Campo de’ Fiori is an open air market in Rome that a lot of people love. It is also a market that a lot of people love to hate.
The open air market in Campo de’ Fiori is undeniably one of Rome’s most famous. Much of this has to do with its location. It is pretty much the only open air market left in the center of Rome (except for the one in Trastevere). All of Rome’s rioni, or neighborhoods used to have an open air market. I can remember doing my shopping steps away from the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps and the Viminale.
Sadly, things change. Due to transformed shopping habits, rising real estate prices and shifting family customs most of these markets have died a slow death over the last two decades.
One of the reasons is the explosion of lower priced supermarkets that descended on the city. They are obviously cheaper, and often more convenient. Another reason are changing shopping habits. Wives and nonne no longer shop daily for the main meal prepared for husbands and sons who come home from work for lunch. Most women work these days, and so families tend to do their shopping on weekends, at the less expensive supermarkets. And finally, rising real estate prices and taxes have made selling apples and oranges from a cart not so much of a career calling.
Like the other markets in Rome, Campo de’ Fiori was dying its own slow death. By the early ‘90s the market was a far cry from the one I remembered from the time I lived here as a child in the ’70’s. The modern version was not the crowded, chaotic and colorful mashup of fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, cheeses and flowers that I loved. Instead of massive piles of artichokes and melons there were stretches of empty cobble stoned paving where stands used to crowd each other out. Each year, there would be fewer stands, and more empty space. The meat vendors were the first to go, then the fish vendors, until finally there were just a handful of produce stands holding guard.
Until, finally, the tide began to turn. One day I showed up and the small spice stand at one end of the piazza had expanded to take over four spaces. Not only selling spices, he was now offering olives, dried fruit and nuts and bags of sun dried tomatoes and porcini.
Other new arrivals targeted what turned out to be the biggest groups of visitors to the market these days: tourists. Stands selling T shirts, sun hats and souvenirs began to fill up other spaces.
At the same time the established fruit and vegetable stands, who offer some of the best (and most expensive) produce in the city began to get into the game. Not content with merely selling high end produce to the wealthy residents of Rome’s centro storico, they also began to turn some of their fruit into fruit salad or fresh juices, which were grabbed up by tourists. Similarly the housewares stand started selling brightly colored ceramics and cute pasta cutters next to the more practical forks and knives.
The most recent additions to the market are stands that appear to be selling ‘food’ but are really selling ‘food like’ souvenirs. Yes, I’m talking about bags of multi-colored, penis-shaped pasta and pink limoncello in violin shaped bottles.
I admit it would be easy to dismiss the market these days as a purely Disney-like tourist attraction’. Yes, there are some stands that are there only to make a profit by selling strange ‘food-like stuff and souvenirs to tourists. But the 7 or 8 stands that still sell produce are among the best in Rome. During a recent visit I saw plump strawberries from Terracina; beautiful flower-bedecked zucchini romane; pencil-thin wild asparagus; and what were probably some of the only ovoli mushrooms on sale in Rome that day. All being sold by the same families who have been standing behind their fruits and vegetables for generations.
No, its not a farmer’s market, and no, it’s not necessarily local and almost never organic.
But in the age when open markets are a dying breed, I’m just happy that there is still a market there. And if some of the icky stuff for sale can help subsidize the truly excellent produce side of things, then I think that is a good thing. Not all markets can be farmers markets.
There has been an open air market in Campo de Fiori for hundreds of years. And I’m pretty sure that back then, there were stands that were selling crappy stuff too. Things change, for better and for worse. And at the end of the day, if the changes that have gone on and continue to go on in Campo de Fiori mean that the market still exists, then I’m all for change. In my book a changed market is better than no market at all. 
Campo de’ Fiori Market
Piazza Campo de’ Fiori
Monday – Saturday, 8am – 1:30pm
For more on Campo de’ Fiori see my posts here and here and here, and a couple of videos here and here.
And for more information on shopping for food and eating in Rome, download my app Eat Italy, available on iTunes and Googleplay.
The produce in Campo De Fiori (like all Italian produce), is far superior to most of what we get in the states. I have made some memorable meals with things from I bought in the market. Going there is a major highlight when I visit Rome.
Thank you so much for this post. I am in complete agreement with your sentiment, better this than nothing. I have taken each of my neices and nephews to this market when we visit in Rome from New York, in all cases it was their first experience of an open air market and they loved the concept. (at 15 and 16 mind you). I love this market. I never fail to bring home something from it, ususally linen dish cloths or the small wine carafes that I always find a use for. Nice to see someone write a positive piece on it. Thank you again.
Yes, I love those wine carafes, which are almost impossible to find anywhere else.
I loved this. I hope that you won’t be offended if I compare the situation to the market here in Arles, which (they say) is the biggest in Provence. Half of which is utter crap. Made in China–even les savons du Marseille and those tacky ceramic cigales! But. But. The producers that sell there (which are few) are amazing and the local chefs are faithful.
And if this is an expensive market then I need to move to Italy, pronto! After our six months of rains, the prices are so high on all veggies and fruits, the agriculteurs have really been hit hard…
Oh no, I love those ceramic cigales!
Hi Heather,
Further to your comment on the market in Arles, we have one here in Vancouver, B. C. called Granville Island Market. When it started out almost 30 years ago it was good but has deteriorated into a place for tourists with pretty mediocre produce. If only the suits that run the place could take a page out of places such as Borough Market in London or the Campo di Fiore…sigh
So interesting but what a shame. Ironically, here in California it’s just the opposite–farmers’ markets are popping up all over. Fed up with the inferior quality of supermarket produce (and a demand for more organic greens), shoppers are turning more and more to their local farmers’ markets. Maybe Italians will someday experience the same epiphany.
There are farmers markets here too, but they are quite different from the open air neighborhood markets. In fact, I usually shop at the weekend farmers market. But it’s just not the same thing as having a local, open air, daily market.
Not just California! The large market I go to in Davenport, iowa, is super and terrifically crowded.
Good work again Minchilli! I agree with the first comment. For us tourists it still looks amazing and new. When people ask me whats the best museum I’ve seen in Italy, my answer is the Rialto market in Venice. Well, no one ever asked me that yet really, but that would be my answer 😉
look at those huge zucchini blossoms! I did laugh at the penis pasta. Think I’ll pass…Didn’t realize you lived in Rome as a child–must’ve been like coming home to return, then!
and the other fabulous attraction is one of my favorite statues in Rome,the imposing clever Giordano Bruno. You can just see the base behind the person with the cantaloupes and interesting necklace. Thank you Elizabeth, i love your photos…
We were both impressed with an entire box of ovoli! The Caesar’s cap is the rarest and most coveted mushroom and if you’ve never tasted one, you need to. Fungi Porcini are fabulous but a Caesar’s cap is a real treat. When we went to the Ventimiglia market (first town across the French border) a few weeks ago there were lots of fungi porcini but only one or two ovoli. Sometimes my husband finds them around here in France but only a few times and just one or two. At the Saint-Tropez market near us which is one of the best around here (but very expensive) the veggies can be impressive but I was most impressed with the first of the purple garlic. There were huge piles of it and it’s the best. Unfortunately the minute you cross the border, the color of the garlic changes to the white stuff which isn’t nearly as special and is much harsher tasting. My favorite market is in Aix-en-Provence but with the 2008 crash it got a lot smaller too. Pre-2008, every place/piazza was filled with something – veggies in one, fabric in another, fish, reasonably priced olive wood, kitchen gear, etc. Now I rarely see olive wood for sale. Kind of sad.
They are very rare here too, as is evident from the price! I rarely see cases of them either, but was not so surprised to see them here.
Hi Elizabeth….I love Campo di Fiore and am so happy that it still exists in any form. And the fact that you have that fabulous sausage shop and il forno on the square makes it that much better. That bean mixture with the cranberry beans looks absolutely amazing! have you tried it?
Your sister from another mother.
Yes, that mixture is minestrone, ready to go. All of the stands offer it, but each one is different. This lady makes what I consider to be the best and always has a lot of seasonal ‘specialities’ like fresh cranberry beans or peas when in season.
Hi Elizabeth,
I just love that they have things prepared like that available. I am going to show your photo to some friends at our wonderful, local Farmer’s Market. I was also impressed to see the puntarelle ready to go and the artichokes being trimmed! Wow!
Buongiorno Elizabeth,
I adored the market at Campo di Fiore. I am a retired personal chef and I am always overwhelmed by the produce in Italy, it inspires me like crazy. One of the reasons we go is so that I can cook! We are lucky in Vancouver, B.C. to have a number of really excellent Farmer’s Markets. They are a god-send to all us veggie lovers. OMG do I miss those artichokes! We bought the most amazing dried figs from the spice place. Thanks for the blog! Can hardly wait until May to return to Roma!
ciao, Phyllis
Loved the pictures and have many of my own quite like them. However, I must also admit to taking pictures of some of the more outlandish stands like the “David” aprons or the female tomato and basil aprons. Ah well! I do love Rome and wouldn’t miss a trip to Campo de’ Fiori when I am there.
Thanks for the interesting posts.
Joan
Read your post on my iPhone in the LAX on my way back to my home near the Campo. I have shared so many mixed feelings about the markets transformations over the last three decades and in the end am so thankful that it still exists. I still think its a pity that so many so called restaurants have sprouted up in the Campo and serve such horrible food to unsuspecting tourists at exorbitant prices. Most of theses places barely have a kitchen and nuke their meals.
Well said, Elizabeth. Gorgeous photos. I visited Campo de’ Fiori early in the morning, before the tourists started to arrive. It was wonderful.
Hi we will be visiting Italy later this year and will be staying around Civitella di Lago, are there any fresh produce markets around that area? around Todi or Orvieto perhaps, that we could visit? from past experiences, we have encountered markets that sell a lot of chinese or north african things and not fresh produce like vegetables or fruit. Any information will be appreciated.
Unfortunately no, none that I know of. There used to be a lot of great markets, with local farmers, but most of the country markets now have very few produce stands, mostly junk. And the stands that are there get their produce from general wholesale markets, often as far away as Rimini.
Adding to your thoughtful story: my view of the marked has been enhanced by watching the fruit and veggie vendors clean up, box up goods, and store the materials for display in the alleys around the Campo.
Right on Elizabeth. We all know the market is a shadow of its former self or of what it could be, but better that it be kept subsidized by junk than disappear entirely.
Thanks Tom, so glad to hear you and I are on the same page!
Hi Elizazbeth – I love your blog, thanks for sharing. Quick question – we are in Rome next month & want to visit the market … I know Rome isnt into breakfast like my American family is but we are training in early on a Wednesday morning & want to have breakfast near the market. Do you have any ideas for us? Grabbing a coffee and pastry work or sitting down works too. Thank you!, Chris
Near Campo my two favorite bars are the Latteria on Vicolo di Gallo 4(the little alley to the left of the Forno, that leads to Piazza Farnese). It’s run by a little old lady and you can have a big bowl of caffelatte, plus a pastry.
If you want something savoury (sandwhichs) as well, there is Bar Peru, on Via Monseratto, just past Piazza Farnese. They have a lovely little room where you can sit as well.
Hi Elizabeth, thanks for posting this, it is helpful to us travelers! We will be in Rome from Dec 30-Jan 4th. We will be having an elopement photography session and I was told that I can find some flowers at the market for my bouquet, do you happen to know if they are open on January 1st?
They definitely won’t be open on January 1. But when are you actually getting married? You could buy your flowers the day before. But make sure you get there early, since the stands will probably close earlier than usual.
Thank you for this post. I visited Campo de’ Fiori last year in April, and I really enjoyed it. I’m going back to Rome in late November / early December this year, and I’m taking my husband with me for his first trip to Europe. Is Campo de’ Fiori open year-round? Thanks!