Testaccio Market food tour Rome: Pyramid of Caius Cestius

Walk from a 2,000-year-old pyramid into Rome's working market

A guided food tour of Rome's Testaccio neighbourhood starting at the Pyramid of Caius Cestius and moving through Piazza Testaccio and the market itself. You taste three dishes (fresh pasta, a Roman second course and cheese) paired with wine, and learn how the former slaughterhouse district became a cultural hub. The tour runs two hours with a live guide in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and other languages.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each2 stops

1. Pyramid of Caius Cestius20m
2. Testaccio Market40m

Explore Testaccio's culture and cuisine

• Visit Pyramid of Cestia
• Walk through Piazza Testaccio
• Discover former slaughterhouse
• Explore Testaccio Market stalls

The experience

The Pyramid of Caius Cestius sits at the edge of Testaccio, built over 2,000 years ago as a tomb for a Roman magistrate and blending Roman and Egyptian design in a way nothing else in the city does. You start there, at Metro Piramide, and walk into the neighbourhood proper: past Piazza Testaccio, the market's historical centre, and through the ex-mattatoio, the former slaughterhouse that now operates as a cultural venue. The walk itself is the frame. The food is what fills it.

Testaccio Market is where the tour settles. Veteran stalls selling produce and prepared foods sit alongside newer vendors, and the guide takes you through both, stopping to taste. You get fresh pasta at one counter, a Roman second course (typically offal or slow-cooked meat, the neighbourhood's traditional fare) at another, and a cheese platter at a third, each tasting paired with a glass of wine. The market is still a working space where Romans shop. You are moving through their everyday, not a stage built for tourists.

The tour runs two hours and covers ground without rushing. All surfaces are wheelchair accessible, and the guide speaks your language: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian or one of two others. Children of any age can join, though wine service starts at 18.

What’s included

• Glass of wine.
• three tastings of fresh pasta, Roman second course and cheese platter.
• live guide in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian or other languages.

Before you book

Lasts 2h, runs every day, 9 start times, from € 89.10 per person, with live guides in 6 languages, as a private tour and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery day9 departure times: the first at 09:30, the last at 18:00

Book up to20h before

AgesAdult (16 and older) · Youth (11 to 15 years) · Child (4 to 10 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Italian and Portuguese

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Walkingourmet

Is this one for you?Book this if you're staying anywhere in Rome and want to eat through a neighbourhood without extra transport. It starts at Metro Piramide and keeps you walking within Testaccio itself.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian and Portuguese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (11 to 15 years); Child (4 to 10 years); Infant (under 4): free.

What is the Pyramid of Caius Cestius and why does the tour start there?

The Pyramid of Caius Cestius is a 2,000-year-old tomb built for a Roman magistrate in Testaccio, combining Roman and Egyptian architectural styles. The tour begins there because it marks the edge of the neighbourhood and sets the historical context before moving into the market district itself.

What do you actually taste and drink during the two hours?

You taste three dishes: fresh pasta, a Roman second course (typically a traditional meat or offal preparation), and a cheese platter. Each tasting comes with a glass of wine included in the tour.

Is Testaccio Market still a place where local Romans shop, or is it set up for tourists?

Testaccio Market remains a working neighbourhood market where Romans buy food daily. The tour moves through both established stalls and newer vendors, so you experience the market as a living space, not a staged attraction.

What happened to the ex-mattatoio, the old slaughterhouse the tour passes?

The ex-mattatoio, once a series of pavilions on the slopes of Monte dei Cocci where meat was slaughtered and distributed for the city, now operates as a dynamic cultural centre hosting events and exhibitions.