A day in Trastevere, a former working class region, is a good way to escape a bit from the Colosseum or, if you are town for business, from air-conditioned offices and conference rooms. Start at Piazza di Santa Maria and its astonishing small Basilica, with its rich interiors and mosaics. Go ahead and get lost in the neighborhood’s labyrinth of streets and cobblestone alleys, maybe check Via del Moro or Via della Lungaretta with cafés and shops (Benheart for leather shoes and jackets is a must). Cross busy Viale Trastevere to the less busy part of the neighborhood and go to Piazza Santa Cecilia and see the Basilica of the same name (it is closed at lunchtime, opens back at 4pm). If night is falling our preferred restaurants in the region are upscale Taverna Trilussa (it opens at night only), Da Enzo or La Tavernetta da Tony (where it feels like you are eating at your grandma’s) but there are many other lovely cafés and restaurants scattered around. Do not miss a gelato at Fior di Luna, considered one of the best in Rome (check or Eat & Drink session). In summer, Trastevere has a lively street fair, the Notte sul Tevere or Lungo IL Tevere, right by the river with pop-up tents, cafés, restaurants, cinema and shops. Locals love it and it can get very crowded on weekends, so perhaps visit at the beginning of the week for a less hectic night. The Tevere, Tiber in English, is the original lifeblood of the city, so it makes sense to experience it all.