Trastevere

If you want a look at real Rome -- minus all the big-name tourist attractions and crowds -- experts say to visit Trastevere, located south of Vatican City. This neighborhood offers perhaps a more authentic look at life as Roman, home to the Santa Maria in Trastevere as well as numerous neighborhood restaurants and affordable shops. And, if you can walk there over the Ponte Sisto (bridge), you'll be in for an even bigger treat: St. Peter's Basilica rises to the north as the Gianicolo Hill ascends to the west.