There's a lot vying for attention in the Eternal City – the Colosseum, the Sistine Chapel, the Pantheon, and don't get us started on the pizza.
But beyond the famed monuments and galleries, the cosmopolitan city hides gourmet gelaterias, traditional trattorias, vintage markets and more.
We've tracked down the unheralded locales at the very heart of Rome.
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1. Trattoria Monti
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Book ahead to guarantee yourself a seat at the humble, 12-table Trattoria Monti where the menu swaps traditional Roman fare for cuisine from the Le Marche region. We love the stuffed rabbit with braised radicchio, savory red onion flan with gorgonzola, and housemade, plate-sized tortellone. Pair your meal with a glass of the house red or white (or a bottle from the regional wine list). If you manage to save enough room for dessert, the pear tartes, melon sorbet and zabaglione are perfect denouements. Warning: this isn't one of those restaurants you just casually pop into - it's only open 1pm-2:45pm and 8pm-10:45pm - so plan accordingly.
2. Porta Portese Flea Market
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You won’t find a flea market quite like Porta Portese. It's the largest in Rome and filled with all manner of items, from vintage dresses and antiques to old cameras, posters and more. Spend a Sunday morning perusing the hundreds of stands for one-of-a-kind souvenirs to bring home.
3. Volpetti Deli
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If you thought you knew a thing or two about Italian delis after visiting NYC or Chicago’s Eataly, think again. The pint-sized Volpetti Deli in the Testaccio neighborhood is filled beyond capacity with olive oils, cheeses, dried fruits, cured meats and breads - the very benchmarks of a primo Italian grocery. There's never a slow day here, and the shopworkers mainly speak Italian, but don't let the fast-paced atmosphere intimidate. Gourmand or not, the endless free samples of balsamics, tartines, prosciutto and regional delicacies doled out by brothers and owners Claudio and Emilio Volpetti (and their extended family) are sure to make a foodie of you yet. Next door, the sibling duo have opened a buzzy pizzeria; we're obsessed with the Casertana - loaded with Buffalo mozzarella, cherry tomatoes and basil - and the Focaccia con Gamberetti - with shrimp, parsley and lemon.
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