The Porta Portese Flea Market

The Porta Portese flea market in Trastevere is the biggest flea market in Rome and all of Italy. Every Sunday morning, as early as 5 a.m., people begin parading down the streets in search of bargains. Over two thousand stalls line the road as stallholders aggressively try to get your business. Here the savvy shopper can pick up a wide variety of new and used items. However, the experience can be quite overwhelming for visitors. For instance, when I first arrived at the market a feeling of claustrophobia came over me as the swarms of people plowed over me like I was invisible. The combination of the hoards of people and the feeling of uncertainty left me very overwhelmed initially. However, once I figured out how the market worked and I grew accustomed to the crowds, I was in the swing of things. It is a great spot for gifts that are reasonably priced, but make sure you never settle for the initial price. You need to use what bargaining skills you have. I decided to make it more interesting by making a game out of it. I went around to different stalls selling similar products to see how low I could get the stallholders to go. Overall, it is definitely a tiring but rewarding Italian experience.

Gelateria Tour Information

The first stop on the gelateria tour is Gelateria della Palma. Gelateria della Palma is just mere steps from the Pantheon, which could be seen as a plus for convenience or a minus for steeper prices. However, della Palma offers a wide variety with over a 100 different flavors of gelato; and if that isn’t good enough for you, try their specialty semifreddi (half frozen mousse). Giolliti’s, the next stop, is probably the most famous gelateria in Rome. It was voted number one on the top 10 list for gelateria’s in Rome. The ordering process can be quite confusing and intimidating to new customers, just make sure to pay at the cash register before you order. Then walk over to the large crowd of people around the gelato case and work your way up to the counter because there are no lines. Although it may be intimidating, it is all part of the experience. The last stop on the gelateria tour is San Crispino. San Crispino is on the top 10 list of gelateria’s in Rome and it is known for their, Il Gelato di S. Crispino, which is honey flavored gelato. If this sounds like your kind of gelato, make sure to save room for the last stop!

Gelateria Tour Directions

Standing in Piazza della Rotondo with your back to the Pantheon, walk to the right towards the northeast corner of the piazza until you reach Via Pantheon. Proceed down the narrow road a short distance until you run into Piazza Maddalena where you will see the beautiful Santa Maria Maddalena. Continue to walk through the Piazza to the other side and get on Via Maddalena. After one short block you will see, on the left hand side, Gelateria della Palma are first stop. It is located on the corner of Via Maddalena and Via delle Copelle. After enjoying some tasty gelato or their famous semifreddi (half frozen mousse), get ready for our next stop! Exit Gelateria della Palma and make a left onto Via Maddalena walk two blocks and then turn right on Via Degli Uffiei del Vicario. As soon as you turn you will see giant bright green letters reading Giolliti’s, voted the number one gelateria in Rome. Stop in a get a taste for yourself. The last stop on our tour is just steps away from the famous Trevi Fountain. From Giolliti’s turn right and head towards Palazzo Chigi go straight through and on the other side is Piazza Colonna, go straight through until you will run into Via del Corso, a main street. At Via del Corso make a left and then a quick right onto Via del Tritone. A couple blocks down you will pass Piazza Poli on your right. Continue on for a couple more blocks until you reach Via di Panneteria Scalone and make a right. Follow this road down about 100 meters until you reach the last stop on the tour, San Crispino.

Renovations of Museo della Pasta

Unfortunately, Museo della Pasta is currently closed for restorations. The date and place of the reopening will be revealed within the next couple of months. Check out the status and get more information by visiting their website at http://www.museodellapasta.it/.

Museo della Pasta

Museo della Pasta is not your ordinary museum, it is literally one of a kind. It was the first museum to ever be dedicated to one specific food product. At the museum you will learn not only the history of pasta but also how it is produced, the nutritional facts, and where pasta is found in ancient and modern art. I would like to learn about pasta since it is a main component of my daily diet, and it is food that I thoroughly enjoy. What better place to learn about pasta than in its birth place, Italy. However, the highlight of the tour is, you not only learn the history but you get to taste it too! So if you are a pasta lover or want to become a connoisseur visit Museo della Pasta.

The Vatican Museums

Embarrassed, saddened, and true, I have been in Rome for over five weeks now and have yet to visit the Vatican Museums. The Vatican Museums were on the top of my list for sites to see while studying in Rome; however, I just haven’t been able to find time to visit the spectacular place. Although as a class we went to St. Peters, we did not have enough time to see the museums as well.

The museums are full of history and date back to the year 1198, when the papal palace was created by Innocent III. A large part of the museum houses Greek and Roman artistic treasures. It is from sculptures like Apoxyomenos, Apollo del Belvedere, and Laocoon, which are considered a few of the greatest achievements of Western art that Michelangelo and other famous Renaissance artists were deeply influenced. The path that leads you to the garden also lead you to the Sistine Chapel, a church I have longed to see for years. Having learned about the beautiful frescoed art work of the Sistine Chapel and the great Renaissance artists who were responsible for the magnificent art, made me eager to see the art and architecture for myself. Hopefully I will have time this week to make a trip to the Vatican Museums, and if so I will be sure to report on my experience!

Santa Maria in Trastevere

Today I visited Santa Maria in Trastevere, one of the oldest churches in Rome dating back to 340s AD. The church was founded at a time when Christians were a minority sect. It is located in the heart of Piazza Santa Maria. The façade of the church was restored by Carlo Fontana who also restored the octagonal fountain in the center of the Piazza. The church can be spotted by its beautiful bell tower and its religious mosaics. The mosaics found above the portico are Mary feeding Jesus and women holding lamps used to symbolize virginity. Virginity is a common theme throughout the art work in Santa Maria in Trastevere because the basilica was devoted to the Virgin Mary.

The interior was much more extravagant than I had expected. Enormous marble columns line the nave of the church, which according to the Eyewitness Travel Rome were taken from the ruins of ancient Roman buildings. At the end of the nave was one of the most beautiful altars I have ever seen, covered in extravagant gold and mosaics. Beyond the altar is an archway that opens up to a half dome decorated in a beautiful 12^th century mosaic of the Coronation of the Virgin. I found on Wikipedia that it was a popular form of Christian art that was often used during the 13^th century. The mosaic portrays Christ placing the crown on Mary’s head accompanied by saints. Needless to say, Santa Maria in Trastevere is definitely worth a visit!