. “The Basilica of Our Lady in Trastevere (Italian: Basilica di Santa Maria in Trastevere) is a titular minor basilica, one of the oldest Churches of Rome, perhaps the first in which Mass was openly celebrated. The basic floor plan and wall structure of the church date back to the 340s, The first sanctuary was built in 221 and 227 by Pope Calixtus I and later completed by Pope Julius. -Wikipedia
A close up of the pretty detail, with Occidental features like Egyptian palm trees and the gold leafed saints mosaics.
Man walking dog past a cafe – “Isn’t it a lovely scene?”
Coolest cafe sign ever. It’s always closed when I find myself in Trastevere unfortunately!
Yes, it IS a terribly romantic place to get lost in.
The requisite laundry shot because I never, ever, ever tire of those.
And a light blue vespa! It is Italy after all! It’s a requirement for any tour.
Rome – where the masterpieces are both outdoors and indoors for your viewing pleasure and contemplation. This is why I love the eternal city. It is made up of a thousand moments of aesthetic joy.
These were all shot on my 35 mm film camera on a dull, grey, rainy afternoon and still the color and hues shine through the haze!
Just sequester me here to this flat with the garden-y window for a season or two… I will be happy. I’ll walk the streets in the morning, pop into churches and museums in the afternoon and sit Juliet style by this window at night.
I miss the village green,
And all the simple people.
I miss the village green,
The church, the clock, the steeple.
I miss the morning dew, fresh air and Sunday school.
And now all the houses
Are rare antiquities.
American tourists flock to see the village green.
They snap their photographs and say “Gawd darn it,
Isn’t it a pretty scene?”
-The Kinks
In relation to my choosing the very British provincial music quotes is a 10 year old video featuring the song and the very amazing Lord Whimsy.
a love letter to rome 
Great photos, you really captured the charm of this neighborhood. Did you use any filters or is the light completely natural?
Thanks Rick! No filters! Just natural light and portra film (400 or 800 – can’t recall) on my 35mm canon!
A “real” camera?!? Incredible! I used to have a 35mm Canon, not sure what happened to it.
oh i love my film cameras. film is incredibly expensive – the fine art kind but so beautiful and worth it. developing it is another adventure, i found a good lab in my state thankfully.
“How very happy I am here in Rome when I think of the bad days
Far back there in the north, wrapped in a grayish light.
Over my head there the heavens weighed down so dismal and gloomy;
Colorless, formless, that world round this exhausted man lay.
Seeking myself in myself, an unsatisfied spirit, I brooded,
Spying out pathways dark, lost in dreary reflection.
Here in an ather more clear now a luster encircles my forehead.
Phoebus the god evokes forms, clear are his colors by day.
Bright with the stars comes the evening, ringing with songs that are tender,
And the glow of the moon, brighter than northern sun.
What blessedness mortals may know! Am I now dreaming? Or welcomes
Jupiter, Father, as guest—me, to ambrosial halls?
See, I lie here extending my arms toward your knees. I am praying:
Hospitality’s god, Jupiter Xenius! Hear:
How I am come to this place I no longer can say—I was
Seized up by Hebe. ‘Twas she led to this sacred hill.
Did you command her a hero to seek and deliver before you ?
May be she erred. Then forgive. Let her mistake profit me!
Does not Fortuna, your daughter, when strewing her glorious presents,
After the manner of girls, yield to each passing whim?
You, O hospitable god, will by no means now banish a stranger
From your Olympian heights back to the base earth again.
“Poet, come to your senses!”—Forgive me, Jupiter, is not
Rome’s Capitoline Hill second Olympus to you?
Suffer me, Jupiter, here and let Hermes guide me at last then
Past Cestius’ Tomb gently to Orkus below…”