Rome's Shopping and Night Life

Rome is not only a centre of culture in Europe, but also a city with many shops and stores. Because the city is very old, beautiful classic streets and houses are common. People who are not used to this, even people who have been looking at it for years, really like the architecture. Most of the people going to Rome are coming there for this architecture, but of course, shopping is a nice - some will say inevitable - part of the trip. In the evening, most shops are closed, but most discos and bars are opened. This is another nice face of Rome: it has many opportunities to go out.

• Shops in the Middle Ages
• Top 10s
  • Top 10 of Restaurants
  • Top 10 of Shops
  • Top 10 of Hotels
  • Top 10 of Nightlife
• Other important information
  • Opening Times
  • Gratuities
• Links

Shops in the Middle Ages

In the Middle Ages, Guilds were a common thing. Those guilds are still visible in some squares. On Campo de Fiori mediaval markets are still alive. On Via del Pellegrino and Via dei Capellari cabinet-makers and basket-weavers can be found. On Via del Governo Vecchio bakers are located.

Top 10s

Top 10 of Restaurants

1. Costanza - having meal where Ceasar was killed - closed on Sundays and in August; Piazza del Paradiso 65, tel. 68801002
2. Casina Valadier - graceful garden cafe - closed on Mondays; Pinco, tel. 6792083
3. La Cannonica - eating in an old recetory - closed on Mondays; Via della Paglia 6a, tel. 5803845
4. Portico d'Ottavia - Hebrew kitchen in the old ghetto - closed on Fridays and Saturday afternoons; Via Portico d'Ottavia 1, tel. 68307939
5. Sabatini - eating on the Piazza S. Maria in Trastevere - closed on Wednesdays; Piazza S. Maria in Trastevere 13, tel. 5812026
6. Alla Rampa - doing nothing down the spanish stairs - closed on Sundays; Piazza Minganelli, near Piazza di Spagna; tel. 6782621
7. Al Vecchio Mattatoio - Cheerful trattoria near the old abattoir - closed on Tuesdays; Piazza O. Giustiniani 2, Testaccio, tel. 5741382
8. Gino da Trastevere - eating fish and looking at people - closed on Wednesdays; Via della Lungaretta 85, tel. 5803403
9. Ranieri - the place where cardinals, rulers and politicians have their meal - closed on Sundays and Wednesday afternoons; via Mario dei Fiori 26, tel. 69922415
10. Piccola Roma - delicious antipasti for a reasonable price - closed on Sundays; Via della Barchetta 19, tel. 68806466

Top 10 of Shops

1. Porta Portese - An enourmous flee-market full of all kinds of antique - on Sunday only from 07:00 until 14:00; Between Viale Trastevere and Porta Portese
2. Fendi - bontimperium of the five sisters - Via Borgogna, tel. 6797641
3. Gucci - bags, pouches and accessory - Via Condotti 8
4. Babilonia - the impudent, new and mad things - Via del Corso 185
5. Herder - German book store about Rome - Piazza Montecitorio
6. Emporio Armani - Armani for the ones who are less materially gifted - Via del Baubuino 140
7. Artemide - design and chique lamps - Via Margutta 107
8. Herder - German book store about Rome - Piazza Montecitorio
9. Salvatore Ferragamo - sports shoes - Via Condotti 66
10. Stampe Antiche Trineia - Old engravings - Via del Corso 509, tel. 3612322

Top 10 of Hotels

1. Raphaël - first building behind the Piazza Navona - Largo Febo 2, tel. 682831
2. Trevi - near the famous fountain - Vicolo del Babuccio 20, tel. 6789563
3. Scalinata di Spagna - Always full with reservations - Piazza Trinità dei Monti 17, tel. 6793006
4. Carriage - little and in the middle of the paradise of mode - Via delle Carrozze 36, tel. 6990124
5. De la Ville - an old-fashioned first class hotel near the spanish stairs - Via Sistina 67, tel. 67331
6. Campo de 'Fiori - an old hotel - Via Biscione 6, tel. 68806865
7. Forum - look down at the forum - Via Tor de Conti 25, tel. 6792446
8. Borgognoni - video, airconditioning and comfort in a barok palazzo - Via del Buffalo 126, tel. 69941505
9. Portoghesi - hidden in one of the most beautiful corners - Via dei Portoghesi 1, tel. 6864321
10. Sant' Anselmo - Judenstil residence - Piazza S. Anselmo 2, tel. 574514

Top 10 of Night life

1. Caffè Grecco - most famous cafe in Rome, established in 1760 by a Greek. Famous politicians and artists meet here. - Via Condotti 86, tel. 6782554
2. Caffè della Pace - the happy few give a free show - closed on Sundays; Vicolo della Place 3-7, tel. 68801216
3. Selarum - cafe for beer, wine or an ice-cream - Via dei Fienaroli 12 (Trastevere), tel. 5806587
4. Caffè Latino - the hasj-shop of the hippies on the Testaccio - opens at 22:00, entreé:
5. Clarabella - the ultimate place for Latin-American music - opened from 23:00; Via Cavour 313
6. Cavour 313 - all good wines in 313 - closed on Mondays; opened from 20:00-01:30; Piazza Pasquino 73
7. Jonathan's Angels - pleasant cafe filled with colorful frescos (try the toilet) - closed on Mondays; opened from 13:00 until 02:00; Via della Fossa 16, tel. 6893426
8. Mambo - music from Cuba and Brazil - closed on Sundays; opens at 21:00; Via dei Fienaroli 31a, Trastevere, tel. 5897196
9. Picasso Cafe - art and music gathers here - closed on Sundays; opened from 12:00 until 02:00; Piazza della Pigan 23, tel. 6788211
10. Yes Brasil - Samba and fruit juices - closed on Sundays; opened from 22:00 until 02:00; Via S. Francesco a Ripa 103, tel. 5816267

Other important information

Opening Times

General opening times of shops are the following:

Gratiuties

If you plan to go to Rome, you should know how much money to give for gratiuties, because what waiters and waitresses usually consists mostly of gratiuties. The following table should make it clear:

Links

There are many shops, pubs, cafes, bars, discos, shops, restaurants, hotels, etc. in Rome. It is just a waste of time to give you an enormous list of all, and I would not have been able to give a description for them all. The best way to let you know what the supply is, is to give you links to some of them, and provide a couple of other pages which contain many links themselves.

©1998 by Willem van Engen and Timon Wyatt, Revision date: 15 May 1998
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