When I travel, my number one criteria for choosing accomodation is always location, location, location. I want to be smack bang in the middle of it all, I want to be within walking distance of all the sites, I want to be near bars and restaurants the locals hang out, and I want there to be atmosphere, especially at night when I want to walk the streets and be a part of it all while still feeling safe. That’s why I love the area around the Campo de Fiori (or just Il Campo, as the locals call it). It’s the perfect base to explore Rome.
BUT FIRST…SOME HISTORY
This site was originally a large meadow, covered with flowers, which is why it is named Campo de Fiori, literally meaning ‘field of flowers’. It wasn’t until the 15th century, Pope Callisto III decided to have the area paved. It became an area associated with craftsmen and artisans, and street names today still reflect those trades; Via dei Giubbonari ( the street of tailors), Via dei Balestrari (street of cross-bow makers), Via dei Chiavari (street of key makers), Via dei Baullari (street of coffee-makers) and Via dei Cappellari (street of hat makers).
The square also become known as a place where public executions took place. The hooded statue in the centre of the square commemorates Giordano Bruno (who also strikes a resemblance to the character from Assassins Creed), a philosopher who was burnt at the stake in the 17th century for voicing radical theories about the universe that conflicted with the Catholic teachings. The horrific scene of a throng of people watching him burn is carved onto the side of the monument. Today, young Romans and tourists sit at Bruno’s feet, scrolling on their I Phones, drinking beers and licking gelato, and vendors spruik their wares in a sea of umbrellas under what was back then a place of public death.
The inscription reads: “To Bruno – the century predicted by him – here where the fire burned.”
Scenes engraved onto his monument show how he was burned alive in public.
TODAY
Today Campo de Fiori is best known for the market that takes place here every day, and being a foodie, it was the main reason I wanted to stay in this area. It is a little touristy, but you will find locals here as well. You can buy everything from incredible fresh fruit and vegetables, cured meats, cheese, herbs and spices, as well as clothes, fresh flowers, leather, kitchenware items and souvenirs. Being a tourist spot the prices are a little steep, but the fresh produce is amazing, so well worth the splurge. Our apartment was just around the corner so being able to come down to the markets and take something fresh back to the room was a great experience, making me feel just that little bit like I lived there.
Now, if you don’t feel like buying your own produce and making your own meals, don’t worry. This area is jam packed with some of the best eating in Rome.
BREAKFAST/SNACKS
FORNO CAMPO DE’ FIORI
Right in the corner of the piazza, this historic family-run bakery is legendary and produces absolutely delicious, yet simple, pizza by the slice, as well as bread, sweet tarts, biscuits and traditional Roman bakery fare. The flavour of the dough is incredible. They also have a sandwich shop next door which opens for lunch. This is as old school, and authentic, as it gets.
IL FORNAIO
Another great bakery for your to get your morning fix, Il Fornaio, in Via Baullari is packed with lots of sweet treats and make great pizza too. They also make incredible bread and panini (check out that massive mortadella) using an assortment of cured meats and fillings. The sfogliatella – layers of pastry encasing a custard centre, was mind-blowing. I love eating pastries for breakfast in Italy!
Sfogliatella – my kind of breakfast!
ANTICO FORNO ROSCIOLI
On Via dei Chiavari, this bakery is always, and I means always, jam packed with people. They do everything from bread to pies, biscuits, cakes, tarts, pizza, even savoury take-away food. It is all amazing to look at, like a bakery version of a candy shop, you will want to buy it all. And that isn’t straight forward either, there are so many people you will need to wait to be served, then tell the assistant what you want (or point at it if you are too nervous to speak Italian – don’t worry, most of the staff speak English), then you go to another register to pay, then take your ticket back to the over-crowded counter where you ordered and wait for someone to give it to you. I found it a little daunting as this is so popular it was difficult to get back to the person I ordered from, a lot of pushing and shoving… BUT… the food was pretty damn good. Well worth the hassle.
We tried a few savoury pizzas/focaccias. They were very good, especially the porchetta stuffed focaccia – filled with fennel and herbs and totally moreish.
Take-away savoury dishes like lasagne and roast chicken looked delicious.
Being in Italy just before Easter, I was happy to see these. A sweet bread with hard boiled egg – my Nonna would make these every year when I was a child.
ROSCIOLI CAFFE E PASTICCERIA
The Roscioli group also have this caffe in Piazza Benedetto Cairoli, just around the corner from their bakery. It too, was very busy and I didn’t get a chance to order a coffee there. A narrow little space, the cabinet was full of mouthwatering little pastries, with local Romans standing, drinking their morning fix. Definitely worth a visit. (They also have a restaurant next door – we did eat there, but unfortunately even though it is very highly rated, it was our worst meal in Rome. Perhaps we just ordered the wrong meals? I’m unsure, but it was expensive and we ate much better elsewhere).
APE BAR
Pronounced ah-peh, I walked past this little bar every morning as we set out on our day of exploring. No name above the door, just a little hole in the wall, but always, ALWAYS, with plenty of Italians sitting out the front. One day I went in, asked for a caffe latte and a cornetto. I pointed sheepishly at the one saying mandorla (almond) and walked down the street stuffing my face. It was the BEST pastry I ate in Italy. Crisp pastry filled with a light almond flavoured filling that was a cross between a cream and a paste. And the coffee was absolutely amazing too. I stopped there every morning since then, I ordered my coffee each time, but I never got to have another cornetto mandorla. Always gone by the time I got there! But the marmeletta (with apricot jam) where also worth every bit of the 1 Euro and more! The Ape Bar is off Via dei Giubbonari, on Largo dei Librari, and definitely my pick for the morning coffee.
LA ANTICA NORCERIA VIOLA
Right on the square is this nirvana cave to all things cured. A tiny shop selling all kinds of cured meat, you literally need to duck so you don’t get hit in the head with a hanging prosciutto. Go on in, ask to taste a few and stock up. Buy a loaf of crusty bread from one of those bakeries previously mentioned, a maybe some cheese from the market, find a bench to sit on, or the edge of the fountain with Bruno gazing down at you, and you’ve got a picnic to die for.
LUNCH/DINNER
OSTERIA DA FORTUNATA
Just off the piazza is this popular restaurant specialising in hand made pasta (there is a little Nonna in the window every day making pasta by hand). Full of hearty meals for lunch and dinner, you will need to book. The slow cooked meat dishes are incredible, as is the eggplant parmigiana (which sells out early) and of course, the hand made pasta. I’ve written a previous post about it because it was our favourite restaurant in Rome, click here to read more.
AI BALESTRARI
Tucked just around the corner from the Piazza, this restaurant was a real find. Full of locals and simple fare, this place was inexpensive, cosy and everything we ate here was good. Great pizza, simple but well cooked pasta, cheap wine, and TO DIE FOR Suppli. There was no way I could get a photo because we ate them the minute they hit the table. Suppli are the Roman version of Arancini – a risotto ball filled with cheese or other fillings. Here, the rice is made with a Bolognese style sauce, stuffed with mozzarella cheese, crumbed and fried. So good! I also are the Fried Artichoke here, which was in-season and a must try if you are in Rome during April. Our apartment was literally ten steps from this restaurant so we visited often.
Simple, nothing fancy, but full of flavour
OBICA MOZZARELLA BAR
I didn’t eat here, but walked past it every day. This restaurant specialises in Mozzarella, so if you are a cheese fan, stop in. The restaurant chain is world famous, with stores all over Italy, the UK, USA and Japan. Oh and they have a cookbook, which I own (of course I do)… Hmm, should have made the time to go there! Next time!
DAR FILETTARO
This is another place I really wanted to eat at, but it is only open at night and a real local fave, so it just didn’t happen. Like many restaurants in Italy, this place does one thing, really, really well. Fried fish. Baccala to be exact. Of course they do have other things on the menu, but this is the star of the show. The restaurant has been serving fish like this to Romans since the 1950s and is a local icon. They only open from 5.30 until 11pm Monday to Saturday, so get there early to beat the crowds. It’s on Largo dei Librari – right next to Bar Ape.
These were the foodie places on my radar, but there are plenty more. This district is packed with plenty of dining options.
DRINKS
I love that time of the day, when we’d been walking all over Rome and need to catch our breath before going out at night. We liked to sit on the square, drink in hand, watching the world. Now, if there is one thing about Campo de’ Fiori that might not be for everyone it is end of market day. The once colourful, bustling market is packed up, and resembles what can only be described as a rubbish tip. Seriously, fruit and vegetable boxes and scraps are strewn all over the ground. The vendor’s vehicles come in, there’s a lot of commotion and horns honking. Rubbish trucks come in to clean up the mounds of rubbish and street sweepers whoosh the piazza clean. During this hour, around 5pm, you may not want to be sitting outside sipping a Spritz. Or maybe you do, it’s up to you. I found it fascinating how this process went on each day. By 6pm the piazza was squeaky clean, ready to take on the nightlife. By the morning it was a marketplace once more, and so each day it transformed.
The rubbish just piles up as the day goes on.
The garbage trucks come in.
And voila, market is gone and nightlife begins.
BOTTIGLIERIA IL NOLANO
This little bar was right on the square offering good views of the people walking by. We never had more than a beer and a wine or two, but a handy little place with good service.
TABA CAFE
This was right next to Bottiglieria Il Nolano, but often too full for us to get a chair. We did have a few drinks there though. Eclectic little place, I loved the mish mash of furnishings out front. Serving our apperitivo snacks (peanuts) in an old purse was cute.
THE DRUNKEN SHIP
A bit more of a late night pub than a sit down apperitivo bar, but this place had good atmosphere and apparently is very popular late. I wouldn’t know, we were too damn tired to stay up after walking so much every day. Cool vibe and great friendly staff. Opposite Il Forno bakery.
L’ANGOLO DIVINO WINE BAR ENOTECA
On Via dei Balestrari we found this cool little wine bar, only open at night. It was dark and mysterious, had a good range of food to accompany your wine and a very extensive wine list. When it comes to wine I’m happy to go with a red or white (not too fussy), but I read that this place has an awesome wine list so if you’re a bit of a vino connoisseur this could be for you.
DESSERT
Two places you need to go :
TIRAMISU ZUM
This place is all about Tiramisu – that’s all they sell (and coffee and drinks of course). You get your own little individual cup of Tiramisu, just for you. There’s the classic flavour of Marsala and coffee (which I ate and was incredibly smooth, creamy and delicious), as well as cookie flavour, pistachio, berries and whatever they conjure up on the day. Well worth a visit. Find it in the Piazza di Pompeo. What does ZUM mean? The three ingredients to make the filling – Zucchero (Sugar), Uova (Eggs) and Mascaprone. Z.U.M.
FATAMORGANA
Voted one of the best gelaterias in Rome, Fatamorgana is the place all the food tours go to show what ‘real gelato’ is all about. There’s an incredible array of flavours from simple vanilla, pistachio and chocolate, to zany flavours such as black rice, rose petal and their best seller: basil, walnuts and honey. Easy to find, on Via del Chiavari, just look for the people!
What else is there to see and do near Campo di’ Fiori?
THEATRE OF POMPEY
What is left of the Theatre of Pompey, built by the infamous general known as Pompey the Great in 55BC, sits at the end of the Capo Di’ Fiori where the two streets Via del Biscione and Via del Gubbonari flow into the piazza. It is the pinkish coloured building, the top exposed bricks are what is left of the Temple of Venus Victrix which was an integral part of the theatre. The rest is buried. A restaurant is on this site, but was not open when I was there. You could dine underground, where the walls of the theatre remain, throusands of years old. I can not find information about whether this has re-opened, but worth checking out.
THE CHURCH OF SANTA BARBERA LIBRAI
This tiny church, wedged at the end of a dead street next to Bar Ape mentioned earlier is this pretty little church. It was actually an annexe in the gardens of the Theatre of Pompey. It is said this is the site Julius Caesar was assassinated.
SHOPPING
You really are spoilt in the area around Campo de’ Fiori, it is a great place to just walk along the cobblestone streets that run off the square and exploring. There are so many gorgeous shops selling leather (real, soft, lambs leather), jewellery, artisan food, books, clothing, shoes, art, you name it. There is something for everyone. Unlike areas like around the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain and Colosseum, there is little sign of tourist shops selling the usual garb like fridge magnets, coffee cups etc. These shops are more refined, yet not as expensive as via Corso where all the designer shops are.
Other essentials like pharmacy supplies, banks, supermarket are all very close by. This is another reason why I love this area, it has so much atmosphere, it seems to lack the tourist feel, and feels like a little community all in itself.
There are beautiful streets to just walk around and explore, and everything you want to see in Rome is well within walking distance, and the nearest transport hubs are literally a block away if you need to venture out further.
WHERE WE STAYED
We rented an apartment through Airbnb on Vicolo del Giglio, which was literally around the corner to the middle of the Campo de’ Fiori. It was a perfect location and we would definitely stay in this area again. After 10 days here it almost felt like home.
I’m sure there are so many more places around the Campo we missed, but hopefully we will find them all next time we visit.
If you know of any, please pass them on. Do you have another favourite area of Rome?
Amelia
What a wonderful account of your stay in Rome ! Thank you for sharing Liliana.
Have you tried the savoury pastry in Treviso in North East Italy ? Looking at your pictures reminded me of the taste and texture I could never forget.
Liliana
Hi Amelia
Thanks so much for your comment. We had a fantastic time and can’t wait to return! No, I have not, and I have never been to Treviso. What is the name of the pastry? I’d love to find out more..
Anna Mathiesen
One of our top picks in Rome. Set within the Navona district in Rome, Awesome Duplex in Campo de Fiori area has air conditioning, a patio, and city views. This apartment offers accommodation with a balcony and free WiFi. This apartment includes 2 bedrooms, a living room and a flat-screen TV, an equipped kitchen with a dining area, and 2 bathrooms with a bidet and a washing machine.