Rome, Italy City Specific Information

Benvenuti a Roma!

Rome is the capital of Italy and is one of the greatest urban centers in Europe.  It’s a large, metropolitan city that is one of the most culturally rich in the world. It’s famous for its historical city center that includes the Colosseum, the Spanish Steps, the Trevi fountain, and its epic history. Rome is split by the River Tiber and CISabroad students live in Trastevere, a hidden gem of a neighborhood, often overlooked by tourists.

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Trastevere

Trastevere will be your home district in Rome. The district’s name derives from the Latin words “Trans Tiberim”: beyond the Tiber River. Today, Trastevere is one of the centers of Roman night life; rich in pubs, restaurants, and clubs.

In the evening, locals and other travelers can be spotted all over the neighborhood hanging in the piazzas or at the numerous restaurants and boutiques grabbing an after dinner gelato or espresso.

Food In Trastevere

Trastevere is one the best places in city to get great Italian food at reasonable prices. There are dozens of quality restaurants in this area. A few are listed below; prices for a pizza or pasta dish with some wine or beer and bruschetta are around €12-15 and should not exceed €20 per person, though if you want to spend more, you certainly have the option.

Some great options you might discover: 

  • Ivo a Trastevere, via di S. Francesco a Ripa 158 (a short walk from Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere), Get here early if you want a table without a wait. Very popular pizzeria that attracts lengthy queues of young Romans, so it must be good. 
  • La Fraschetta, Via San Francisco a Ripa (close to Viale Trastevere), Reputed to have the best gnocchi in the city, but it’s only offered on Thursday nights. They offer 4 different sauces with gnocchi, and if you like cheese the best bet is gorgonzola. If you want to go on a Thursday, go early because by 21:00, the normal time to arrive at a restaurant in Rome, it will be packed. From 19:00.
  • Osteria dell’Aquila, Via Natale del Grande 52/53  W-M. Mediterranean style restaurant. Menu is in Italian and English, and the waiters speak both languages. Open for lunch and dinner. The meals here are excellent and at very good prices. Make sure to try the seafood appetizers. 

What’s there to do?

A perfect day in Trastevere
Interactive map of Trastevere

  • Get lost in Trastevere. The cobbled streets are narrow and winding and random but losing your way will lead you to places you might not otherwise find. Note that the cobblestone (locally called sampietrini) streets have been paved elsewhere in Rome as the vibrations from cars driving over them have been found to lead to cracking in the foundations of many of the monuments and historic sites around the city (and are also dangerous to drivers). The sampietrini are mostly being left alone in Trastevere though. 
  • Piazza S. Maria in Trastevere. Beautiful place to hang around and watch people going by, as well as the many buskers usually found in the square. Join the students sitting on the steps of the fountain or, have a drink or meal at one of the restaurants and bars on two sides of the square.
  • Big Mama, Vicolo di San Francesco a Ripa 18 (a narrow street leading off Via di San Francesco a Ripa). Shows normally begin around 22:00 but check Press for details. Rome’s original “House of the Blues”. Has been going strong for 25 years. Italian and international artists, with blues and jazz concerts

CISabroad Tip: If you have not invested already in a reusable water bottle, now is the best time to do it. Rome is filled with nasoni or constantly flowing public water fountains that are free to all. If you purchase two bottles of water a day at €1.25 each, that’s roughly $20/week you could be saving or spending on gelato

Transportation

Only a short tram/bus ride or 20 minute walk from the historic city center.
Trastevere maintains its historical character thanks to charming narrow streets.

The most commonly used form of transportation in Rome is the bus. Rome’s extensive bus routes connect the University to the historic center and extend far into the surrounding suburbs. Bus stops, departure schedules and route information are found on well-marked signs throughout the city. There are two main buses that serve the University: the #44 and #75. The 44 leaves from Piazza Venezia and continues past the University toward Portuense. The 75 starts at the Stazione Termini train station, passes by the University and then continues another half-mile. Remember to validate your tickets and board the buses in the front or at the back and to exit at the middle.
TRAMS
The tram #8 runs from 5:30am to midnight. It departs from Piazza  Venezia, where Mussolini used to give his speeches and goes along Viale di Trastevere and the Circonvallazione Gianicolense,to Casaletto, its final stop. This tram is very useful to our students, as many of the AUR housing accommodations are located within walking distance of this tram line.

ATAC: Rome Public Transportation Information (English Version doesn’t work in all web browsers) Google Maps works well too when planning routes.

Keep up with what’s going on in Rome with this English Publication: Romeing: Ultimate Guide to Rome’s cultural scene, events, and lifestyle