Pyramid of Cestius
Rome, Italy
Testaccio, Rome
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Photo: N i c o l a, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia CommonsFit in nearby today
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- Free — it's a city neighbourhood
- Hours
- District always open; market usually Mon–Sat, morning to mid-afternoon
- Time on site
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A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 2 h
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- Testaccio Market
- Usually Mon–Sat, morning to ≈ 15:00
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Monte Testaccio
- The amphora hill — tours by booking
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Food
- Roman classics: carbonara, cacio e pepe, oxtail stew, tripe
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours with lunch
- Location
- South of the Aventine; Metro B Piramide, 5–10 minutes
Key facts
≈ 53 millionamphorae make up Monte Testaccio
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English Wikipedia≈ 35 mheight of the shard hill
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English Wikipedia1st–3rd centuriesbroken olive-oil jars were dumped here
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English WikipediaTestaeLatin for 'potsherds' — the origin of the name
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English Wikipedia2012the new covered Testaccio Market opened
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Turismo RomaTestaccio Market and Roman food
The covered Testaccio Market moved into a new building in 2012. Romans shop here for vegetables, cheese and meat, and between the stalls you'll find street food: braised-beef sandwiches, supplì, pizza and pasta to go — one of the best cheap lunches in Rome.
Testaccio is considered the birthplace of Roman 'fifth-quarter' cooking — dishes made from the cuts left after butchering at the old slaughterhouse: oxtail stew (*coda alla vaccinara*), tripe and more. Alongside are the classics — carbonara, cacio e pepe, amatriciana and artichokes — in some of the most authentic trattorias in the city.
About the neighbourhood
Testaccio lies on the left bank of the Tiber south of the Aventine. In ancient times it was Rome's river port, where barges unloaded grain, wine and olive oil from across the empire beside vast warehouses. In the 19th and 20th centuries it filled with workers' housing and the city slaughterhouse, becoming a district of butchers, dockers and craftsmen.
Today it's a lively, deeply Roman quarter with few tourists: families, markets, bars and trattorias. The name comes from the Latin *testae*, 'potsherds' — a direct reference to its most famous sight.
Monte Testaccio, the hill of pots
Monte Testaccio is an artificial hill about 35 metres high made entirely of fragments of some 53 million amphorae — clay jars that carried olive oil to Rome in the 1st–3rd centuries, mostly from Spain. Oil jars couldn't be reused, so they were smashed and stacked here in neat layers sprinkled with lime.
It's one of antiquity's biggest rubbish heaps and a priceless archive: many shards still bear stamps naming merchants and dates. You can climb it only on a booked guided tour; at its foot, restaurants and clubs built into caves in the slope show walls of shards.
What to see in Testaccio
- Testaccio Market — the covered market with street food.
- Monte Testaccio — the hill of ancient amphora shards.
- Mattatoio — the former slaughterhouse, now a cultural centre.
- Piazza Testaccio — with its Amphora Fountain, the heart of the district.
- Pyramid of Cestius — at the edge, by Piramide metro.
- Non-Catholic Cemetery — a peaceful cypress garden beside the pyramid.
- Tiber embankment — a walk to the bridge into Trastevere.
How to get to Testaccio
Tap a route to highlight it on the map.
Where are you starting from?
We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.
On foot
- Pyramid of Cestius is about 10 min away on foot.
- Aventine Keyhole is about 15 min away on foot.
- Santa Sabina is about 16 min away on foot.
More tips
- Metro line B to Piramide, then 5–10 minutes on foot.
- Trams 3 and 8 stop on Via Marmorata.
- From the Aventine, a 10–15-minute walk downhill.
- From Trastevere, over Ponte Sublicio — 10 minutes.
Is Testaccio worth it?
Yes, if you love food and want to see everyday Rome: the best Roman cooking at normal prices, with hardly a tourist. The amphora hill is unique in the world. Combine it with the Pyramid of Cestius, the Aventine and St Paul Outside the Walls.
Before you go
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Rome's markets and neighbourhoods: compare and choose
Markets and neighbourhoods in Rome rated by YesGo. Click a column header to sort.
| Campo de' Fiori | 47 | 30 min | Free | 38 min walk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trastevere | 44 | 2 h | Free | 25 min walk |
| Testaccioyou are here | 38 | 2 h | Free | — |
Testaccio and Ostiense
The Pyramid of Cestius by the metro, lunch at Testaccio Market, then St Paul Outside the Walls.
- Pyramid of Cestius20 min · Free outside
- 8 min walk from the previous stopTestaccioyou are here2 h · Free
- 34 min walk from the previous stopBasilica of St Paul Outside the Walls45 min · Free
3 places · about 3 h 47 min with walks · 42 min on foot in total
Nearby and on the way
How to do it right
- Lunch at the market is cheap and delicious.
- The market is closed on Sundays.
- The amphora hill needs a booked tour.
- Piramide metro is right by it.
Questions
What is Testaccio?
An old working-class Rome district by the Tiber, known for its market, Roman cooking and a hill of ancient amphorae.
When is Testaccio Market open?
Usually Monday to Saturday, morning to mid-afternoon; closed Sunday.
What is Monte Testaccio?
An artificial hill about 35 m high made from roughly 53 million broken 1st–3rd-century amphorae.
How do I get to Testaccio?
Metro B to Piramide, then 5–10 minutes on foot.
What should I eat in Testaccio?
Oxtail stew, tripe, carbonara, cacio e pepe and the market's street food.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.
Sources and fact-check
- English Wikipedia, Testaccio and Monte Testaccio
- Turismo Roma: Mercato di Testaccio
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