Conte Staccio

Testaccio, Rome –

One of the only non-mainstream clubs in the nightlife district of Testaccio, Conte Staccio caters to intellectual, artistic, hippie, and punk music lovers looking for an artsy underground scene.

Located at the top of a hill, patrons enter at the bottom and ascend eight flights of stairs, each flanked by cascading covered benches, until they are shown into the sparsely decorated bar area.

Spanning the club’s two rooms – one reserved for dining and lounging, the other for dancing to the live bands – the bar usually presents a hectic scene where patrons crowd together and vie for the attention of the bartenders.

The raucous dancing crowd that packs the space in front of the stage makes it clear that music is the focus at Conte Staccio, but even those who prefer to mix and mingle will find plenty to do – it’s enough to step outside to the staircase benches to find a sociable crowd and a din of laughter and chatter that almost equals the music inside.