Photos: Ermell, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 BouncyCactus, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 N i c o l a from Fiumicino (Rome), Italy, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo credits
Photos: Ermell, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 BouncyCactus, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 N i c o l a from Fiumicino (Rome), Italy, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Monte Testaccio, a hill made of amphorae
Your local guide
Simone Rizzo
View profile
Highlights
- A hill built from broken ancient pottery
- Nearly two thousand years of discarded amphorae
- Modern clubs built into ancient rubble
- Ancient trade and today's nightlife, connected
- An unusual hill hiding in plain sight
About this tour
This session looks at Monte Testaccio, an artificial hill made almost entirely of broken ancient amphorae discarded over centuries. You see the pottery fragments still visible in the slope and the modern bars and clubs built directly into the same hillside today. It links the district's ancient food trade to its present-day nightlife.
I stand at the hillside and explain how the discarded pottery built up over time, taking questions throughout. I send a short note afterwards with more on the ancient trade that produced it.
This suits anyone interested in an unusual piece of Roman history. It also pairs well with an evening session on Testaccio's nightlife built into the same hill.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
-
Welcome and sound check 5 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Rome before heading out.
-
Broken amphora fragments 15 min
You see pottery fragments still visible in the hillside, and I explain how nearly two thousand years of broken olive oil jars built an entire hill.
-
The clubs built into the slope 15 min
I point out where bars and clubs have been built directly into the hillside, using the same ancient rubble as insulation.
-
Your questions 7 min
Time to ask anything about Rome: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
-
A short list to keep 3 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Amatriciana and Testaccio, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in Rome time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 9 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Rome, showing you Broken amphora fragments and The clubs built into the slope live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
Do I need to know the history already?
No background needed. The guide explains everything as it comes up.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We connect on Google Meet and I send the link with your booking. I stand where broken pottery is still visible in the hillside itself.
Times shown in Rome time (CET)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Reviews appear here after travellers have completed this tour.
How reviews work
Only travellers who booked and paid through Locals Guide and whose tour took place can leave a review, within 60 days of the tour. Every review is marked "Verified booking". We check reviews before they appear and publish positive and negative ones alike; we remove only reviews that break our rules (insults, personal data, unrelated content). Guides cannot pay for, edit or hide reviews, and ratings are the plain average of all published reviews.
Next: Thu 5 Nov · 9 seats left From 20,00 €
Book