Bartaruga

Centro, Rome –

***Moved to a new location after this review was written.***

Bartaruga – a play on the Italian tartaruga (turtle), which is in turn a nod to the four bronze turtles in the nearby fountain – is an enchanting neighborhood bar located in a peaceful little piazza.

Low peach lighting, turquoise walls with gold-leaf moldings, and deep velvet sofas set in cozy nooks create a nostalgic, romantic atmosphere, helped along by the fading photos and dog-eared mementos tucked into frames and cracks.

That refined, sensual feel is set off, however, by the ever jovial regulars who all seem to know each other – and who happily welcome any stranger who wanders in – as well as the sociable waiters who are more than willing to share the tragic legend of star-crossed love told by the square’s 16th-century Fontana delle Tartarughe.

The drinks at Bartaruga may be pricey, but those who get a seat on the square on a night when one of the owner’s friends stops by to play jazz on the grand piano will definitely experience a night to remember.