Trastevere, Rome

The area around our apartment here in Trastavere is vibrant except for the quiet times - generally 3-5 pm and after midnight until 9 am. The little alleys twist and turn upon themselves, and around every corner you will find a little piazza. Everywhere you will find little cafes, bars and restaurants, all spilling over into the cobblestones roads, forcing the vehicular traffic to risk damage to their paintwork as they scrape by the stone buildings on the other side. Cars, scooters and motor bikes just park wherever they can. Eating a fiori (outside) looks as if it could be bit risky too, but we never saw any incidents involving people, cars or tables and chairs.

Vicolo means 'alley' and our apartment was located on Vicolo del Bologna. All the buildings around this area are very old and all divided into apartments, some with the little shops on the ground flour. Vicolo Bologna twisted around, more like a Drive, beginning and ending in Via del Cinque (the fifth alley). At first we found it difficult, working out where we were at any given time, but before too long we were strolling about like locals.

Our apartment was on the first floor, up one long flight of stone stairs. To complicate climbing these stairs, they are deeper than what we are used to, so require you to raise your leg higher to step up. With our bags in that first climb, this was quite an effort, but we made it intact. 

The apartment itself is filled with art works. The owner has travelled the world and brought back many pieces that she has left in the apartment. Her daughter is also an artist and she works with textiles. She was also a costume designer. The apartment itself, like the building, is very old. The bedrooms are just partitioned-off sections (in one bedroom, only a curtain divides it from the hallway). There is a tiny balcony off the living/dining room, but this faces onto a courtyard that is gated. The kitchen too, is very old. The window in there opens onto the same courtyard. The bathroom is tiny but functional, again with a window opening onto the tiny courtyard.

Both bedrooms open onto Vicolo del Bologna. Like all the windows in the apartment, they have shutters to close to keep out any noise. These tend to make the spaces dark and seemingly smaller. 

Here are a few photos. The first is from my bedroom window, taken just as the little restaurant nearby was getting ready for their first customers.

And below are examples of some of the artworks, and the furniture in our apartment.

Below is the walkway beside the Tiber. It's a popular place for runners and joggers, or just for a nice easy stroll.

Below is the road that runs beside the Tiber on the Trastevere side.