187 Best Bars in Italy

Founded in 2017 by a Pantescan jazz pianist and his brother-in-law, Birreria Pantesca is the island’s first and only craft brewery. They make five beers, including a summery blond lager, a German-style weiss beer, and Pantipa, an America IPA. More unexpected is the Perla Nera, an Irish stout and—even more interesting—La Zibirra, beer made with a percentage of dried Zibibbo grapes. The latest plan is a hemp beer made with legally grown hemp from Bugeber. Look out for Birreria Pantesca beers in island bars and restaurants or book ahead for modestly priced tastings in their Pantelleria town brewery.

This underground cocktail bar and lounge feels like a cross between a speakeasy and a gastropub. Mismatched vintage tables and chairs, rugs, exposed brick walls, and black-and-white photographs give it a shabby chic vibe. The creative cocktails are the main draw, but the burgers are also good. From 6 pm until 8 pm, you can get an aperitivo with a drink and a nice selection of small bites for €13–16.

Once a boathouse for fishermen, this is the trendiest bar on the island. Sip a predinner cocktail at the pretty Marina Corricella accompanied by lounge music, or later in the evening, techno.

Offering live music and DJ sets, the boat-shape Blue Jane has a spectacular setting on the port's entry overlooking the bay. The club is a landmark—more for its history than for setting current trends. Patrons have included Mick Jagger and Gianni Agnelli.

This cozy wine bar offers a large selection of vino from around Italy as well as light meals; you can’t go wrong with the antipasti (appetizers), cheese platter, or bruschetta. A live jazz band plays on Wednesday night.

This small club in the historic district books jazz musicians and hosts jam sessions and live DJ sets. The cocktails are as good as the music.

This cozy spot outside the Vatican is furnished like a familiar living room with a giant leather sofa and armchairs, making it easy to meet the people sitting next to you. Aperitivo (Italian happy hour) is served every evening, with a selection of classic cocktails, wine, and beer, plus the option of adding a small plate for €5.

Mestre's casino, near the airport, has slots, blackjack, craps, poker, and roulette. The minimum age is 18, and there's no dress code.

Nattily dressed businesspeople and harried tourists enjoy signature martinis at the street-side Café Doney, Via Veneto's grand dame, in front of the Westin Excelsior. The outdoor tables offer prime people-watching, while the seats inside are set under impossibly sparkly chandeliers.

Relax in the atmospheric interior or casual terrace of this café on the edge of Terrazza Umberto I. It's a great place to enjoy a cappuccino, snack lunch, or glass of vermentino after exploring the Castello quarter. The bar is open daily from 7 am until 9 pm during the week (later in summer) and until 2 am on weekends; DJs occasionally take over in the evenings. It's closed on Monday in winter.

For a great view of the grand piazza, you can't do better than this café, whose many mirrors make for engaging people-watching. Originally opened in 1839, it was taken over by the British navy after World War II, and Triestini were not allowed in unless accompanied by someone British. Because of its location, the café—which stays open late—is heavily frequented by tourists. It's now owned by the Segafredo Zanetti coffee company, and some feel it has lost its local character.

Enjoy aperitivi (apertifs) at this very popular bar, where aspiring local artists and savvy students hobnob until 3 am.

This café/bar is a trendy place for an aperitif or for a drink before going out to a show or dancing. It's in the large piazza at the end of Via Po.

The granddaddy of all the boho bars in Piazza Bellini was set up as a bookstore in the late 1980s and still has its own small publishing house and displays a variety of interesting titles, historic prints, and photos. Seats in the heated veranda are at a premium in winter, though many customers sit outside year-round.

A dim bohemian haunt full of wooden beams and brick-lined nooks and crannies, Libarium Nostrum is one of Cagliari's coolest café-bars. It's an occasional venue for live music and DJs, but the real draw is the outdoor terrace high atop medieval ramparts, the perfect spot for enjoying cocktails and sunset views. Food is available, from panini and other snacks to meat and fish dishes, and it stays open late.

Get a taste of Bologna's student life at this quirky joint run by Alessio, Edoardo, and a friendly troupe in an historic tabaccheria-bar premises. Take a seat inside by day or night amid an eclectic decor of old cassettes, artworks, and an ever-diverse soundtrack, or outside under the porticoes; choose from a menu of classic cocktails, beers, wine, and their beloved amari (Italian digestifs with a twist) plus juices, caffè, pastries, and toasted sandwiches.

Come here when it's summer for outdoor seating with a view of an 11th-century church (Sant'Ambrogio) directly across the street; the crowd gathers until past 2 am. Come here at any time of the year for perfectly mixed drinks and a lively atmosphere filled with (mostly) locals.

Founded in 1830, this classic café is a comfortable place to linger, especially on some evenings and Sunday lunchtimes, when there's live music. Although you can still have just a coffee, Tommaseo has evolved into a restaurant, with an extensive menu. It's open nightly until 10:30.

Students and alternative revelers crowd the tiny street outside this hole-in-the-wall cantina, where a spritz costs just €1.

Since 1987, this historic venue has hosted jazz and other musical maestri, such as Chet Baker, Max, Roach, Herbie Hancock, and Caetano Veloso. You can enjoy light and more substantial meals here as well.

In the heart of the centro storico is Cantinetta dei Verrazzano, where serious wines may be had as well as tasty baked treats in the morning and light lunches.

On top of the Hotel Luna, with breathtaking views over the Faraglioni, this bar is open all day, and is the perfect place for a breather between visits to the Certosa San Giacomo and the Giardini di Augusto. After dark, it becomes the most beautiful nightspot in Capri.

In a neighborhood peppered with late-night bars and restaurants, this slightly grungy bar stands out for its nightly live music—mainly mellow jazz or folk—or more energetic DJ sets. The interior is tiny, but most people hang out around tables in the piazza. A good range of beers, wines, and cocktails is available.

An intimate club with live music performances nightly, Charity hosts local and international jazz musicians in a relaxed atmosphere.

This popular neighborhood hangout is decorated in wood and brick and has a couple of tables that have a great view of the canal. There are beers on tap and plenty of wine and sandwich choices from 10 am to midnight.

A hot spot for both classic and creative cocktails, this trendy industrial space packed with hip locals has a pizza joint in the back if you get hungry.

The odd name is Venetian for "smirk," although you'll be hard-pressed to find one at this cheery, familiar bacaro with a wine selection as ample as the cicheti on offer. The spread of delectables ranges from classic polpette of meat and tuna to tomino cheese rounds to speck and robiola rolls, and the selection of wines is equally intriguing. There's often live jazz and blues on Friday and Saturday nights. El Sbarlefo has a second location in Dorsoduro, in the calle just behind the church of San Pantalon.