187 Best Bars in Italy

Part of Hotel San Michele and open year-round, this is the clubbing spot for thirtysomethings and older cognoscenti.

Florence may be known as an epicenter of Renaissance art, but for something different, join locals at this former convent and prison that is now a contemporary art gallery, café, and event space. Works by artists from across the globe are showcased here—where former prison cells are often used as exhibit space—and there's an emphasis on multimedia installations. There's live music on many nights, and the kitchen and bar offer classic cocktails, aperitivo-fare, and full meals until late.

When you're ready to upgrade your spritz or Negroni, look to Le Roi. They sling drinks from within the 1929 Vittorio Emanuele III galleria, where the mosaic tile floors and electric Liberty style (an Italian version of Art Nouveau) give historic heft to the inventive cocktails. 

At Le Stanze you can sip an aperitivo or a late-night drink amid a young and noisy clientele. The incredibly grand decor includes 17th-century frescoes in what was once the private chapel of the Palazzo Bentivoglio. The adjoining restaurant offers a small selection of Bologna favorites.

Deep in the Centro Storico between the buzzy Piazza Bellini and edgy Piazza Mercato, you'll find this sophisticated spot opened in 2025 for fab cocktails and light stuzzichini bites. The area's first listening bar–cum–modern speakeasy is backdropped by stylish, design-lit interiors and a top sound system with resident and visiting DJs behind the altar-like console tweaking the knobs of the bespoke rotary mixer into the early hours.

On a street populated by other bookstores, this one is turned into a bar at night, serving wine and cocktails to the sound of live jazz or the DJ's chilled selections.

Affectionately shortened to “Makke” by Romans, this tiny pub can’t contain the number of beer lovers who flock here at all hours to indulge in a craft pint, or three. Patrons spill out onto the sidewalk behind Piazza Trilussa, sipping the carefully selected artisan brews that arrive from around the world. There is a rotating selection on the 16 taps, and an impressive list of bottled beer.

This unpretentious enoteca is a popular spot to gather over excellent wines and creative small plates. Guests can take one of the bottles right off the well-stocked shelves or choose from a selection of wines by the glass, including some prized wines for very reasonable prices.

For six days a week, this is a lively beach bar, but on Sunday evening it's the place to be for dance music and cocktails accompanying the sunset.

The French-sounding name befits this artfully minimalist café-brasserie in Campo Santa Margherita. Classic Venetian cocktails are served alongside warm sandwiches and light salads all day until 2 am. The tables face westward, so there's lots of sun in the afternoon.

Part of the Marina Grande restaurant and beach club, this bar is a great spot to toast the waves with a cocktail, aperitivo, or glass of wine.

This eclectic cocktail bar–art gallery showcases DJs and live music, including funk bands on Wednesday evenings.

Conveniently close to MAXXI and the Auditorium Parco della Musica, this hip lounge serves classic and creative cocktails as well as light bites in a two-story space with tables on the mezzanine and low sofas on the ground floor. The tapas-style menu is international, with offerings like guacamole and hummus, in addition to the popular maritozzo salato, a savory version of the Roman bun filled with tuna instead of cream, and a few heartier options, including a burger. Food is served until 1 am every night, and brunch is available on weekends.

Throughout this bar, located in a former bank, you'll find ceramic heads (all for sale) by Catania artist Stefania Boemi. Legend has it that a Sicilian noblewoman discovered her beloved, a visiting Moor, was already married in his homeland. In a fit of rage, she cut off his head and left it on her balcony for all to see. The next morning a basil plant was sprouting from the head. And thus was born the tale of the teste di Moro (Moor heads). Outside, tables sit in the shadow of the Duomo where locals stop for excellent cocktails during their evening passeggiata. 

This enoteca (wine bar) has a few tables indoors but most people choose to sit out in Piazza Vittoria opposite the grand Art Deco cinema Cine Impero. Apart from a range of wines (including, of course, Marsala) and cocktails, snacks are served—mainly pastas and meat dishes—and it stays open late. Closed Monday, it's open late from Thursday through Sunday, but open only for lunch on Tuesday and Wednesday.

In the backstreets of the upper town, this pub offers a warm and welcoming atmosphere, energetic jazz music (sometimes live), and a range of international draft and bottled beers as well as aperitifs and cocktails. Service is fast and cheerful, and there's seating indoors and out. Snacks are available, too.

The owners of the restaurants Chez Black and Le Terrazze run this popular bar/club (est.1972), which occasionally hosts live music. Set in a seaside cave off Spiaggia Grande, it's a grinning, cheese-fest of pop tunes, day-glo and strobe lighting, and loungy nooks frequented by giggling twenty-somethings, a few middle-age locals, and the occasional celebrity (think Lenny Kravitz, Kate Moss, and Denzel Washington). Special events aside, entrance is free.

At the friendliest of the several bar-restaurants that line the Erbaria, near the Rialto markets, enjoy a cocktail outside, along the Canal Grande, or at a cozy table inside the renovated 16th-century warehouse. Although the food is acceptable, the ambience is really the main attraction. The kitchen closes at 11, and occasionally there is live music (usually jazz, Latin, or rock) on Sunday evening. On summer evenings, especially the weekend, the market area draws crowds of young people from Venice, the lagoon islands, and the mainland.

A beautiful café and contemporary art gallery, Nea is a highly atmospheric spot to just hang out on student-filled Piazza Bellini, especially in fine weather at the tables outside or on the steps of the gorgeous university library.

Hidden away from the crowded streets, this friendly bar serves inventive cocktails, Campari classics, and an eclectic list of spirits in stylish, neon-lit, contemporary surroundings. A menu of cocktail snacks, small tapas, and shellfish dishes is top-notch, and the lane outside is an atmospheric venue for funky live music acts. 

An all-ages crowd converges on Borgo San Frediano each weekend for live bands and creative cocktails. During the week, NOF is a relaxing lounge for a post-dinner nightcap and music set; there's also a small plates and aperitif menu, served until 10 pm.

If you are looking for the nightlife edge, try Number Two, a favorite of celebrities and open until the wee hours in the center of Capri Town.

Here you'll find a great selection of cheeses and cured meats, wines by the glass, food products to take home (like powdered porcini mushrooms), daily specials, as well as some tasty food served in situ.

Set on a private terrace overlooking Trastevere, Ombre Rosse bustles with expats and other regulars who appreciate the cocktail creations and the ever-lively atmosphere. On weekends, the outdoor patio is the perfect spot to enjoy an aperitivo and nibbles before finishing off an evening with friends at the bar.

Modern, hip, and complemented by an internal garden, this welcoming bar anchors the south end of Campo Santa Margherita, the liveliest campo in Venice. You can have piadine (thin flatbread) sandwiches, salads, and drinks while watching soccer games on a massive screen inside, or sit at the tables facing the campo. Despite being close to the university, Orange is frequented primarily by young working people from the mainland and tourists. Open till 2 am every night.

In a garden shrouded in bougainvillea, this cocktail lounge also offers a range of traditional dishes, a small selection of bio-local wine, and quality cocktails focusing on botanical blends. You'll find rosemary-infused vodkas, fennel-scented gin, and cordials made from cedro, a pithy bitter citrus found throughout Sicily. 

The city-run casino in splendid Palazzo Vendramin-Calergi is a classic scene of well-dressed high rollers playing French roulette, chemin de fer, blackjack, and slots. You must be at least 18 to enter, and men must wear jackets after 8:30 pm to access the VIP area. The €50 entry fee incudes €20 gaming and a drink.

Paradiso Perduto has been catering to night owls since the '80s with drinks, wine, and slightly overpriced fish dishes (a better option is the cicheti). The old piano has witnessed Chet Baker and Archie Shepp jams, and the place still serves up live music—mainly local and international jazz groups. It attracts young people and students alongside tourists, creating a very lively atmosphere. In temperate weather, patrons fill the fondamenta until they're shooed away.