Rome: Why Testaccio, like Hansel, is so hot right now

Walking to Testaccio along the Tiber, view to Trastevere

Hotel Villa San Pio, Aventine Hill

Zoolander references aside, down-and-dirty Testaccio, just south of Aventine Hill and across the Tiber River from photogenic Trastevere, is officially Rome's hottest neighborhood. Testaccio gets its name from the ancient mound of broken amphorae that form Monte Testaccio in the middle. You won't find any souvenir or t-shirt shops here. A short stroll south of Via Marmoratta will reward you with incredible restaurants, friendly people, and a vibrant local food and art scene.


Usually, I look for accommodations on the outer fringes of a city. I prefer the relative quiet and slower pace, and as long as there is good public transport to the center of things, not much is sacrificed. Rome has some lovely areas just on the outer edges of the tourist- and Fiat-clogged city center. Testaccio is such a place.

Testaccio is lively and lived-in, with a smattering of excellent places to eat and drink. I stayed in a beautiful small hotel near here called Villa San Pio on Aventine Hill, just across Via Marmoratta from Testaccio. Embarassing admission: I chose the Aventine due to it's association with characters Titus and Pullo in the HBO Series "Rome." It turns out the Aventine's working-class plebeians have moved just a bit south, to Testaccio.

One of many prepared food vendors

Fresh local produce stand in the Testaccio New Market

The New Testaccio Market anchors the neighborhood, a large open-air bazar where area vendors, farmers, and fishers come to sell their goods directly to the public. It's a great place to explore for an hour or so, and it's perfect for picking up some picnic supplies for a do-it-yourself gourmet luncheon. One of the most popular stalls is Mordi e Vai, which makes carefully-prepared sandwiches and other sides to go. I had a tender and flavorful beef and red pepper sandwich and a slow-braised artichoke in olive oil and lemon.... Soooo mouth-watering I can taste it now.

In Testaccio:

Volpetti -gourmet food shop, pricey but the best of Italy is here

Da Buccatino - excellent traditional Roman trattoria. Some dishes require a bib- your waiter will assist with bib donning and removal.

Flávio al Velavevodetto - another great trattoria, set into the side of the ancient trash heap of broken amphorae that make up Monte Testaccio, the neighborhood's namesake.