Trastevere - Rome, Italy

An Evening in Trastevere - Rome, Italy

We visited Trastevere for dinner on one of our last evenings in Rome. The area is just south of the Vatican City and is now referred to as Rome's bohemian left bank. It is known for its vibrant street life. The tightly packed, decaying buildings and the cobbled streets give it an old world feeling. Apparently some of the older locals haven't been to the "other side" of the river for a number of years.

Read on for more images and info.

Alfresco dining in Trastevere - Rome, Italy 

The heart of Trastevere is Piazza di Santa Maria which is a pedestrianised cobblestone square. The square is named after the church "Santa Maria in Trastevere", one of the oldest churches in the city. It is famous for the mosaic of the Madonna and Child which can be seen above the entrance (image below) in a protective niche.

The Mosaic of the Madonna and Child at Santa Maria in Trastevere - Rome, Italy

Trastevere is home to a number of other churches as well as the Orto Botanico (Botanical Gardens). The gardens include a sight and scent garden for the visually impaired. A number of important people, including Julius Ceasar, built their villas around here.

An artists work in Trastevere - Rome, Italy

The steps around the fountain in the middle of the square are a popular meeting point. Due to the fact that there is a crowd around the fountain, many artists try to sell their work in the area. The picture above shows the work of an artist who only uses can's of spray paint to create the "paintings" that can be seen around him. It took him about 10 minutes to create one of these. Since I used a long exposure the artist's movement has been captured in the frame.

A cobble stone street in Trastevere - Rome, Italy

The nightlife in Trastevere attracts the younger crowd and as a result, things stay open a lot later than usual. We went there for dinner on a week night and found the place buzzing well after midnight. 

Restaurants along piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere - Rome, Italy

All the images in this post were captured with a Canon 7D and a Canon 24-105mm lens. A Tripod was used to capture all of these images.

A restaurant along a lane way in Trastevere - Rome, Italy