Local Rome

A lively square that hosts a daily morning market selling fresh produce, flowers, and spices — one of the last open-air markets in Rome's historic center. The statue in the center depicts Giordano Bruno, a philosopher burned at the stake on this exact spot in 1600 by the Inquisition for heresy (including supporting Copernicus's view that the Earth orbited the Sun). The hooded figure faces the Vatican as a deliberate provocation. By day the square is a market; by evening it transforms into one of Rome's most popular aperitivo destinations, with every surrounding bar spilling tables onto the cobblestones.

The bakery Forno Campo de' Fiori on the square's corner has been making pizza bianca (white pizza) since 1940 — locals queue for it every morning.

One of the oldest Jewish communities in the Western world, established in Rome over 2,100 years ago. In 1555, Pope Paul IV confined Jews to this small area by the Tiber, creating one of Europe's first ghettos. The gates were locked at night, buildings grew taller as the population was squeezed in, and residents couldn't own property. The ghetto walls came down in 1870 when Rome became capital of unified Italy. Today the neighborhood retains a distinct identity — the Great Synagogue (1904) anchors one end, and the streets are filled with restaurants serving Roman-Jewish cuisine, a unique fusion developed over centuries of working with limited ingredients.

Try carciofi alla giudia (Jewish-style artichokes) at any of the ghetto restaurants — the deep-fried preparation was invented here. Nonna Betta and Ba'Ghetto are local favorites.