Must-see entertainment in Rome

  • Top Choice
    Auditorium Parco della Musica

    The hub of Rome's thriving cultural scene and home to Rome's world-class Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia (www.santacecilia.it), the…

  • Teatro dell'Opera di Roma

    Rome's premier opera house, aka Teatro Costanzi, boasts a dramatic red-and-gold interior, a Fascist 1920s exterior and an impressive history: it premiered…

  • Nuovo Cinema Palazzo

    Students, artists and activists are breathing new life into San Lorenzo's former Palace Cinema with a bevy of exciting creative happenings: think film…

  • Caffè Letterario

    Caffè Letterario is an intellectual hang-out housed in the funky, somewhat underground, post-industrial space of a former garage. It combines designer…

  • Terme di Caracalla

    The hulking ruins of this vast 3rd-century baths complex set the memorable stage for the Teatro dell'Opera's summer performance season.

  • Stadio Olimpico

    A trip to Rome’s impressive Stadio Olimpico offers an unforgettable insight into Rome’s sporting heart. Throughout the football season (late August to May…

  • Alexanderplatz

    Intimate, underground and hard to find – look for the discreet black door near the corner – Rome's most celebrated jazz club draws top Italian and…

  • Charity Café

    Think narrow space, spindly tables, dim lighting and a laid-back vibe: this is a place to snuggle down and listen to some live jazz, soul or blues. It's…

  • Teatro Argentina

    Founded in 1732, Rome’s top theatre is one of three managed by the Teatro di Roma, along with the Teatro India and Teatro di Villa Torlonia. Rossini’s…

  • Isola del Cinema

    Running from mid-June to September in conjunction with the riverside Lungo il Tevere festival, the Isola Tiberina sets the stage for a season of outdoor…

  • ConteStaccio

    A fixture on Rome's music scene, ConteStaccio is one of the top venues on the Testaccio clubbing strip. It's known for its free gigs, which feature both…

  • Nuovo Sacher

    Owned by cult Roman film director Nanni Moretti, this small cinema with classic red-velvet seats is the place to catch the latest European art-house…

  • Fonclea Pub

    Fonclea is a great little pub venue, with nightly gigs by bands playing everything from jazz and soul to pop, rock and doo-wop. Get in the mood with a…

  • Gregory’s Jazz Club

    If Gregory's were a tone of voice, it’d be husky: unwind over a whisky in the downstairs bar, then unwind some more on squashy sofas upstairs to slinky…

  • Teatro Vascello

    Left-field in vibe and location, this independent fringe theatre in off-the-beaten-tourist-track Monteverde stages interesting, cutting-edge new work,…

  • Teatro Palladium

    Once at risk of being turned into a bingo hall, the historic Teatro Palladium (1926), with a beautifully renovated 1920s interior, stages a rich…

  • Big Mama

    Head to this cramped basement for a mellow night of Eternal City blues. A long-standing venue, it also stages jazz, funk, soul and R&B acts, as well as…

  • Accademia Filarmonica Romana

    The academy was founded in 1821 and its members have included Rossini, Donizetti and Verdi. It still attracts star performers, and its varied program…

  • La Casa del Jazz

    Located in the Villa Osio park near the Terme di Caracalla, the House of Jazz comprises three buildings housing a 150-seat auditorium, recording studio,…

  • Cinema dei Piccoli

    Near the Villa Borghese's southern entrance (Piazzale San Paolo del Brasile), the Cinema dei Piccoli is the world’s smallest cinema according to the…