pines of rome

Each time I’ve been to Rome there has been something new and different for me to see and experience and after three visits to this ancient city there is still so much more worth exploring. On our last trip in November 2015 I was hell bent of doing a walking tour of the Jewish Ghetto and Trastevere so I booked a private guided tour with expat Tiffany Parks, author of The Pines of Rome blog and contributor to The Bittersweet Life podcast to which I regularly listened in the lead up to our holiday. Tiffany is now an Italian citizen after living in Italy for ten years, she is a legitimate tour guide and in addition to sharing her knowledge and experience of Rome she has a relaxed manner and made us feel like welcome visitors, her walking tour was one of the highlights of our trip.

We met Tiffany near the ruins of Largo di Torre Argentina, a square that was home to Pompey’s theatre and is now home to a cat sanctuary. There were plenty of cats lazing about in the sun, although it was late autumn the temperature was mild and the skies were clear. Having only seen photos of Tiffany, I was worried that I would not recognise her however that wasn’t a problem and I am sure that we stood out among the locals. Neither of us had ever been through the Jewish Ghetto and Trastevere neighbourhoods, it was fascinating to come face to face with things that I had only read about or seen on travel shows. We started in Trastevere, it is very close to the Largo di Torre Argentina and at first I was a little overwhelmed and wanted to absorb everything Tiffany was saying so my camera stayed put in my bag. I also felt as though I was intruding on the local’s Sunday morning by toting a large camera around and taking photos of everything. That said, I eventually relaxed and managed to take a few shots as we walked through the Jewish Ghetto, across the Tiber and in to Trastevere.

The ancient ruins of Largo di Torre Argentina

One of the many cats looked after by volunteers at the cat sanctuary housed in the ruins of Largo di Torre Argentina

The late Italian Renaissance Turtle Fountain (Fontana delle Tartarughe) located in Piazza Mattei

Close up of a turtle on the Fountain of the Turtles

The turtles on this fountain are copies of the originals which were added years after the fountain was originally constructed. Bernini apparently suggested the addition of the four turtles during a restoration commissioned by Pope Alexander VII in 1658

Small, cobblestone-sized memorials, placed in memory of the individual victims arrested or sent to concentrations camps during WWII when the Nazis occupied Rome

Stone reliefs mounted on a wall in Via Reginella alley in Rome’s Jewish Ghetto

Baghetto Milky, a restaurant serving arabic and kosher meals in the Jewish Ghetto neighbourhood

The ancient Theatre of Marcellus, still used to host classical concerts in the summer months

I will spare you the details of the tour, one, I can’t remember them all and two, there is plenty of information about these areas online including several posts on Tiffany’s blog. There were several memorable moments especially as we walked through the narrow alleyways in the Jewish Ghetto. As you look down at the cobblestones you will see memorials to the many victims of the Nazi occupation, look up to see the stone reliefs featuring the menorah and the Star of David on building walls. To see these things is an extremely sobering experience.

Once in Trastevere it is hard not to fall in love with the beautiful buildings covered in vines or the absence of thousands of tourists like us, the lack of heavy traffic is also a plus. Tiffany knows this area well and takes us to some of her favourite sights including well known churches such as Santa Cecilia and Santa Maria. Hubby isn’t a fan of churches but I love the art that is often contained within and these two churches are home to stunning mosaics and beautiful sculptures. Food is also very important to me when travelling, and Tiffany provided us with great tips for two lunch venues and a gelateria. It was a toss up between a pizzeria and Da Gildo for lunch, in the end the thought of eating authentic Roman gnocchi for lunch won us over followed by a visit to the gelateria for dessert before heading back across the river.

There are plenty of tour guides in Rome, some are legitimate and some are not. Tiffany was perfect for us and had I not been listening to the podcast she co-hosts then we probably would have settled for a small group tour. Both of us are so glad that we didn’t have to settle and if she is still doing private tours I recommend you consider booking some time with her when you’re in Rome.

The Basilica di San Bartolomeo all’Isola on Tiber Island

Crossing the Tiber River via Ponte Cestio

Trastevere is a labyrinth of narrow, cobblestone streets.

Beautiful buildings in Trastevere

The façade of a tenth century synagogue in Vicolo dell’Atleta (Athlete’s Alley), Trastevere

The church of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere façade was built in 1725 by Ferdinando Fuga, the courtyard is decorated with ancient mosaics, columns and a large water vessel.

The church nave of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere

Famous baroque sculpture in the Santa Cecilia in Trastevere church, Martyrdom of Saint Cecilia by Stefano Maderno. On the floor in front of the statue is a marble slab declaring that Maderno sculpted the body as he saw it when it was discovered in 1599