Il Mercato alla Romana

At the break of a Sunday sunrise, little broken down ladies gather under a white tent top and patiently thumb through gingham aprons and matching linens. Under another tent top just across the walkway, a mother and daughter fuss about winter shoes while comparing market prices to the seasonal prices of Via del Corso. Nearby, teenage boys try on sunglasses and loudly praise each other's good looks as the vendor yells out prices, "Dai, tre mila, forza!". And, businessmen in heavy tweed suits let their hands hang heavily in their pockets as they examine precious antique furniture and then seem to half-heartedly wonder about how nicely the pieces would look in their country villas.

The voices of thousands of people bubble together as the vendors blatantly echo prices though the air, "Tutto a mille lire. Robetta a poco prezzo!". A lone guitarist strums an old Italian favorite and the scent of roasting chestnuts mixes with the redolence of an old musty attic as the scene sets in Rome's biggest and most diverse open market, Porta Portese. Estimated by some Romans to be more than a mile long, the maze of tabletops and tapestries winds through an area of at least ten blocks. The open market only shows its face on Sundays from dawn until two in the afternoon, but it's the only place in Rome where you can find absolutely anything. Tape measures, zippers, umbrellas, picture frames, knickknacks, tennis racquets, tea pots, telescopes, boat anchors, rugs, stamps, steel wool, chandeliers, skateboards, paintings and panty hose make up only a small part of the chaotic buying adventure of Porta Portese. New, old and very old, it's all mixed, stacked, heaped and piled into a frenzy of colorful clutter.

Bargain hunters are likely to stumble upon anything from the most refined antiques dating back to the seventeenth century to pure junk, junk and more junk. Prices at Porta Portese can be about as diverse as the setting, but it's common knowledge in Rome that out-door market prices are always lower than in-store prices. Hand-made doilies cost around $5-$15 (L10.000-L30.000), leather shoes can range anywhere from $10-$50 (L20.000-L100.000) and antique prices vary from stand to stand. When pricing anything in the open market it is often common to bargain or talk down prices, but as a tourist, you should watch your zeros with the merchants and your wallets with the pickpockets. Frequented mostly by Romans, the open market surprisingly isn't far off the beaten tourist track. Porta Portese is located just southwest of the well-known neighborhood of Trastevere. If you are headed to the market you can easily arrive by taking tram number eight from Largo Argentina near Piazza Venezia. It will take you down Viale di Trastevere where you should get off when you see the opening of the market on the left-hand side of the tracks. If you have a rental car don't expect to find parking for at least a mile around. It's better to take the tram or you can catch a taxi from the center for less than $5 (Ll0.000).

Porta Portese may be a unique buying adventure, but there are dozens of markets in Rome. They can pop up on almost any street because everyone seems to have something sell or get rid of, and as the old saying goes, 'one man's trash is another man's treasure'. Navigating through Rome's markets is a bit like touring the city. You have to know where to go in order to find what you're looking for and you have to know which market is open on which day. If you're in Rome on a short visit and can't make the Sunday market, there are smaller mercatini that set up shop daily (except Sundays) from sunrise until two in the afternoon.

The market at Ponte Milvio, located a little off the beaten track, can give you a taste of how the Romans do their one-stop shopping. "Buongiorno, Buongiorno, Buongiorno," the vendors greet customers one by one as the people fill the outdoor isles of the market looking for the freshest pick. You can see piles of lemons and limes mixed together next to avocados, tomatoes and mushrooms. It's a bazaar of fruits, vegetables, linens, clothing and miscellaneous household items. Elderly merchants pull fresh fish from mounds of ice and as the cubes fall to the ground little boys playfully race each other to smash the ice under their feet. Their mothers wait patiently while the merchants weigh the fish and then they lazily move on to the next stand. You can smell the alluring scent of pizza baking in a nearby pizzeria and you can feel the atmosphere of a typical Roman neighborhood.

Located near the Tiber River, you can arrive to the market at Ponte Milvio by taking tram number two from Piazzale Flaminio, just behind Piazza del Popolo, and getting off at Ponte Milvio. Cross the bridge and you will see the market on your right-hand side. You can also take a taxi from the historic center to Ponte Milvio for a little more than $5 (L10.000).

If you're in the market for antiques, there is another open market at Ponte Milvio that is in the specific trade of antique buying and selling. It's only open on the first weekend of each month from dusk until dawn, but it's well known in Rome for having fine antiques dating back through the 1800's.

The market, situated right along the Tiber River, is about the length of a football field and is the perfect scene for a romantic sunset stroll.

If you are limited by time and can't wonder too far from the city's center, the market at Campo de' Fiori is a common tourist hangout and the perfect market for the tourist on the go. Located in the city's center, Campo de' Fiori was once the site for capital punishment and is thought to have the oldest open market in the city.

There are about forty stands in the market filled mostly with fruits, vegetables, spices, nuts, flowers and kitchenware such as espresso makers and pasta presses. You can enjoy outdoor seating at one of the several bars or restaurants that surround the quaint mercatino. Glasses of wine, antipasti and pieces of pizza usually cost anywhere between $2-$7 (L4.000-L14.000) each per person.

However, many tourists and backpackers often simply loaf around the market eating fresh fruits and nuts. Wild berries cost about $3 (L6.000) per basket, grapes $1.25 (L2.500) kg and apples and oranges run about $1.50 (L3.000) kg.

So, if you're a bargain hunter, antique fanatic, garage sale junkie or just a plain tourist and you're headed to Rome, your souvenirs may be waiting at one of the city's open markets.

A morning adventure though the piles and clutter of Porta Portese, Campo de' Fiori or Ponte Milvio is certain to lead you to a scene that is authentically alla Romana.

For more complete information on the street markets of Rome here.