Walking along the streets of Rome, I want to bring along a piece of the beautiful ancient city, a memory that will remind you of busy days of vacation. I would like to find a souvenir or thing with its own history, or a unique delicacy, and here the markets of Rome will come to your aid: grocery and flea markets, shopping arcades.
Thousands of sellers daily offer their products, from unique works of art to Chinese consumer goods, from freshest oysters to olive oil.
Ancient Rome
Trajan's Market (Mercati di Traiano)
To get acquainted with the history of trade in Ancient Rome is best in the museum Museo dei Fori Imperiali. Please note that this is a historical attraction, and not an existing market, you can only get new impressions on it.
It is often believed that the place for bargaining in ancient Rome was called the "forum", which is not entirely accurate. In fact, the Forum Forum (Forum Romanum) included not only the retail space, but also the adjacent buildings. The forum held national meetings, senate meetings, the heart of Ancient Rome was beating.
There are at least five Roman forums that have survived to our time, and the “youngest” of them (built a little less than a couple of millennia ago) is Forum Traiani. Built by order of Emperor Trajan by architect Apollodorus of Damascus. The forum consists of a six-level shopping complex, accommodating more than 150 separate rooms. According to historians, part of the premises was given for retail outlets, and the administration was located in another part.
This complex is only a small part of the Trajan Forum, it also included: Basilica Ulpia (Basilica Ulpia) and two libraries, between which was installed a personal column of the emperor. And after the death of the ruler, the Temple of the Divine Trajan (Templum Divi Traiani) was built at the Forum.
Interesting fact: the first slave market in ancient Rome was on the forum, behind the Basilica of Julius, in Graecostadium, they sold mainly slaves from Greece, brought slaves from Africa and Spain, as well as from the territory of modern Turkey, Syria and other regions.
- Address: 94 Via IV Novembre
- How to get there: by bus 51, 85, 87, 118 and others to the Fori Imperiali or Campidoglio stops. Either walk from Capitol Square (Campidoglio) or the Colosseum (Colosseo).
- Working hours: daily from 9:30 to 17:30.
- Official site: www.mercatiditraiano.it
- Ticket price: from 12 euros for adults, audio guide - 4 euros.
Existing Rome Markets
Campo de 'Fiori
Campo dei Fiori was once the site of public executions and executions in 1600. the inquisitors burned Giordano Bruno on her (Bruno Giordano).
Now, due to its location in the central area of the city, the Campo de 'Fiori market is a favorite shopping place for many tourists. In addition to travelers, you can also meet local residents who come for fresh farm products. On the territory of the market you can have a snack or have a full dinner: there are restaurants, including oyster ones, on the perimeter of the square, and sellers offer the freshest sandwiches from local delicacies for thrifty tourists.
What to buy: fresh farm fruits and vegetables, cheeses and seafood, spices, flowers, jewelry, Murano glass. Wines that are also brought by local farmers. Prices are higher than in supermarkets, with the exception of the freshest pastries.
- Address: Piazza campo de 'fiori
- Working hours: 00: 00-12: 00, Sunday is a day off.
- How to get there: go around the basilica of Sant Andrea della Valle on the right and follow the Piazza del Paradiso and Via del Biscione directly onto the square. Landmark - Statue of Giordano Bruno. Or take the tram number 8 from the Trastevere district and go through Benedetto Cairoli, and then along the small shopping street Via dei Giubbonari.
- Next door: walk along Via dei Cappellari and Via dei Baullari, or along the aforementioned dei Giubbonari - in small shops you can make unexpectedly pleasant purchases.
- Interesting fact: the monument to Giordano Bruno is set facing the Vatican, and the inscription on the pedestal reads “And yet it is spinning”.
- Site: www.turismoroma.it
Porta Portese
One of the most famous flea markets in the Italian capital, Porta Portese is a place for connoisseurs of antiques, vintage and second-hand. For almost 7 kilometers from Via Portuense to Via Ippolito Nievo, thousands of sellers offer visitors a lot of things of different quality and year of release.
The Italians speak of Porte Portez like this: “You will find everything: from tablets to the Jumbo Jet.”
Perhaps the only thing that is almost absent is products. For gastronomic pleasures it is better to go to other places.
- Address: Via di Porta Portese
- When to visit: Sundays only, 7 a.m. - 1 p.m.
- What to buy: vintage shoes, clothes, souvenirs, books, clothes. Connoisseurs can even find objects created in the 18th century. As well as decorations and interior items, spare parts for motorcycles and a million different things, the existence of many of which you did not even suspect.
- Next door: Porta Portese gates, San Francesco a Ripa Grande Cathedral.
- Official site: www.portaportesemarket.it
Borgo parioli
Parioli is the most expensive area in Rome, the weekend flea market in it is an important event for connoisseurs of vintage and antiques. You can find unique things, but their price will be appropriate.
- Address: between Via Metauro 21 and Via Tirso 14
- Working hours: 10: 00-20: 00, the first three weekends of each month.
- What to buy: vintage jewelry, silverware, paintings, dishes, and even furniture.
- How to get there: by tram number 2, 3 or 19 to the Buenos Aires stop.
- Next door: Villa Albani Villa Borghese is also within walking distance.
Via Sannio
Via Sannio shopping street is located in a busy business district, more focused on the mass buyer, on a budget. The market is far from being as huge as Porta Porteze and offers a relatively limited range: mainly clothes and shoes.
- Address: Via Sannio
- Working hours: 8: 00-14: 00 from Monday to Friday, 8: 00-17: 00 on Saturday, Sunday is a day off.
- What to buy: new and vintage clothes, shoes, military uniforms, as well as products. Sophisticated and regular visitors believe that in recent years the products on Via Sannio are no longer so attractive. However, prices for new items from Massimo Dutti and other international brands start at 10 euros.
- How to get there: metro station San Giovanni, or by buses No. 118, 87, 81, 16.
- Next door: Lateran Palace (Palazzo del Laterano) and Lateran Basilica (Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano).
Borghetto flaminio
This is one of the few shopping centers in Italy, the entrance to which is paid - 1.60 euros. But the flow of pedestrians and cars parked in two rows are the best evidence of the cult nature of this place. Antiques, vintage, modern, jewelry and bijouterie, handbags and clothes, figurines and dishes - it’s impossible to leave without a purchase.
- Address: Piazzale della Marina, 32
- When to visit: Sundays only, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
- What to buy: designer and vintage items, old books, decorations.
- How to get there: metro station Flaminio. Villa Borghese should stay behind, follow Via Flaminia to the bus depot, which on Sunday turns into a huge fair.
- Next door: Borghese Gallery.
- Site: www.creativitalia.com
Mercato delle stampe
Mercato delle stampe - a unique and highly specialized place, a "flea" for connoisseurs of printed materials: books, magazines, stamps, newspapers, new and antique, as well as rare books.
- Address: Piazza Borghese.
- When to visit: daily, from 7:00 to 13:00.
- What to buy: print media and stamps.
- How to get there: take bus 70, 81, 87, 492, 628, C3, N7 to the Via Di Ripetta stop.
- Next door: ensemble of the square of the emperor Augustus (Piazza Augusto Imperatore), including the Altar of Peace (Mausoleo de Augusto), the Museum of the Arch of Peace (Museo dell'Ara Pacis) and the church.
The above markets are among the most famous, but if you want to make an exhaustive list, you will have to settle in Rome to discover new places for yourself every day!
Mercato di testaccio
Mercato di testaccio - Indoor galleries located between Via Galvani and Via Alessandro Volta, offering a stunning selection of Italian delicacies, fresh vegetables and fruits.
- Address: Via Beniamino Franklin, 12.
- How to get there: Bus number 719 to the Franklin stop; take metro line B to Piramide station.
La soffitta sotto i portici is on the way to Villa Medici. A market that operates on the first, third, fourth, and if it happens, then on the fifth Sunday of the month. Collectors of antique dolls, prints, coins, jewelry will not only find new exhibits for their collections, but will also be able to get expert advice.
- Address: Piazza Augusto Imperatore
- How to get there: by metro - line A, station Spagna or Flaminio; by buses No. 81, 224, 628, 913 to the station Piazza Augusto Imperatore.
- Official site: www.collezionando.org
Monti (Urban Mercato Monti)
Monti - A relatively young urban market. Monti looks more like a small garage sale of designer clothes and accessories than the flea market, but plenty of original things. The most intriguing is that the trading floor is under the hotel Grand hotel palatinoin the garage of which is Monti.
- Address: Via Leonina 46.
- Working hours: from 10:00 to 20:00, daily.
- How to get there: by metro - line B, station Cavour; by bus: 117 to Via dei Serpenti, 75 to Via Cavour, 70, 64, 60, 40 to Via Nazionale.
- Site: www.mercatomonti.com
Buyer Tips
- Comfortable shoes are a must!
- Leave valuables, money, expensive equipment in the hotel safe.
- Come early if you want to choose something interesting, or to close if you are counting on the maximum discount.
- Do not overdo it, there are much more treasures in the markets than there is free space in your luggage. There will be another reason to return to Rome.
