"But before we can radically reshape the world, we need to shop.” John Green
Let's get it out right away, I love markets, food markets that is. If you really want to get to know a city and its people, go to the local market and observe how the microcosmos of a neighborhood work. Growing up in South America, my Saturday morning routine included a visit to the market with my mother, you always got the best deals and came home with baskets full of treasures, and fresh fish. A market can be a bit intimidating, vendors are loud especially if the place is crowded, but no other spot is so full of life and real city scenes than the market.
If you are coming to Rome, make sure you carve some time to visit the Testaccio market. Testaccio is a Roman neighborhood on the south west of the city center. Many connoisseurs say Testaccio is one of the few Roman neighborhoods that has kept its original "flavor", where you do not see many tourists and life is like that of a small town. To get to the Testaccio market, take the Metro B to the Piramide stop from where you'll have a ten minute walk to reach the market.
This market can be a one-stop-shop as you do not only find fresh produce but you'll also find great deals in shoes, bags, belts, vintage cooking ware; basically anything your heart desires and more.
If you love food, I would encourage you to join the Taste of Testaccio eating tour, that will take you around the neighborhood with a stop at the Testaccio Market. The stories I learned about many of the vendors made me love this place even more.
If you are there around lunch or dinner time, a couple restaurants I can recommend are Angelina at Testaccio and Flavio al Velavevadetto, both great at making the typical Roman dishes (don't know what the typical Roman dishes are? click here!)
Hope you have the chance to visit this charming part of #Rome! PS. Keep your eyes open and see if you can spot the cool street art around Testaccio...
Arrivederci for now,
@eatingitaly
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