Trastevere Walk (Self Guided), Rome

Trastevere is a Rome neighborhood that lives life to the full. New York has Greenwich Village, and Rome has Trastevere, a medieval district of narrow lanes, old churches, trattorias and cafés with tables spilling out onto the streets and plazas. The architecture is wonderful, the long history is fascinating, but the biggest draw is the atmosphere.

By day, it's genteel and laidback as locals and visitors quietly go about their business, sipping strong coffees in the cafés, browsing traditional shops and watching the world go by. At night, the activity is a little more frenzied as partygoers descend on the clubs and bars. The exhilarating ambience is heightened by street musicians and poets. Explore the neighborhood at your leisure and take in some of its main sights.

The heart of the area is Piazza di Santa Maria, a beautiful pedestrianized square piazza lined with restaurants, bars and old palaces that have seen better days. On arrival, the eye is immediately drawn to the 12th-century Basilica di Santa Maria, a beautiful church with a Romanesque tower. Venture inside for its exquisite 12th-century mosaics. At night, the church and its tower present even more stunning sights when bathed in light.