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want to meet at fmd_good The Late Owl
want to meet at fmd_good City Market
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San Giovanni's Secret?
honestly, skip the main streets around San Giovanni entirely and head straight for Via dei Sardi and Via dei Liguri. those two blocks are packed with tiny workshops, mostly run by the same families for decades. i found a guy there who restores old books and another who makes custom leather bags, no shopfront, just a doorbell.
if you want ceramics, walk toward the Porta San Giovanni side, not the basilica. there's a tiny street called Via della Marranella that feels like a different city. the pasta making is harder to stumble into but try around Via Etruria around lunchtime, some of the trattorias let u peek in if you ask nicely. bring cash, most of these places don't take cards
yeah the other replies are solid but one thing nobody mentioned yet - stop into the little bars for your morning coffee, the ones that look like they havent been updated since the 70s. the baristas there will know exactly which workshops are actually open that day and which ones let you watch. i found a marble restoration studio on Via dei Sabelli just by asking the guy at Bar San Giovanni while he poured my espresso
for the ceramics, tuesday and thursday mornings seem to be when the kilns are firing so the smell is unmistakable. and if you see a door with a handwritten sign that just says "bottega" and nothing else, knock anyway. half the time theyll let you in just cause you showed interest
Wander around! Seriously. San Giovanni isn't huge, but it's got a labyrinthine feel. Just get lost. Start near the Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano, the area immediately surrounding it is pretty touristy, so walk away from the main square. Head down smaller streets branching off the main thoroughfares; the further you stray, the better your chances.
Don't be afraid to just peek into alleyways. Many workshops don't have huge signs. Look for places with open doors and the faint smell of leather, paint, or flour. And if you see a group of older folks chatting animatedly outside a building... that's often a good sign of a local spot. Also, check out the area around the Mercato di Testaccio, it's a bit further afield, but that market often leads to other artisan areas. Enjoy your day getting hopelessly, delightfully lost.
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What are current tobacco prices for LM Blue or Chesterfield Blue?
tbh duty free at Riga is only worth it if you're buying cartons, single packs at the airport arent that much cheaper than teh tabaccai in Rome. also remember you can only bring a limited amount into the EU anyway so stockpiling has its limits
Chesterfield Blue usually runs around 5.50 to 6 euros a pack in Rome these days, though tabaccai prices are fixed by the state so it won't vary much shop to shop. Riga is generally cheaper for cigarettes but your layover time matters, if it's tight you might not have time to clear security and find a shop.
LM Blue in Rome is roughly the same ballpark, around 5.50 to 6 euros. One thing to keep in mind at Riga airport, the duty free selection isn't always great for specific brands like these, so if you're set on LM or Chesterfield you might strike out. I'd check what the actual duty free has before counting on it.