Religious Life Trastevere Walking Tour – A Beautiful Walk Around Stunning Medieval Rome
The Crucis Religious Life Trastevere Walking Tour is a spectacular jaunt around one of Rome’s most characteristic neighbourhoods – Trastevere – surpassed in beauty only by its fascinating history through the centuries. However, this Religious Life Walking Tour is not only a journey through the beautiful Trastevere neighbourhood, but it’s also a journey through time – exploring the rise and fall of the Roman Empire, the persecution and legalisation of the Church, and the development of Religious Life from red martyrdom, to white martyrdom of hermits and monks, and finally the development of the apostolic life.
Your guide will begin by providing an overview of life in the persecuted Church before 313 when martyrdom was rife, to the legalisation of Christianity and the explosion of the monastic life in the East, and it’s migration into the West. Your guide will explain the features and effect of western monasticism – the Benedictines – and it’s growth into the medieval and renaissance periods resulting into the newer apostolic orders.
Your guide will then give you more insight into the first monastic life explaining that when the Western Roman Empire fell in the late 5th century AD, the relative stability it had imposed upon Europe faltered. Having only been officially Christian for less than a century, the fabric of society began to unravel, heralding a time of moral disarray termed by some as the ‘Dark Ages’. This was also the moment in history that the young St Benedict of Nursia traveled to Rome from his home in Umbria to complete his studies. So appalled by the moral degradation he witnessed, Benedict soon left the city and lived as a hermit for three years in a cave. The man who emerged from that cave would go on to be generally regarded as the father of western monasticism, thanks to his life’s most influential work, The Rule of St Benedict.
With this backdrop, your guide will then show you the monastery church of St Anselm together with a brief overview of his life and legacy. From there you will meander on to peer through the famous Keyhole of the Knights of Malta with explanations of the Dark Ages and subsequent Crusades to repel the invaders.
Your next stop will be the Church of St Alessio where you will learn the charming and amusing story of his life and his legacy of an apostolic order to look after the poor and homeless. From there, you will continue to the Basilica of Santa Sabina – one of the most ancient and important churches of Rome – that is also the home of the Dominican Order. Your guide will explain the historic significance of St Sabina and the church there, before continuing to explain the advent of the Dominicans and the role this church had in papal conclaves and the famous saints who lived there.
In a sudden change of pace, you will then meander into the romantic Orange Garden that boasts stunning panoramic views of Rome with the iconic dome of St Peter’s serving as an obvious focal point. Pictures having been snapped, you and your guide will continue down the hill past the awe-inspiring Circus Maximus, past the Mouth of Truth (made famous in the film Roman Holiday) and into the Church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin.
Your guide will then explain the link between this church, the East & West and monasticism before continuing the romantic air of the Orange Garden earlier by showing the relics of the famous St Valentine – patron of lovers and happy marriages.
Continuing on past the stunning architecture of ancient pagan temples, you will walk past the Jewish Ghetto and Synagogue stopping to hear about St Gregory the Great and the experience of the Jews in medieval Christendom.
You will then continue onto the ancient Tiber Island across an ancient bridge to enter into the Basilica of St Bartholomew – home to relics of the Apostle St Bartholomew. You will also learn about the association of Tiber Island with healthcare and learn about the life of St John of God and his order to look after the sick.
Tiber Island complete, you will then journey on across the Tiber (literally Tras-Tevere) into the charming neighbourhood of Trastevere. This cobbled stone medieval district is famous for its beautiful scenery, sense of Roman every-day life, and the many traditional restaurants and eateries that adorn the area. Of these jewels, you will first visit the church built over the house of St Benedict and see the ancient ruins, and miraculous fresco with the chance to earn a partial indulgence.
From there you will continue through the mazing streets of Trastevere to the beautiful Abbey of St Cecelia where your guide will explain here amazing life and martyrdom before venturing inside to view the amazing art of Conca and Maderno. You will then get chance to venture under the Basilica to the excavations below to explore the funerary artifacts and finally pray before the Tomb of St Cecelia.
From there, you will enjoy and beautiful walk through the streets of Trastevere to arrive at the central Piazza, home to the famous and stunning Basilica of St Maria in Trastevere. Your guide will explain the beautiful exterior fresco before taking you inside to the jaw-dropping golden mosaics where you will end your tour before the relics of the Holy Sponge that fed Jesus vinegar on the Cross.
Despite this bitter ending, you will no doubt savour the sweetness of this wonderful walking tour through Trastevere but also through time – savouring the development of the Religious Life.
Join us on this captivating Trastevere walking tour around some of the most stunningly beautiful sights that Rome – and particularly Trastevere – has to offer, keeping in our hearts at all times the message of St Benedict, as we observe the fruits of his labour in the monastic traditions and the architecture of the medieval city.
If you like the Crucis Rome Religious Life Trastevere Walking Tour, you’ll love a different type of journey with our Early Christianity tour every Friday at 9.00am.
Free Cancellation for those who act early enough.
To learn more about the Catholic faith, visit Crucis.cc.
| MEETING POINT | Piazza dei Cavalieri di Malta, to the left of the famous keyhole:
What3Words location: https://what3words.com/risks.voucher.lights |
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| END POINT | Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere | ||||
| DEPARTURE TIME | 3:30pm Tuesdays and 9am Saturdays | ||||
| DURATION | Approx. 3 hours | ||||
| DRESS CODE | Comfortable clothing, covering shoulders and knees | ||||
| INCLUDED |
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| NOT INCLUDED |
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Additional information
| Ticket Type | Adult (16+), Student ID, Child (under 16) |
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| Day of the Week | Tuesday, Saturday |
St Anselm on the Aventine (Sant'Anselmo sul'Aventino)
We’ll begin the Crucis Religious Life Trastevere Walking Tour at St Anselm on the Aventine, known more commonly by the Italian Sant’Anselmo all’Aventino. This charming and serene inner-city abbey consists of the Church of St Anselm, the ecclesiastical college of the same name and pontifical university, all overseen by the Benedictine Confederation.
The Keyhole at the Knights of Malta
Two minutes’ walk beyond St Anselm brings us to one of Rome’s better known tourist sights, the Keyhole of the Knights of Malta. Peering through this famous keyhole reveals the dome of St Peter’s as well as unique panorama that encompasses no less than three different countries: the Vatican city-state, the grounds of the Maltese embassy and of course, Italy.
Basilica of St Alexis (Sant'Alessio)
Satiated by our viewing of three nations at the same time, we’ll continue our Religious Life Trastevere Walking Tour at the Basilica of St Alexis right next door, where we’ll learn more about the development of religious life through that of St Alexis.
Basilica of St Sabina
Immediately next door again is the Basilica of St Sabina, one of the oldest ecclesiastical basilicas in Rome and famous for its restrained design. Lacking the ornate beauty of many more famous churches, Santa Sabina is the motherhouse of the Dominican Order. Here we continue to learn about the development of religious life and the principles that guide it. The Basilica of St Sabina also features what is possibly the first ever publicly displayed depiction of the Crucifixion.
Orange Garden
Next up it’s time for some of the freshest and most fragrant air in Rome as we visit the famed Orange Garden or Giardino degli Aranci. The perfect pit-stop and photo opportunity, this tiny yet utterly charming park offers vast panoramic city views with the dome of St Peter’s again in centre stage.
Circus Maximus
Though it has nothing to do with the development of Religious Life, it would be a dreadful shame to pass so close to one of the most famous sites in ancient Rome without stopping for a moment to take it in. Circus Maximus was a grandiose chariot racetrack and the largest stadium in ancient Rome, situated under the imposing shadow of the Palatine Hill.
The Mouth of Truth
Another of Rome’s more famous landmarks, legend has it that the Mouth of Truth or Bocca della Verità will bite the hands off liars brazen enough to tempt it. Though no episodes of the kind have been reported in recent years, millions annually test the mercy of this ancient and mysterious marble face, said to have probably been a drain cover from a 1st century BC pagan temple.
Basilica of St Mary in Cosmedin (Santa Maria in Cosmedin)
Less famous than the Mouth of Truth that resides in its portico, the Basilica of St Mary in Cosmedin, which follows the Melchite tradition, dates back to the 8th century when Rome’s popes served under the authority of the Byzantine Emperors in Constantinople. Inside the basilica we’ll catch a peek at the skull of St Valentine, the early Christian martyr and famed patron saint of engaged lovers and happy marriages.
Basilica of St. Bartholomew on the Island (San Bartolomeo all'Isola)
Crossing to the Tiber Island in the middle of the river, we’ll visit what was once the home and is now the final resting place of the Apostle St Bartholomew, now under the impressive basilica built in his name in the 8th century. The island is also home to one of the most important Vatican-run hospitals in the city, under the patronage of St John of God, founder of another religious order and a saint with an incredible life story.
Church of St Benedict in Piscinula (San Benedetto in Piscinula)
Next we’ll leave the Tiber Island and cross the river once more to the other side (literally tras-Tevere). This famous and quintessentially Roman neighbourhood is home to the 12th century church built upon the site where St Benedict resided for that brief period before becoming a hermit.
St Cecilia in Trastevere
One of the true gems of the characteristic neighbourhood of Trastevere is the stunning 5th century church dedicated to the 3rd century martyr St Cecilia and built over her home. This famous Rome church is curated by Benedictine nuns from the monastery of the same name next door. This aspect of the tour journeys underground into the archaeological dig below the basilica and culminates in seeing the relics of St Cecilia.
Basilica of Our Lady (Santa Maria) in Trastevere
We conclude the Religious Life Trastevere Walking Tour at another of the area’s more famous landmarks and one of the oldest standing churches in Rome (now that’s really saying something!). Perhaps the first church in Rome ever to be dedicated to Our Lady, Santa Maria in Trastevere was initially founded in secret over 1,900 years ago and was rebuilt in 340 by Pope Julius I following the legalisation of Christianity in the Roman Empire. Inside the Basilica you will marvel at the stunning mosaics and see place of one of the relics of Christ’s Passion lies – the Holy Sponge.
In the heart of one of the city’s most atmospheric piazzas, we’ll leave you to reflect upon the development of Religious Life in the Church and take some welcome respite in one of the numerous Roman trattorias and bars nearby.
In the large space of Piazza dei Cavalieri di Malta (next to the famous keyhole!).
Tour Reviews
Oh how beautiful! This tour is an attack on the senses, much like Rome itself! How can so many beautiful things be concentrated into such a small area? Our guide (don’t remember his name, jolly fella!) was so passionate and the tour took well longer than it was programmed to. Well worth every moment though. Crucis Tours, we will be coming back next year with more people from our congregation! Bless you all!
If you’re searching for a guide who will elevate your travel experience to new heights, look no further than Tom of Crucis Tours. His expertise, warmth, and professionalism guarantee an unforgettable journey—one that will leave you longing for more long after the adventure has ended.
I recently had the pleasure of joining this walking tour of Rome’s most beautiful religious sites, and it was truly unforgettable. Our guide was knowledgeable, engaging and very passionate. We visited nothing but hidden gems – breathtaking. The pace was also perfect, allowing time for reflection and photos. This tour is a must-do for anyone wanting to explore a lesser known side to Rome. Highly recommended!
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