Drinks Near Spanish Steps
Wine bars, cocktails, views, and more!

Where to have drinks near Spanish Steps?

This area has a huge range of choices, from serious wine bars to posh cocktail bars to jazz clubs and more.

Drinks Spanish StepsFind out the best places to grab drinks in the Spanish Steps area.

Drinks near Spanish Steps - something for everyone

Whether you're staying in the Spanish Steps neighborhood or just want a respite between or after shopping, this area offers a vast range of choices.

On this page about where to get drinks near Spanish Steps, you'll find:

Drinks near Spanish Steps - wine bars and wine tasting

One option for drinks near Spanish Steps is a wine bar, or enoteca.

A true-blue enoteca will offer a varied menu of wines by the bottle and by the glass, and should also have someone on hand, hopefully a sommelier, to assist you with your choice.

Many enotecas also offer something to eat, from simple appetizers to a full-course meal.

There are not actually that many dedicated wine bars near the Spanish Steps, but for serious wine-lovers or for anyone who wants to delve into the Italian wine scene, here are the best in the neighborhood within walking distance:

Antica Enoteca della Croce

drinks near spanish stepsAntica Enoteca is a great wine bar for drinks near Spanish Steps.

Antica Enoteca on via della Croce is a Rome institution, supposedly on the Rome scene since the 18th century.

I love the dark, cozy, homey, unpretentious atmosphere.

My favorite way to enjoy this spot is to meet friends on the early side, before it fills up, and to sit at the bar (although I did sit outside once for dinner.)

To be honest, Antica Enoteca is not quite a true-blue wine bar in the real sense.

They do not concentrate on having the best wine list or lots of interesting choices in a given category of wine.

But you can try wines by the glass, and there is a fair selection by the bottle too.

And their aperitivo snacks are pretty good.

So come enjoy the ambiance in one of Rome's oldest wine bars, right near the Spanish Steps.


VYTA - A true enoteca featuring local wines

The first time I went into Vyta for a shopping break, my friend and I sat at the bar and asked for a glass of Sangiovese.

No, they didn't have that.

OK; how about a Morellino di Scansano.

Nope. So . . . what do they have?

Well, all wines from the Lazio region of Italy.

(Rome is in the region of Lazio, Latium in Latin.)

palatium exteriorVyta Enoteca - specializing in Lazio wines (this photo is from when they used the name Palatium, which changed in 2015)

We enjoyed some interesting tastes of some rather obscure local wines.

So if you want a lovely wine-bar break, and to try some really local wines, this is the place.

They also have a full menu if you want to eat here.


Enoteca Buccone

Enoteca Buccone can definitely be classified as a true enoteca.

At first glance it seems they are a wine emporium, or wine shop.

They have floor to ceiling displays of hundreds of wines but also balsamic vinegars, olive oils, liqueurs, chocolates and more specialty gourmet foods.

wines on display at bucconeJust some of the many wines and other gourmet delicacies for sale at Buccone Enoteca. See the tables in the back there? You can enjoy some wine-tasting, or even a simple lunch or dinner!

But you can also do some wine-tasting in the back, and, during meal hours, even enjoy a very fine, if simple, home cooked meal.

A great place for casual drinks near Spanish Steps, especially if you want that local feel, and an easy way to keep costs low.


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Drinks near Spanish Steps - Rooftop bars/drinks with a view

Maybe because the Spanish Steps is considered a posh, upscale neighborhood.

Maybe because the top of the Spanish Steps offers some gorgeous views of Rome.

Whatever the reason, a rooftop bar is definitely an excellent choice for drinks near Spanish Steps.

As you can imagine, if you want to go for drinks near Spanish Steps and enjoy a beautiful view, you can expect it to cost you.

So the below options are for when it's really about the experience and you don't mind splurging a bit.

IL PALAZZETTO

Il Palazzetto, run by the 5* luxury Hotel Hassler just across from it, sits in one of the most prime locations in Rome, just overlooking the Spanish Steps (in fact, the best view is actually of the steps themselves, rather than Rome rooftops and church domes.)

palazzetto wine barIl Palazzetto winebar at the top of the Spanish Steps. Come for the views!

With its spacious elegant two-level terrace, and a unique view overlooking the Spanish Steps from the side, it's an excellent place to enjoy a glass of wine and snack at the end of a long shopping day.


Cielo at Hotel de la Ville

In May 2019, the Hotel de la Ville reopened after a long renovation.

They unveiled their rooftop terrace which became an instant hit. 

Cielo bar at the Hotel de la Ville is an excellent spot for drinks near Spanish Steps with a view.

view from spanish stepsView from Spanish Steps

The terrace is huge.

It's even on two levels.

And while the views are not actually some of the most beautiful (depending on where you sit, you may have some piping and water tanks in your immediate view), it does offer excellent overall views across the city, with the inevitable dome of Saint Peter's in the background to make up for any other shortcomings.

It's an expensive spot for drinks near Spanish Steps but definitely worth the splurge.


Up Sunset Bar Rinascente

Not far from the Spanish Steps is the flagship Rinascente Store.

This large indoor department store offers everything from shopping to a hair salon to Roman ruins in the basement to a top-floor food court, plus amazing facilities with bathrooms and accessible-friendly access to all floors.

rinascente sunsetRinascente sunset view

The Up Sunset Bar with a mixology counter is designed for quick meals such as sandwiches, salads, and desserts in a glass jar.

And above that, on the roof, you will find the Up Sunset bar with a lovely, spacious ambiance and rooftop views.

You can add it on to your shopping experience or come straight to the roof for eating and/or drinking.


Zuma

I go to Zuma primarily for their excellent sushi but as you might expect from this hip spot on top of Fendi's flagship store in Rome, they also have a varied wine list and creative young bartenders who will whip up some fun cocktails that can only be enhanced by the gorgeous ambiance. 

Drinks near Spanish StepsZuma is also one of the few places for drinks near Spanish Steps that gives you a view of Trinità dei Monti, the church at the top of the steps.

This place is lovely inside and out and they are one of the few places for drinks near Spanish Steps that gets the background music right.


Aquaroof at the Pavilions First Art Hotel

On top of the Pavilion's First Art Hotel near Piazza del Popolo, you can eat and drink with beautiful views over Rome's rooftops.

Drinks near Spanish StepsThe lovely Aquaroof terrace at the Pavilion's First Art Hotel offers wonderful views of the Spanish Steps but also of other Rome rooftops including St. Peter's dome.

One big plus about this spot is that the roof is open also in winter, although it's with an awning which does diminish the view.


Drinks near Spanish Steps with the best atmosphere

If you're looking for a serious wine bar or a place with rooftop views of Rome, see the two sections above.

This section is all about enjoying drinks near Spanish Steps with a cool vibe.

But that doesn't meant it's only about the ambiance.

I wouldn't mention them here unless they also had good drink and snack options.

Hotel Locarno

Hotel Locarno is a great spot to come for a drink, inside or outside.

I love their cozy art-deco style inside bar, but the outside patio is the main attraction here (in warmer weather.) 

Drinks near Spanish StepsFor a cocktail nearby the Spanish Steps, take a seat at the bar of the Hotel Locarno and enjoy the glamorous atmosphere with locals.

If you come early, say 5-7 pm, it will be peaceful and you can snag the table you want.

From around 7 pm onwards, it becomes a hip hangout spot for Romans out on the town, and it can get crowded and loud.

There is nothing special about the food, wine list or drinks, but the atmosphere is great.



The perfect 3-day itinerary in Rome

Trying to figure out how to organize your visit to Rome? I've got the perfect 3-day itinerary for first-time visitors (or those who have not been here in a while.) It works for a 2.5 day visit as well.

In my 3-day itinerary, you'll see all the major must-see Rome attractions like the Vatican, Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Spanish Steps, Castel Sant'Angelo, and much more.

And if you have more time, or want suggestions for extra/other things to do, you'll find that there too.

Visit my page with the best 3-day itinerary in Rome for first-timers.


La Baja Riverboat

This is a fun and unusual option for brunch, lunch, dinner, and drinks nearby the Spanish Steps.

baja riverboatBaja riverboat - an unsusual and fun option for drinks on the Tiber

One of their bartenders trained at the Hotel de Russie (see below), and they also have a good selection of wines.

So whether you come for the ambiance and location, or for the wine/cocktails, this is a great option for drinks near Spanish Steps.

baja riverboat drinks outsideEnjoy cocktails, wine, dinner and more outside on the deck of this run riverboat docked on the Tiber

Gregory's Jazz Club

Gregory's Jazz club is definitely not a typical enoteca.

In fact, they have a much bigger selection of whiskeys than wines.

But if you want to go someplace really cozy for a drink (or even dinner), and listen to some great jazz, this is the spot.

Check the jazz schedule on their site.


The Stravinskij Bar at Hotel de Russie - the secret garden

Found within one of Rome's luxury hotels, the most wonderful thing about Hotel de Russie's Stravinskij bar is the garden outside.

The inside bar is really nice as well, with its soft lighting and soft wide armchairs in various shades of purple or grey.

inside hotel de russie's stravinskij barRome Hotel de Russie's Stravinskij bar - very cozy place for a drink or shopping break

But the outside is special.

It's a private courtyard, so it's very quiet, and there is never any chance of people coming to play music and/or ask you for money as they do with outdoor seating on public streets and plazas around Rome.

hotel de russie stravinskij bar outside patioI took this in February - even in cool weather, you can enjoy this quiet patio and understated posh atmosphere. That's what heat lamps are for. But it's even more wonderful in nice weather!

Also, the Hotel de Russie has its own beautifully kept garden, which seems to spill down from the Borghese park above.

It doesn't really, but the backdrop of the garden is the park itself so you really feel as if you are in an oasis, some secret spot that only you and the few others there have found out about.

I consider the Stravinskij bar one of my favorite places to have drinks near Spanish Steps.

They have a pretty good wine list, even for wines by the glass.

But it's their cocktails that really stand out.

And frankly, their bartenders are considered some of the best in the city.

This is one of the best places in Rome for a real, American-style martini (or Bloody Mary, complete with horseradish!)

private gardens hotel de russieTake a few minutes to walk around the gardens, they are enchanting!
bloody mary hotel de russie stravinskij barThis Bloody Mary was amazing ... 22€, but amazing!

No matter what season you visit Rome, here are 4 things never to leave at home:

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Il Marchese Amaro Bar

One of the newer spots on the Rome dining/drinking scene is Il Marchese Amaro Bar.

Despite the name describing it as a place to taste amaro (bitter) liqueurs, it is so much more than that. 

Drinks near Spanish StepsA delicious cocktail accompanies a potato croquette with cream of chickpeas and a meatball made of shredded beef, accompanied by a green herb sauce.

Located in the luxurious Via di Ripetta, L'Amaro Bar is a must on any cocktail lover's list.

Old bistro style, it is definitely the counterculture cocktail bar, where people can enjoy high-quality mixed beverages.

It's got ambiance in spades, talented mixologists, and best of all, a fantastic chef serving up delicious traditional Roman food, sometimes with a little twist.


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Drinks Near Spanish Steps - a map

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