Sensory interaction between food culture and the historic town: Food Markets in Rome

The link between cultural heritage and food, contrary to what it may appear, is very strong, as food itself represents that fil rouge that starts from the direct cultivation of the land, through agricultural practices, culinary techniques, rituals and traditions, and reaches the use of technical tools and design, architectural and engineering structures of value and consistency. In addition, it should not be forgotten that food is survival, and therefore native food systems that can guarantee sustainable nutrition for all the Earth's inhabitants should be fostered and protected. Food characterises the everyday life of human beings and the landscapes of our territories; it is an important element, a guide, through which one can access the discovery of places and their identity. Based on these premises, it was decided to document in this contribution the relationship between food culture and the historical town by focusing on the Food Markets in Rome, in some of which there are also Street Food outlets. Through an environmental and multisensory analysis of some examples of Food Markets in the historic centre of Rome, a new way of narrating the history of the town is proposed in terms of sensorial perception with the aim of stimulating cultural tourism aimed at understanding the historical roots of the present starting from food places.