podtour
Rome's Ghetto and Tiber Island
You start in Piazza Mattei, at a fountain that was meant for the Jewish square and ended up at a nobleman's door.
Trastevere, from St Cecilia to the Fornarina: audio walk in Rome
The neighbourhood that calls itself "us": a statue the people took back from an emperor, a poet who ended up as a censor, a Madonna who, legend has it, came out of the river, a mother in a wool factory in 1867 and the baker's daughter Raphael may have loved.
What this walk is about
Across the Tiber, Rome changes its accent. You start in front of the church of the saint who was sculpted just as they said they found her, and carry on down the alley where the statue the people demanded back from Tiberius turned up. You'll see the smallest bell tower in Rome, which holds its oldest bell, and meet the poet of two thousand sonnets who ended up as a censor, and a medieval tower whose battlements date from 1902. Opposite the façade a cardinal signed, there's the Madonna who, legend has it, was pulled from the river by fishermen; on Via della Lungaretta, the plaque to Giuditta Tavani Arquati. At Santa Maria, the fountain of oil; at Sant'Egidio, a group of students who helped stop a war. You finish between a miraculous staircase, the pilgrims' gate with its Borgia battlements and the house tradition gives to the Fornarina.
- Start
- The sleeping saint and the captured pope
- Finish
- The baker's daughter
- Who it is for
- For anyone interested in neighbourhood life, legends and popular characters. You don’t need any prior knowledge.
- Languages
- Spanish and British English
- Underfoot
- The walk is mostly level. There are cobbles or uneven surfaces.
The route, stop by stop
An outline of the walk. The full stories are in the app.
Loading the map…
Open a marker to see its page. Use two fingers to move the map on mobile.
- 1
The sleeping saint and the captured pope
- 2
The statue the people brought back
- 3
The bell older than its tower
- 4
The poet who became a censor
- 5
Battlements from 1902
- 6
The cardinal's signature, the church below ground
- 7
The Madonna brought out of the river
- 8
The address at 97 Via della Lungaretta
- 9
The spring of oil
- 10
The students who made peace
- 11
The miraculous staircase
- 12
The pilgrims' gate
- 13
The baker's daughter
Walking directions are based on mapped pedestrian routes. Check local access and signs; the route is not an accessibility guarantee. Times are approximate.
Rome, before you go
Rome calls for a water bottle, reliable shoes and room for a detour. Its squares link up on foot; the hills and sunshine decide how many you will enjoy in a day.
More walks nearby
Legends from the Capitoline to the Mouth of Truth
You start at the foot of the long staircase up to the Aracoeli, where the Middle Ages placed Augustus before a sibyl.
The Imperial Forums and the Colosseum
You start at the foot of the Capitol, outside the prison where Rome held its enemies before executing them.
Good to know
What is Podtour?
An app for self-guided audio walks. Choose a city and a route, then listen to the stories behind its streets. You decide when to start and when to stop.
When can I download the app?
Podtour is coming to iOS and Android. There is no confirmed launch date yet. Join the waitlist and we will let you know when it is ready.
Does Podtour include attraction tickets?
No. Street walks and monument audio tours do not include admission tickets, transport or a guide accompanying you.
Can I listen without an internet connection?
Download the audio in the app before heading out, then listen offline. Loading the online base map and calculating a new route from your location require a connection.
What languages are included?
Every route includes Spanish and British English. The English version is adapted for English-speaking travellers, rather than translated word for word.
How do I get a whole city for free?
Join the waitlist, choose a city and confirm your email address. When the app launches, we will email you with access details. No card is required. You can also try one free route in every city.
Can I buy for myself or for a group?
Yes. Your own access is included and you can choose 0–5 guests: up to 6 people including you. Each guest saves up to €0.50 on a walk, €1 on a pack or €2 on a whole city compared with buying separately. The counter shows the total before you confirm one payment.
How do I share, and when must guests accept?
After paying, share your purchase’s invitation link. Each guest opens it in Podtour and accepts their place on their own iPhone or Android phone. They must redeem it within 30 days of purchase. Unclaimed places then expire and cannot be recovered or renewed. Access accepted in time is kept. Opening the link does not use a place; one account takes just one place, and no more people can join once all places are taken.
Can I add guests after buying?
No. Choose all your guests before confirming the first purchase. Afterwards you can share the places you paid for, but you cannot increase their number or restart the 30-day deadline.
Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist. When we launch, your chosen city is yours to explore.
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A little welcome gift
Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist and get one whole city free when Podtour launches. You choose where.
Podtour manages your launch request with your consent. You can withdraw it and exercise your rights as explained in our privacy policy. Privacy details.
One city per person. All its Podtour routes in Spanish and English. Available at launch. Offer details.