“Irish” pubs in Rome: the sports bar you were looking for!

As far as traveling styles go, we’re not all created equal. Some people prefer to lose themselves entirely into the culture of the place they’re visiting, others would rather retain a tether to their own country of origin, by way of enjoying its entertainment or speaking the native language, even if just for one night.

That’s where your questions on sports bars come into the picture! Because yes, many of you, our valued guests, come to us with similar questions, and one of the most common ones is “where can I watch a broadcast of my home team playing against so and so?”. And sure, the apartments in our portfolio all come with a free Wi-Fi connection, but sometimes watching a game on a phone or a tablet really isn’t fun, and what everyone’s missing is… the company of other humans.

Rome for the sports fan: a plethora of choices!

Because we do understand that, and Romans at large understand that, you’ll be happy to know that if you’re a sports fan you’ll be happy you booked an accommodation with us, because our apartments are surrounded by a number of what we Italians tend to call “pub irlandesi” or “pub all’irlandese”, ie. “Irish pubs” or “Irish-style pubs”. For the most part, that’s what they are, but the city also houses Scottish pubs, or English pubs…

The concept is that these places serve alcohol and food the way it’s done across the English channel, the decor is the same and English is spoken fluently. Because Italian bars rarely have an International satellite dish, these also are the places you go to enjoy international sports events. That’s why, when we’re asked about sports bars, we answer with the following recommendations…

The Abbey Theatre

Right on Via del Governo Vecchio, so mere minutes from some of our most requested holiday rentals (and from Piazza Navona!), this world-known Irish bar has it all: pub quizzes, live music, multiple screens for sports fanatics!

The Druid’s Den

You can find a number of Irish pubs in the Monti district, which (somewhere between the late 1970s and the 1990s) was on the verge of becoming the local equivalent to Temple Bar. While that never happened, it is true that to this day the area is rich in Irish pubs, and this is one of the oldest ones. You can find it on Via San Martino ai Monti, 28, which is walking distance from our very own Mecenate 13.

The Fiddler’s Elbow

The absolute oldest pub to open in Italy, it’s a mainstay of Rome’s nightlife thanks to having frequent live music events, open mic nights and other cultural happenings. And of course it has sports broadcasts for everyone! Via dell’Olmata, 43.

The Scholars Lounge

A stone’s throw from Piazza Venezia, this is another popular hangout for sports enthusiasts traveling to Rome. The place is huge, so it typically can accommodate you without needing to book a table. On Via del Plebiscito, 101.

Shamrock

By the Colosseum, this is one of the Irish-style pubs in Rome where you have the higher chance of meeting locals. The owners are big rugby fans, and every time the 6 Nations come to town, this is where to come to celebrate! On Via del Colosseo, 1/c, by Casa Isabella.

Trinity College

Also a short walk from Piazza Venezia, this pub mixes it up a little by having disco nights and regular dj sets – the Irish tradition meets Rome’s famed club scene. On Via Del Collegio Romano, 6.

Other sports bars in Rome? Here’s a tip!

We only picked five popular hangouts for this blog post, but this type of bar is everywhere in Rome. To find even more places like the above, we recommend using the “Nearby” feature on Google Maps: type the address of your accommodation (or any landmark, for that matter!), click on the “Nearby” button on the left-hand column (below the address you just entered) and now type “Irish pub”. You’ll be surprised!