Trastevere

Trastevere, literally across the Tiber, is the neighbourhood every visitor falls in love with: a maze of narrow cobbled lanes, ochre and terracotta facades draped in ivy, laundry strung between windows and trattoria tables spilling onto the stones. Once the district of sailors, artisans and Rome's ancient Jewish community, it keeps a village feel and a fierce local identity a few minutes' walk from the centre.

Its heart is Piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere, dominated by one of the oldest churches in Rome. The Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere stands on foundations from the 4th century, and its 12th and 13th-century golden mosaics, including Pietro Cavallini's scenes of the life of the Virgin, glow unforgettably in the evening light. Nearby, San Francesco a Ripa shelters a late Bernini masterpiece, and the Villa Farnesina preserves frescoes by Raphael.

Trastevere is above all a neighbourhood to wander without a map. Explore the quieter lanes east of Viale di Trastevere around Santa Cecilia, browse the Sunday flea market at Porta Portese, and climb the stairs behind the district up to the Gianicolo terrace for the best panorama in Rome. Food is the district's second religion: classic Roman trattorias, street-food counters and natural wine bars stand shoulder to shoulder.

Come in the late afternoon, see the basilica's mosaics at golden hour, then stay for dinner as the lanes light up; this is when Trastevere is most itself. Tram 8 connects the district to Piazza Venezia in minutes, and the walk from Campo de' Fiori across Ponte Sisto is one of the loveliest short strolls in the city.

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