The best nightlife in Florence
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As the cradle of the Renaissance, Florence has a timeless beauty that echoes through the cobbled streets, providing a panoramic backdrop for it's burgeoning nightlife. From wine bars serving the best that Italy's vineyards have to offer and bizarre cocktails crafted by mixologists, to nightlcubs heaving with superb sound spun by international DJs, Telegraph Travel expert Nicky Swallow shares her guide to the best of Florence nightlife.
Duomo, Piazza della Signoria and San Marco
La Terrazza Rooftop Bar
Come summer, the rooftop bar at the stylish Hotel Continentale is one of the most desirable spots for aperitivi and late-night drinks in central Florence. Expect a sophisticated crowd lounging on low, white sofas with soft lighting and cool, classy background sounds. The views of the glowing Arno and the skyline beyond are ravishing, particularly at sunset. The cocktail menu includes the classics of course, but also signature mixes such as the ‘Landscape Swizzle’ (Bacardi spiced rum mix and passion fruit). Accompanying nibbles only run to nuts, olives and crisps, but that hardly matters given the backdrop.
Contact: 00 39 055 27265987; laterrazzaungarnocollection.com
Opening times: Daily, 4.30pm-12.30am
Prices: ££
Reservations: walk-ins only
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Santa Croce and the East
Locale
For excellent cocktails and a truly classy setting, head to elegant Il Locale, housed on the ground floor of 13th-century, re-vamped Palazzo Concini. It comes with a soaring, sky-lit ceiling, a vertical garden with plants that scale the walls as you walk in, a long zinc bar and moody lighting. The craft cocktails are among the best in Florence and the long list offers both the classics and more creative numbers such a Negroni made with mezcal. This place also houses a good - if expensive – restaurant, showcasing the best of local cuisine. So why not make a night of it?
Contact: 00 39 055 9067188; localefirenze.it
Opening times: Mon-Sun 7.30pm-2am
Price: Cocktails £££
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Santa Maria Novella, San Lorenzo and the west
Se.sto
Cocktails at the glassed-in rooftop bar of the Westin Excelsior hotel come with the best views in Florence; the 360-degree wraparound eyeful takes in the whole sweep of the city skyline to the hills beyond. In cool weather, mixes such as the signature 'Il Saggio' (gin and peach bitters) are served at low, 1970s-inspired seating indoors, but the place comes into its own in summer when tables are laid out along the multiple terraces. And if the accompanying nibbles aren’t enough to keep hunger at bay, you can move into the gourmet restaurant for a blow-out dinner.
Contact: 0039 055 27151; sestoonarno.com
Opening times: Cocktails with buffet served daily from 7-9pm; bar open daily, 12pm-2am
Price: £££
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Procacci
Don’t miss a glass of fizz at this historic bar/deli on the prestigious Via Tornabuoni. In spite of a recent makeover, it still retains echos of old Florence with its marble and mahogany interior. Perch at one of a handful of tables to sip a glass of chianti or the in-house dry spumante and nibble on the trademark panini tartufati – little rolls filled with creamy truffle paste, made to a secret recipe. In truffle season, you can buy the precious fresh tubers to be consumed grated over a plate of steaming, buttery taglierini.
Contact: 00 39 055 211 656; procacci1885.it
Opening times: Mon-Sat, 10am-8pm
Price: £-££
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Oltarno
Le Volpi e L’Uva
Florence’s most interesting wine bar is hidden away in a little Oltrarno piazzetta within easy barrel-rolling distance of the Ponte Vecchio. Perch at the bar or bag a coveted table on the terrace for an exceptional choice of (mostly) Italian wines by the bottle or by the glass: they specialise in winkling out smaller, off-the-radar producers from all over the country, and the prices are reasonable. The short menu of gourmet nibbles includes toasted crostoni bubbling with melted cheese and truffle-spiked sausage, and a selection of delectable charcuterie and top-notch cheeses.
Contact: 00 39 055 2398132; levolpieluva.com
Opening times: Mon-Sat, 11am-9pm
Price: £
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Ditta Artiginale
Award-winning barista Francesco Sanapo is roasting and brewing some of the best speciality coffee in town at this 1970s-feel, pared-down hot spot in the Oltrarno. But in the evening, the breakfast/brunch/lunch scene morphs into a buzzy aperitivo venue offering 80-odd types of gin along with excellent craft cocktails and a menu of tapas-style snacks. Still peckish? Stay on for dinner – pasta with pesto, Chianina beef tartare or a shrimp burger with chickpea pancakes. The original branch, all Brooklyn-style white tile and stressed wood, is in Via dei Neri near Santa Croce.
Contact: 00 39 055 0457163; dittaartigianale.it
Opening times: Daily, 8am-12am (9am at weekends)
Prices: Drinks £, meals £-££
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Mad Souls & Spirits
Cocktail Kings, Julian Biondi and Neri Fantechi, are the mixologists at this diminutive, no-frills drinking den that has achieved cult status since opening a couple of years ago. Against a background of deep aqua green and bare brick walls, scrubbed wooden tables and an up-beat soundtrack, their creative, keenly-priced libations have whacky names such as Losco Mule (vodka and ginger beer), Donald is a Trump (bourbon and carrot jam) and Swedish Mealballs (aquavit, orgeat, fresh herbs and 'love'). Come early if you want to chat, and don’t even think of ordering an aperol spritz.
Address: Borgo S. Frediano, 36-38r
Contact: 00 39 055 6171621
Opening times: Daily, 6pm-2am
Price: £
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Volume
One of the Oltrarno’s most popular aperitivo spots is also one of its most enduring and this former wood turner’s workshop pulls in the punters year-round. Inside, its vintage, shabby-chic décor, selection of books, magazines and board games invites you to hunker down for cool-weather cappuccinos, homemade cakes and lunchtime buckwheat pancakes. When aperitivo time strikes, things begin to liven up as a mix of hip young Florentines and clued-in foreigners spill onto the small terrace. Classic cocktails with in-house variations come with good nibbles from 6.30pm; look out for live music and DJ sessions at weekends.
Contact: 00 39 055 2381460; volume.fi.it
Opening times: Mon-Fri 8am-1.30am, Sat and Sun, 8.30am-1.30am
Price: £
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Beyond the city walls
Tenax
Warehouse-style Tenax is Florence’s most edgy nightclub in spite of its 37 years and somewhat distant location by Peretola airport. With a superb sound system and varied selections of quality music, it is a great night out. The venue hosts emerging artists and musicians with regular live music gigs featuring the likes of Spandau Ballet, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Shaggy and Ben Harper. The resident DJs and high-profile guests spin mainly techno and house sounds which thump through the crowds of gyrating Florentines – look out for the Saturday night electronic 'Nobody’s Perfect' party.
Contact: 00 39 393 9204279; tenax.org
Opening times: Sept-May, Fri and Sat, 10.30pm-4am
Prices: Fri £ (including drink); Sat £-£££ (excluding drink) depending on who the DJ is
Getting in: VIP tables are €35 (£31) per head including a drink. Transport: use Disco Taxi (00 39 055 4242/4390) at €6 (£5) per person each way, minimum three people
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Flò
On a hillside near Piazzale Michelangelo and laid out over several terraces under trees hung with fairy lights, the setting is fabulous with the views over the city even more so. A sophisticated, local and international crowd piles in for music, drinks, food and dancing; come early in time for the excellent aperitivo with the buffet if you don’t want a long wait in line. There are lounging areas and a generous dance floor. The music isn’t exactly cutting edge, but the atmosphere is what makes the place. Just remember to wear your glad rags.
Contact: 00 39 334 1080164, flofirenze.com
Opening times: Mid May-end Sept; daily, 7.30pm-4am
Prices: ££
Getting in: Dress code is 'summer chic' with free entrance. VIP tables available to book at€18 (£16) per head
Santa Rosa Bistrot
A relaxed, popular venue for summer drinks, food and music, this delightful bar and restaurant nestles in a leafy garden near the Arno just outside Porta Frediano. The style is more shabby than chic (in the best possible way) with wooden crates as sofas, deck chairs and vintage furniture. Open for breakfast and lunch, it comes into its own on warm summer evenings. Sip on classic mojitos or a Santa Rosa punch, the house special (black tea, vermouth and whiskey) enjoying the laid-back jazzy, Latin or bluesy tunes. Some stay for dinner where fish and seafood is a speciality.
Address: Lungarno Santa Rosa
Contact: 00 39 055 2309057
Opening times: Mon-Fri, 8am-12am, Sat and Sun, 10am-12am. Cocktails from 6pm
Price: Cocktails £; dinner £-££
Getting in: Reservations recommended for the restaurant. Walk-ins only for the bar
