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Nightlife

Bologna has some of the best nightlife in Italy. The huge population of students and the active gay community ensure a cosmopolitan range of entertainment. There is a profusion of nightclubs, discos and live music venues, many of which stay open until about 0400. The Bolognese are natty dressers, but there is no pressure to get glammed up - although some nightclubs will refuse entry to people wearing jeans. Irish pubs are among the most popular watering holes in Bologna, serving everything from the ubiquitous Guinness to chamomile tea. Most late-night venues charge an entrance fee that usually includes one drink. True to form, short-skirted females are often let in free, but any male companions must pay. Look out for promotional evenings advertised around the University area. The minimum drinking age is 18 years.

Bars: For an authentic glimpse of an ancient Italian watering hole - in existence since the fifteenth century - plunge into the Osteria del Sole, Via Ranocchi 1D. It opens 0800-1400 and reopens in the evening 1900-2030, just long enough for the old men of Bologna to have a quick row about politics. The Olindo Faccioli, Via Altabella 15B, founded in 1924, houses over 400 wines and is a great place to relax over delicious antipasti. Bar Golem, Piazza San Martino 3B, is a young and determinedly laid-back bar that doubles as an art gallery, tea room and theatre. Of the many pubs, Birreria Il Druido, Via Mascarella 26B, is the most likeable, run by a veritable Italian druid with a passion for beer. It has a cavernous interior with long wooden tables and benches. The Irish Pub Celtic Druid, Via Caduti di Cefalonia is owned by the same team, serving excellent Irish brew whilst refraining from the kitsch shamrock excesses common to themed pubs. For a break from beer and wine join the Latino trail and grab a margarita at Piedra del Sol, Via Goito 20 (tel: (051) 227 229), where the fajitas are as good as the queue suggests (closed Tuesday).

Clubs: For the latest information on what's on, clubbers should pick up a copy of the free magazine 051 available in most bars, hotels and from the tourist office. In the winter months students flock to Matis, Via Rotta 16, for techno, hip hop and the very latest music trends (Tues, Fri and Sat). To eat at the restaurant be sure to ring ahead and book. Kinki, Via Zamboni 1, is a long-time favourite, founded in the 50s, the club has reemerged from being an exclusively gay club back into the mainstream where London's Ministry of Sound regularly lends Justin Berkman to host a monthly Saturday spot. The J.A.M cafÉ, Via Mascarella 2A, is where everybody with nowhere else to go ends up at midnight - a standard Italian discotheque with plenty of mirrors for posing in. All three have a cover charge ranging from L25,000 to L40,000 that includes entrance and one drink. In the summer the action moves outdoors. Made in Bo, Parco Nord, Via Stalingrado, is a massive outdoor disco, which takes place in July and August under the starry sky (closed Monday). Stalls sell food and drink and best of all it's free.

Comedy: The Ruvido Club, Via del Roncrio 10, hosts some of the best-known names among Italian comedians. If you want to discover Italian stand-up, this is a good place to start.

Live music: Cantina Bentivoglio, Via Mascarella 4B (closed Monday), is something of a Bolognese institution. A cross between a wine bar and a restaurant, it hosts live jazz from September to June. There is no cover charge and it is nearly always busy, so it is advisable to book. Expect to pay upwards of L40,000. The Chet Baker Jazz Club, Via Polese 7, is another popular Bolognese venue for quality live jazz. The atmosphere is reminiscent of the smoke-filled clubs found in New York, and indeed the club can boast performances by top-level jazz musicians, such as Tommy Flanagan and James Moody. Those looking for a more local flavour may prefer the Osteria De' Poeti, Via dei Poeti 1B (closed Monday). The restaurant, established in 1600, serves traditional Bolognese food to the strains of local folk music. Expect to pay at least L60,000 per person for a meal.



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