Garbatella: discovering an authentic, picturesque and colorful neighborhood
Clothes hanging out to dry at the windows, old gentlemen sitting in bars chatting with a newspaper in hand, the cafes and trattorias of the past and that feeling of time standing still…
Today we take you to discover the Garbatella neighborhood, which with its popular and authentic atmosphere has become, over time, one of the most loved in Rome.
Garbatella, born as a garden city for the factory workers along the Via Ostiense, developed until the 1930s according to logics different from the initial project. Today it is one of the most beloved neighborhoods of the Eternal City: authentic, colorful, rustic, true. Here low houses alternate with villas with gardens of popular appearance nestled between intertwining streets, stairways and common spaces, such as the characteristic drying racks.
In short, you can really breathe the air of authentic Romanness in every corner: among the carbonara dishes of the historic restaurants, in the chatter of the residents, in the famous “lotti” with the murals of Alberto Sordi and in the characteristic cobblestones of the streets.
Walking through the streets of Garbatella is a unique experience that ultimately brings to mind historical anecdotes: in via Basilio Brollio, for example, the writing “Vote Garibaldi Lista N° 1” from 1948 is still visible. With its characteristic streets and stairways, gardens and courtyards between the lots, Garbatella has also proved, over the years, to be the perfect film set for films and TV series, such as Caro Diario by Nanni Moretti, the SKAM series on Netflix or I Cesaroni. It is, in fact, right in the heart of Garbatella, in Piazza Giovanni da Triora, that the iconic “Bar dei Cesaroni” is located, which is worth a visit by enthusiasts and the curious. Finally, don’t miss the small architectural gems scattered around the neighborhood: it is impossible not to mention the Art Nouveau buildings in Piazza Brin, known as the Pincetto, and the Palladium with its neoclassical facade.
