Eating Europe Rome

Eating Europe has been running food tours in Rome for more than 15 years, and its walks are designed to introduce visitors to the city's neighbourhoods through their food. Tastings take place in family-run trattorias, bakeries, delis, markets and wine bars, and the guides combine the food with the history and everyday life of each district.

The Taste of Testaccio tour remains the company's signature, with seven stops in one of Rome's most traditional food neighbourhoods, once home to the city slaughterhouse and still known for its market and trattorias. The Twilight Trastevere tour runs in the evening through Trastevere and Campo de' Fiori, with six stops, while Eternal Rome combines Trastevere with the Jewish Ghetto. The Rome Breakfast Tour explores Monti and the area around the Colosseum in the morning, and a VIP dinner tour in the Ghetto and historic centre includes truffles, wine and a private view of the Trevi Fountain.

The company also runs golf cart tours that cover more ground, including a food tour through Trastevere, Testaccio and the Ghetto and a late-night drinks and bites tour that climbs the Gianicolo Hill. Hands-on pasta-making classes take place in Trastevere, including an adults-only evening version with prosecco. Tours last from two and a half to four hours.

Groups are kept small, typically capped at between seven and 12 guests, so the walks feel unobtrusive in residential streets and there is time to talk with the shopkeepers. Come hungry, as tastings add up to a full meal, and mention dietary requirements when booking so the team can advise whether a tour is suitable. Small-group tours can be cancelled for a full refund up to 24 hours before departure, while private tours need seven days' notice.

The tours suit first-time visitors, couples and families with older children who enjoy food, and they work best early in a trip, when tips about where to eat later in the week are most useful. Wear comfortable shoes, as the walks cover several kilometres on cobbled streets. Meeting points vary by tour and are sent with the booking confirmation, usually at a central spot in the neighbourhood being visited, such as near the Testaccio market or in Trastevere.