Since my return from Rome, I’ve had some time to reflect on my time abroad and wanted to put together a couple travel-specific posts that are educational for y’all! One of the things I love MOST about traveling is discovering different areas of a city. That can sometimes be hard to do when you’re in a massive city for a short time, but I do my best to spread out my itinerary a bit so I can see more/do more in different zip codes. So, without further babbling, here is my Trastevere, Rome neighborhood review!
Trastevere is one of the oldest and most historic neighborhoods in Rome. It’s full of charm and beauty – 100% recommend staying in this area. It’s a very walkable area {although a tad tough with luggage on the cobblestone streets}, and super close to the Tiber River, Vatican City and a dozen other churches and landmarks of interest.
Julie found this unbelievably amazing airbnb loft right in the heart of Trastevere, located in/above Piazza Della Scala. The space had TONS of natural light, which always makes a big difference for my energy level. Nothing like waking up to sunlight beaming in through the windows at sunrise. Not to mention it makes for better interior snaps {like this beauty}, and putting on makeup in the morning.
A couple things to note about this specific apartment:
1. No AC. Wasn’t a problem for us at the end of May, but might be a tough sell in summer.
2. Located on the 4th floor of a walk-up. Just prepare yourself when it comes to bags and overall mini daily workout, haha.
3. It is a bit noisy at night/early morning since it’s located right in the middle of a popular Piazza. The host does provide ear plugs, but I wouldn’t recommend if you’re a super light sleeper.
While there are tons of cute cafes and restaurants in the Trastevere, Rome neighborhood – and far too many to check out in only a few days – here are the few that I was personally able to try and enjoyed! I did intentionally leave several off this list, as I didn’t feel they were re-visit ‘good’.
PIMMS – hands down our #1 nibble spot on the Trastevere, Rome neighborhood review! It doesn’t look like much on the outside, or heck even the inside, but the food is on point every single time. Along with a pretty expansive menu for a ‘pub’ setting.
LA SCALA – great wine selection, homemade pasta and ambiance. We went for dinner at La Scala one evening and weren’t planning on a ‘big’ night out, but enjoyed it so much, we found ourselves a bottle deep and shutting the place down past 12:30AM.
NIJI CAFE – the quirkiest little nook in Trastevere you’ll ever come across. Do be aware, the cocktails are comparable to prices in NYC or Miami, but totally worth it, promise. Be sure to have some cash on-hand! Not sure if it was just because it was late-night, or it’s their standard rule, but we were told our drinks were cash-only.
Trastevere is a lively, vibrant area. The neighborhood includes 3 colleges, including The American University of Rome. Which means, lots of fun {and sometimes rowdy} youngsters living their best lives abroad – it can be a bit loud in the evening/into the early part of the morning Friday-Sunday. Would not recommend this area is you’re a light sleeper, but I think it’s great for young professionals, college students to recent college grads! I’m sure there are quieter streets in the neighborhood, but overall it’s lively.
