Cross the river at Ripa Grande and Trastevere still behaves like a village that never agreed to become a monument. Palazzo Baj in Trastevere sits right on that bank, inside a nineteenth-century Roman palazzo that was built to be lived in, not photographed — and still is. This is where that history is on the record.
ORIGINS
Palazzo Baj in Trastevere occupies a wing of Palazzo Baj Micara, raised on the riverbank between 1895 and 1897 by the engineer Baj for the Micara family, on the ground where Rome’s old river port, the Porto di Ripa Grande, once stood.
A DESIGN THAT YOU CAN NAME
Nothing in these rooms was bought to fill a floor plan. Original archways, parquet floors and furniture built by local artisans hold the frame the palazzo was born with. Inside it: Flos and Artemide lighting, Twils and Pianca beds, and chairs by Philippe Starck — a design signature you could name piece by piece, not describe with an adjective.
WELLNESS
Guests have access to a free treatment at AcquaMadre, a historic hammam just across the river — one of the few houses in the neighborhood offering it.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Besides the many artistic and ancient sites within walking distance, Trastevere is the best area in Rome for tasting Italian treats, shopping artisanal goods along with a vibrant nightlife. In summertime, the banks of the Tiber takes on a new life pleasing visitors with live music, romantic riverside restaurants and cultural events.
