| Recently I took a Japanese friend to Testaccio, the southern west district of Rome, set along the Tiber river near the subway station Pyramid, and there we tasted some of the most amazing cheeses and hams in Rome at Volpetti, the historical gourmet shop on via Marmorata, main street of the quarter. It is strange how things rapidly change here because Testaccio was once the residential working class area of Rome, and now it is becoming a sort of 'Village' attracting the gourmet lovers from all around the world. This transformation was helped by the recent restyling of the fruit and vegetable market and to Eataly, a 3 storey high tech building packed, as we say, 'con ogni ben di Dio' by every goodness of God of Italian food and wine. In between a lot of modern restaurants and icecream shops have opened for the joy of the most discriminating tastes, enriching the already generous offer of this quarter. restyling of the fruit and vegetable market, since time immemorial heart and engine of the district, and by Eataly, a brand new 3 storey high building packed, as we say, 'con ogni ben di Dio’, by every goodness of God, of Italian food and wine. In the past centuries, thanking to the presence of the capitol slaughterhouse ‘mattatoio’, the area was slowly filling with simple restaurants offering the poor cuts of the animals 'frattaglie' and the perfect refrigerated wine, kept in the cellars of the artificial mountain of ‘testae’ from which the area takes the name. |  Volpetti at Testaccio, credit to jhlab through Flickr.com |
 Pyramid of Caius Cestius, credit to Antonella through Flickr.com | For the happiness of beauty searchers, the area is also rich of historic attractions like the nearby ancient Caius Cestius Pyramid, the acatholic cemetery, the Capitoline Museums in Centrale Montemartini and the already mentioned Modern Art wing of the Macro Rome, museum of contemporary art set in the old cattle market of Rome. Moreover Testaccio is lately attracting many street artists like Blu, which embellish the side of condominiums, bridges and abandoned buildings with their giant murals.Monte di Testaccio, or as the Romans fondly call it Monte de Cocci, was created in ancient times by broken vases called ‘testae’, arrived at the river harbour full of wine and oil: the mountain was literally created by ancient trash. Therefore, for the joy of beauty seekers, the area is also rich of historic attractions like the recent ruins found under the market, the nearby ancient Caius Cestius Pyramid, the non catholic cemetery where Keats and Shelley are buried, the Capitoline |
Museums located in the old Thermal power station Montemartini and the old slaughterhouse now slaughterhouse Modern Art wing of the Macro Rome, museum of contemporary art.
Moreover proof of this new life, Testaccio is lately attracting many street artists like Blu, which embellish the side of condominiums, bridges and abandoned buildings with their giant murals.
Moreover proof of this new life, Testaccio is lately attracting many street artists like Blu, which embellish the side of condominiums, bridges and abandoned buildings with their giant murals.
Tips: Enjoy the icecream at Gelateria Romana on via Ostiense 48; triangular sandwiches stuffed with hot roman specialities at Trapizzino in via Giovanni Branca 88; or if you prefer a solid tradition, enjoy the pastries at Andreotti on via Ostiense 54; if you are fond of pizza, try Doppio Zero on via Ostiense 68 which is also able to offer you hot dishes if you had enough of carbos.
Rest under the century pines of the non catholic cemetery oasis of peace and calm.
For any further information, contact me on http://www.visitrome.guide
Rest under the century pines of the non catholic cemetery oasis of peace and calm.
For any further information, contact me on http://www.visitrome.guide
Murals on an abandoner military office in via del Porto Fluviale, credit mauriziosacco through Flickr.com
