Nightclubs and bars in Rome

We like Irish beers and after some days in Italy we felt like having a good black beer.This place was close to our flat,so we poped in for some times.The music was terrible "todays hits",when we are used to hear little more rock-classics at Irish pubs.Other disapointement was,that we tried to go to watch the Formula1 competion there,but there was only MTV on,and the same thing everywhere.We thought that this Ferrari-nation would watch Formulas!And as we are Finnish,and at the time Ferrari has Finnish driver Kimi Räikkönen,we thought we could watch Formulas and have same favourite with Italian people,but we found not a single place,where you could watch it.Too bad,when there was two Finns in top three that day!But anyway,we went here some other times also,because it was closest pub for us,when we wanted a beer.About 3-4 times.

Dress Code: No dress-code

3 more images

“Paul, receive our prayers,
Thou whose zeal overcame the philosophers.
Thou that art steward in God’s house,
Bring us food full of divine grace,
So that the wisdom which nourished thee
May feed us too through ty teaching.”
— From a 9th/10th century poem, written at Verona

Rome’s American Episcopal Church St Paul’s Within the Walls must not be confused with the Roman Catholic basilica, St. Paul Outside the Walls.

Here we attended a concert performance of “La Traviata”. It was not of good quality. The poor quality of the show is a common flaw with these amateur productions. Part of the trouble for not enjoying it was the oppressive heat; not that it was a warm evening. The church does not have air conditioning, and the fans on site were ineffective. With so many spectators crowded into a small, non-air conditioned space for two hours those people will be uncomfortable.

The church is quite lovely, though. Above the outside front door (see photo #4) on via Napoli is a mosaic of St. Paul preaching to, who else?, the Romans (see photo #1). And on the rear all of the interior is a 19th-century mosaic “The Adoration of the Magi” (see photo #2). Some highly glazed tiles (see photo #3) decorate the wall at the rear of the church.

In 1859, the first worship was held in the Rome according to the liturgy of the Protestant Episcopal Church; Alonzo Potter, Bishop of Pennsylvania, celebrated the Eucharist in a private house on Trinità dei Monti. A group of Americans, from various Protestant denominations, resolved to establish an Episcopal Church. This church became known as Grace Church.

By 1870 a united Italy passed a constitution allowing freedom of worship, and non-Roman Catholic Christian denominations were permitted, for the first time, to build churches within the walls of the Rome.

The name changed in 1871 to St. Paul Within the Walls. Ground was broken for the foundations in November 1872, and on the feast of St. Paul, 25th January 1873, the cornerstone was laid.

Dress Code: Casual

This place is pretty wild. theres a host of bars catering to american and english speaking tourists. Such as: The Drunken Ship and Sloppy Sams. Its a great place to drink and get crazy if you like a wild atmosphere. Also, just as much fun is people watching. Sit out on the patio of one of the more mild wine bars, and watch as drunk tourists and pub crawls come strolling throuh.

Dress Code: No real dress code. Generally people in Italy do dress up when though go out though. Probably wont be a factor since this area caters to tourists.

We were just in town, early part of February. We made it to ICE, but they've been closed since July 2007, according to the restaurant right next door. It was disappointing. Not sure if they reopen for the summer months.

3 more images

Right in front of the Santa Maria Maggiore basilica you'll find the Irish pub Marconi. Cosy atmosphere, and with good food.
Went there for the first time in May 2007, when I sat on a chair outside, and watched the sun go down over the basilica, while I slowly sipped on a beer.

Went back again in December, when it was way too cold to sit outside... But the beer still tasted as nice as in May!
Unfortunately this Irish pub doesn't have any Magners for sale, which should prompt them to be very ashamed of themselves. Instead they only have Guinness and Strongbow, which is just a sad excuse for Bulmers/Magners.

Have never seen the place crowded, it's more like a pub where the locals go for a late beer after work, and where everyone knows everyone.

Not a place I would spend the whole night in, but for a few beers with your friends it's perfect!

Dress Code: Is there ever a dress code at a pub?

There is also an excellent Centro in the Jewish Quarter called The Rialto.
I went to listen to a band called Liu (it means nothing in the Romanaccio dialect.) The singer is an Aussie from Wollongong and I was desperate for a dance so I suggested he think of the Palm Court in good old 'Gong and get me up in the floor.
I was being cynical because dancing - as I know it - does not seem to happen in Roma.
Anyway he did the trick and I had to dance and I danced my little butt off.
(Was it my fault the only space to dance was right next to the stage?)
Great - the audience are staring at me. Think I am part of the floorshow.
Great - the band is with me and urging me on.
And now someone is videoing me.
Only 57 she's the dancing queen.
Well - I did feel a bit foolish. When one surrenders to the urge to dance and one is the only one who has - one can.
But darling M - introduced me to the audience as (something like) "Mia amica, Jennifer. Ballentando Extraordinaire." (Italian is probably crap but that is what he meant.)
Then he indicated if I would dance again the band would do an encore.
So away we went again!
Then I staggered out to the bar area to dive into a large gin and tonic - waving the video camera away and assuring the young chappie on the sharp end of the camera I was so ordinary that in Howl At The Moon in Narre Warren I just jigged on the edge of the dance floor and let the young 'uns do it
M said that I had inspired a generation. But I don't think so.
First off you have to really really want to dance.

Dress Code: Come as you are. Be cool.

4 more images

to cool down after the hot day as you go from bar-bar there is always a large crowd at the fountain and a great atmosphere..As you throw your one euro coins in the fountain wishing to return watch the scumbags with sticks with magnets fish them out the scurry away

The Trevi fountain is always popular, even at night. It's a nice spot to hang out in the evening and there are lots of people around - tourists and locals. There are restaurants and ice cream places in the area too.