Rome/Old Rome



Old Rome is the historic medieval and renaissance center of Rome. While the oldest section of Rome is at the Forum, and the Modern Center has shifted to the Via Veneto, Old Rome remains the city's most charming district, with lovely piazzas (squares) and streets to wander and find small cafes and restaurants. Old Rome includes the neighborhoods of Navona, Campo de' Fiori, Pantheon, and the Ghetto.

Get in
From Termini station, take the 64 bus. Be careful as this route is popular with pickpockets. The Old Rome area is served by several stops between Piazza Venezia and the River Tiber. Or, take one of the many other buses serving Piazza Venezia.

Ancient Rome






Do

 * Wander the stalls of the Campo de' Fiori market. From farm fresh vegetables to spices to kitchen implements—it is a colorful and busy place.
 * Wander around the side streets, particularly those between Piazza Navona and the river. There are still many artisans' shops and away from the tourist areas it is sometimes difficult to believe that you are in a major city.

Buy

 * Campo de' Fiori is one of the oldest open air markets in Rome. The day starts as early as 03:30, when the first "fruttivendolo" drive up, and by 08:00, under wide umbrellas, tables overflow with an abundance of brightly colored fruit and vegetables. Organically home-grown by people who have, more often than not, been farming for generations. At the east end, near one of the best sandwich shops in all of Rome, is the flower stand absolutely bursting in color and fragrance. The "Campo" is filled with tourists, locals, families, school groups and musicians until 15:00, when the booths are taken down, packed into cars, carts and trucks with the produce and driven away, and a loud, white, behemoth of a street cleaner sweeps through the square, cleaning up leftover greens, wrappers and trash.
 * Via dei Giubonnari stretching from the south-east corner of Campo de' Fiori due west towards Via Arenula contains many funky, fashionable clothes shops, and other interesting boutiques.

Eat
Cooking for yourself. In Campo de' Fiori you won't have any trouble finding local food shops and there's also a food market right in the square in the morning. Cooking at home is cheap.

Budget
There are many budget restaurants in this district.



Drink
Among the two most popular bars in Campo de' Fiori, particularly for American backpackers and exchange students, are Sloppy Sam's and the Drunken Ship. Both are nice for a quiet afternoon drink but are usually quite noisy at night, with specials most nights to encourage business.