Nightlife · Rome · Italy
Rome nightlife
Where the evenings happen in Rome, from early drinks to late nights.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Labicanense, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Rome's nightlife is more aperitivo and piazza-hopping than clubbing. Evenings start with a spritz around 7pm, continue with a late dinner and end in wine bars and pubs in Trastevere, Monti or Pigneto; Testaccio has the main clubs. The main areas are Trastevere, Monti, Campo de' Fiori, Testaccio and Pigneto and San Lorenzo.
Key facts
- Nightlife areas
- 5
- Stay near the action
- Trastevere
- Local drink
- Espresso
Where to go out
Trastevere
Wine bars, craft-beer pubs and crowds spilling into Piazza di Santa Maria and Piazza Trilussa until late.
Monti
Low-key wine bars and the fountain steps of Piazza della Madonna dei Monti, a favourite meeting point.
Campo de' Fiori
A busy square for drinks with a young, international crowd.
Testaccio
Clubs and live-music bars around Monte Testaccio, busiest from Thursday to Saturday.
Pigneto and San Lorenzo
Student and bohemian bars east of Termini, centred on the pedestrian Via del Pigneto and the university quarter.
Nightlife tips
- Aperitivo hour runs roughly from 6pm to 9pm, often with snacks included in the price of a drink.
- The Metro stops around 11:30pm on most nights and later on Fridays and Saturdays; night buses and taxis cover the rest.
- Drinking from glass bottles in the street is restricted in parts of the centre at night; drink in bars or on terraces.
Evening sights
Landmark · Trevi
Trevi Fountain
Come early in the morning or late at night to see it without a wall of people, and keep a hand on your bag in the crowd.
- Time needed
- 20–30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- After dark
- Couples
- Photo spot
_at_night.jpg){kind=link}
Landmark · Centro Storico
Piazza Navona
Skip the terrace prices for coffee and come back after dark, when the fountains are lit and the crowds thin.
- Time needed
- 30–45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Iconic
- After dark
- Architecture
Neighbourhood · Trastevere
Trastevere and Santa Maria in Trastevere
Wander in the late afternoon, climb the Janiculum for sunset, then come back down for dinner.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- Couples
- After dark
- Views
Market · Centro Storico
Campo de' Fiori
Buy a piece of pizza bianca from a bakery just off the square and eat it in Piazza Farnese next door.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- Shopping
- After dark
What to drink
- Espresso — Coffee in Rome is drunk standing at the bar: un caffè is an espresso, cappuccino is a morning drink, and a caffè corretto adds a dash of grappa or sambuca.
Evenings through the year
Sunset and the overnight low decide how long the outdoor part of a night lasts. July has the warmest evenings, with lows around 18°C (64°F).
| Month | Sunset (15th) | Overnight low | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | About 17:03 | 3°C (37°F) | 7 |
| April | About 19:50 | 8°C (46°F) | 8 |
| July | About 20:44 | 18°C (64°F) | 2 |
| October | About 18:29 | 11°C (52°F) | 8 |
Getting home late
- Walking — Walking is the best way to see Rome: the Colosseum to the Pantheon is about 25 minutes, and the Pantheon to St Peter's about 25 minutes more across the Tiber.
- Metro — Line A trains around Termini and Spagna are a pickpocket hotspot; keep bags zipped and in front of you.
- Bus — Routes 40 and 64 are crowded and notorious for pickpockets.
- Tram — Rome has few tram lines, but line 8 connects the centre near Largo di Torre Argentina with Trastevere and is a handy way across the river.
- Taxi — Ignore drivers soliciting fares inside the airport or station and use the official rank.
Late-night bites
- Supplì — Pizza-by-the-slice shops and fry shops, and as a starter in pizzerias.
- Pizza al taglio — Bakeries and slice shops everywhere, with well-known ones near the Vatican in Prati and in Testaccio.
Staying safe at night
Rome is generally safe, but pickpocketing is common on crowded buses, Metro line A and at major sights such as the Trevi Fountain and the Colosseum. Costumed 'gladiators' and people offering bracelets or roses expect payment for photos or 'gifts'.
- Emergency number
- 112 (European emergency number)
Where to stay for nightlife
$$$ · Best for couples, nightlife, food lovers and solo travellers
Trastevere
Across the river from the centre, Trastevere's ochre houses and cobbled lanes surround the 12th-century basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere and its golden mosaics. It is the city's most atmospheric area for dinner and evening drinks, especially around Piazza di Santa Maria and Via della Lungaretta, and the Janiculum Hill above gives a sweeping view over the domes.
- Good
- Lively evenings and good food; Village atmosphere by day; Walk across the river to the centre
- Watch out
- Noisy on weekend nights; No Metro; trams and buses only; Crowded at dinner time
- Nearby
- Santa Maria in Trastevere, Janiculum Hill, Porta Portese, Villa Farnesina
Questions travellers ask
+Where is the best nightlife in Rome?
Trastevere, Monti and Campo de' Fiori. Wine bars, craft-beer pubs and crowds spilling into Piazza di Santa Maria and Piazza Trilussa until late.
+Which area of Rome is best for nightlife?
Trastevere: Ivy-covered lanes, trattorias and evening crowds across the Tiber.