Once lined with 300 Corinthian columns, adorned with lavish works of art, and home to the Temples of Juno Regina and Jupiter Stato, a library, and meeting halls, the Portico of Octavia (Porticus Octaviae) was used as a fish market in the Middle Ages and today marks the center of the Jewish Ghetto. One of Rome’s most unique neighborhoods, the Ghetto is the geographic and cultural heart of the city’s Jewish community and home to a vibrant food and wine scene.
Walking tours of this area touch on its Jewish landmarks like the Synagogue and Jewish Museum, as well as the ancient sites of the Portico of Octavia, Teatro di Marcello, and the Bocca della Verità (Mouth of Truth) marble mask at the Basilica of St. Mary in Cosmedin, made famous in the Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck film Roman Holiday. Another excellent way to discover the history and culture of this unique corner of Rome is with a private or small-group food tour highlighting the neighborhood’s cuisine.