Rome NightLife

Rome NightLife information

Music

Classical Many churches host concerts, among them Sant'Ignazio and San Paolo entro le Mura. It is worth checking the listings magazine as most nights of the week it is possible to find a concert in at least one of Rome's 900 churches. The main venue for classical concerts is the Auditorio di Santa Cecilia, Viale Pietro de Coubertin, 15/30, home to the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia. For tickets phone, Tel: +39 06-808-2058. Modern Many nightclubs and bars have live music on some nights of the week. Among the best is Caffe' Latino in via Monte Testaccio. Decorated in ethnic style there is live music most evenings. On the same street Café de Oriente has also built itself a solid reputation for Latin-American beats. Open: Tue-Sun from 23h00. Jazz and Blues The best venue is the Alexanderplatz (Via Ostia, 9) located near the Vatican Museum. There are live performances most nights from both Italian and international stars. Concerts start at 22h30. Tel: +39 06-3974-2171. Big Mama at Vicolo S. Francesco a Ripa 18 in Trastevere is the top spot for blues. The club opens at 21h30 every night except Sunday. Tel: +39 06-581-2551. Teatro Ambra Jovinelli holds a number of events including jazz concerts and musicals. Via G Pepe, 43-47. Tel: +39 06-4434-0262.

Opera

The Teatro dell'Opera offers a full programme of ballet and opera. In the summer some performances are put on in the Olympic Stadium. Tickets can be purchased from the ticket office of the opera house in Piazza B. Gigli I. Note that a 10% pre-purchase fee is added to ticket prices. With building work continuing inside the Opera House most performances are held in other theatres, principally Teatro Nazionale, Teatro Costanzi, and Teatro Brancaccio.

Football

Like the rest of Italy Rome is obsessed with football. The city boasts two top level sides in S.S.Lazio and A.S.Roma who both play in Italy's "Serie A". If you can get to go to a match during your stay it is well worth it as the Olympic stadium reverberates to the sound of thousands of fans, and flags and flares create a riot of colour. It's the closest thing you can get to recreating the atmosphere of the gladiatorial games of Roman times, except a Lazio vs. Roma derby is probably more violent a spectacle. Both teams play at the same stadium on alternate weeks (unless playing each other): "Olimpico", via del Foro Italico - Rome. For further information on Lazio, Tel: +39 06-323-7333. For Roma, Tel: +39 06-6920-0642 (official store).

Cinema

The Quirinetta (Tel: +39 06-679-0012) in via Minghetti has one screen and shows English-speaking films.

Nightlife

Italians are not heavy drinkers generally but Rome still has its fair share of bars, pubs and nightclubs. Most evenings the inhabitants of the city as well as tourists head out for light drinks and socialising. If drinking spirits be wary of the excessively generous measures. There are three main areas for clubbing but you should check local listings to see what's on when you're in the city: Campo di Fiori is lined on all sides with bars and pubs. Most evenings of the week it is full to overflowing with young Romans taking a passegiatta (stroll) after dinner and enjoying a drink with friends. In Trastevere, bars and pubs are found on every corner. For a quiet aperitif in subdued surroundings try Il Giardino dei Ciliegi at Via dei Fienaroli, 4, which not only offers wines and beers, but also a seemingly endless selection of teas. Alternatively, Piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere is a lively spot to sit outside and sip a Campari. Testaccio is the area where Romans go to dance. Via dei Monte Testaccio is full of clubs and discopubs. Among the range on offer are Caffe' Latino for South American music, and Alibi, which has a mixed crowd and offers something for everyone. Further afield is via Libetta in Ostiense, which has a variety of clubs including Classico, which plays underground and house music, and Goa - currently the most fashionable club in the city.

Special Events

Wednesday mornings throughout the year Papal Audience. Excepting the annual summer holiday and when abroad, the Pope holds an audience at 10h00 (it is wise to arrive around 08h30-09h00). Depending on the weather the audience is held either in the Square, in the basilica, or in the Sala Nervi on the left-hand side of the colonnade. Requests should be made in writing in advance and can be faxed to the Prefettura della Casa Pontificia, Citta' del Vaticano (Fax: +39 06-6988-5863). Alternatively, requests can be made in person the morning prior to the audience, at the office of the Prefettura. March One way to see the sights of Rome is to take part in the Marathon, which takes place in March. This gruelling run over the cobbled streets of Rome takes in many of the city's major attractions. Good Friday Led by the Pope, the Via Crucis procession takes place inside the Colosseum. This is the symbolical walking of the way of the cross. The "Fourteen Stations" of Christ's crucifixion are erected inside the ancient amphitheatre and Catholics offer a prayer at each. April In April Rome celebrates a week of culture during which time all state museums and many private museums provide free admission. During the week, the city council promotes cultural events and there are a variety of free concerts. On April 23, the birthday of Rome, the state museums are again all free and a free concert is given in the open air at the Campidoglio. The day ends with a spectacular fireworks display. May On May 1 the Concerto di Primo Maggio takes place. This is an enormous free pop concert at which many of Italy's most famous singers and bands appear. Arrive early if you want a good view as crowds exceed 300,000. Mid-June to the end of September Roma Estate is when the city comes alive with outdoor events of every shape, size and description. Among the hundreds of activities on offer are classical concerts held in some of the city's most beautiful squares, a book fair including music every night on the banks of the Tevere below Castel Sant'Angelo and the Festa della Musica concert in Piazza Venezia. The number of events is seemingly endless and full details with timings and venues can be found in the weekly listing magazine Rome C'e'. End-November to early January The Piazza Navona square is filled with Christmas stalls offering every kind of traditional decoration and accessory for the Christmas market. Rides for children and roasted chestnuts are available. December The midnight mass to end all midnight masses takes place at St Peter's on December 24. It seems that the whole of the city comes out to pass through the basilica on this important night in the Christian calendar.