Nightlife in Bolzano is certainly not its greatest draw, but what life there is mostly centers around the long curve of Piazza delle Erbe. There you'll find a few other wine bars, pubs, Stube, and tiny live-music venues in addition to the following establishments.
The chic Café Exil, at Piazza del Grano/Kornplatz 2 (tel. 0471-971-814), is filled with a young crowd night and day for whom it probably provides a welcome alternative to the many Weinstubes around town. Exil has the ambience of a coffeehouse (excellent coffee, pastries, and sandwiches are served) and a bar as well, with many kinds of beers from Italy and north of the Alps on tap. On weekend evenings, the elegant Laurin Bar, in the Parkhotel Laurin (tel. 0471-311-000), turns its Art Nouveau lobby -- a sumptuous room overlooking the hotel's private park -- into a jazz club. An enthusiastic crowd shows up, making this one of the most popular places in town.
In Bolzano, you won't find a more distinctive locale in which to bend your elbow than Fishbanke, at Via Dr. Streiter 26A (tel. 0471-971-714); in fact, a stop at this outdoor wine bar run by a gregarious artist is mandatory, and a unique experience in an otherwise homogenous field of beer halls and taverns. Wine, beer, and a few snacks (cheese and bruschetta) are served on the well-worn stone slabs of Bolzano's centuries-old former fish market, an unusual experience that attracts a friendly crowd of regulars who are always pleased to welcome strangers into their midst.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
