Trastevere is the 13th rione (district) of Rome. Its name comes from the Latin 'trans Tiberim' meaning ‘beyond the Tiber’ – which is where it can be found: on the banks of the river Tiber.

While the wide, straight roads leading off the Via del Corso will take you to the designer shops and renowned tourist traps for which Rome is famous, cross the Tiber to Trastevere and you'll discover a maze of cobbled streets garlanded with jasmine and lined with antique cellars and boutique art galleries.

On a summer's evening the Ponte Sisto bridge will be hosting its own festival of musicians, all competing for your attention. The steps of Piazza Trilussa, meanwhile, become an outdoor auditorium for those wanting to take in the atmosphere a bit longer.

There are many fantastic osterias and restaurants to choose from. Supplizio on Via dei Banchi Vecchi is a celebration of traditional 'friggitorie' (fried food outlets) par excellence where you can either stand outside or sit on a stool in front of the bar.

There's only one thing on the menu: arancini. These delicious, handmade-in-front of you balls of sticky deep-fried rice are a traditional Roman speciality and ooze with mozzarella and the filling of your choice, be it carbonara or a ragu.

The epicentre of the neighbourhood is Piazza di Santa Maria and its ornate church the jewel of this bustling little piazza. Here there are street stalls selling trinkets late into the evening, as well as what is believed to be the oldest fountain in Rome, dating back to the 8th century.

The main road cutting through Trastevere is Viale di Trastevere which takes you back to the heart of Rome via the tram. You can also travel in the other direction to Trastevere station and from there to Fiumicino airport, making Trastevere a convenient base for a weekend visit.

While Rome has a scarcity of new developments, especially in the historic centre where digging down a few feet often results in stumbling across Julius Caesar’s old bathroom or one of Augustus's many statues (the ancient equivalent of a selfie), Porta Dei Leoni is a new residence of 100 apartments next to Trastevere's Porta Portese market, which could be considered Rome’s answer to London’s Portabello Market.

Although not due to be completed until 2021, Porta Dei Leoni is already attracting significant interest from both local Roman buyers as well as international investors and is almost 50 per cent sold.

Further information

Read more: Spotlight: Rome

View available properties for sale in Rome