Bar entertainment in Tuscany
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A
Sky Lounge Continentale
This rooftop bar with wooden decking terrace accessible from the 5th floor of the Ferragamo-owned Hotel Continentale is as chic as one would expect of a fashion-house hotel. Its evening aperitivo buffet might be a modest affair, but who cares with that fabulous, drop-dead-gorgeous panorama of one of Europe's most beautiful cities. Dress the part or feel out of place.
reviewed
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B
Dolce Vita
For the city's hip set on the other side of the river, this '80s favourite remains the address. Live Brazilian beats and jazz set the mood both outside on the decking terrace and in the design-driven interior, host to small photography and art exhibitions.
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C
Moyo
Free wi-fi until 7.30pm pulls in a moneyed younger set at this trendy all-rounder, popular for breakfast (€7 to €10), lunch (€8), aperitivi or late-night drinks. Cocktails (€6 to €7) are big - cranberry martini with lemon juice and triple sec is the house speciality - and DJs spin tip-top tunes Thursday to Saturday. And the decor? Think chandelier and bamboo!
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D
Lounge Caffè
Directly opposite Temple Bar, this venue is worth a late-hour slug.
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E
Betty Blue
A lively spot with 1960s-style mustard plastic-coated bar stools, op art on the walls and plenty of slouching space inside and out.
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F
Vino & Kino
Cult and classic movies screened twice weekly at this cultural association where Lucca's cultured set meet for wine and aperitif nibbles.
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Caffè Ortensia
Among several pleasantly poky bars along Via di Pantaneto, this place is small, crowded and much favoured by students, both local and visiting.
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H
Loonees
A popular venue for the city’s international students, this subterranean club hosts live tribute bands and spins reggae, blues and rock tracks.
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Vita Bella
Opposite the Chiesa di San Francesco, Vita Bella is an agreeable place with wrought-iron chairs where you can sip a Negroni and watch the world go by.
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J
La Rotonda
This cavernous place spreads over two floors. Part pub, part music bar (sometimes with live action), it offers simple grub and attracts a largely Italian crowd.
reviewed
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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.
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Op Art Café
Art exhibitions add another dimension to this modern wine bar where a designer set meets for cocktails, a bruschetta and meal-sized salads. It buzzes come aperitivo time - great buffet!
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Compagni di Merende
A friendly, unassuming little wine bar with an unparalleled position, tucked under the loggia overlooking Piazza Grande. Enjoy a plate of cheese or cold cuts, or simply a restorative glass of wine.
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Pick a Flower
This cheerful bar and eatery attracts a lively, chic crowd. The moody atmosphere is spread over two floors with candlelight, high ceilings, good wine and tapas. Find heated student discussions on the outside terrace.
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O
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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P
Almatea
If you feel like dressing up, Almatea is the ideal place to go once your clothes are on. Sip cocktails with glamorous locals and slink across the floor to groovy sounds. The perfect start, middle or end to a great night on the town.
reviewed
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Q
Pub Ambarabà
A popular bar that has an array of good wine, sassy cocktails and international beer. Compliment the refined atmosphere with a serve of light veggie snacks and jump on the Internet for some casual browsing to complete the experience.
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R
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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S
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.
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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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Bazeel
This bar draws a mixed clientele and is famous for its aperitivo spread. After 9pm there's usually live music or a DJ. Check its Twitter feed for what's on.
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I Santi Vineria
A wine shop with a few tables and large green umbrellas in front, this is a tranquil spot to sip wine under the watchful eye of Madonna and child. Tasty morsels served are as predictable as a cheese platter and as unpredictable as stewed octopus. Wi-fi hotspot!
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W
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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X
Caffetteria Betsabea
Students from the political sciences faculty luurvvv this simple café which dishes are 20 types of well-stuffed sandwiches, meal-sized salads and loads of different dressed pasta - all served on wicker platters - as well as drinks from dawn to dusk.
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Y
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.
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