Entertainment in Italy
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A
Colle Bereto
The local fashion scene's bar of choice, uberstylish Colle Bereto is where the bold and the beautiful come to see or be seen for breakfast, lunch or at aperitivo hour.
reviewed
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B
Caffè dei Frari
Take your espresso with a heaping of history at this century-old carved wooden bar, or recover from the sensory overload of I Frari with a sandwich, glass of wine and easy conversation at the dinky indoor cafe tables downstairs or on the Liberty-style wrought-iron balcony upstairs.
reviewed
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C
Teatro dell'Opera di Roma
After seeing the functional and Fascist-era exterior, the interior of Rome's premier opera house – all plush red and gilt – is a stunning surprise. This theatre has an impressive history: it premiered Puccini's Tosca, and Maria Callas sang here. Built in 1880, it was given a Fascist makeover in the 1920s. Contemporary productions don't always match the splendour of the setting, but you may get lucky. Tickets for the ballet cost anywhere between €12 and €80; for the opera you'll be forking out between €23 and €150.
reviewed
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Da Giancarlo
Watch a mixed crowd (dreadlocked, suited, you name it) go right off after hours, with plenty of swaying (to the music, the fumo (pot) and the booze) and lots of laughs. An institution of the best kind - and recommmended by many as the proper way to end a real night out. Grungy, grotty and great.
Be prepared to explain that you're not a member of ARCI (Associazione Ricreativa e Culturale Italiana) at the door - but flash your driving licence from home and you're fine.
reviewed
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D
Al Brindisi
The oldest osteria in the world (according to Guinness), this atmospheric wine bar was already an established drinking den in 1435 – Titian drank here, Benvenuto Cellini dropped in on occasion and Copernicus studied in the room upstairs. Alongside the substantial wine list there’s a strong selection of grappas and whiskies, plus a full menu of pastas, mains and snacks. Fixed-price lunch menus start at €13.
reviewed
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E
Freni e Frizioni
All the young dudes' favourite cool Trastevere bar was a garage in a former life, hence its name ('brakes and clutches'). The arty crowd flocks here to slurp well-priced drinks (especially mojitos), feast on the good-value aperitivo and spill into the piazza out the front.
reviewed
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F
Akab
This eclectic former workshop has an underground cellar, an upper floor, a garden and a whimsical door policy. On Tuesdays it's electronica L'Etrika, while it goes hip hop and R&B on Thursday. Expect local live (often cover) bands on Friday, R&B and house on Saturday. Entrance is €15, including a complimentary drink.
reviewed
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G
La Dolce Vita
A perennial favourite of the city’s status-conscious youth and nearly young, Dolce Vita has stood up to competition from newer offerings such as Noir and Colle Beretto and remains the best place to show off your prowess in selecting designer labels. As weather permits, crowds spill out of the industrial-style interior onto the adjacent piazza, which would be stunning if it weren’t made to double as a car park.
reviewed
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H
Bar del Fico
At the time of writing Bar del Fico was undergoing some works to shore up its façade. By the time you read this, fingers crossed, this long-standing favourite of the capital's bohemians will have reopened and you can return to while away days and nights at its fig-tree-shaded tables. The elderly chess players never left: they carried on their games in the cobbled street beside the building site.
reviewed
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I
Central Park
Flit between a handful of different dance floors at this mainstream club in city park Parco delle Cascine where everything from Latin to pop, house to drum and bass plays. From May the dance floor moves outside beneath the stars.
reviewed
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J
Caffè Meletti
From the shade of the ancient portico you can sip a coffee or the famous anisette as you gaze onto the perfect Italian piazza. Or sit inside to enjoy the statuesque carved wood stairway and bar. It was once a popular spot for the likes of Ernest Hemingway and Jean-Paul Sartre. The cafe, founded in 1907, fell into disrepair but has since been completely restored to its former glory.
reviewed
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K
Kursaal Kalhesa
Recline on plump sofas with silk cushions and sip a cocktail beneath the high vaulted ceilings. There’s a roaring fire in winter, plus art exhibits and a bookstore with foreign newspapers. A lively unpretentious crowd is attracted by the good program of music and literary events. Meals (from €30) are served in the dining room or on the leafy patio flanked by 15th-century walls.
reviewed
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L
Les Affiches
Once the boho-favourite ‘Stardust’, but the name-and-management change doesn’t seem to have made much difference. The hep cats in cool hats are postcard-home handsome and hang out in the cobbled street as well as in the cramped red-and-black rooms inside, and there’s occasional live music at aperitivo o’clock (early evening).
reviewed
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M
Etablì
Housed in an airy 17th-century palazzo, Etablì is a fab rustic-chic lounge bar-cum-restaurant where Roman lovelies float in to have a drink, read the paper, indulge in aperitivo and use the wifi. It’s laid-back and good-looking, with an eclectic soundtrack and original French country decor – think lavender tones, wrought-iron fittings, and comfy armchairs. Restaurant meals average about €35.
reviewed
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N
Twice
Mainstream fun is on tap at this venue that starts the night as a wine bar and then turns into a dance club after 11pm (hence the name). The clientele tends to be Pretty Young Things in search of same. After the aperitivo buffet closes down, the DJs start to arrive with their iPods stuffed with hip-hop and Top 40 dance hits.
reviewed
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O
Casa del Vino
Locals keep popping in all day long for a nip or two from a limited but carefully selected list of daily pourings of Chianti at this quintessential Florentine enoteca (wine bar). Its carved wooden cabinetry, no-nonsense service and mini-panini (bread rolls or sandwiches) round out the happy picture.
reviewed
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P
Lunabar
Atmospherically equidistant between New York and Umbria, the city centre lounge off Corso Vannucci spins together frescoed, Venetian plaster walls with a grey and onyx bar and space-age restrooms. Smokers enjoy their own room and the hungry will appreciate the good aperitivo (happy hour snacks) selection.
reviewed
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Q
Oibò
By day, it’s a neighbourhood bar where locals get their croissant and cappuccinos. But by night, Oibò becomes Via de’ Benci’s top hot spot, attracting a young-skewing crowd who down fruity cocktails and, despite space restraints, gyrate to house and pop sounds spun by resident DJs.
reviewed
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R
B>Gallery
Contemporary art buffs and the design-inclined know where to head for a cultured sip. Join them in the minimalist bookshop/bar for fashionable tomes and cool Camparis, or head into the basement gallery for anything from multimedia and fashion installations to Mexican photography.
reviewed
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S
Naima
Naima ‘Cocktails and more' is the tagline of this chic sharp bar, with industrial metalwork, pretty-in-pink lampshades and DJs spinning tunes after dark. Apéritifs are served from 18:30 to 21:00 and the bar stool–clad place is a wi-fi hotspot.
reviewed
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T
Fiorio
There’s something evocative about inhabiting Mark Twain’s old window seat as you contemplate the gilded interior of a cafe where 19th-century students once plotted revolutions and the Count of Cavour deftly played whist. And all this before your coffee has even arrived.
reviewed
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U
Bottega del Vino
A fire or candles burn atmospherically on the terrace, while inside, live jazz and hundreds of bottles of wine lining the walls add to the romance of the setting. You can taste dozens of Umbrian wines, which you can purchase with the help of sommelier-like experts.
reviewed
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V
Leningrad Café
Another hip venue, this café-club down a quiet alley in the San Martino quarter of town pelts out everything from garage, punk and indie rock to rock 'n' roll, swing and soul. DJs spin during the week and Saturday sees cabaret steal the show.
reviewed
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W
Joshua Tree
Scruffy and relaxed, this is a tavern where bullshit is barred and the only Irish 'themes' come by way of Murphy's stout, moody shades of green and conviviality by the keg. It gets a lot louder as the night goes on but then don't we all?
reviewed
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X
Cabiria
Cabiria, a popular cafe by day, converts into a busy nocturnal music bar that continues on way past your bedtime. In summer, the buzz extends onto Piazza Santo Spirito, which becomes a stage for an outdoor bar and regular free concerts.
reviewed