When walking around the neighborhood Trastevere of Rome, note the small details of charming architecture, mixing remnants of the ancient in with the renaissance and modern Rome. Little home made signs, frescoes, window frames, brass fixtures, antique window glass, flower boxes, Stone, brick, wood, and marble come together to enchant the senses as you wander the small pedestrian streets. Boutiques and homes are woven together betwixt 1000 year old churches and savory restaurants, bars, and cafes beckoning to the passersby with farm stands spilling out with local seasonal bounty: artichokes, porcini mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes, lemons, pine nuts, pasta, seafood.

In all my Rome travel itineraries I plan out the perfect afternoon and evening in Trastevere, the perfect and inexpensive true local cuisine meals, the best bread and dessert and coffee (and aperitif), the best gift shopping, a day at the museum, a quiet romantic stroll, the perfect spot for people watching, fountain hopping, off the beaten path non-tourist spots to take unique photos in Rome, and Byzantine art viewing at a 1000 year old church.