shopper

To go to this Sunday flea market, we have to wake up insanely early since we are leaving for Siena that day. Worth it or not?

Dale

Went there a couple of years ago. It is absolute mayhem. More people per sq. meter than anywhere else on earth. Wild, but fun.

shopper-2

By the way in which you asked your question, it sounds like going to the market on Sunday morning will be a major inconvience for you ("insanely early"). I say you already know the answer --- for you it's not worth it.<BR><BR>Rest assured there's nothing at this flea market that you won't be able to find elsewhere in your trip. As Dale's described it, this marketplace in Rome is very busy. Sleep in --- then enjoy your trip to Siena.<BR>

shopper

Being somewhat of a shopaholic, I will do anything for a good deal, including waking up insanely early. (I am known as the designer-sample-sale-queen to my friends in NYC) But it is helpful to know the market does not carry anything special. I guess we'll see how later we are out the night before.

sally

I don't think it is worth it. Most of the stuff is a pile of junk that you won't want anyway. that is just my opinion.

Barbara

During my 5 day trip to Rome last spring, I scheduled a trip to Porta Portesi for my group. The visit was interesting, but definitely NOT worth the 1/2 day it took! We all agreed it was not the best use of our time. Unless you are really a flea market junkie, I would skip it.

carol

Agree with all, especially Dale--a morning at the Porta Portese is an experience of the "real" Roma but there are no real bargains to be found, even for a shopoholic. If you had more time, this is a really fun thing to do, especially if you grab a porchetta sandwich for lunch!

teener

Went in Novevember, 2002. It was the worst experience. It was mobbed, you could barely move. What made it truly horrendous was that people were smoking so you had to watch being hit with lit cigarettes. And it started to rain so people actually tried to put up umbrellas.

SG

We went in November 2002, as well. No rain, nobody smoking. Apparently we went on a different Sunday than teener went! Yes, it was like a contained mob scene and I don't think we ran into any &quot;awesome deals&quot; but the absolute &quot;find&quot; of my entire trip to Italy was a couple of Jackie Chan movies on videotape dubbed in Italian that we got at the flea market. I don't understand Italian but I love these movies! <BR><BR>Yeah, we probably could have found these tapes somewhere else in Rome in a video store but I wouldn't trade my flea market experience for anything!

Sherry

We went last May. There are mobs of people and a lot of junk. There is new merchandise too. <BR>It is also a dream area for pickpockets. After we returned to the hotel and told the desk person where we were, they said they hoped we had held on to our wallets.<BR>There were a lot of religious artifacts as I remember.