Bar San Calisto in Trastevere Temporarily Closed

Update 2019: All good! Bar San Calisto is long reopened so go and enjoy.

I’m not sure that I have ever been tagged more on social media as when Bar San Calisto in Trastevere was temporarily closed on June 28th.

Whenever I write a guide to Rome, I always manage to include Bar San Calisto because the old school bar is truly an institution. It is known for its dated decor (charming, if you ask me) and the oh-so-cheap drinks.

It was one of the first places Jimmy introduced me to when I was new to Rome and I have been going back ever since to sit outside and enjoy the city’s best people watching. When I knew I had to try a caffè corretto, I came here because it seemed just the place to be able to order a coffee with a glug of booze without anyone blinking an eye.

So why was Bar San Calisto closed? The bar ran afoul of rules against disturbing the peace when a group of revelers decided to keep their party going in the piazza despite complaints from neighbors.

The police decided it was a “rave” and suspended the bar’s license for three days. That means that the closure is temporary and nearly over – San Calisto should reopen tomorrow. (I’m late in posting this because I am actually home in California for a few days to show the baby off).

These types of things do not always keep to schedule, but the community is rallying around the bar – leaving notes on the shuttered doors.

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#sanca #giulemanidamarcellino #trastevere

A post shared by Valentina Carone (@valecarone) on

If you need a Bar San Calisto fix during the temporary closure – or if you are just now hearing about the beloved spot – I recommend watching La Grande Bellezza.

Then swing by for a gelato or a Peroni as soon as it reopens in order to really support the small business.

Bar San Calisto
Piazza di S. Calisto, 3
Trastevere, Rome

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