Venice
Dress to the nines and swan straight past the 'hotel guests only' sign to the glamorous bar that fills the grand hall of the 14th-century Palazzo Dandolo…
Must-see nightlife in Italy
Centro Storico
Advance reservations are essential if you are keen to watch the sun setting over the fountains of Piazza Navona from the rooftop terrace bar-restaurant of…
San Polo & Santa Croce
Positioned on Venice’s loveliest campo (square), this wine bar specialises in vini naturali (natural-process wines) – organic, biodynamic, wild-yeast…
Northwestern Tuscany
Be it for morning coffee, a lunchtime snack or an after-work aperitivo, this attractive cafe and tabaccheria (tobacconist’s shop) just down from the main…
Northwestern Sardinia
See out the end of the day with a glass of something cool at this handsome centro storico bar. With outside tables and a typically Mediterranean interior …
Corniglia
Near the Chiesa San Pietro, this tiny bar has a few low tables and cleverly placed cushions right on the stairs of a peaceful lane. It feels like a hidden…
Monti, Esquilino & San Lorenzo
Mixing lovely ceramic-topped bistro tables with bottle-lined walls and the odd contemporary painting, this rustic enoteca is an attractive spot in which…
Corniglia
The draw of this tiny cafe is the terrace located just a bit further along, on the right. Here you can contemplate Manarola off in the distance while…
Bologna
Probably the finest of Bologna's traditional cafes, Zanarini hosts gaggles of die-hard fans who chase exquisite pastries and sweets, courtesy of famed…
Corniglia
Spread across two floors of an old village house, the old-fashioned Il Pirun is named after the odd-looking wine pitcher that allows thirsty customers to…
Trastevere & Gianicolo
Like books? Poetry? Blues, folk and jazz? Then you’ll love this place: a clutter of bar stools and books, where there are regular live gigs, poetry slams,…
Venice
You might spot a celebrity or two lurking on the black-leather sofas under Centrale's moody Murano chandeliers. Meals are pricey and canalside VIP tables…
Udine
A particularly good choice if the weather is balmy (or in any way warm) and the young, good-looking crowd spills out onto the corner terrace, giving it a…
Reggio Emilia
With precious patio tables dotted with potted plants filling up a charming side alley, this quaint wine bar is the embodiment of Italian romance. Around…
Venice
An unpretentious, popular late-night hang-out crammed with Cannaregio locals, indie rockers and students, Bagatela offers bottled beers, cocktails, board…
San Giovanni & Testaccio
One for wine buffs, this smart enoteca (wine bar) is run by expert sommeliers and has an extensive list of Italian regional labels and European vintages,…
Cortina d’Ampezzo
Pull up a stool at the rowdy front bar for a quick glass of local Soave or prosecco (€3 to €6), or head out to the back room and linger under the ancient…
Turin
Set in an 18th-century palazzo, Floris House has fragrances from around the globe, scented candles and jewellery scattered in a warren of plant-filled…
Western Sicily
This tempting pasticceria sells a huge range of Sicilian sweet treats and is the town's social epicentre. Claim one of its outdoor tables and settle back…
Vatican City, Borgo & Prati
A basement bar with tables in a cosy stone-clad interior and on a quiet side street, Passaguai feels pleasingly under the radar. It's a great spot for a…
Elba
The full name is Yacht Club Da Mario, but everyone shortens this to Da Mario – that's the kind of place it is. Pouring drinks and making coffee since 1952…
Calabria
Good-value sandwiches and flatbreads combine with Calabrian craft beer and wine at this spot in Chianalea's pedestrian main drag. The friendly owners also…
Udine
Beneath the arcades of Palazzo d'Aronco, Contarena's soaring domed ceilings glitter with gold leaf and other Liberty fancy. Designed by Raimondo d'Aronco,…
Trastevere & Gianicolo
This tiny bar inside the entrance to upmarket restaurant Enoteca Ferrara serves delectable aperitivo and has a wide range of wines by the glass – perfect…
Centro Storico
Students sitting solo with a book, lunching ladies, gossiping friends, tourists, priests, Romans: this bustling book cafe caters to a mixed crowd…
San Giovanni & Testaccio
On warm evenings, with lively crowds on the street and the Colosseum as a backdrop, there are few finer places in which to sip a drink than this friendly…
Monti, Esquilino & San Lorenzo
Come and tickle Rome’s grungy underbelly. Descend through a door in a graffiti-covered wall into this cavernous basement dive, packed to the rafters with…
San Giovanni & Testaccio
A good-looking cafe-pasticceria in the wealthy Aventine neighbourhood. Join its well-dressed habitués for a quick coffee in the gleaming glass-and…
Milan
A landmark of Milan's alternative scene, Tunnel takes its moniker as top underground club seriously and is literally housed in a tunnel beneath the rail…
Genoa
A little bit of Brooklyn or Melbourne in the caruggi, this brewpub packs out with Genoa's black-clad young. There are over a dozen taps of local and…
Siena
Live jazz acts regularly take the stage on Thursday and Friday nights at this intimate club near the Campo, which is popular with students and the city's…
Porto Cervo
Launched two decades ago by former Formula One boss Flavio Briatore, this glitzy club in a three-story villa lures star DJs and a who’s who of the…
Riomaggiore
With outdoor tables on a prime stretch of Via Colombo, Vertical Bar is a great spot for coffee or cocktails – depending on which direction you're steering…
San Giovanni & Testaccio
Modern and busy, this wine bar and deli takes its wine seriously, and offers a quality list by both glass and bottle. Cram into the small space, claim a…
Venice
If you’re looking to escape the raucous student scene on Campo Santa Margherita, head to this chic bar with its sophisticated soundtrack, high-quality…
Lake Maggiore
You can't get much closer to the lake than Il Molo, the liveliest eating and drinking spot in Ranco. Grab an open-air table and join locals and day…
Cosenza
More than 200 beers and a good selection of gin and whiskey combine at our favourite Cosenza bar. Grab a table outside on the city's main pedestrian…
Le Marche
If the flavour of your beer counts more than any fancy decor, this dark, atmospheric pub is the place for you. There are eight Italian and international…
Syracuse
Hidden away in a flamboyant baroque courtyard, sultry Barcollo lures with its fresh flowers, flickering tealights and chi-chi outdoor deck. Aperitivo is…
Southern Tuscany
Here you'll sip your drink surrounded by carved rock walls – this casual cantina has been hacked out of the tufo. Add rickety tables and it's an…
