Rome’s local markets: the most characteristic ones

Do you love shopping for local grocery? Let’s discover the top local markets in Rome then. Local markets are the hot spot for those who are looking for local products and at the same time want to develop a close and trustful relationship with local vendors and merchants. The local markets feature stands where you can order a fast meal or have a chat with the vendors of fresh products such as fruit, dairy, fish and pizza al taglio. More often than not you’re given the chance to taste the product before you buy it.

Rome’s local markets: fun and folklore

Local market’s tradition in south of Italy says that vendors usually scream from the top of their lungs to lure buyers to their stands generally yelling out their best offers. All this screaming and buzzing creates situations of great exhilaration. It’s all about fun and folklore. Let’s come up now with the most characteristic local markets
in Rome.

Testaccio local market

Testaccio’s local market is one of the most genuine in Rome. It’s basically a must-go for all food lovers. It’s a covered up plaza where you can walk between traditional veteran stands as well as innovative culinary offerings. It’s the perfect place for those looking for genuine and authentic products. Gourmet dishes and excellent ingredients make up for very high quality. At the Testaccio local market, besides food, you will find plenty of clothing, footwear, accessories of any kind as well as household products. In other words, this is a market with many many stands suited for all budgets and all tastes. You can access to it from via Franklin, via Manuzio, via Galvani and via Ghiberti.

Campo de’ Fiori local market

Campo de’ Fiori’s local market stands as one of the oldest markets in Rome, dating back to 1869. Back then Campo De’ Fiori was the trading hub of the “vignarole”, meaning women that came from the countryside carrying with them all kinds of groceries to sell. The Campo De’ Fiori market used to sell only groceries but recently has included meat stands as well as flower stands and fish stands. Nowadays the market features two different cores. The more local core destined to Romans who look for a bundle of chicory ora kilo of potatoes and a taste of the Rome that once was. And the other touristic core that has an international taste to it by selling mostly its myths and idols through cinema, art and poetry. This is the ideal market for those looking for that old market groove, even if its prices are bit higher than average. We’re in the touristic centre of the city after all though.

Other local markets in Rome

• Mercato Parioli, a very tiny market, unknown to most people
• Mercato dell’Unità, accessible from via Cola di Rienzo and Piazza dell’Unità
• Mercato Trionfale, in the working-class side of Prati
• Nuovo mercato rionale Esquilino, that pays closer attention to the prices and features lots of gimmicks
• Mercato rionale Monti that features artisans, artists and traders