One you have eaten out in Genoa, the next step is to go out for an evening drink. Genoa, a seaport and the biggest city in Italy’s north-eastern region Liguria, is a perfect place for summer relaxation with beaches, great weather, breeze, but also the classic city nightlife. For the best places for an evening drink or two, check out our list of the ten best bars in this charming city.
The elegant and classy cocktail bar, restaurant, and nightclub Mako is a three-in-one venue for everyone who enjoys the blissful blend of good drinks, tasty food, and loud music. It is located on the big Corso Italia, just next to the sea. You can enjoy all of it sitting in a spacious lodge, at a table, or simply swaying to the tunes on the dance-floor.
The legendary Estoril Beach Club is a nightclub, a bar, a pizzeria and a restaurant all at the same time. Monday and Wednesdays are tango nights, whereas Saturdays are Latin nights with salsa, bachata and merengue vibes. If you like live blues or soul music, visit Estoril on a Sunday. The bar has a terrace with a wonderful view of the Ligurian Coast and the waters. As for drinks, the place specializes in local as well as foreign beers.
This little bar whose name means ‘The Count’s Bottle’ used to be a grocery shop and has been transformed into a cozy bar with good jazz music. Inside, you feel transported to a medieval alehouse, mainly because the building of La Bottega del Conte dates as far back as the 11th century. The idea behind it was to create a charming bar-museum with a historical feel and good music and drinks. Tise place offers English beer, over 20 types of whiskey, and several cocktails.
Birreria Hofbräuhaus is a German pub and restaurant located in the San Vincenzo quarter of Genoa in the beautiful, round Palazzo della Borsa, a neo-Baroque settlement. The place specializes in fine Bavarian draught beer, such as Urbock, Dunkel, or the special Festbier and Oktoberfestbier. Whilst drinking the beer, you can snack on the traditional German pretzels, the Bavarian curry wurstel, or smoked salami. Birreria Hofbräuhaus also serves full food platters that are characteristic of the German cuisine, such as potato salads.
This is the best historical English pub in Genoa. If you want to experience the British culture here, or simply feel at home for a moment, go to Britannia and enjoy your evening sipping beer and eating fish and chips at a wooden table. The fish dishes are of premium quality because of the sea’s proximity. Other meals include burgers, sandwiches, and salads. The beer selection is quite large, the recommended one being Guinness. Britannia often plays jazz or British folk rock in the background.
Hemingway’s Pub introduces Cuban atmosphere and culture to the city of Genoa. This place has been created by friends who fell in love with Cuba and decided to bring a little bit of it to their country. The pub is located near the wonderful, iconic Borgo di Boccadasse (the fishermen’s neighborhood), and there you will find Cuban rum, music, design, cigars, and artistic tokens. The pub’s menu offers Cuban and other Central or South American rum and cocktails.
‘Piccolo Mondo’ is Italian for ‘Small World’, and this place in fact unites people through its casual, relaxed atmosphere as well as an inspiration to solve puzzles and play games that the bar’s owners have created themselves. Piccolo Mondo offers good beer, coffee, other beverages, and sandwiches, but above all a chance to exercise your intellect and have some geeky fun with friends.
The historical Alabardieri tavern and wine bar is located in Genoa’s oldest part which was a human settlement even before the ancient Roman times. The place is decorated with fantasy and surreal elements, such as pirates’ features. Alabardieri is known for its refined European, particularly Irish, folk music and good quality beer. It makes you feel as though you have been transported to the medieval times. If you fancy a ‘pirate’ night, visit this bar on a Tuesday.
La Tartana is a wonderful marine-themed bar near the sea. Its interior is decorated with trinkets from sailors, Italian décor, and other maritime tokens. The romantic view from the bar’s entrance is the waves and the beach near the fishermen’s neighborhood, Boccadasse. The beverages menu specializes in all kinds of wine and whiskey, which you can enjoy while snacking on a ham or cheese platter.
This bar is a trendy meeting place in the center of the city, suitable for a big meal and an evening of drinks. The drinks list offers a large selection of well known cocktails, as well as wines from the iconic Italian prosecco to champagne. It also has very good tea and coffee, including the nationally-famous marocchino with chocolate. In Poldo’s Bar, you can also sample the classic northern Italian polenta dish, meatballs with tomato sauce, or various salads.
