Cloisters offer the perfect spot to stop for a moment of quiet reflection in the often busy round of sightseeing.
If you find yourself walking between the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain, pause for a minute or two in the cloister of Sant'Andrea delle Fratte. The orange trees and cypresses make for a shady spot whilst if you peek inside the church you will glimpse two of the original Bernini angels that line the Ponte Sant'Angelo.
Just off Piazza San Cosimato in Trastevere is the entrance to the cloisters of San Cosimato
You approach through a courtyard complete with a tinkling fountain created from a Roman bathtub
To your right is the entrance to the Medieval cloister with a frescoed ceiling and fragments of ancient inscriptions and sarcophagi.
You may also see modern day signs with directions to a infectious diseases clinic amongst others.
These beautiful cloisters have been incorporated into a modern day hospital, Ospidale Regina Margherita. The monastic complex of San Cosimato has a long association with the medical profession. The name Cosimato is a derivation of Cosmas & Damiano, two brothers, both doctors, who treated the poor free of charge and were beheaded during the persecutions of Diocletian. They are considered the patron saints of doctors.
The centre of the courtyard is lined with benches where you can enjoy a coffee from the adjoining bar.
The cloisters of San Pietro in Montorio contain an architectural gem, the Tempietto del Bramante.
The Tempietto marks the spot that was once believed to be the place of St Peter's crucifixion and this exquisite creation became the blueprint for many famous buildings including St Paul's Cathedral in London and the U S Capitol in Washington.
Bramante is also responsible for the cloisters that adjoin Santa Maria della Pace. He came to Rome from Urbino in 1499 and spent four years studying classical ruins. These cloisters were the first work he completed in the city.
The Chiostro Bramante is an art museum but you don't need to pay to see the galleries if you just wish to visit the cafe.
From here you can look down into the courtyard of the cloisters and also get a peek at Raphaael's 'Sybils' in the adjoining church.
After enjoying the views from the top of Janiculum Hill continue on the Passeggiata del Giancolo to the fifteenth century church of San'Onofrio.
The frescoes in the cloisters here show scenes from the life of St Onophrius, an Egyptian hermit.
On the terrace in front of the church you can rest a whlie on a stone bench alongside the fountain.
Sadly the canopy of trees hide what would be a magnificent view of the city but nevertheless it is a tranquil spot indeed.
