Campo de' Fiori sits in the heart of Rome's historic centre, so it makes a perfect base for a day on foot. Many of the city's most famous sights are within a twenty-minute walk, and the streets between them are as beautiful as the monuments themselves. Here is a relaxed route that starts and ends on our square, with a stop for lunch and another for dinner.
Morning: the market and Piazza Farnese
Start early at the Campo de' Fiori market (read the story of the square before you go), when the stalls are full and the square smells of fresh herbs and flowers. Take a few minutes to look at the statue of Giordano Bruno in the middle of the square, then walk a few steps south-west into Piazza Farnese. The calm, elegant square is dominated by Palazzo Farnese, one of the finest Renaissance palaces in Rome, today the French Embassy, and decorated by two large granite basins that were brought from the ancient Baths of Caracalla and turned into fountains.
Via Giulia and Palazzo Spada
From Piazza Farnese, head down to Via Giulia, the long straight street laid out by Pope Julius II in the early sixteenth century. It is lined with palaces, churches and antique shops, and it is one of the quietest and most romantic walks in the centre. On the way, stop at Palazzo Spada to see Borromini's famous perspective gallery: a colonnade that looks about thirty metres long but is in fact only around eight, a clever illusion that still surprises visitors after almost four hundred years.
Across the river to Trastevere
From the southern end of Via Giulia, cross the Tiber on Ponte Sisto, the pedestrian bridge built in the fifteenth century, and you are in Trastevere. Wander through its narrow streets, covered in ivy and washing lines, to Piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere, where the basilica's golden mosaics shine above the square. It is a lovely place to stop for a coffee before heading back.
Lunch back on Campo de' Fiori
Cross Ponte Sisto again and you are back at Campo de' Fiori in a few minutes. This is the moment for a proper Roman lunch: a plate of cacio e pepe or carbonara, a side of seasonal vegetables and a glass of wine at a table on the square. At Osteria Tavola Magna the kitchen is open all day, so there is no need to hurry back by a fixed hour. You can book a table online for the time that suits your walk.
Afternoon: Piazza Navona and the Pantheon
After lunch, walk five minutes north to Piazza Navona. Its long oval shape follows the ancient Stadium of Domitian, and at its centre stands Bernini's Fountain of the Four Rivers, facing Borromini's church of Sant'Agnese in Agone. From there, follow the signs to the Pantheon, about ten minutes away: almost two thousand years old, it still has the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world, with its open oculus letting in the sky. Nearby, the church of Sant'Ignazio hides another trick of perspective: a painted ceiling that creates the illusion of a dome.
Late afternoon: Largo Argentina and the Ghetto
On the way back, pass through Largo di Torre Argentina, a sunken square of Republican-era temples where Julius Caesar was assassinated, and today also known for the colony of cats that lives among the ruins. Continue a few streets south into the Jewish Ghetto, one of the oldest Jewish communities in Europe, with the ruins of the Portico d'Ottavia and the Great Synagogue overlooking the river.
Evening: dinner on the square
As the sun goes down, Campo de' Fiori fills with people meeting for an aperitivo and dinner. End your day where it began, at a table on the square. Our menu has everything from Roman classics such as saltimbocca and coda alla vaccinara to fresh fish and pizza, and we stay open until 2:00, so there is time for dessert and a last espresso. Take a look at the menu, and if you have questions about your visit, our team is happy to help: call +39 06 6819 2721.
Practical tips
- Wear comfortable shoes: Rome's cobblestones (sampietrini) are beautiful but uneven.
- Carry a refillable bottle and use the city's free drinking fountains, the nasoni.
- Churches ask visitors to cover shoulders and knees, so a light scarf is useful in summer.
- The whole route is about 6 to 7 km on foot, easy to shorten if you want a longer lunch.