We’ve been looking for the more quiet places in Rome and yesterday we walked to the Testaccio neighborhood – about 30 minutes from our hotel. The route was pretty and peaceful with parts of the walk along the Tiber River.
The map below shows the relationship between the Tiber River and the neighborhood.
We made our way to the Testaccio Market…one of the nicest markets we’ve been to. The rooftop is glass so the inside is bright and the fruit, vegetables, and lunch options are very good.
We bought a couple of pizza slices with creative and unique toppings – one with thin slices pumpkin and ham, all sprinkled with fresh rosemary; the other, prosciutto with delicious fresh figs. Larry tried a tasty stewed veal sandwich.
Also in Testaccio: The Non-Catholic Cemetery in Rome is a beautiful and tranquil place to visit. For hundreds of years, non-Catholics had to be buried outside city walls – that is why this cemetery is in Testaccio. It’s a green oasis, lush with cypress trees and flowers. John Keats and Percy Bysshe Shelley are buried in this cemetery.
From this cemetery, we have a great view of the Pyramid of Cestius, one of our favorite landmarks. We caught this image of it on a perfect blue sky day!
Late in the afternoon we made our way to the bus stop to go back into the city center. We took the correct bus but going in the wrong direction. We rode many miles before we were able to exit, cross a major highway, and get on a bus going back into the city! In spite of that hiccup, it was a good day in Rome! We ended it with simple, perfectly prepared pasta dishes at Ristorante Pinseria Da Massi in the Trastevere neighborhood.
