From Home to Rome’s guide to Porta Portese

Porta Portese is arguably the best known and biggest flea market in Rome.

Come rain or shine, it takes place every Sunday (although some of the sellers there may decide not to show up if the weather is bad) and is a staple of every stay in Rome – whether locals or foreigners, first-timers or return tourists, Porta Portese is one of those experiences you need to have while visiting!

Except… we heard from many of our past guests and they simply were underwhelmed by the whole thing.

And we may know exactly why that is. When we chatted with our customers, they reported that they felt like all there was to Porta Portese were cheap clothing, plastic homeware and… pickpockets.

While we can’t do anything about the latter and can only offer that they will invariably be where crowds are, as born and bred Romans we can surely help with directions over where to go to find great bargains, original art or vintage objects that can turn into a perfect, unique souvenir from Rome (or Italy!).

First tip: times have indeed changed

Older residents and sellers will say this about Porta Portese: the market is not what it used to be. Flea markets in Rome have multiplied, and those indoors are a thing, which means many stall owners just don’t bother going to Porta Portese anymore – they prefer other locations.

Italy is also a poorer country than it used to be in the golden days of Porta Portese: this reflects in the amount of used shoes, clothes or books for sale.

However, you can still find a genuine treasure for a steal there, and that’s why we still love to go to this particular market to this day!

Second tip: know your way in (or out!) Porta Portese

While Porta Portese takes its name from the gate separating symbolically the Trastevere and the Portuense districts, the flea market grew over the decades to extend over more than 17 acres (almost 3 square miles!) taking over the whole first stretch of the Via Portuense and developing over surrounding streets.

Because of this, and because every “category” of items for sale in Porta Portese tends to have its own section (roughly so! see more below) sometimes accessing from the main entrance is counterproductive. This is also why some of our guests were disappointed with Porta Portese in the first place: they entered from the gate at Porta Portese, got tired walking down Via Portuense, thought that that was all there was to it and promptly went back to their accommodations!

Porta Portese has actually four main entrances:

• Piazza di Porta Portese proper
• Piazza Ippolito Nievo (which, by the way, doesn’t look like a square at all, just as a slight widening of Viale Trastevere)
• Via Benedetto Musolino (which funnily enough works more as a way out of the market than a way in)
• Via Ettore Rolli.

The latter is about two blocks north of the train station in Roma Trastevere and works best for those getting off a train there.

Conversely, the access on Piazza Ippolito Nievo is perfect if you’re traveling to Porta Portese on tram no. 8 coming from the city center, or even if you’re currently staying at one of our vacation rentals in Trastevere, such as Natale del Grande or Casa di Fenizio: they’re walking distance from the flea market.

Third tip: Where to find what you’re looking for

While lines have definitely blurred over time, Porta Portese has a system in place where sellers tend to stick closer together when they sell the same kind of items. So, for instance, many used clothes stalls tend to be on Via Ettore Rolli. Or antique sellers will be around Via Ippolito Nievo.

Not exclusively so, though: you will find that there’s a variety in terms of type of merchandise sold even if a specific area is supposed to be known for something else, so keep this in mind and – most of all – have an open mind: older stall owners are selling their licence to younger people, often from outside Italy, so (for example) a well known book collector may disappear abruptly and be replaced by a Chinese seller. Generally speaking:

– Via Ippolito Nievo is for antiques, vintage items, old records, but also for designer clothing or shoes in sample sizes
– Piazzale Ippolito Nievo has vintage furniture, lamps and books
– Via Napoleone Parboni and Via Angelo Bargoni have more used and rare books, art, vintage items (posters, signs, maps…) as well as watches, cameras, ceramics
– Via Portuense by Largo Alessandro Toja will have more designer shoes and clothes, mostly in sample sizes, along with kids clothing and deadstock
– The square where Via Ettore Rolli crosses Via Cesare Pascarella has more antique sellers (just a couple, nowadays, don’t expect much) offering books, records, movies, paintings at cheaper prices, although the quality is not high.

Fourth tip: When is best to go to Porta Portese

Early riser? Suffering from jet lag? Then absolutely go first thing in the morning. Stall owners start setting up as early as 4, 5 AM, and some Porta Portese maniacs start to show up at 6,30 AM looking for rare books, military memorabilia, art and more. If you find that it’s too punishing, go between 7 AM and 9 AM. Generally speaking that’s when you find the most variety.

If you’re looking for bargains, instead, go as late as you possibly can before sellers start to pack their stuff. Around 2PM should be fine. That’s when they just want to go home (some might have gone already!) and they will be more prone to accept haggling.

Fifth tip: Security and cultural differences

As mentioned, anywhere crowds assemble there is a chance for pickpockets to show up. As with other similar situations (subway stops, crowded landmarks etc.) be aware of your surroundings, walk with a purpose and don’t show that you’re unsure over where to go, don’t have your money easily accessible (for instance: a money belt may be a good idea, as wearing a backpack on your front rather than on your back).

Consider the stalls like the owners’ home: say hello when you start browsing and say goodbye when you leave (and yes, they may seem grumpy, but that’s more like sleep deprivation than actual bad manners)!

Some stalls allow haggling. It should be easy enough to know where you can try it: they usually have no prices are not specified anywhere at those particular stalls. Ask the seller how much they are charging for the specific object and start from there! You could also be trying haggling when prices are shown – there is no set rule there because there are so many differences, however we suggest you observe other customers around you to see what they’re doing, and act like them.

What we noticed over the years is that there is no room for haggling when it comes to clothes, lingerie, shoes or bags, but you may ask for a discount there if you buy a substantial number of items from the same stall owner (this will prove true even at those stalls that do allow haggling).

Finally, if you’re visiting Porta Portese with your camera and intend to take pictures, please ask for permission to do so if you’re shooting any stall in particular, or someone for that matter. We do know of some Porta Portese characters who demand 1 or 2 Euros to be photographed, however most people don’t take kindly to pictures being taken without their consent.