Across the river
Trastevere, whose name means beyond the Tiber, was for centuries a working-class neighbourhood of artisans and dockworkers. Today its cobbled lanes, ivy-draped houses and small piazzas make it one of the most photogenic corners of Rome, and in the evening it becomes one of the city's favourite places to eat and drink.
This walk is best begun in the late afternoon, around six, when the light softens and the bars start filling up. Allow three hours, come hungry and wear shoes that can handle uneven stones.
Start with street food
Cross the river on the pedestrian Ponte Sisto and head into the lanes. Your first stop should be a supplì, the Roman cousin of the Sicilian arancino: a fried rice croquette, usually filled with tomato sauce and a heart of mozzarella that stretches into strings when you bite it. Pizza al taglio, sold by weight in rectangular slices, is another good opener; point to the toppings you like and the staff will cut a piece to size.
Wash it down with a glass of white wine from the hills around Rome, or a spritz at one of the bars around Piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere.
The four Roman pastas
For a sit-down course, find a trattoria and order one of the four classic Roman pastas. Cacio e pepe is pecorino cheese and black pepper emulsified into a silky sauce. Gricia adds crisp guanciale, cured pork cheek. Amatriciana brings in tomato, and carbonara replaces it with egg yolk. No cream, and ideally no garlic either; Romans can be strict about it.
If you have room, try carciofi alla romana in spring, artichokes braised with mint and garlic, or the Jewish-Roman style artichoke fried until crisp like a flower. Saltimbocca, veal with sage and ham, and abbacchio, roast lamb, are classic mains.
While you eat, look out for the golden mosaics of the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere, one of the oldest churches in Rome, which glow when the facade is lit at night.
Sweet finish
End with gelato. Good artisanal gelato is usually stored in covered metal tubs rather than piled high in vivid colours, which is a reliable sign of natural ingredients. Pistachio, hazelnut and fior di latte are good tests of quality.
Then walk it off with a climb up the Janiculum Hill, where the terrace near the Garibaldi monument offers a sweeping view of the domes and bell towers of the city, lit up after dark.
Good to know
- Trastevere is busiest on weekend evenings; book dinner in advance or eat on a weeknight.
- Restaurants with photo menus and staff touting on the street are rarely the best choice.
- A small cover charge, the coperto, often appears on bills and is normal in Rome.