Pisa
Tuck into an end-of-day sugar doughnut and cappuccino or an early-evening aperitivo at a glass-topped table filled with artists’ crayons perhaps, or a…
Must-see nightlife in Italy
Southern Rome
It's not so much about the food as the eye-catching industrial design at this contemporary lounge-bar/restaurant in ever-more-hip Ostiense. Hobnob over an…
Genoa
If you've been yearning for some late-night drinking fun, this antica-is-the-new-black place is your answer. A completely untouched old-school backstreet…
Milan
Milan’s cocktail craze may be taking the town by storm, but Filippo Garavaglia’s neighbourhood beer shop-cum-brewery pulls in punters with a well-priced…
Taormina
In hues of dusty pink, blue and gold, new-school Ape Nera is a good allrounder: drop in for an almond-milk cappuccino, a smoothie or perhaps a made-from…
Palermo
In the evenings, arty, indie types spill onto the cobbled street at this tiny, much-loved cafe-bar. Cocktails start at a reasonable €5, with other…
Bologna
This standing-room-only wine bar is one of Bologna's most social, attracting an eccentric early-evening crowd – bohemian art professors, seasoned drunks,…
Lucca
With an unexpected view of the cathedral‘s crenellated bell tower and tree-shaded tables snug against ancient red-brick walls, this wall-top lounge bar is…
San Polo & Santa Croce
You'll feel like you've stepped into a Rembrandt painting at venerable 'Two Moors', a dark, rustic bar with roots in the 15th century. Under gleaming,…
Alba
A 15-minute walk from the old town, this microbirrificio e ristoro (brewery and restaurant) is also one of the city's liveliest places for a drink. Join…
San Giovanni & Testaccio
Hands-down Testaccio’s most sought-out spot after dark, wine bar Barnaba favours natural and independent producers spanning the bel paese. It also…
Naples
The northern Italian tradition of aperitivo is slowly spreading to the south of Italy. Every evening inside the cavernous Buco Pertuso, trays of riso…
Western Sicily
Strategically placed for people-watching on Favignana's main pedestrian street, this bar serves drinks and snacks along with an eclectic mix of reggae,…
Milan
Set in the atmospheric surrounds of a one-time Augustine refectory, this enoteca (wine bar) gets packed with an older upmarket kind of crowd, especially…
Monti, Esquilino & San Lorenzo
Part of the Trimani family’s wine empire (their vast enoteca around the corner on Via Goito stocks 4000-odd Italian and international labels), this is an…
Venice
Centuries ago, brawls on the bridge out the front inevitably ended in the canal, but now Venetians settle differences with one of over 50 wines by the…
Naples
The cool and simple interior of this bar allows its signature bacchanal buffet to take centre stage during the aperitivo (pre-dinner drink) hour. Mingle…
The Dolomites
Fire pits and art-school-style video projections give this bar a big-town feel but it's beloved by locals and the staff is fabulously welcoming. The…
Venice
For over a century, Rosa Salva has been serving tea, pastries and ice creams to the passing trade on Campo Zanipolo. Inside the 1930s throwback interior,…
Pistoia
'Everything is going to be all right' is the strapline of this hip bar and bistro. And indeed, be it shelling free peanuts around a wooden table in the…
Milan
Owned by fashion guru Claudio Antonioli, this is possibly Milan's most beautiful club. Set against a sleek all-black interior, it attracts an affluent…
Centro Storico
The Roman branch of a well-known Naples coffee house, this stately art-deco cafe enjoys a prime position on graceful Piazza di Pietra. Star of the show…
Ionian Coast
Directly opposite the iconic Scogli dei Ciclopi, with white sofas and armchairs scattered across a palm-shaded garden, this bar-lounge-restaurant hybrid…
Palermo
Divided into a wine bar-cum-restaurant and next-door deli-bistro, Pizzo & Pizzo is a great place for aperitivo, with complimentary morsels like cucumber…
Bologna
You'd walk right past this seemingly typical Italian caffè and never think twice, the wince-inducing logo certainly not helping matters. But inside,…
San Gimignano
Massimo Delli, the owner of this tiny wine bar on the street leading up to the rocca, will enthusiastically suggest local wines to try (consider ordering…
Naples
Despite the sloppy service, this ivy-clad literary cafe on Piazza Bellini is a good spot for some square-side downtime. Browse limited-edition books on…
Milan
Take a load off your feet at the Hotel Baglioni’s darkly sumptuous cafe. With its plush teal-coloured armchairs, glossy black tables and art deco touches,…
Bergamo
A small pub with English-style decor and a trio of seasonal craft beers on tap, Papageno resides just off the main square in the Città Alta. Granted, it…
Milan
Named after the rail tracks that drove modernity through the heart of Milan, this Liberty-style cafe reflects the glamour of the railway age. Plump red…
Naples
You can slurp your coffee at the bar or at a table at friendly Centrale, decked out in recycled timber and industrial accents. The place serves its own…
Padua
With a guiding French hand behind the bar, you can be sure of an excellent prosecco, Franciacorta or sauvignon at this traditional wine bar beneath…
Catania
Verso brings the cafe-as-office concept to Catania, with a library-themed back room equipped with desk space, power sockets and USB ports for those who…
Venice
A top-notch cocktail bar-cum-brewpub, Bariolè serves 40 craft beers alongside a well-curated selection of speciality spirits from which they conjure…
Milan
Courting an alternative, gay-friendly scene, Rocket is a local favourite that delivers a great DJ line-up, great cocktails and a load of unpretentious fun…
Venice
The only micro-roastery in Venice, this brick-lined cafe perched on a sunny canal bank is filled with house-made roasts including the flagship Remer, an…
Bologna
This bohemian pop-art coffee and amaro bar packs a wallop of soul into a tiny space. Cassette tapes and old school lunchboxes line the walls, and the…
Northwestern Tuscany
'Beer & Anchovies' is the enticing name of this uber-cool craft-beer shop, its pocket-sized interior packed to the rafters with craft beers from Tuscany…
Centro Storico
This friendly juice bar is a good bet for a refreshing smoothie or juice extract. Recharge your batteries with a freshly squeezed Energizzante, made with…
Centro Storico
Housed in a 16th-century palazzo, Etablì is a rustic-chic lounge bar-restaurant popular for coffee, aperitivo or a late-night drink. It’s laid-back and…
