Entertainment in Florence
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Mamma
On those warm summer nights half of Florence seems to be here (the other half is probably on holiday). Tables on the grass in the shadow of the illuminated city walls, a series of bars and even some Bedouin-style tent space attract hordes of tanned and showy locals.
reviewed
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Le Volpi e l'uva
The city's best enoteca con degustazione (wine bar with tasting) bar none: this intimate address with marble-topped bar crowning two oak ageing wine barrels chalks up an extraordinarily impressive list of wines by the glass (€3.50 to €8) on its blackboard. To attain true bliss indulge in the most divine crostini (€6.50) topped with honeyed speck perhaps or lardo, a platter of boutique Tuscan cheeses (try the Rocco made by Fattoria Corzano e Paterno) or other delectable antipasti.
reviewed
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C
William
Although it's another of the English-style contingent (of which you may have noticed there is no shortage), this cavernous drinking den tends to attract groups of young Florentines in search of a pint of ale rather than gangs of holiday-makers in search of six.
reviewed
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D
Antica Sosta Delgi Aldobrandini
Perched on San Lorenzo’s liveliest square, this corner bar preserves its old-fashioned wooden interior, but works best in fair weather when you can sit out on its terrace. Reasonably priced pourings and generous, made-to-order sandwiches attract student types.
reviewed
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Zoe
With its industrial-chic interior, nickel-clad bar and glowing Venetian-glass lamps, this busy San Niccolò bar fairly heaves with its squadrons of young local punters, who often spill out onto the street in warmer weather. DJs spin electronica most nights.
reviewed
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Salamanca
This pseudo-Spanish joint has an attractive horseshoe bar but you won't get near it at weekends when the place reverberates to flamenco rock and fills to the rafters with foreign girls and local boys. Dress to sweat and don't underestimate the cocktails.
reviewed
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G
Vinarius
If you're after a civilised wine stop in the course of the day, drop by here and indulge in a little tasting. They put out more than a dozen reds and several whites by the glass for you to choose from - a combination of Tuscan and national labels.
reviewed
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Y@G
The mainstream answer to Tabasco, this relaxed gay club caters to a younger crowd of both sexes with its large bar, small dance floor offering up Diva dance hits on the flat-screen, and a separate lounge done up in wallpaper of a clever plaid.
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Plasma
Inside this minimalist fiberoptic-lit drinking space, some of the city’s best DJs spin cutting-edge electronica. The bourgeois-hip crowd sips cocktails on Level 0 and gets lost in video art projected on eight giant plasma screens on Level 1.
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Caffè Giacosa
This small cafe is as famous for what it was – an 1815 child, Negroni inventor and hub of Anglo-Florentine sophistication during the interwar years – as what it is today (hip cafe of local hotshot designer Roberto Cavalli, whose flagship boutique is next door). Giacosa is known for its reasonable prices and also runs the equally hip cafe across the street in the courtyard of Palazzo Strozzi.
reviewed
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Caffe delle Oblate
On the top floor of a convent–turned–public library, this new cafe offers plenty of space to spread out, with tables scattered around a vast, open-air loggia. Views of the adjacent Duomo are remarkable, and there’s even free wi-fi.
reviewed
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Cluricane Pub
Touting itself as a Guinness bar, this is really a warm, dark, drinking cubicle, with a fan over the bar and Latin music. But the Guinness (warm and cold) and Kilkenny are there. A handful of tables are set up outside in the warmer months.
reviewed
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Teatro della Limonaia
Fringe theatre on the fringe of Florence, this atmospheric little theatre also hosts the Intercity Festival in late summer, when contemporary theatre companies from different international capitals are invited to stage their performances.
reviewed
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Eby's Latin Bar
Bright blues and reds greet you in a festive Mexican fashion in this lively Latin bar. Cocktails are good and the music tropical. Burritos (around €4.50) and other snacks are on hand and the place is a hit with locals.
reviewed
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James Joyce
Neither as Irish nor as literary as the name suggests, this bar-cum-beer garden attracts a gregarious student and post-grad crowd with its large outdoor terrace, Guinness on tap, table football and requisite U2 soundtrack.
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Sei Divino
This stylish 'wine gallery' hosts one of Florence's most happening aperitivo scenes, complete with music, the odd exhibition and plenty of pavement action.
reviewed
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La Pavonière
DJ sessions and live bands by the pool is the thrust of this fabulous Miami-style summer project by Tenax – apéritif and cocktail bar with music until late around the swimming pool in Parco delle Cascine.
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Chequers Pub
Mainly foreigners hang out in this big and busy UK-style pub, although Italians sometimes frequent it too. In the background the big-screen TV will feature anything from European football to American basketball.
reviewed
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Caffè Concerto Paszkowski
Born as a brewery overlooking the city’s fish market in 1846, this Florentine institution lured the literary set a century ago. Today it pulls a whole gamut of punters with its great cakes and live piano music.
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Lion's Fountain
If you have the urge to hear more English than Italian - or local bands play for that matter - this is the place. Plump on a pretty pedestrian square, Florence's busiest Irish pub buzzes in summer when the beer-loving crowd spills across most of the square. Live music.
reviewed
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Odeon Cinehall
This lovingly restored early 20th-century theatre, complete with intact balcony seats and Tiffany-style cupola, shows films in their original English-language on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.
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Jazz Club
Catch salsa, blues, Dixieland and world music as well as jazz at Florence's top jazz venue.
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Sant'Ambrogio Caffè
A truly local bar, this place draws a congenial crew of smart 30-somethings and funkier arty types. Tables are set up outside in summer, and there are reasonable snacks during the day.
reviewed
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Cinema Fulgor
Thursday night is mainstream English-language movie night here, and you can get discount passes for groups or multiple sessions. In general Wednesday is cheap cinema day in Firenze.
reviewed
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Be Bop Music Club
Inspired by the swinging sixties, this beloved retro venue features everything from Led Zeppelin and Beatles cover bands to swing jazz and 1970s funk.
reviewed