Let's Go Europe 2011: The Student Travel Guide
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AKAB
V. di Monte Testaccio 69
CLUB
06 57 25 05 85 www.akabcave.com
It’s hard to tell what’s inside and what’s out at Akab, where the switch is so subtle that you don’t know if your feeling is a cool summer breeze or some powerful A/C. During the summer most of the action starts in the central room, as live bands warm up the crowd and customers load up at the blue-lit bar staffed by buff bartenders. When the DJ starts, head back to room after room of dimly lit lounges and dance halls that, with ramps and flashing lights galore, feel somewhat like a psychedelic amusement park for adults. During the winter, the neon-colored upstairs lounge opens to accommodate the crowds. Though the cover and drinks cost a pretty penny, you’ll be paying for one of Testaccio’s hottest clubs and crowds.
B: Piramide. Walk up V. Marmorata towards the river, turn left onto V. Galvani, and veer left onto V. di Monte Testaccio. Beer €5 on Tu. Electronic on Tu. House on Th. Rock on F. Commercial and house on Sa. Cover €10-20 on F-Sa includes 1 drink, free some other nights. Cocktails and beer €10. Open Tu 11:30pm-4:30am, Th-Sa 11:30pm-4:30am.
COYOTE
V. di Monte Testaccio 48/B
BAR, CLUB
340 24 45 874 www.coyotebar.it
Cowboys might ride off into the sinking western sun; but night visitors at Coyote will wander home as the sun rises in the east. Get here early to avoid Colosseum-sized lines and an entrance fee to match. Once inside, ascend the curving ramp to a huge outdoor patio where beer flows generously under green and red lights. Once the clock strikes midnight, what started out as a casual cocktail bar becomes a full-fledged disco spinning house, Latin, and Top 40 tunes. The wooden floors give the place an extra bounce as the stereo cranks up and the crowds begin to move. If you’re sober enough before leaving, check out the trail of American license plates lining the wall—last time we checked, the eastern seaboard was heavily outweighed by the wild west and the sultry south. New Yorkers, donate a plate, please?
B: Piramide. Walk up V. Marmorata toward the river, turn left onto V. Galvani, and veer left onto V. di Monte Testaccio. No food—hit Top 5 (see below) downstairs if you get hungry. Cover €10 F-Sa after midnight. Beer and wine €5. Cocktails €8. Open daily 9pm-5am. Bar 9pm-midnight. Disco midnight-5am.
ON THE ROX
V. Galvani 54
BAR
06 45 49 29 75
The lively crowd that frequents this huge lounge still “rox” out big time, even if the place isn’t technically a club. Rustic arches offset by twinkling chandeliers give the place a spunky vibe that matches its nightly mix of students and locals. Pop music plays in the background, but the real buzz comes from conversation and the cheers of customers watching sports on the flatscreen TVs. With great nightly specials, even Tu becomes an ideal day for a night out.
B: Piramide. Walk up V. Marmorata toward the river and turn left onto V. Galvani. Pitcher night on M, €10. Buy 1 get 1 free on W. Ladies’ night 2-for-1 cocktails on Th. Live music 4 nights per week in the winter. Student special long drinks €5. Happy hour buffet €7. Shots €2.50. Beer €4. Cocktails €6. Food €6-8. Open M-W 6pm-4am, Th-Su 6pm-5am. Happy hour daily 6-10pm.
LA CASA DELLA PACE
V. di Monte Testaccio 22
CULTURAL CENTER, CONCERT VENUE
329 54 66 296 www.myspace.com/bigbang
More than a nightlife haven for artsy and intellectual folks, this “House of Peace” holds multicultural events, art exhibitions, and live music performances throughout the year. In the evening, join a truly mixed crowd on any of the floors as live music ranging from reggae to electro-funk plays on the stripped-wood dance floor. Multiple adjoining rooms, including the upstairs gallery space, slowly fill up with beer sippers, conversationalists, performers, and artists. Drop by F or Sa for La Casa’s “Big Bang” nights or check online for a schedule of upcoming events. Be sure to try out the mosaic-tiled bathroom, which rivals some of Rome’s greatest—bathrooms, that is.
B: Piramide. Walk up V. Marmorata towards the river, turn left onto V. Galvani, and veer left onto V. di Monte Testaccio. €7 membership card required to enter; buy at the desk and reuse for all events. Shots €2.50. Beer €2.50-4. Cocktails €6. Open M-Th 3-10pm, F-Sa 10pm-5am, Su 3-10pm.
CARUSO
V. di Monte Testaccio 36
CLUB, LATIN
06 57 45 019 www.carusocafe.com
Move your hips to merengue rather than the same old pop mix. The distinctive orange glow in this club’s cluster of dance rooms will warm you up for dancing; cool (though slightly pricey) drinks and strong A/C will cool you down when things get too hot. Plenty of tables and padded chairs sit beside rather random Buddha sculptures, so take this opportunity to lounge next to the big enlightened guy. Live bands take the small stage when the DJ steps down.
B: Piramide. Walk up V. Marmorata toward the river, turn left onto V. Galvani, and veer left onto V. di Monte Testaccio. Live and DJ’d Latin music. Cover Su-Th €8, F-Sa €10; includes 1st drink. Beer €6. Cocktails €6-11. Open M-Th 11pm-2am, F-Sa 11pm-4am, Su 11pm-2am.
ARTS AND CULTURE
“Arts and culture?” you ask. “Isn’t that Rome, itself?” Psshh. Well, yes, Renaissance paintings, archaeological ruins, and Catholic churches do count. But aside from these antiquated lures, Rome offers an entertainment scene that makes it much more than a city of yore. Soccer games might not quite compare to man-fights-lion spectacles, but with hundreds of screaming Italians around, it comes close. If you need more ideas, check Rome’s city website (www.060608.it) for a schedule of upcoming events ranging from live music to festivals. Other good resources are Roma C’è (www.romace.it) and www.aguestinrome.com. Or just wander the streets scouting out advertisements and flyers, which are nearly as common as ruins. In Rome, it’s definitely possible to experience “arts and culture” in places where an alarm won’t go off when you get too close.
Jazz
Unfortunately, most jazz places close during the summer months, either re-opening in September or heading outdoors. For a current schedule of other jazz events check out www.romace.it, www.romajazz.com, or www.casajazz.it.
FONCLEA
V. Crescenzio 82A
VATICAN CITY
06 68 96 302 www.fonclea.it
Crowds linger on the street and trickle down the steps into this den of live jazz and food. Amid hanging skis and teapots, nightly performers pay homage to anything from swing to The Beatles. Munch on chips and guacamole during the aperitivo hour while trumpeters and saxophonists warm up their lips. Drinks and food are a bit overpriced, but with music this good, who’s thinking of eating?
A: Ottaviano. From P. Risorgimento, head away from the Vatican on V. Cresenzio. Cover F-Sa €6. Beer €7. Cocktails €10. Open from mid-Sept to mid-June M-Th 7pm-2am, F-Sa 7pm-3am, Su 7pm-2am. Music at 9:30pm. Aperitivo hour 7-8:30pm.
BIG MAMA
Vicolo San Francesco a Ripa 18
TRASTEVERE
06 58 12 551 www.bigmama.it
She’s not just a “Mama”—when it comes to the blues, she’s a big mama. Nightly concerts by jazz and blues performers.
Bus #75 or 170 or tram #8. From P. Garibaldi, walk down Vle. Trastevere, turn left onto V. San Francesco a Ripa, and veer right onto the tiny vicolo. Year-long membership card (€14) or monthly card (€8) grants free admission to most shows. A few big shows require an additional ticket fee. Open daily from late Sept to late May 9pm-1:30am. Music at 10:30pm.
Classical Music and Opera
TEATRO DELL’OPERA
P. Beniamino Gigli 7
TERMINI
06 48 16 02 55 www.operaroma.it
Once you’ve caught a glimpse of the 6m chandelier and frescoes by Annibale Brugnoli gracing this four-tier theater, you’ll be happy you shelled out the extra euro even if opera and ballet aren’t your thing. From July to early fall, additional performances are held outdoors at the Baths of Caracalla (Terme di Caracalla).
A: Repu
bblica. Walk down V. Nazionale, then turn left onto V. Firenze and left onto V. del Viminale. Opera €17-130, ballet €11-65; students and over 65 receive 25% discount. Check website for last-minute tickets with 25% discount. Regular box office open Tu-Sa 9am-5pm, Su 9am-1:30pm, and 1hr. before performance until 15min. after its start. Box office for Baths of Caracalla open Tu-Sa 10am-4pm, Su 9am-1:30pm.
ACCADEMIA NAZIONALE DI SANTA CECILIA
Vle. Pietro de Coubertin 30
NORTHEAST ROME
06 808 2058; 06 89 29 82 for tickets www.santacecilia.it
Founded in 1585 as a conservatory, the Accademia is now both a place of training for aspiring and renowned musicians and a professional symphonic orchestra. Past conductors have included Debussy, Strauss, Stravinsky, and Toscanini..
A: Flaminio and then tram #2 to P. Euclide. Or take the special line “M” from Termini (every 15min. starting at 5pm) to Auditorium. Last bus after last performance. Box office at Largo Luciano Berio 3. Tickets €18-47. Box office open daily 11am-8pm.
Spectator Sports
STADIO OLIMPICO
V. del Foro Italico 1
OUTSKIRTS
www.asroma.it, www.sslazio.it
Soccer matches—the favorite game of the Romans since their gladiator days—are held here. The stadium serves as the battleground for A.S. Roma and S.S. Lazio. The easiest way to tell them apart is by color (red and sky blue, respectively). Tickets aren’t easy to come by: check the spots below or ask around.
A: Ottaviano. Then take bus #32 to Piazzale della Farnesina. Tickets can be purchased at the stadium, online at sites like www.listicket.it, or at various ticketing spots around the city such as Lazio Point (V. Farini 34/36 06 48 26 688). Tickets €20-80. Most matches Sept-May Su afternoons. Lazio Point box office open daily 9pm-1am and 2:30-6pm.
SHOPPING
When it comes to shopping, it would be significantly easier to make a list of what Rome doesn’t have than what it does. Fashionista, artista, or “intelligista,” you won’t leave Rome unsatisfied, though your pocketbook might be significantly lighter. European chains like United Colors of Benetton, Tezenis, Motivi, and even H and M speckle the city. Those with a taste for high fashion should head to the Piazza di Spagna region, Rome’s equivalent of Fifth Ave., which is home to the regular gamut of designer stores. Smaller (though no less costly) boutiques dominate the Centro Storico. Major thoroughfares like Via del Corso, Via Cavour, Via Nazionale, and Via Cola di Rienzo abound with cheap clothing stores touting a similar collection of tight, teenybopper glitz and fare that comes unattached to a brand name. The regions around Termini, Vle. Trastevere, and the Vatican contain a fair number of street vendors selling shoes, lingerie, dresses, and sunglasses, usually for under €15, though established open-air markets will have a bigger selection.
Outdoor Markets
One of the few things that tourists and locals appreciate with equal enthusiasm are Rome’s outdoor markets. You can find real bargains if you’re willing to rifle through the crowds and stacks. With early hours on both their opening and closing ends, make sure you set that alarm. It’s best to stick to official markets rather than take on merchants who set up shop individually. The fine for buying fake designer products rests on the buyer, not the seller, and can reach into the hundreds of thousands of euro.
spagna stores
It’s not Milan. It’s not Paris. It’s Rome—and that’s no small thing. The area around Piazza di Spagna has all the glitz you might want—ice-cold stores with ice-cold staff hovering about making sure you don’t paw through their precious items. You’d think you were in another museum or something. Here’s where to find the priciest and snobbiest of stores:
• DOLCE AND GABBANA. (P. di Spagna 94 06 69 38 08 70 www.dolcegabbana.it Open M-Sa 10:30am-7:30pm, Su 10:30am-2:30pm and 3:30-7:30pm.)
• EMPORIO ARMANI. (V. del Babuino 140 06 32 21 581 www.giorgioarmani.com Open M-Sa 10am-7pm.)
• GUCCI. (V. Condotti 8 06 679 0405 www.gucci.com Open M-Sa 10am-7:30pm, Su 10am-7pm.)
• PRADA. (V. Condotti 92/95 06 679 0897 www.prada.com Open M-F 10am-7:30pm, Sa 10am-8pm, Su 10am-7:30pm.)
• VALENTINO. (V. del Babuino 61 and V. dei Condotti 15 06 36 00 19 06 and 06 67 39 420 www.valentino.com Open daily 10am-7pm.)
• VERSACE. (V. Bocca di Leone 26/27 06 67 80 521 www.versace.com Open M-Sa 10am-7pm, Su 2pm-7pm.)
PORTA PORTESE
From P. di Porta Portese to P. Ippolito Nievo
TRASTEVERE
www.portaportesemarket.it
The legs of this U-shaped market seem to extend forever and are of markedly different qualities. The longer V. Portuense is occupied by clones—vendors selling the same selection of cheap garments, toiletries, furniture, plastic jewelry, and shoes. We’re talking 2m stacks of €2 clothes. If you’re not exhausted by the madhouse (reminiscent of the hustling crowds of the Vatican Museums), make it to the antiques section where cooler treasures reside: old comic books, records, jewelry, and furniture.
Bus #40 to Largo Argentina and tram #8. Open Su 7am-2:30pm.
VAN SANNIO MARKET
V. Sannio
SOUTHERN ROME
06 06 08
Cheap doesn’t have to mean mass-produced and homogenous. Head here early to be the first of many to dig through mostly used clothes and items. A refreshing change from the ubiquitous street merchants spattering Rome, this large market is the outdoor equivalent of a New York thrift store. Hipsters rejoice.
A: San Giovanni. Open M-Sa 9am-1:30pm.
CAMPO DEI FIORI
Campo dei Fiori
CENTRO STORICO
Thank God there’s a place to buy fresh fruit and vegetables in the middle of overpriced trattorias: the lively Campo makes a great lunch spot if you don’t mind the crowds. Giving as much flavor to the piazza during the day as bars give it at night, the market’s open stalls vend cheap clothing, produce, fish, and even alcohol—no need to head to San Marino to pick up some absinthe.
Bus #116 or tram #8. Open M-Sa 7am-2:30pm.
MERCATO DELLE STAMPE
Largo della Fontanella di Borghese
PIAZZA DI SPAGNA
The small piazza and academic assortment of goods keep this market more manageable than most others in Rome—after all, how rowdy can a crowd get around a stack of books? Older crowds weave through the stalls, where you can find a curious selection of used books, old prints, and other dusty articles.
Bus #224 or 913 to P. Imperatore or bus #492, 116, or 81. Open M-Sa 9:30am-6pm.
ESSENTIALS
Practicalities
• TOURIST OFFICES: Comune di Roma is Rome’s official source for tourist information. Green P.I.T. Info booths are located throughout the city around most major sights. English-speaking staff provide limited information on hotel accommodations and events around the city, though plenty of free brochures and a city map are available. The booths also sell bus and Metro maps and the Roma Pass (PIT booth locations include V. Giovanni Giolitti 34 in Termini, P. Sidney Sonnino in Trastevere, and V. dei Fori Imperiali 06 06 08 for main info center; check online for individual booth numbers www.turismoroma.it, www.060608.com Most locations open daily 9:30am-7pm; Termini location open 8am-8:30pm.)
• CURRENCY EXCHANGE: Money exchange services are especially abundant near Termini and major sights but tend to have high rates. Western Unions are also readily available. ( Most banks open M-F 8:30am-1:30pm and 2:30-5pm.)
• LUGGAGE STORAGE: Termini Luggage Deposit. (06 47 44 777 www.grandistazioni.it In Termini, below Track 24 in the Ala Termini wing. Takes bags of up to 20kg each for 5 days max. Cash only. €4 for 1st 5hr., €0.60 per hr. for 6th-12th hr., €0.20 per hr. thereafter. Open daily 6am-11:50pm.)
• LOST PROPERTY: La Polizia Municipale holds property a few days after it is lost; check the closest branch to where you lost your item. After that point, all lost property is sent to Oggetti Smarriti, run by the Comune di Roma. To retrieve an item, you must present a valid form of ID, a
statement describing the lost item, and a cash payment of €2.97. (Circonvallazione Ostiense 191 06 67 69 3214 www.060608.it or email oggettismarriti@comune.roma.it with questions B: Piramide or B: Garbatella. Open M 8:30am-1pm, Tu 8:30am-1pm and 3-5pm, W 8:30am-1pm, Th 8:30am-5pm, F 8:30am-1pm.)
• GLBT RESOURCES: The Comune di Roma publishes a free guide to gay life in Rome, AZ Gay, with listings for gay-friendly restaurants, hotels, clubs, and bars. Pick one up at any P.I.T. Point. ARCI-GAY is a resource for homosexuality awareness, offering free courses, medical, legal, and psychological counseling, and advice on gay-friendly establishments in the city. (V. Zabaglia 14 06 64 50 11 02; 800 71 37 13 for helpline www.arcigayroma.it B: Piramide. Walk up V. Marmorata and turn right onto V. Alessandro Volta; it’s at the intersection with V. Zabaglia. ARCI-GAY cards allow access to all events and services run by the program throughout Italy; €15 (valid 1 year). Open M-Sa 4-8pm. Helpline open M 4-8pm, W-Th 4-8pm, Sa 4-8pm. Welcome Groups Th 6:15-9pm, Young People Groups F 6:30-9pm.)