Rome
Bar Guide

Rome's most photographed neighbourhood earns the crowds. The bars here range from ancient cellars serving house wine by the carafe to modern cocktail dens with carefully sourced Italian spirits. 32 bars in our Trastevere guide. The aperitivo culture is strongest here: free food with every drink, tables spilling onto cobblestones, and no one in a hurry. Go before 9pm on weekends for a seat. Best aperitivo bars in Trastevere.

The wide boulevards of Prati were built for the middle classes and the bars reflect that: solid, comfortable, and not trying to impress anyone. The prices are fair, the service is professional, and the hotel bars along the Via della Conciliazione are genuinely excellent. 21 bars in our Prati guide. It works for a quiet evening when the tourist quarters feel too loud. Find quiet bars in Prati.

Built on the site of ancient Rome's main port, Testaccio is where the city's alternative nightlife has always concentrated. The bars here are cheaper, louder, and more local than anything in Trastevere. 19 bars in our Testaccio guide, including some of the best live music venues in the city. Come after midnight when the neighbourhood comes alive. Live music venues in Testaccio.

The neighbourhood between the Colosseum and Termini has been taken over by a generation of natural wine importers, craft cocktail bars, and vintage record shops. 24 bars in our Monti guide. The streets are quieter than Trastevere, the drinks are better, and the crowd knows what they are ordering. It is where Rome's bartenders choose to drink on their nights off. Cocktail bars in Monti.

The market square that empties by afternoon and fills with young Romans and international visitors by evening. The bars on and around the piazza charge for the location but deliver on atmosphere. 18 bars in our guide. The scene shifts dramatically after midnight when the square becomes one big terrace. Come early for a table with a view, or late for the energy.

The historic centre holds Rome's most dramatic bar settings, including rooftop terraces with views over the Pantheon and the ruins below. 21 bars in our Centro Storico guide, including 7 rooftop venues. The prices reflect the location. The views are worth it at least once. Book weeks ahead for summer sunset slots. Rooftop bars above Rome's historic centre.