|»orta Portese
||a Tortuense ^ Via Ippolito Nievo. |ap
7 Cl g 170, 280. 718. 719. Upen
6.30am-2ptn Sun.
The mercato delle pulci or flea
market is a relatively new market |n
Roman terms. Established shortly
after the end of World War II, it is
said to have grown out of the thriving
black market that operated at Tor di
Nona opposite Castel Sant'Angeto
during those lean years. Stallholders
come from as far away as Naples and
set up Shop in the early hours of the
morning - if you are strolling in that
direction after a late night in
Trastevere, it's well worth pausing
just to watch them.
Anything and everything seems to
be for sale, piled high on stalls gin
carefully arranged disorder - clothes,
shoes, bags, luggage, camping
equipment,
linen,
towels,pans,
kitchen utensils, plants, pets, spare
parts, cassettes and CD'S, old LPs and
78s.Furniture stalls tend to be
concentrated around Piazza Ippotito
Nievo along with what they call
"antiques", though you may have to
sort through an awful tot of junk
before finding a real one. And then
you will have to bargain for it. The
technique is to offer them half the
asked price and then walk away. A
lot of people go just for the fun of it
and always end up buying something.
There are also second-hand clothes
- leather or sheepskin coats and
jackets go for L.10,000 -with many
of the Via Sannio stall holders
relocating here for the Sunday trade.
The stretch along Via Ippolito Nievo
is monopolized by i Russi di Porta
Portese', immigrant Russian
stallholders selling caviar, icons
(authenticity uncertain), lace, other
ethnic handicrafts, old cameras and
binoculars. A must if you have a
Sunday morning to spare.
Mercato di Via Sannio
Via Sannio. M San Giovanni Bus 16.
81. 87. Open 8am-1tpm Mon-Fri,
8am-6pm Sat.
In the 1960s and 1970s this used to be
Italy's answer to Carnaby Street.
Today, at first glance, it doesn't seem
to have anything ; very special to
offer — random stalls selling
inexpensive casual clothes, shoes,
bags, belts, jewelry, toys, kitchen
utensils and music cassettes. But
towards ; the end of the street there is
a - large covered section which r
extends back to the Aurelian Wall
with many stalls piled high with
second-hand clothes at very low
prices for those who like to rummage.
There is also a
section that sells military-style
goods plus some camping and
fishing equipment.
Some of these stalls move their
wares to Porta Portese on a Sunday
morning.
Local markets
Generally open Jam-lpm Mon-Sat
Piazza deUe poppdte (map 4 F3 &
12D2),nearth^Pantheontis A
probably the mo$t picturesque of ;
the food markets sprinkled around
the city. A tiny market devoted to
food and fruit and flowers, it
STREET FAIRS
A special and interesting
feature of shopping in Rome is
the street fair:
The Expo Tevere
exhibition starts each year
between mid-June arid midJuly on both sides of the river
bank between the Sant'Angeto
and Cavour bridges. Its stalls
display Italian regional arts
and crafts and also sell pasta,
jam, olive oil, wines and
liqueurs. Most items are
cheaper than in the shops. The
exhibition opens in the
evening (6pm-lam). The
entrance fee is minimal and
also includes ferry transport
across the Tiber.
There are two antiques fairs,
both known as the Fiera
delPAntiquariato, that take
place in Via del Coronari. The
first starts in the second half
of May, lOam-lpm and 4pmllpm daily. It makes a
memorable event at night
when lighted torches line the
carpeted street. The second
goes along Via dell'Orso as
well and normally occurs in
mid-October (but has also
started in late September),
Mon -Thu 3pm -11pm & FriSunlOam-llpm. Stalls also sell
leatherwork, jewellery and
gifts.
The Via Margutta Art
Fair Usually takes place
around Christmas and in
springtime. Set in one of the
most charming and exclusive
streets of the city, it's an event
not to be missed, although it's
more for browsing as prices
are very high.
offers a charming splash of colour
in the heart of the city.
Piazza San Cosimato (map 7
C1) in Trastevere hosts another
lively local market with some
tempting cheeses and salami.
.
There is a fairly big market on
Via Alessandria (map 6 D1) in
Nomentana, and other smaller .
ones m Via detlaPace (map 4 E4 &
11 (3) nearPiazza Navona, and in
Via Balbo (map 5 C4) and Via
Milazzo (map 6 E3) near Termini
station. You can also visit the trade
market, the MercatoGenerate (map
8 D5), in Via Ostiense, which is
open to the public after 10am.
The utterly glamorous Spanish
Steps Alta Moda Fashion
Show is a fairly new event and
doesn't have a set date. The
limited seatingspace is fijjied by
invitation only. However, the
public can squeeze in behind to
enjoy this display of all-Italian
designer fashion. So far it has
been held mid- to late July.
Befana, the traditional
Epiphany fair in Piazza Navona
(mid-December until 6 January)
is now rather down-at-heel, but
still fascinating for those who
have never seen it or for
children. Stalls selling clay
statues for nativities and sweets
that look like pieces of coal are
the main attraction. )
Natale Oggi is a wellestablished event taking place
near Christmas in the Fiera di
Roma at EUR, and worth
visiting to have a look at the
special Italian Christmas treats.
Via Giulia hosts art fairs now
and then, and open evenings
when the antique and art
galleries stay open late offering
food and wine to all visitors.
Every year Trastevere hosts its
very own carnival, known as the
Noantri festival, around late
July, when Viale Trastevere
becomes overrun with the
typical porcbetta stalls (see
p341), party lights, gift stalls
and people.
, The details given here may
change, so check the local
listings or at the tourist office
(seep359).