Most tourists see Trastevere only as a food destination in Rome. But they are missing out on so many things to do and discover in this beautiful neighborhood. Here’s a list of what’s worth your time to see in Trastevere.
1) Ancient Pharmacy of Santa Maria della Scala
Where else can you smell the ancient antidote against poisons of the emperor Nero??
If you are looking for something special to do in Trastevere, Rome, the Ancient Pharmacy is a must-see for you. You don’t buy a ticket at a cashier, you don’t enter big museum doors. The signs with indications on how to get in are quite small and hidden. It is often by word of mouth that visitors end up in this ancient pharmacy. The tour inside the ancient pharmacy is led by a friar of the Discalced Carmelites order. The order that has been running the pharmacy since its beginnings.
You need to write an email to anticafarmaciadellascala@gmail.com and ask for tour dates and times.
To know more about the pharmacy read this.
2) Basilica and crypt of Santa Cecilia
The facade of this church may look like many other churches you’ve already seen around Rome. And because of that many people skip it. But visiting this church is something you must absolutely do when in the Trastevere neighborhood in Rome. When you go inside you find yourself in a beautiful and peaceful cloister. Then you enter the church and your jaw drops. This is one of the most ancient churches of Rome, but the most amazing thing about this place it’s the incredible story that took place right here.
This church was built right on top of the apartment building where Cecilia used to live, an ancient Roman young lady who was arrested and killed for being a Christian, in a time where Christianity was illegal. Cecilia has a very adventurous and dramatic story, and this makes it the highlight of our Hidden gems of Trastevere tour.
But that’s not it. After you explore the church you can go downstairs and discover the underground crypt, where you can see the ancient ruins of Cecilia’s apartment building, as well as the crypt where her body is still today.
Check out our Hidden gems of Trastevere tour with Tiber Island & jewish Ghetto
3) Crypt of San Crisogono in Trastevere
In Trastevere you have another underground site to visit, beneath the basilica of San Crisogono. As you enter, you walk through the “modern” version of this church, built in the 1100s, and then renovated in the following centuries. You can instantly recognize the features of a medieval church: the Cosmati floor, the wooden ceiling, the columns on the sides which are different from each other.
As always when in Rome, never stop to the surface level! Because if you walk to the lateral nave you’ll find a small door saying “sagrestia”. You walk in and with a €3 offer to the deacon you’ll get access to the underground world of Trastevere.
What you’ll find downstairs is the original version of the San Crisogono church built in the 5th century. Why was a new version of the church built on top of it?
Because the previous basilica suffered the floods of the Tiber river nearby. Therefore in the 1100s it was decided to build a new and elevated church on top of it. Which is the one that we see today on our modern street level.
Among the many things to do and see in Trastevere, going underground is a must to really understand this Rome neighborhood.
4) Blessed Ludovica Albertoni by Bernini
This is one of those jaw-dropping things to see in the Trastevere neighborhood, simply walking into a church. This is the blessed Ludovica Albertoni, that Gian Lorenzo Bernini sculpted when he was 79 years old. You can find it in the church of San Francesco a Ripa in Trastevere. Visiting this hidden gem is one of the things we do during our Hidden gems of Trastevere tour in Rome.
Ludovica Albertoni dedicated her life to God and helping the poor people of Trastevere, especially during the devastating Sack of Rome in 1527.
Ludovica died on January 31st 1533, in her bed, during sunset. The light was streaming in from her window. Bernini depicts her in that very moment, when she is pulling out her last gasp, the light coming from the side.
📍Piazza di S. Francesco d’Assisi, 88
5) Cannon on the Janiculum hill
Walking distance uphill from Trastevere, there is the beautiful Janiculum hill. Here, in Piazza Garibaldi, a cannon shoots every day at midday.
This cannon shoots every single day from here since 1847. Because in 1847 Pope Pius IX was fed up with all the church bells of Rome ringing at different times. Therefore he decided to set up a cannon that would shoot every single day at midday to signal the correct time when to ring the bells. So that all the churches would be synchronized. Of course there is no cannon ball inside the cannon. Only some gunpowder.
This is one of those fun things to do in Trastevere, Rome with kids.
6) Michelangelo’s house
If you go and see the cannon, this is nearby. Michelangelo spent many years of his life in Rome, during which he made some of the eternal masterpieces that we are still so lucky to admire today. Think of the Sistine chapel, the Pietà, the dome of St Peter.
His house was located in today’s Piazza Venezia. But during the construction works of the Vittoriano in the 1800s, the neighborhood where his house was located was demolished.
However the facade of Michelangelo’s house was preserved. And since 1940s it decorates the exterior of a water tank of the Gianicolo hill.
7) Church of Santa Maria dell’Orto
There was a time when the Trastevere neighborhood was just a land of vegetable gardens and farmers. There’s nothing left of that kind of Trastevere today, except from one little hidden gem: the Church of Santa Maria dell’Orto. Here’s the story.
In the 1400s, a farmer who lived here was very ill. After praying to a Madonna that was painted on his garden wall, he miraculously recovered! Since then, a real cult started around this Madonna, which then became a little chapel, and eventually a church. The Church of Santa Maria dell’Orto, which literally translates into “Saint Mary of the Vegetable Garden”
The cult then became so important that an arch-confraternity was born to take care of this cult. And this arch-confraternity still exists today. To build the church the confraternity received contributions of the corporations of many trades such as produce sellers, poultrymen, pasta sellers, shoemakers.
In front of each chapel you can read who financed the chapel. For example, “Università de Vermicellari”. “Università” meant corporation and “Vermicellari” is an old way of calling the pasta makers.But the best part is when you look at the ceiling on top of the altar. You can see the angels holding garlands made of grapes and tomatoes!
8) Botanical Garden
This is literally a jungle in the city: the Botanical Garden of Rome. You would never expect to find such an extensive garden in the heart of Trastevere! This garden belongs to the Sapienza university, and it includes endless species of plants, trees, flowers, and also a butterfly house with activities for kids. It’s a dream place to visit, especially in the spring.
Probably one of Rome’s best kept secrets! 😉
📍Largo Cristina di Svezia, 23 A
9) Santa Maria in Trastevere
This is one of the most famous and ancient churches in Trastevere. This is probably the first official place of worship of Christianity in Rome. According to the tradition, it was founded by Pope Callisto in the 3rd century and completed by Pope Giulio I in 340.
The church overlooks Piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere, a very lively and popular place to hang out, have a drink or just stroll.
📍Piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere
10) Tiny church of San Benedetto in Piscinula
This is super ancient church and also one of the smallest churches of Rome.
If you find it open, you must go inside and have a look at this little tiny jewel. This church was built in the 1100s right on top of the ruins of a domus. The Domus Aniciorum, which was a sumptuous house of a rich family of Rome, the Anicii.
The Anicii was the family that Saint Benedict belonged to. This is actually where Saint Benedict resided for some time during his stay in Rome in the year 495. This church features a wooden ceiling, typical of the medieval churches, as well as this floor, the Cosmati floor. The frescoes behind the altar are from the 1700s.
Discover the Hidden Gems of Trastevere with us!
Our best-seller walking tour Hidden gems of Trastevere with Tiber Island & Jewish district feels like a fairytale experience. It is a relaxing morning stroll in a quiet and uncrowded neighborhood of Rome, where we find hidden gems and incredible wonders so beautiful you would expect to find lines of crowds to see. But there are no lines, because not many people know about this beautiful itinerary. What our guests have been saying about this, is that it is a tour that feels.. “non-touristy“.
Here is what our wonderful guests have been saying about this tour 😊
Check out this tour here: Hidden gems of Trastevere with Tiber Island & Jewish Ghetto
Our tours are not packed, not rushed, and not stuck in tourist spots — because this is how we’d show Rome to a close friend. You can learn more about how our Rome tours work, the best Rome tours or browse all our small-group tours to see the experiences currently available.
