2 years ago the area Trastevere was more Roman than the Colosseum. Great reataurants, hip bars and clubs and of course lots of Italians. Now as you walk through you are likely to see tourist after tourist and with the tourists came the rose vendors, the side street magic shows, souvenire stands. Piazza Trilussa is now known here as piazza stranieri!

Pity. My only time to spend any time in Trastevere was in 1969. I was 15 years old. There was a bookseller there, and I found a book there from the 1600's (maybe I was a sucker, but it sure seemed authentic to me). It was big, and it was $30 - - and my "spending money" was only $15 a week for the six weeks I was in Europe (I was on a guided student/study tour).<BR><BR>And every time I have returned to Rome I have wished that I bought that book.<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>

Do you live in Trastevere? This is not a new complaint. When I stayed there with friends 12 years ago everyone was lamenting how it was no longer authentic, and how too many non-Romans, both Italian and foreign, lived there.

I was in Rome for 2 weeks last spring.<BR>We found Trastevere with realitively few tourist. The Gypsys were on the bridges, of course. The Sunday flea market in Trastevere (Europe's largest) was a site and actually I couldn't tell if there were tourist there or not it was sooooo crowded. <BR><BR>I sure wish I was there right now!

up...<BR><BR>or is simply across...<BR><BR>the Tevere.<BR>