Hadrian's Wall, near Salotto 42. Photos by Samantha Collins.

By Samantha Collins in Rome—

Fancy something different with your glass of wine during your stay in Rome? Try one of these three centrally located bars which all come with a little something extra to taste alongside your drink—whether your interest is cheese, books, or motorbikes….

Obika Roma Mozzarella Bar
Open from 10 AM to midnight
Piazza di Firenze (not far from Via del Corso)
Angolo Via dei Prefetti
website

What else to go along with your drink but a hunk of freshly made mozzarella? Giving a whole new slant on the “wine and cheese party” of the 70s, Obika is sleek and modern, serving a range of regional mozzarella cheeses including the famous DOP Buffalo Mozzarella produced in the Campania region by water buffalo. Obika also serves salads, snacks, and pasta and has a good selection of wines and coffee.

Outside Bar Salotto 42

Salotto42 Book Bar
Piazza di Pietra 42 (not far from Via del Corso)
website

Overlooking Hadrian’s Temple, this Roman book bar is styled on a New York penthouse. In fact, “salotto” means “living room” in Italian, and its decor of cozy settees, low slung coffee tables, CDs and magazines filling the walls (available to buy), encourages you to linger with a book, a glass of wine, or a pot of tea. €6 will get you a drink and aperitivo (and you can help yourself to a finger buffet) from around 7:30 PM.

Ducati Caffe’
Open 8 AM – 2 AM
Via delle Botteghe Oscure 35 (Largo Argentina)
website

This new bar is dedicated to the much loved Italian biking brand, Ducati. Displays of Ducati-related memorabilia, including motorbikes and a merchandise shop, are worth a look for anyone with a love of bikes and GP motocross. The bar also serves food, but it’s not the cheapest menu in the center. Better to enjoy a coffee and pastry or come in the evening, when you can find live music or cooking demonstrations. Check the website for the events calendar.

Popularity: 2% [?]

A night out in Stockholm. Photo by morner.

By Marcus Cederstrom in Stockholm—

Alcohol is not cheap in Sweden. Especially not in Stockholm. There’s just no way around it. Stockholm is consistently ranked as one of the world’s most expensive cities and a night out can easily add up. It doesn’t have to, though.

What to order

First, learn the lingo. The Swedish word for beer is “öl,” the ö being pronounced kind of like the awkward “uh” that ends up filling space in all those speeches you had to give in high school. Most people when ordering a beer though don’t ask for an “öl,” they ask for a “storstark,” literally meaning “big and strong.” This will result in you being served house beer on tap. Usually a Swedish brand, Falcon, Pripps, or Spendrups.

Where to go

Start your night at Mest on Götgatan. There are two subway stations close by (Slussen and Medborgarplatsen). Until 9 PM, a storstark will run you 29 SEK (about €3). In a city where it isn’t unheard of to pay over 50 SEK (about €5) for a beer, this is a great place to start.

If you find yourself out on a Thursday night and need an English language fix (despite the fact that finding a Swede who doesn’t speak English is about as rare as a unicorn sighting), head over to Southside Pub. The Irish pub is two subway stations south of Slussen at Zinkensdamm. On Thursday nights, Southside hosts a free pub quiz. You’ll have the opportunity to test your knowledge of obscure trivia against a surprisingly international crowd. Plus, you’ll have the chance to win a beer or two.

Any other night of the week, just one subway station north of Slussen at Gamla Stan is the Liffey, another Irish pub. This one doesn’t offer a quiz on Thursday nights, but instead stand-up comedy. In English. Often times by Swedes. The show will cost you a 50 SEK (about €5) “donation,” which was by far the most mandatory “donation” I have ever experienced. Every other night of the week, the Liffey offers live music at one of their two stages.

Of course, after a night of music, trivia, and laughs, a kebab is necessary. Head back towards Medborgarplatsen. Just a couple of blocks south of the subway station on Götgatan, you can get a kebab in a pita for about 30 SEK (about €3).

In the end, depending on just how many of those storstarks you decided to have, you’ll have managed to explore Stockholm’s nightlife on a budget any Cheapo would envy.

Popularity: 2% [?]

An exit sign at a Metro station. Photos by Theodora Brack.

By Theadora Brack in Paris—

Hit the ground running in Paris! Don’t let a little language barrier trip you up, not when there is so much signage to lend a guiding hand and make your transition as smooth and exciting as a Johnny Weir solid gold triple axel!

A street sign

1. “Sortie”
 
Exit signs are clearly marked by the word, “Sortie,” which can also mean “military action” or “flight.” Think about that as you fight for your turn on the escalators at the Printemps department store during sale time! (And once you get on, remember to stand on the right, pass on the left!)

2. Digital signs of the times

Most metro stations are now equipped with digital countdown clocks indicating the next two incoming trains. If the first train looks too crowded and the next is only a moment behind, it may help you decide whether to give the first a pass. (By the way, Paris is on the 24-hour clock format. 19hr = 7 PM.)

The green cross.

3. Street smart

You’ll find the iconic blue street signs on the sides of buildings, usually at intersections. Just above the name of the street, the signs will also list the “arrondissement” (1-20) that you’re in. Often they’ll include a historical tidbit, too, about the person or event the street is named for.

4. Pharmacy signs

Pharmacies are easily recognizable by their flashing green cross signs, dressed in neon and super cool LED. In each neighborhood at least one remains open through the night (and a closed pharmacy will post a sign directing you to the nearest open pharmacy).

French pharmacists are licensed to diagnose and treat minor illnesses without doctors’ prescriptions. (Eye opener: this is also where you’ll pick up contact solution, eyedrops, and contact lens cases. Grocery stores don’t carry them.)

A happy hour sign

5. Green man walking

Always wait for the pedestrian crosswalk green man to give the signal to walk. However, note: On many of the wider streets and boulevards you’re supposed to cross in two stages, waiting for a second set of signals to indicate when it is safe to continue the rest of the way.

6. “Happy Hour” signs

Poking out of nearly every nook and cobblestoned cranny, chalkboard signs with their seductive hand-written descriptions still have a commanding presence in the city. Happy Hour specials and fixed-price set meals tempt passersby from restaurant doors, terrace tabletops, and windows. (Cheapos, the “formule” is normally the cheapest version of the fixed-price menu.)

A Morris Column

7. Banner Day

Keep your eyes peeled for banners stretched over streets announcing free concerts, festivals and “brocantes” (itinerant flea markets). Need eyeglass repairs? Look for neon spectacle-shaped signs.

8. Sign, sign everywhere a sign

You’ll find countless publicity signs for department stores, movies, and museum expositions on classic Parisian “Morris columns” (rotating cylindrical billboards) and plastered on poles, café windows and Metro station walls. Take note, Cheapos—spontaneous planning just got easier!

About the author: Theadora Brack is a writer working in Paris. Her fiction has appeared in more than 30 literary publications, including 3AM International, The Smoking Poet, Beloit Fiction Journal, Mid-American Review, and the Haight-Ashbury Literary Journal.

Popularity: 2% [?]

One of Paris' many cafes. Photo by d'Alk.

By Liz Webber—

When you plan a vacation, you generally budget a certain amount that you want to pay for airfare and a hotel. Yet, many forget to plan for all the little expenses—which can really add up if you’re not careful.

Here’s our handy cheat sheet for what you can expect to pay for some basic items in Paris, as well as tips for finding a cheaper alternative.

Cup of coffee: €2.50+

While a simple espresso generally will cost around €2.50-€3 when sipped seated at a café, anything fancier (latte, café crème, etc.) is going to tack on an extra euro or more in price. Cafés in central Paris also increase their prices for other basic items because they know tourists will pay.

When grabbing a coffee at a touristed café (or any café, for that matter), stand at the bar with the locals and pay half the price. For a leisurely café experience, why not venture to a spot along the Canal St. Martin in the 11th arrondissement where prices should be more reasonable?

Ticket to the Louvre: €9.50

That full-price admission ticket for the Louvre’s permanent collections doesn’t even include the €6 audio guide.

For a cheaper alternative, visit the museum on Wednesday or Friday evening from 6 PM to 9:45 PM for €6 and download the free Louvre app from the Apple store before you go. Better yet, aim for the first Sunday of the month when museum admission is free (although crowds can be a problem later in the day).

Many other museums also offer reduced rates for evening admission and most participate in the free first Sundays.

Lunch at a restaurant: €10+

Even at lunchtime, a main course at a moderately-priced restaurant in a touristy neighborhood will probably run upwards of €10—and that doesn’t account for wine or other beverages.

Instead, pick up a prepared sandwich at a boulangerie for about €3 or go for the “formule” that includes a sandwich, dessert, and drink for €5-€7. For a really cheap alternative, pick up a €1 baguette, a €3 bottle of supermarket wine (still tasty even though it’s so cheap!), and some cheese and find a spot for a picnic.

Pint of beer in a bar: €6

Even when compared to New York or London, I find alcohol to be pretty expensive in Paris at even the diviest of bars.

However, in supermarkets it’s fairly cheap. Since drinking in public is legal in most places in Paris (and even in places where it isn’t, most cops will turn a blind eye if you’re discreet about it), you can opt for a less expensive night out by picking up a bottle of wine or a couple of beers at the nearest Franprix and finding a place to sit along the Seine.

If you do want to order a beer at a bar, try a pint of French-made 1664. But to really feel like a local, ask for “un seize” (meaning “16″ – the first part of the beer’s name in French).

Add your tips

How have you kept your expenses low in Paris? Have some tips to share? Please add them in our comments section below!

Popularity: 6% [?]

Crowds scour the goods at the annual sales. Photos by Theodora Brack.

By Theadora Brack in Paris—

Ushering in 2010 like Folies Bergère high-kickers, let’s crack-open my personal Paris rolodex! Take a peek at a few of my insider tips and “bonne addresses.”

Come hither, Cheaparazzi, let’s take a spin!

1.Cheapo taxi to the airport

Lizza of Art-Trans Voyage.

Let’s face it, we’ve all got baggage. And sometimes it’s pretty heavy, so occasionally I cab it from the CDG airport to Paris with Art-Trans Voyage. Costing about €10 to €15 less than a normal taxi ride, this super-reliable and friendly car service allows for advance bookings, greets you at the airport with a sign in hand, and lets you ride shotgun if you so fancy. The flat rate will be pre-determined during booking, and is based on your destination in the city, regardless of traffic snarls.

Email owner Lizza (also a concert cellist!) at contact@art-trans-voyage.com. Tell her you’re a Cheapo.

Tip: For the very lowest rate (especially if your flight is an early one), do tell Lizza that you are willing to wait for a group pick-up at the airport café, just outside the baggage area. I do this often, and I’ve never had to wait more than one hour. You’ll find the lull in motion soothing, and besides, hotel check-in is usually in the afternoon. So why not relax, people watch, and sip un café, always bien to the last drop!

2. Bière with the locals (Hymne à l’amour)
Chez Ammad at Hotel Clermont, 18 Rue Véron in Abbesses

Keep this tip under your hat. This one’s just for you. If enjoying a really cheap beer while shooting the breeze with animated locals is a Parisian dream, Chez Ammad is your place. Though located just a few blocks from the bustling Place Abbesses, you’ll spot nary a tourist in sight.

Seductively adorned with a zinc bar, murals, and beveled mirrors, the joint once tempted the likes of Brassaï, Henry Valentine Miller, and Edith Piaf! (Edith actually stayed at the Clermont in the early thirties, while performing on the streets of Pigalle.) Clank a few cold’uns with sea merchants, tangled lovers, off-duty velvet-clad cabaret performers, artists, poets, and gypsy musicians, each with a cache of tales.

Tip jar: Order your “Sez” (1664) by the draft, not the bottle. Also, don’t walk away without trying the house couscous! They’ll post a sign if the pot’s on the stove.

3. High-brow beauty secrets! (more waxing poetic)
Yves Rocher at 17 rue Lepic in Abbesses

Beauty tools at a Yves Rocher salon.

Full-service Yves Rocher “instituts de beauté” are Cheapo havens. Where else can you get an eyebrow waxing and mini-massage for just €9? With locations dotted all over Paris, walk-ins are a piece of cake. This is the “parfait,” idyllic treat while waiting for an afternoon hotel check-in.

Forgot your bubbles? Yves Rocher also sells a wide array of scented soap and shampoo for just a few euros. For gorgeousness’s sake, I often make a dash to the location on rue Lepic. Ask for Melanie. She’s an artist. Plus, she ends her sessions by describing your eyebrows as “Très, très jolie!” (Pumping up the ego? Oh, so priceless!)

Another pointer: Ask for their fidelity card (Carte Privilege Beauté) and receive discounts with each subsequent visit! There’s no expiration, so it can be used for years.

4. January sales at Zara and ”Soldes by Paris”!
Zara at 75 Boulevard Haussmann

Soldes by Paris (the annual citywide after-holidays sale) is just around the corner! This highly anticipated happening runs January 6-9, 2010! (Speaking of high-kickers, Lady Gaga’s designer Jean-Claude Jitrois is this year’s fashion ambassador!) With nearly every store in Paris participating, it’s hard to avoid over-stimulating one’s senses and bank account. So strategize! Figure out a plan. I usually devote my attention to the Spanish brand Zara because the garb suits me, and the prices are easy on both the eyes and pocketbook.

Here’s the skinny: Not all Zara’s are created equal. I’m drawn to the two-story Boulevard Haussmann shop because of its spacious show rooms, changing cabins on both levels with flattering lighting, collections organized by color, and yes, drastic discounts! Also, at the end of the sale, this location serves as the last stop for the clothes that don’t sell at the Zara shops elsewhere in the city. Last year I was able to buy sale clothes deep into the month of March. (And by the way, this included a rather smashing and sturdily constructed pair of skinny green jeans for just €5! I know! It is a wonderful life.)

Bon Année Cheapos!

(Please note: Pinching from David Bowie, the prices above are subject to cha-cha-changes.)

Popularity: 5% [?]

FITC's 2008 production of "The Fantasticks!" Photo: FITC.

By Marc Anani in Florence—

Just over the Arno river is a little-known treasure for the international crowd that I bet isn’t in your Florence tour book. It’s a little place to sustain your vacation’s quest for culture while adding a contemporary twist to your day. I speak of the Florence International Theatre Company (FITC).

International theater in Florence

The FITC, founded in 2005 by actress Bari Hochwald, is where the local art universe celebrates international theater. The company offers a full range of world-class shows ranging from adaptations of the classics to poetry productions to one-man puppetry.

Most performances take place at the Teatro di Cestello—a quaint theater located in Piazza Cestello in Florence’s Oltrarno neighborhood—where a friendly English-speaking staff will welcome you to the evening’s performance. There is also a bar for those wishing to loosen up before or (and) after the show.

This year the theater also launched its own contribution to the Florence nightlife scene with “Late Night with FITC: Teatro Per Nottambuli.” These one-hour theater pieces start around 11:30 PM, following the evening’s main production and offer the spectator a unique experience in late night entertainment. It’s a perfect event for after dinner. Ticket prices are €12 (€10 for students).

Where to Go After the Show

Regardless of which performance you attend, you will be in need of liquid materials afterward to kick back and discuss. Not to worry, there is no need to go far, as super-cool La Libreria Café La Cité is located just a few streets away.

This bookshop café by day/bistro bar by night is set in a two-story loft held up by book stacks and scattered with wooden tables, retro chairs and couches. You’ll find a mixed crowd of students, artists, and locals overflowing onto the street outside to catch a cigarette (all bars in Italy are now non-smoking). Live music ranging from folk to tango can be heard almost any night, so be sure to check the website to see what’s on. Drinks are affordable, starting at €4, and the bar is open until early morning.

About the author: Marc Anani lives in Florence with his dog José.

Popularity: 4% [?]

The Hirschgarten is Bavaria's largest biergarten. Photo by SpaceStation.

By Audrey Sykes–

Aside from the famous two-week Oktoberfest beer bender, brew culture in Munich flows year-round. When the weather is sunny and warm, the locals descend upon Biergartens, although residents often opt for less touristy options than, say, the English Gardens.

Here are three beer gardens that are very popular with Munich’s locals, all of them ready to pour one-liter drinks and dish up hearty meals.

Taxisgarten
Taxisstraße 12
Hours: 10 AM – 11:30 PM
U-Bahn station: Gern

The Taxisgarten biergarten has been serving 1,500 guests at a time in it’s outdoor garden in Western Munich since the 1920s when a group of World War I veterans started the establishment. The place pours both well-known Spaten pils and Franziskaner weiss beers, and offers tradition Bavarian goods like spare ribs and radishes dabbed with avocado cream. Getting there is a bit of a trek, but well worth the effort, as Taxisgarten is a staple for locals and an unforgettable spot for visitors.

Augustiner biergarten. Photo by Nitot.

Augustiner biergarten
Arnulfstrasse 52
Hours: 11:30am – 11:30pm
S-Bahn stations: Hauptbahnhof or Hackerbrücke

Conveniently situated beneath a canopy of chestnut trees near Central Station, the 8,000-seat Augustiner biergarten is a hidden treasure offering beer and food at reasonable prices. Their obadza cheeseball with brazen is a mouth-watering salty match, although all of the food is a smorgasbord of yummy traditional grub. The beer, Augustiner, is from Munich’s oldest brewery and has been proclaimed the “state’s best beer” twice over.

Hirschgarten
Hirschgarten 1, 80639 München
Hours: 9am – midnight
Getting there: S-Bahn station Laim

Hirschgarten (”Deer Garden”) is not only Germany’s (and possibly the world’s) largest biergarten, but also a unique opportunity to drink a beer in the company of deer. Located in a green pasture home to many deer, the animals shuffle about, offering a unique Bavarian photo-op. As the beer garden can accommodate (unbelievably!) up to 8,000 people, a seat is always easy to snag. Happily, the beer is also uber cheap, and you’re sure to mingle with a Munich crowd. Grab a wurst and a beverage, and be sure to check out the nearby Nymphenburg palace to polish off a perfect weekend afternoon.

Popularity: 6% [?]

Madrid's Cine Doré offers films for €2.50! Photo by SantiMD.

By Cynthia Kane in Madrid–

Madrid is known for its great nightlife — from thumping clubs to tapas bars. But did you know that the city also offers its share of Cheapo-friendly nighttime entertainment options? Here are some of our favorite spots for finding film and music in Madrid.

Cine Doré
Tuesday - Sunday
Calle de Santa Isabel 3
28012 Madrid, Spain
+34 913 691 125

Cine Doré is the exhibition hall of the Spanish Film Library. Also known as the Filmoteca, this beautiful old theater dates back to 1923. Today the cinema offers three projection rooms and shows old and new films in their original versions. Aside from films, the theater also holds seminars, roundtables, conferences, and book talks… all of them great! But what sweetens the deal further is it’s price–it only costs €2.50 to catch a film. What a deal!

Contra Club

Live music nightly at the Contra Club.

Calle de Bailén 16
28005 Madrid, Spain
+34 915 231 511

Madrid’s Contra Club offers live music acts practically every night. They host all kinds of music; just check their site to see what’s playing. The entrance fee is 6 euro, but you get a mixed drink for free!

El Gato Verde
Calle Torrecilla del Lea, 15
28012 Madrid, Spain

If you’re looking for a truly Madrileño hang out, the El Gato Verde is the place for you. The bar offers wine for €2, beer for €1.30, and mixed drinks for €5. Not only are the prices right, but you’ll often get to take in some live music for free. Here you’ll find acoustic performances, jazz, blues, soul and funk. Entrance can be free or €5.

Cuevas de Sesamo
Calle Principe, 7

Cuevas de Sesamo is known for many things: pitchers of Sangria for €7, quotes along the walls, and their live music. Beginning every night at 9:30 PM, live piano music fills the underground cave bar, making you feel like you gone back in time.

About the author: Cynthia Kane is the editor of MAPMagazine.com, a Madrid travel e-zine, written by native English-speaking Madrid experts.

Popularity: 7% [?]

Tapas make a cheap and tasty meal. Photo by Ville.fi.

By Nicolas J. Clément in Madrid—

For affordable eating in Madrid, you can choose between tapas or more expensive entrees in regular restaurants. Tapas, the famous side plates served in bars throughout Spain, are usually served with a caña (small beer) or a “caña doble,” if you’re really thirsty (it’s a better deal).

If you opt for tapas, you should consider hopping from one tapas bar to another. Each place will offer a different selection of plates, from the big and generous to the almost nonexistent (next!). Many of the best tapas bars in Madrid are located in “Zona Centro,” the liveliest neighborhood for nightlife. After downing some tapas, you can explore the nightlife on the hopping Calle Huertas.

Here is a quick list of my favorite restaurants that will provide an evening of excellent tapas tasting:

Malaspina
Calle Cádiz, 9 (Metro Sol), open daily from 10.30 PM to 2 AM

It’s best to visit the informal Malaspina at night, when Calle Cadiz and Calle Barcelona are bustling with life, people and, well, “madrileños and madrileñas de toda la vida” (regulars). In addition to tapas, Malaspina serves a great sangria and good raciones (oversized tapas to share with friends). If your group is less than six people, you can order a “media-racion.” All Spanish classics are covered from the “tortilla” (omelet with potatoes) to “pulpo” (octopus). Expect to pay around €15 per person for an entree. A beer and a couple of tapas is cheaper.

La Tia Cebolla
Calle de la Cruz, 27 (Metro Sol), open daily from 12 PM to 2 AM (kitchen from 1 PM to 2 AM)

Although the tables at La Tia Cebolla host a fair number of tourists, you’ll still get real Madrid-style cuisine with prices made for locals. The “croquetas” are a a house specialty made of olive oil, flour, egg, milk and tuna or jamón (not to be confused with ham, which is worlds apart from the Spanish jamon). Croquetas go for around €5 for six pieces, and a small beer on the overcrowded terrace is about €2. Go before 10 PM to beat the crowd.

Il Picolino De Farfalla
Calle de las Huertas, 6 (Metro Sol or Anton Martin), open daily from 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM (lunch) and 8:30 PM to 2:30 AM

Il Picolino De Farfalla offers international cuisine at amazingly cheap prices. “Asado,” a traditional Argentinian dish made of various types of meat, goes for a little over €10. Portions are more than enough to fill you up. A chorizo, with appetizer and a glass of wine included, makes a satisfying  €10 dinner.  As with all bars and restaurants in this area, go at 8 or 9 PM before the crowd gets in to avoid a wait.

Post tapas: Bar-hopping and free drinks

Did you really think you’d call it a night after tapas, beers, and dinner? But you haven’t hit the bars yet!

Bar-hopping is best done on Calle Huertas, the main thoroughfare of the Huertas neighborhood. Just walk the street and let the bars’ staff convince you to sample a free “chupito,” usually a hard local liquor made of fruits. You can go from bar to bar this way without spending a single euro. No worries about leaving without buying another drink– it’s not mandatory.

After reaching the end of the street, you should be quite ready to go to bed happy. If you still have energy, go dancing at the famous five-floor nightclub Kapital (Calle Atocha 125). Other club options are Ananda (also near the Atocha train station) or Pacha (Calle de Barceló 11, metro Tribunal).

Popularity: 7% [?]

The Metropolitan Cinema. Photos by Claire Chaffey.

By Claire Chaffey in Rome—

Undeniably, Rome is a remarkable city with a thousand things to see and do. It’s not difficult to spend an entire day pounding the cobblestones taking in all that there is to experience. So when night falls, it’s often nice to just chill out and let yourself be entertained.

Here are some of the best (and cheapest) ways to do just that!

Cinema

Unless you’re lucky enough to speak the local lingua, chances are you’ll be looking for a movie house that shows films in English. While there are quite a few scattered around the city, these two are the most accessible:

Metropolitan Cinema
Via del Corso, 7 (Just off Piazza del Poppolo, Metro Flaminio)

The Metropolitan (pictured, above) is a friendly, old-school little cinema that has not entirely succumbed to the Italian penchant for dubbing absolutely everything that is not a product of Italy. It shows at least two English language films at any given time, and if you go on a weekday afternoon, or Wednesdays at anytime, you’ll only pay €5.50. Otherwise, tickets are €7.50.

Warner Village Metro Cinema
Piazza della Repubblica, 44 (Metro Repubblica)

Live music and drinks at the Scholar's Lounge.

You can’t miss this large, swanky cinema, which is the place to come if you want to see a blockbuster. However, it usually only shows one English language film at a time, so your options will be limited. Tickets are €7.50 (€5.50 for students).

Check out this useful website for programs and session times for both cinemas.

Tip: If you can speak Italian, take advantage of free films aired at “Casa del Cinema” at Villa Borghese. The films are mostly documentaries or old, obscure Italian films. For details, check out the website.

Live Music

There are plenty of pubs and bars in Rome which offer a huge variety of live music, but this is our favorite for both music and atmosphere:

Scholars Lounge Irish Pub
Via del Plebiscito, 101b (near Piazza Venezia)

The cosy and charming Scholars Lounge is host to live music almost every night from 10:30 PM. If it’s not a cover band doing the Chilli Peppers, Springsteen, or Oasis, it’s traditional Irish music, Reggae or karaoke (come on, you know you love it!). For the cost of whatever you want to drink, you can kick back with a congenial mix of locals and travelers and enjoy the vibe.

Last-minute theater tickets.

For a list of what’s on, check out the pub’s live music schedule.

Theater

Rome has an extremely vibrant dramatic scene with scores of theaters scattered all over town. It is generally not cheap to see a performance, but it is well worth the experience, especially when there are half-price tickets available at Last Minute Teatro, situated at Via Bari, 18 (Metro Policlinico). It sells unsold tickets for performances showing that night, and if you are not too fussy about what you see, there are huge savings to be made! Open Tuesday to Saturday: 2 PM-8 PM, and Sunday: 12 PM-4 PM.

About the author: Claire is a freelance journalist currently eating and drinking her way through Rome following a stint as a reporter in West Africa. Claire’s work has appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald, TNT Magazine, Way2Go Magazine and the Ghanaian Times.

Popularity: 6% [?]