Mercato di Testaccio

Testaccio has long been one of Rome's most food-focused districts. For decades it was home to the city's slaughterhouse, and its trattorias are still known for the offal dishes of the quinto quarto tradition. The neighbourhood's covered market, which moved into its present modern building in 2012, is where residents do their daily shopping, and it has also become one of the most enjoyable places in the city to graze on street food.

The market describes itself as having 100 stalls. Many still sell the essentials of a Roman kitchen: fruit and vegetables, fish, meat, cheeses, bread, fresh pasta and wine, alongside counters selling shoes, clothes and kitchenware. In between, a growing number of food stalls serve sandwiches, pizza by the slice, Roman fried snacks and simple hot dishes to eat at small tables or standing up. Wandering the aisles and picking a few things to try is the best approach, and the stall holders are generally happy to explain what they sell.

During excavation and restoration work beneath the building, archaeologists found the remains of an ancient horreum, a Roman storage warehouse, still holding hundreds of amphorae and other finds. Part of this can be seen on site. It is a reminder that Testaccio was the river port of ancient Rome, where goods were unloaded from the Tiber and stored, and nearby Monte Testaccio is an artificial hill built entirely from discarded amphora fragments.

Go in the morning, when the produce stalls are fullest and the market has a real neighbourhood feel, and arrive hungry if you plan to eat. Individual stall hours vary, and many produce traders pack up after lunch. Bring some cash for smaller purchases. The market is a relaxed place for families and a good introduction to everyday Roman food for anyone travelling on a budget.

There are entrances on Via Beniamino Franklin, Via Alessandro Volta, Via Aldo Manuzio and Via Lorenzo Ghiberti. Piramide station on Metro Line B is around 15 minutes' walk away, and several buses and tram 3 stop nearby. Combine the visit with the Protestant Cemetery, where Keats and Shelley are buried, the Pyramid of Cestius, or a meal at one of Testaccio's long-established trattorias, such as Felice a Testaccio.