T r a s t e v e r e | R o m a

Trastevere is the COOLEST. (Not sure if the 30 photos I posted above gave it away!) I loved staying in this charming and quintessentially Roman neighborhood just across the Tiber River, where the graffiti covered and draped in green ivy buildings date back centuries and the enchanting cobblestone streets encourage leisurely strolling. Located close to the historic center and south of the Vatican, we were able to walk to all the sites from here.

We stayed in an Airbnb on the most perfect and picturesque street, Vicolo del Bologna; a curvy and V-shaped cut through street, ever so slightly tucked away from the busy squares where everyone gathers in the street! 

The first photo in this post Camden is right outside our large wooden door and the family photo was also taken on our street. Above and below are looking out our living room windows. When the ultimate charm is right outside your door, there is nothing more exciting than stepping out each day and night ready to take on Rome. 

All of our dinners in Rome were right here in Trastevere. After busy days out it was much easier with a little bubba in tow to remain close to home. Mostly we'd take the stroller out and were able to do one of two things 1) wheel it right up to an outdoor table or 2) we'd lift out the car seat and put him on a chair, then fold up the stroller and place it out of the way. 

We took Camden out in the Ergobaby the first night and ended up holding him throughout dinner. Not all of these cozy trattorias have highchairs, so after night one we stuck with the stroller option.

Throughout our meals Camden would be doing all the things - eating (breastfeeding), wanting to be held and hang out (grabbing all the things), or he'd be sleeping. So actually having his seat where he could comfortably sleep made a lot of sense. 

In my planning efforts I read so many recommendations to make reservations when in busy Rome, but at the same time I make an effort not to OVER PLAN! I went with reservations for two nights and left the other three up to our whim. I do think the neighborhood is packed with tourist traps which all things considered we did our best to avoid. 

Trattoria Da Enzo (Via dei Vascellari, 29) is a cozy family-run trattoria on a charming backstreet. Da Enzo has become well-known and people will wait hours in line for a table. I had made a reservation and sure enough they had my name written on that nights list: "Cristan Luisi". HA! It felt like a huge win as the three of us bypassed that infamous line. 

A heaping plate of creamy burrata di Anoria, crispy light as air fried zucchini blossoms, perfectly al dente, seriously heavenly pasta amatriciana, a fantastic agnello alla scottadito con patae (grilled lamb shank + potatoes) and the best tiramisu! 100% call for a reservation if you'd like to eat here. This remained one of our favorite meals not only in Rome but throughout Italy.

~~~

Ditta Trinchetti (Via della Lungaretta, 76) is a cozy and charming family run gem located on a main pedestrian street, the tucked away door front hidden in plain sight! This was a whim destination - they had a menu del giorno and so we by-passed larger neighboring restaurants with English menus in favor of this spot. We ordered the mozarella du bufala fritta antipasti and both the primi - a pesto linguini with squid and almonds and a cous cous with fish ragu. It is hard to describe how good these plates were. The simplest, most humble sounding ingredients and voila, a beautiful meal!

~~~

Glass Hostaria (Vicolo de' Cinque, 58) - When there is a Michelin-starred restaurant run by a notable chef (Cristina Bowerman) at the top of your street, you go! 

This impeccable meal is in a separate post!

~~~

Osteria der Belli (Piazza di Sant'Apollinia). Instead of Roman the family that runs this restaurant is from Sardinia.  From a seafood focused menu I chose the pasta alle vongole and it did not disappoint! There is plenty of outdoor seating and while it was fairly busy we were seated right away with no reservation. 

~~~

Cajo y Gajo (Piazza San Callisto, 10). The food here is typical Roman casual in a bustling and popular square. The pasta carbonara and chicken scalopini were very good. Much to my delight they had fried artichokes! (Most restaurants do not as they are not in season.) For better or for worse, I was happy to finally have the famed Roman dish. Once again it was busy and once again we managed to be seated right away outdoors.

~~~

Olateg! (Via di S. Cosimato, 14a). The only gelato pictured, yet I definitely had gelato once a day either after dinner or when we were out and about. (And not to worry, we are not teasing Cam in that photo, we gave him a bite or five!) The flavors are made fresh every day at g-e-l-a-t-o spelled backwards, proving a worthy choice when in Trastevere. 

~~~

Dar Poeta - (Vicolo del Bologna, 45) the.best.roman.style.pizza. wood fired thin crust, exceptional toppings, cold draft beer  - this was a late lunch upon our arrival and I was in heaven. We had the cacio e pepe and the spicy calabrese salami. This unassuming but well known pizza spot is actually on our street on the other side of the "V" - we took a sharp left to find it from our Airbnb. 

Bar Calisto is fronted by the charming and popular Piazza San Calisto. The cobblestones and live music lulled Camden to a restful sleep while we had a Peroni after dinner.

Bar del Cinque might just be the best people watching + most photographed spot in all of Trastevere. This vine covered bar was at the top of our street! The espresso martini sign out front prompted our order - and they were a very good start to our last night in Trastevere.

Bar Toto - The photos where you can see Bar Toto behind us are across the river in the Jewish Ghetto, another charming neighborhood with a lot of history. We drank some Aperol Spritzes and wandered the historic streets. There is something so inherently unique and charming about a bar in Europe, am i right?

Also not to miss while in Trastevere:

Piazza di Santa Maria. The most central piazza where everyone is gathered at the fountain. The church is stunning so make sure to step inside.

I miss Trastevere and it is definitely one reason we loved Rome so much!!!