The Top 10 Best Places to Grab a Coffee and Work in Rome With Free Wi-Fi

evanmusgrave

When it comes to remnants of ancient culture, very few cities can rival Rome.

While its historical significance is thoroughly ensured, internet connectivity in the The Eternal City had for some time been lagging behind its fellow continental capitals. In order to appeal to today’s citizens and visitors, a wealth of interesting locations with reliable Wi-Fi is an important asset. While many of Rome’s beautiful, quaint cafes aren’t Wi-Fi-enabled, the city now boasts an intriguing mix of old-style cafes and new concept establishments which are designed to attract and sustain young, media-literate individuals. We’ve created a list of the best ten places Rome has to offer in terms of providing attractive surroundings with rich, invigorating coffee, tasty snacks and, of course, the availability of free Wi-Fi.

10. La Vi

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This trendy wine bar/restaurant is open for a very convenient stretch of the day (8.30am – 2am), though by the time evening comes around its Wi-Fi-surfers typically trail off. This place is perfect for anyone looking to get some concentrated work done among professional staff and a fine range of coffees and wines. You probably won’t strike up a conversation with any other freelancers here. This is more of a refined and excluded experience than other establishments on this list.

9. Il Sorpasso

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Il Sorpasso is much loved by locals due to its endearing, laid back atmosphere. This place is a popular casual bar and a cafe/restaurant during the day. It’s brilliant location – between the Vatican and Castel Sant’Angelo – means its a great place to get some Wi-Fi work done in the midst of sightseeing without having to haul yourself across town.

8. La Zanzara

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This cafe/restaurant would be higher on the list of seating wasn’t so scarce. A certain level of vigilance and a measure of guile is often necessary to snap up a seat here. Once obtained however Zanzara is an immensely agreeable place to pass a few hours online.

7. Necci dal 1924

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Cocktail and food deals mean this place gets fairly busy come evening time, so you may want to move on somewhere else at this stage, or indeed partake in a rewarding snack and a drink. By day the terrace area is the perfect place to work away in the shade however.

6. Cafè Cafè

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This place gets bonus marks for its incredibly handy location: in an alley a matter of metres from the Colluseum. This of course means that this spot is prone to sudden influxes of tourists. That being said, Cafè Cafè can easily become your new best friend if you’re buzzing around the main tourist sites and need to pop in somewhere quick to get that quick online task over and done with.

5. Caffè Letterario

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Like many other cafes in Rome, this place transforms into a bar in the evening but offers a nice, quaint cafe experience by day. Letterario also boasts a study room which is open until late as well as a bookshop and live music and great cocktails to bring you back to earth after a day’s work.

cafe-letterario — Photo: Caffè Letterario

4 Pimm’s Good

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Situated on the banks of the Tiber a little off he beaten track, Pimm’s is a fantastic neighbourhood cafe/bar that caters to an intriguing mix of students and older local residents. A popular hang out in one of the trendiest areas in the city, Trastevere, this place is well worth checking out in order to work away with the option of a renowned drinks menu close at hand.

3. Barnum

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Barnum is consistently considered to serve one of the best coffees in town. This cafe has a wonderful intimate feel to it, being decked out with rustic furnishings while maintaining an urban sensibility. Barnum’s very decent range of pastries is another reason to stop by here for some work. Even if you only have a few tasks to complete, you’ll find leaving this place pretty tricky.

2. AntiCafè

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AntiCafe is a big new player on Rome’s cafe scene. It uses the same approach that has been employed in cafes in Moscow, London and now several other European cities: paying for the amount of time spent as opposed to the amount of drink or food items. This place is quickly becoming a favourite of freelancers and it’s hardly a surprise why; pleasant, unpretentious decor mixed with fantastic coffee brews and reliable Wi-Fi (and an unusual business model for good measure) make this the ideal place to complete your online work.

1. Circus

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This one tops the list because of the endlessly interesting, youthful crowd that it attracts and the friendliness of the staff. Circus has plenty of nooks and crannies to get lost in and a cleverly-planned colour scheme which displays rich reds, oranges, blues and greens in various areas of this nicely laid out cafe. Once considered much more of an evening bar, Circus is a prime example of a successful new wave Roman cafe specifically geared towards young urbanites and freelancers.