Shopping · Rome · Italy
Shopping in Rome
Shopping streets, markets and souvenirs worth the suitcase space.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Myrabella, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Rome shopping ranges from the fashion houses of Via dei Condotti to artisan workshops, vintage stores in Monti and the Sunday flea market at Porta Portese. Food shopping — cheese, cured meats, olive oil — is often the most rewarding. Best souvenirs: Leather goods, Pecorino romano and guanciale and Olive oil and wine.
Key facts
- Shopping areas
- 5
- Markets
- 4
- Top souvenir
- Leather goods
Where to shop
Via dei Condotti and the Tridente
Italian fashion houses such as Gucci, Prada and Valentino on the streets below the Spanish Steps.
Via del Corso
Rome's main high street, with Italian and international chains from Piazza del Popolo to Piazza Venezia.
Monti
Vintage clothes, independent designers and artisan jewellery along Via del Boschetto and Via Urbana.
Via del Governo Vecchio and Via dei Coronari
Antique dealers, vintage shops and small boutiques in the lanes west of Piazza Navona.
Via Cola di Rienzo
A long Prati shopping street for mid-range Italian fashion and the long-established food shop Castroni.
Markets
Porta Portese
Rome's huge Sunday-morning flea market in Trastevere, with clothes, antiques and bric-a-brac; go early and watch your bag.
Campo de' Fiori market
A morning produce market that also sells spices, dried pasta and souvenirs.
Mercato di Testaccio
A modern covered market for food shopping and lunch counters.
Mercato Trionfale
One of the city's largest covered food markets, near the Vatican in Prati.
What to buy
Leather goods
Gloves, belts and bags from artisan workshops; check for 'made in Italy' labels and genuine leather.
Pecorino romano and guanciale
Vacuum-packed cheese and cured pork cheek from delis, for cooking carbonara at home; check your country's import rules.
Olive oil and wine
Lazio extra-virgin olive oil and Frascati wine from specialist food shops.
Religious items
Rosaries, icons and medals from the shops of Borgo Pio near the Vatican.
Moka pot
The stovetop coffee maker found in every Italian kitchen, sold in kitchenware shops.
Streets and markets worth a wander
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Landmark · Tridente
Spanish Steps
The 135 travertine steps, built in the 1720s, climb from Piazza di Spagna and the boat-shaped Barcaccia fountain to the church of Trinità dei Monti.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Views
- Shopping
Market · Centro Storico
Campo de' Fiori
In the morning Campo de' Fiori is an open-air market for vegetables, flowers and spices beneath the hooded statue of Giordano Bruno, burned for heresy on this spot in 1600.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- Shopping
- After dark
Food and drink to take home
Edible souvenirs travel best when they are dry or sealed: consider Gelato and Espresso. Artisan gelaterie near the Pantheon, in Prati and in Monti. Check your home country's rules on bringing food and drink back.
Shopping by neighbourhood
| Area | Price level | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Centro Storico | $$$$ | The Pantheon, Piazza Navona and Campo de' Fiori inside the bend of the Tiber |
| Tridente and the Spanish Steps | $$$$ | Designer shopping streets between Piazza del Popolo and the Spanish Steps |
| Trastevere | $$$ | Ivy-covered lanes, trattorias and evening crowds across the Tiber |
| Monti | $$$ | Vintage shops, wine bars and the Colosseum around the corner |
| Prati | $$$ | Wide boulevards, local shopping and the Vatican on foot |
| Testaccio | $$ | Working-class food district around a much-loved covered market |
| Esquilino and Termini | $$ | Practical base around the main station, with the city's most multicultural streets |
Paying and bargaining
Prices are in EUR. Tipping is not expected. Many restaurants charge a coperto or include service; locals leave small change or round up, and €1–2 per person or up to 10% is generous for good service.
- Greet shopkeepers with 'Buongiorno' or 'Buonasera' when you walk in, and say 'Grazie, arrivederci' when you leave.
- Validate paper bus and tram tickets on board, or tap a contactless card; inspectors fine passengers without a valid ticket.
When to shop
Shops and markets are quietest in January–February and November; the busiest months are May–June and September.
- January: Epiphany and the Befana fair in Piazza Navona (6 January)
- September: Romaeuropa Festival of contemporary performance (usually September to November)
- December: Christmas market in Piazza Navona (usually early December to 6 January)
- December: Christmas Eve and Christmas Day celebrations at St Peter's
Staying near the shops
$$$$ · Best for luxury, shopping, couples and first-timers
Tridente and the Spanish Steps
Designer shopping streets between Piazza del Popolo and the Spanish Steps
Questions travellers ask
+What should I buy in Rome?
Leather goods, Pecorino romano and guanciale, Olive oil and wine and Religious items.
+Where is the best shopping in Rome?
Via dei Condotti and the Tridente: Italian fashion houses such as Gucci, Prada and Valentino on the streets below the Spanish Steps.
+What are the best markets in Rome?
Porta Portese, Campo de' Fiori market, Mercato di Testaccio and Mercato Trionfale.