Cielo Bar

"First impression? Rooftop bars are a hot ticket item in Rome right now, but Cielo—on the top of Hotel de La Ville—is one of the best, with its riviera striped decor, candle-lit tables and sweeping views across Rome. Classic cocktails are their jam and the bartenders really know their stuff. How’s the crowd? On the night we visited, young, beautiful, and international jet set was the vibe. There was a group of Americans dressed up and ready to party; a Swiss couple on a date; two Glaswegians propped up at the bar; and some very chic Romans having an after-work drink. It’s glam but not intimidating—the kind of place where you can pull up a chair and have a drink solo without feeling out of place. How are the drinks? There’s nothing fancy or gimmicky about this cocktail list; it’s all about real-deal, classic drinks—with a twist. Try the ‘watergame’, with blanco tequila, mezcal, honey and basil, or our personal 1980s-love child favorite, the ‘gargamel’: a beautifully blue concoction of Tanqueray gin, bergamot, grapefruit bitters and lemon. If there’s food, is it worth ordering something to eat? Late-night bar snacks are simple (salted peanuts, potato chips), keeping the drinks appropriately centre stage. But there’s comprehensive day time menu that runs until 5:30pm, featuring salads, club sandwiches, burgers and pasta. Did the staff do you right? We rocked up on an usually quiet night, which meant we got talking spirits with the head mixologists. They couldn’t have been lovelier, even giving us a couple of drinks on the house. Wrap it up: what are we coming here for? Beautiful cocktails, beautiful people, in a very beautiful place." - Maresa Manara