Top 5 Neighborhoods for Nightlife
Nightlife in Florence
Santo Spirito square on warm evenings is one of the great people-watching scenes in Italy. The church's blank facade glows in the last light, children play on the fountain, and the bars around the perimeter serve Negronis and Aperol Spritz with small plates. Volume on Piazza Santo Spirito and Pop Cafe are both reliable choices. The square itself becomes a gathering point where bottles of wine appear and impromptu socializing carries on well past midnight.
For cocktails, Florence takes its claim as the birthplace of the Negroni seriously. Caffe Rivoire on Piazza della Signoria makes an elegant version, but for atmosphere head to Mad Souls and Spirits on Borgo San Frediano in the Oltrarno -- a smaller, darker bar with inventive cocktails and occasional DJ sets.
The student population around Santa Croce keeps a cluster of livelier bars in business. The Lion's Fountain on Borgo degli Albizi is an expat and student hub, and Rex Cafe on Via Fiesolana stays open late with DJ sets.
Live music is scattered but worth seeking out. Jazz Club Firenze on Via Nuova dei Caccini programs live jazz several nights a week in an intimate basement. Flog in the Rifredi area north of the center is the city's main live music venue for indie, rock, and electronic acts.
For a uniquely Florentine night out, seek out an enoteca -- a wine bar that takes Tuscan wine seriously. Le Volpi e l'Uva near Ponte Vecchio is tiny and exceptional, and Fuori Porta near San Niccolo serves wines by the glass with bruschetta and crostini until late.
Practical note: Florence's center is small and walkable. Most bars close by 1 or 2am. The city has no metro, but night buses run limited routes.