SOMETHING ABOUT OUR LOCATION : CAMPO DE' FIORI

SOMETHING ABOUT OUR LOCATION : CAMPO DE' FIORI

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One of the world's liveliest outdoor markets opens for business is here in Campo de' Fiori-a vast,moving still-life of tables piled high with bargain trinkets, kitchen equipment, and enough glistening produce, fresh cheese, meat, and fish to make an amateur chef long for a kitchen instead of a hotel room to return to.

Just behind Campo de' fiori, on Corso Vittorio Emanuele street, Begin with a stop at S. Andrea della Valle, the baroque setting for the first act of Verdi's Tosca.

By night, the square is an international youth fest, where caffes overflow with locals and tourists; everyone is meeting at the base of the statue of Giordano Bruno in the center of the piazza.

The statue honors the iconoclastic scholar whose conviction for heresy, unlike Galileo's 30 years later, has never been retracted by the Church, and who was burned alive on this spot on February 17th, 1600.

The surrounding streets, mostly named for the trades once practiced in them, are filled with stylish shops and restaurants. Stop into Fahrenheit 451  on the north side of the square to see its well-stocked shelves of books in English, and the bakery Forno for memorable bread and pastries.

One of the best surrounding  streets Via dei Giubbonari  is lined with inexpensive fashion boutiques, pretty much from end to end.

Today it's filled with people and activity round the clock, but centuries ago Campo dei Fiori was just a flowery meadow (as suggested by its name, which literally means “field of flowers”) and an execution spot during the Inquisition.

Here, the philosopher Giordano Bruno was burned at the stake for heresy in 1600, allegedly for daring to opine that the earth revolved around the sun. His statue now stands at the centre of this square.During the day, Campo dei Fiori hosts an open-air food market from Monday to Saturday. Stalls set up around 07.00 and pack up around 13.30.

Here you can find seasonal fruits and vegetables, as well as fresh meat and fish. Lining the square are food shops, restaurants and plenty of outdoor cafes