Eataly is a chain of high-quality food stores. Eataly in Rome renewed an Air Terminal to build a nice shop that attracts tourists from all over the World.
The brand Eataly
During some stays in Turin, I stayed overnight in a hostel located in the Olympic village. The receptionist advised me to go to Eataly, which she defined as a place where many tourists buy souvenirs. From the hostel, I walked along the Olympic footbridge that is above the railway to reach the Lingotto exhibition center.
Eataly is in a building next to Lingotto exhibition center, precisely on the north side of the Lingotto exhibition center. As Eataly is between the metro stops of “Lingotto” and “Spezia”, it’s fine to get off at either stop if reaching by metro.
I really appreciated that mix between supermarket and small restaurants, completely designed in an old vermouth factory. Eataly had redeveloped a disused place but maintained the specific features that recalled its original destination. I sealed the moment with a good ice cream.
After that, I also became fond of the largest Eataly in Rome Ostiense, a building that has accompanied me for years. Eataly sometimes renews old buildings. In Rome the company used the Air Terminal, one of the most impressive buildings built for the 1990s World Cup in Italy. The building was designed by the Madrid architect Julio Lafuente. The Air Terminal was never really in use, despite being designed as a hub between the railway and road traffic to reach Fiumicino airport.
As part of the same project for the 1990 World Cup in Italy, a small round venue was built, which for years housed the Rocco Balocco toy store. Once I tried to set foot there and it was so bleak that it reminded me of an illegal market. Recently, this building was also redeveloped to become a sports shop. Particularly during the Christmas holidays, a market of handicraft products is set up in the outdoor areas.
Eataly in Rome
The Air Terminal architecture recalls the shapes of the great nineteenth-century stations. The Air Terminal was easily adapted to house the colossal shopping center for good food. Today there are three long floors dedicated to tasty food.
Entering Eataly from the main entrance, you can find books, kitchen utensils, a bar, a pastry shop and an ice cream maker on the left side. On right side, you can find the bakery, fruit, vegetables and breakfast products.
The escalators allow access to the second floor, where the sausages and cheeses, the butcher’s and the fishmonger’s are located. Continuing along the corridor, you cross the beer wing to reach packaged foods: packs of pasta, bottles of olive oil, numerous products in oil or brine.
The third floor features the large wine cellar where hundreds of Italian wines can be found. Local wines include the red wines of the Castelli Romani area and the white wines of Montefiascone, on Lake Bolsena.
In addition, there are restaurants that are constantly changing to enrich the supply on all floors. The brewery serves up great burgers in front of a screen to watch football matches. To keep interest alive, Eataly organizes various events, including cooking and tasting courses.
How to find it
Travel tips: Getting to Eataly is simple thanks to its proximity to the Ostiense station and the “Piramide” stop of metro line B. However, tourists must be careful to take the right direction inside the railway underpass to reach the entrance of “piazzale 12 ottobre 1492”.
From the “Piramide” Station of metro B, you have to exit in the direction of Roma Ostiense station and Fiumicino Airport. Then, continue along the corridor that leads into the tunnel below the railway tracks. Arriving at the last track no. 15, you must continue in the tunnel, until it becomes inevitable to climb the stairs. The staircase leads directly to the Eataly building. The entrance is a little bit further on.
Obviously, the same goes for those arriving by train. The most important information that tourists must remember is to cross platform no. 15 of the Ostiense station. You must avoid following the signs for the Rome-Lido railway, piazzale Ostiense, Rome-Porta San Paolo and Piazzale dei Partigiani.
Written by Enrico, Translated by Hua and Photo from Hua
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