Rome corner markets and shopping

Christmas Spices market in Rome

The market is a symbol that remains unchanged in time and represents the cultural melting pot of a city,

with all its scents, colours, traditions. To buy at an open air market is a daily ritual that differs completely from hypermarkets or shopping centres fast shopping and preserves an innate charme. If you want to feel like a proper roman you should know exactly what they put in their shopping bags. Let’s start from one of the most characteristic corner markets of Rome.

Campo de Fiori: is one of the most typical and ancient open air markets of the city, indeed it “opens” everyday at 6 a.m., except sunday, for many centuries. It’s the typical corner market in which you can buy every kind of food, vegetables, meat, pasta, flowers, fruit (even peeled and cut, ready to be eaten during the hot summer days). It’s the most renowned and well-frequented also by tourists thanks to its central position, in Campo De’ Fiori square, in the heart of the old town centre.
Vittorio Emanuele square with its imposing rectangular shape and surounded by arcades, its the biggest roman square. Famous in the past for its open-air market, in years has undergone a change and has been moved behind the square in a big stand becoming a huge multi-cultural market. Walking by the stalls you are overwhelmed by a crowd of different etnies and languages, exotic colours and scents. Hindi, chinese, spanish, intense tonalities, spices with strange flavours and people. This is mainly a food market in which you can find every kind of food coming from all over the world, but if you venture into a little bit more … you could find the coloured stalls of indian textiles. It’s located in the Esquilino district (metro A, Vittorio Emanuele stop).
A very special market is the Parioli one, situated in the namesake district. The only in rome, and probably even in Italy that has an evening opening. Moved from Via Locchi to the namesake boulevard in 2006 represents a new way to live the market, first for the opening hours and then for its products. Therefore, not only the traditional proposals of fruit, vegetables, fish and meat on the stalls set there since the fifties, but also street food, aperitifs, hand-made breweries and a very innovative ice-cream parlor that allows a second nightlife, until 11 p.m http://steccolecco.com/

Christmas Tree at Rome market

At the end we cannot help but mention one of the most celebrated italian “sunday market”,
Porta Portese. Songs and poems have been dedicated to this place, set of many films, with its 1000 stalls. You will find almost everything, from furniture to rare vinyls.
It’s also well-frequented by young people that with few money can buy trendy vintage clothes and by collectors that can find there rare relics and odd objects. A unique “experience” you can’t miss for no reason.

The market is located on Portuense street, near Trastevere area.