Trastevere & 360° Travel Guide 

Janiculum (Gianicolo) Hill

Faro del Gianicolo	Park with Busts	Piazzale G. Garibaldi

Trastevere is the area south of the Vatican on the west of the Tiber. It can make a refreshing break for a walk away from the bustle of Rome's centre and main sites and offers great views back onto Rome's historic centre. If you approach it from the Vatican it is a bit of a climb up to Gianicolo the second highest hill in the modern metroplitan area. From the area around the Faro del Gianicolo you can get great views back onto Rome. The hill was the location in 1849 of a significant battle between Garibaldi's forces at the time fighting to establish the Italian State and French forces looking to restore the Papal (Vaticano) control over Rome. On the Passeggiata ("evening walk") del Gianicolo there is a small area which hosts busts of the defenders and in the Piazzale Giuseppe Garibaldi, from which you can enjoy panoramic views, a quintessential statue of the Italian revolutionary leader on horse back (1885).

Fontana dell'Acqua Paola	Panoramic	San Pietro in Montorio

Continuing south Via Garibaldi winds down the hill and you will find the beautiful early 17th century Fontana dell'Acqua Paola whose water comes from the ancient Trajan aqueduct reopened after 1000 years by Pope Paul V and hence named after him. It includes columns from the original St Peter's basilica, in the square opposite more great Panoramic views. San Pietro in Montorio (1481-1500) was built on the remains of a 9th century monastery and 12th century Franciscan convent. These were passed to the Spanish Amadeites congregation supported by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain who built the new church. It is now surrounded by a Franciscan monastery.

Trastevere

Basilica di Santa Maria	Interior of Santa Maria	Ponte Cestio

Trastevere has a quite different, slightly edgy, feel to other areas of Rome with medieval streets centred around the Piazza di Santa Maria with the Basilica di Santa Maria (1140-43) to one side and a fountain in its centre. The foundations of the Basilica date from the 4th century AD and therefore is one of Rome's oldest churches. Its Interior features twenty two Ionic & Corinthian columns and late 13th-century mosaics. In Trastevere there are restaurants and bars along the streets down to the river Tiber. Isola Tiberina is a small island connected by the Ponte Cestio on one side and the Ponte Fabricio on the other. On the island the Basilica di San Bartolomeo all'Isola (998AD) was built over the ruins of a 3rd century BC temple to Aesculapius, the Greek God of healing. This heritage continues with a still operating 16th century hospital.