Trastevere apartment, Rome: Red Tulip - Tips and Area

Charming 2BR / 1BA vacation rental apartment + Terrace in the Trastevere area

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Via Giulia ends at the Sixtus Bridge, after which one arrives to Piazza Trilussa and enters the most popular and the most Roman of all the districts in Rome: Trastevere.

Walk then straight ahead and down left and then right to Vicolo del Cinque. Here you will find restaurants, shops and artisans aplenty, including store dedicated to decò lamps (no. 48), to mad sculptural footwear creations by Joseph Debach (no. 19) and to delicatessen selling fine "chocolate&books" (no. 11A). A true haven for chocoholics. At no 24, on your left, you will find Jacche Calzature selling shoes all priced at 36 €. Amongst the unexceptional there are always some good deal to be found. At no. 3 restaurant Da Cencio la Parolaccia with a sign Sunday eat at home… we are closed! ("domenica magnate a casa... semo chiusi!!!").

Trastevere is the Rome’s answer to Paris’ Rive Gauche, the great deal of the city’s true life. A genuine working area with lively atmosphere. A great place for eating and drinking in the evening. Trastevere – a name that refers either to its trans Tevere (across the Tiber) location or its settlement during the reign of Tiberius – has a distinct Roman vibrance all its own. The Trasteverini claim to be descendants of the purest Roman stock – Romani dé Roma (Romans from Rome). Some residents even claim never to have crossed the river.

Not to be missed:

Sites and Monuments:
Santa Maria in Trastevere ** - This august basilica rises up in the heart of Trastevere, on the square of the same name decorated by a XVII cent. fountain and dominated by the fine Place of S. Calisto (XVII cent.). The actual construction dates from 1130-43. The front is adorned with XII and XIII cent. mosaics and fine Romanesque bell-tower.
The interior has a nave and two aisles on large ancient trabeated granite columns, a Cosmatesque pavement and a wooden roof. In the Presbitery, closed by a marble surround, a mark indicates the place where, according to legend, oil spurted out on the day of Christ’s birth.

The museum of Roman Folklore and the Romanesque Poets, is being arranged (1980) in the nearby Piazza St. Egidio, with part of the collection previously displayed in the Braschi Palace.

Piazza Trilussa - Beside the Tiber at the end of the fine Sixtus Bridge, rebuilt by Baccio Pontelli under Sixtus IV (1474); it has a large XVI cent. Fountain designed by G. Fontana and, in a corner among the plants, the monument to Trilussa, the noted Romanesque poet. At n. 20, Via S. Dorotea is the famous House of Baker Girl, the beautiful girl of the people, daughter of a baker, who was loved by Raphael.

Via della Lungara – Long straight road of Renaissance Rome, opened under Julius II, between the Septimius Gate in the Aurelian wall and the S. Spirito Gate, by A. Sangallo the Younger (1540). Palazzo Corsini is at n. 10, and in front of it the famous Farnesina.

Palazzo Corsini *  (Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Antica) - The Palace was rebuilt by F. Fuga in 1732 in austere Baroque form and is now the headquarter of Accademia dei Lincei, famous cultural institute founded in 1603. The 1^st floor of the palace while awaiting the definite transfer to the Barberini palace, houses part of National Gallery collection comprising a fine and valuable collection of Italian and foreign works of the XVII and XVIII cents.: paintings by Caravaggio, Canaletto, van Laer, Rubens and van Dyck.

Farnesina ** - The Villa, one of the architectural jems of the Renaissance, all harmony, was built by Francesco Peruzzi (1508-11) for the Senese banker Agostino Chigi, who received Popes, cardinals, princes and artists there; in 1580 it passed to the Farnese family. On the ground floor a visit should be made to the Gallery, which has a beautifully painted vault (Story of Psyche**) by Raphael (1517) with the help of Giulio Romano, F. Penni and Giovanni da Udine, and an adjoining room also painted by Raphael (the famous Galatea **, 1511), B. Peruzzi (Constellations) and Sebastiano del Piombo (Polyphemus and scenes of the metamorphosis). On the 1^st floor, the Hall of Architectural Perspectives, painted by B. Peruzzi and helpers; in the bedroom, Marriage of Alexander and Rossana **, a glorious fresco by Sodoma. The Gabinetto Nazionale delle Stampe (National Collection of Prints) is also in the palace, Italian and foreign prints from XV to XIX century.

S. Pietro in Montorio * - The Church of St. Peter is placed where, according to tradition, St. Peter was crucified, and was rebuilt in simple Renaissance form perhaps by Baccio Pontelli (XV cent.).
The interior, a single nave with chapels and niches, contains various works of art by Sebastiano del Piombo, the Caravaggio-esque Dirck van Baburen. Don’t miss from the square, the magnificent panorama * of Rome and the the the Tempietto of Bramante **, an elegant circular building with an outer ring of columns and cupola, of classic simplicity and monumentality (1502). A hole in the chapel below is said to be where the cross of St. Peter was fixed. Built on the spot once believed to be the site os St. Peter’s upside-down crucifixion, the biggest draw of the Church of S. Pietro in Montorio is a masterly Flagellazione di Gesu, painted on slate by Sebastiano del Piombo from designs by Michelangelo. The Church also contains the tombs of Irish noblemen, exiles persecuted by English Protestants. Next door in the center of a small courtyard is the stunning Template of Bramante. A combination of Renaissance and Classical architecture, it provided the inspiration for the larger dome of St. Peter’s. Visible from the Church, just up the hill, is Mausoleo Ossario Garibaldino, a starkly fascist monument erected in 1941 to enclose the remains of Goffredo Mameli, the composer of the Italian national anthem. If you want to continue the national theme, a decent hike further up the hill (taking Via Garibaldi past the fountain and then veersite of a patriotically over-blown statue-complex crowned by the revolutionary leader himself.

Passeggiata del Gianicolo * - After the Pincio, this is the most beautiful and frequented walk in Rome, famous, above all for the splendid panorama it offers. a magnificent panorama * of the city can be enjoyed. Continuing down the avenue one meets the monument to Anita Garibaldi (1932) and comes out into the opening with the Faro della Vittoria. This gives the most complete panorama ** of the city, which can be seen spread out from St. Peter’s to he Villa Borghese, to St. Mary Major and St. John in the Lateran, and the Aventino. The slope steepens; near a turning is the trunk of the Tasso Oak which was struck by lightning, under whose shade the poet used to sit. The Church of St. Onofrius is near a hospital just before the end of the walk.

Botanical Garden – Filled with well-labelled specimens of trees and flowers, the gardens remain green and luxuriant even when the rest of Rome is dull and brown. The remarkable assemblage of flora stretches from valleys of ferns through groves of bamboo to a hilltop Japanese Garden. Of interest are the garden of roses cultivated during the Baroque period in Rome, containing the two founding bushes from which all domesticated Italian roses supposedly have sprung, and the stellar Garden for the Blind, a star-shaped garden of various plants labelled in Braille.S. Onofrio – Rises picturesquely at the top of a panoramic flight of steps with a lovely terrace on the left. It was founded in 1419 and altered. Three Domenichino frescoes are under the portico on the r. The interior has an Annunciation, an early work by Antoniazzo Romano (1^st chapel r.) and frescoes by Peruzzi (1503), others in the style of Pinturicchio in the polygonal apse. In the adjoining convent Torquato Tasso died in 1595; charming cloister with portico and loggia. The small Tassiano Museum is in the rooms occupied by the Ordine Equestre del Sepolcro di Gerusalemme with relicts, editions and translations and the tombstone of the poet (in another room, a lunette with the Madonna and Child and donors, attributed to Boltraffio, 1513).

Where to eat:
Trastevere is overflowing with eateries, especially around Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere.

Restaurants:
Da Augusto: Piazza dé Renzi, 15. A Roman institution, as traditional as they come. This is what cheap and cheerful Roman dining is all about. Sit outside in summer at folding wooden tables with paper tablecloths, on which your bill be scribbled at the end of the evening.
Serves traditional Roman cuisine, including rigatoni cacio e pepe, with pecorino cheese and pepper, pasta e fagioli - thick borlotti bean soup with pasta – and pasta all’amatriciana and the pollo arrosto con patate. Dinner is chaotic, be prepared to wait for a table.

Fontanone: Piazza Trilussa, 46. Directly opposite Ponte Sisto. Serves traditional Roman cuisine, including rigatoni cacio de pepe, with pecorino cheese and pepper. When you realize you’re paying partly for the location, remember the queues at San Callisto and console yourself with the renowned carciofi alla Romana.

Da Giovanni: Via della Lungara, 41/a. Artists’ hangout on the edge of Trastevere. Prices are unbelievably low and the cooking is good, plain Roman fare. It’s tiny and you can’t make reservations, so come as close to opening  time as possible. The menu changes daily but fettuccine al sugo (pasta with simple tomato sauce) is always there. Try the pasta with chickpeas or borlotti beans if you can. House wine doesn’t cost much more than water.

Da Paris: Piazza San Callisto 7. This great restaurant serving Jewish food near Santa Maria in Trastevere, is known for its fish and pasta and for the traditional Roman dish like gran fritto vegetale con baccalà (a fry-up of artichokes, courgettes and their flowers and salt cod) trippa alla romana (tripe in the Roman style). All this is accompanied by an excellent wine list. In summer, there are a few tables outside in the square. Reservation essential.

Alberto Ciarla: Piazza San Cosimato 40. The reputation of this restaurant is stuck in the same 1960s time warp as the décor. But Alberto Ciarla is still one of Rome’s best fish restaurants and pasta e fagioli con le cozze (pasta and beans with mussels) and spigola con le erbe (sea bass with herbs) are trademark dishes.

Alle Fratte di Trastevere: Via delle Fratte di Trastevere 49-50. Trastevere has its fair share of traditional, family-run trattorie, but the cheap and cheerful Alle Fratte has got to be one of the best. It does honest Roman trattoria fare with Neapolitan influences and the service is friendly, attentive and bilingual (the owner’s wife is from Long Island). First courses like pennette alla sorrentina (penne pasta with tomatoes and mozzarella) are served up in generous portions. Secondi include over- roast sea bream, veal escalopes in marsala and a good grilled beef fillet. Desserts are home-made, the post-prandial digestive flow freely.

Antico Arco: Piazzale Aurelio, 7. Dinner at this relaxed creative Italian restaurant on the Gianicolo hill – right behind Porta san Pancrazio – is always a pleasure. The soothing modern décor makes up for the lack of a view and the service is mostly attentive – though it can get a little terse at peak periods. The menu is strong on all fronts, from the antipasti, which include an outstanding onion flan with a chilly  grana cheese sauce, to the primi, where Antico Arco classics like the risotto with castelmagno cheese are flanked by recent innovations such as the ravioli filled with potatoes and squid in an olive broth. The secondi cover the board from meat to fish to game and choreographic desserts are no letdown. Maurizio, the sommelier, can help you steer a course through an extensive, well-priced wine list. It’s hugely popular, so book in advance.

Pizzerie:
Dar Poeta: Vicolo del Bologna, 45-46. From Piazza S. Egidio, head down V. della Scala and turn right. Eighteen types of bruschetta and unusual pizzas amid the old favourites. Save room for the dessert, the sweet calzone stuffed with Nutella and ricotta is to die for. No reservations, be prepared to queue.. the bill is scrawled on the tablecloth.

San Callisto: Piazza San Callisto, 9a – Off S. Maria in Trastevere. One best pizza in Rome: shame about the service and the long, long, long waits for a table. Gorgeous thin crust pizzas so large they hang off the plates. The bruschetta alone is worth a postcard home.

Da Ivo: Via San Francesco a Ripa, 158. The classic pizza is always good, but the owners also come up with interesting and unusual toppings. It’s busy and bustling so arrive early or be prepared to wait for a table. However the turn-over quick and the service efficient.

Popi Popi: Via delle Fratte di Trastevere, 45. On one of the little alleys that join Viale Trastevere to the basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere, Popi Popi is excellent for both its pizzas and its prices. Very popular with young Romans, especially in summer, when you can sit outside and enjoy Trastevere’s bustle. There’s a selection of traditional dishes in addition to pizzas.

International Restaurants:
Indian:
Surya Mahal: Piazza Trilussa, 50. A gastronomic experience not to be missed, you can dine in the exquisite garden or inside the elegant restaurant. Please your palate with vegetable biryani and basmati rice with cooked vegetables and Indian cheeses, or spicy rogan josh made with lamb and delicious spices.

Vegetarian Restaurants:
Jaipur: Via S. Francesco a Ripa, 56 (+39-06-5803992). Join the green scene of the vegetarian cuisine, focus on the vital role of fresh food for healthy lifestyle. Enjoy the flavourful and delicious of Mediterranean produce.

Bars, Pubs Snack, Quick meals and Live Music:

Freni e Frizioni: Via del Politeama 4-6. Cool bar - Great Brunch.

Friends Art Café: Piazza Trilussa, 34. Excellent for both breakfast and aperitif. Snacks set out on the counter are included in the price of a drink. Behind the bar there’s a dining area decorated with modern paintings that serves salads, vegetable pies and a small selection of pastas and meat dishes, plus desserts.

I Dolci di Checco er Carrettiere: Via Benedetta, 7. Located behind Piazza Trilussa, this small bar, annexed to one of the Trastevere’s oldest restaurants, has outstanding cakes and pastries, plus fresh quiches, crisp crocchette and, usually, tasty baked pasta. There’s a savvy selection of malt whiskies too, and some of the best gelato this side of the Tiber.

Enoteca Ferrara: Piazza Trilussa 41A. Tasteful imbibery with a 900-label cellar. The apartheid wine lists (one book for whites, one for reds) provide a happy evening’s reading. Some punters come to Ferrara to buy a bottle, some for a pre-or-post-dinner glass of wine, some overcome the slight diffidence of the bar staff and succumb to one of the wholesome-looking dishes on the counter. The more serious eater, however, books in advance and takes advantage of the restaurant’s inventive offerings, including mussel and clam soup and fried fillet of perch, served with red cabbage and lemon. In spring/summer time you can wine and dine in a pretty garden at the back. Perfect for both a glass of wine or a romantic dinner.

Enoteca Trastevere: Via della Lungaretta, 86. The name says it all. A fine wine bar offering dozens of wines by the glass. Large list of beers, cocktails and fine spirits.

Ombre Rosse Caffè: P.S. Egidio, 12. A mellow place to sit outside and people watch. From full breakfast to afternoon tea, from aperitifs to nightcaps. Live jazz or blues couple of nights a week. Wine by glass, cocktails, pint of beer.

Bibli: Via dei Fienaroli. A great place for Sunday brunch, or just for coffee while listening to poetry or music either inside or outside, on the terrace. Lovely bookstore has a huge selection of books but not only! It is also a restaurant, a cultural center and a Web café.

Glass Hosteria: Vicolo del Cinque 58. Cocktail & wine bar, wine by glass, cocktails, pint of beer.

Big Mama: Vicolo San Francesco a Ripa, 18 (0039-06-5812551). Trastevere hotspot, Rome’s irrefutable home of the blues. Catch a concert there!

Original Language Cinemas:
Alcazar: Via Merry del Val, 14 – Tel. 0039-06-5880099.

Stores:

Vegetarian. Canestro: Via San Francesco Ripa, 105/b (0039-06-5746287). Organic produce.

Flea Sunday morning Market: Porta Portese in Trastevere, which runs along the Via Portuense from Porta Portese to Via Ettore Rolli. Everything can be found from Chinatown-type jade turtles and orphaned 1960’s teacups to inexpensive but quite good-quality linens, stylish reading glasses, new and used clothes, electronics, legitimate and pirated CD’s, passable etchings, beads, trinkets, jewelry, books, and anything else you can think of. Bargain hard, and watch out for pickpockets.

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