If a visit to a squat doesn't rank high on your list of holiday priorities, think again. As any local musician will tell you, the best place to feel the pulse of Rome's music scene is in the Centri Sociali - semi-legal social centres organising concerts, film screenings, theatre and dance events, evening classes, language courses and a host of other activities. Some bands such as Rage Against the Machine play only in the Centri.

» Forte Prenestino (Italian) - a former 19th century explosives depot houses this long established centro, with bars, cinema, concerts and other attractions.
» La Strada (Italian) - cinema, concerts and courses.
» Brancaleone (Italian) - born in 1990, Brancaleone has become the best run centro sociale in town: music, cinema and social services.
» Villaggio Globale (Italian) - one of the biggest centri in Rome, they offer counselling, courses, labs, a hostel, a wine bar, a beer house, a tea room and much more.
» Casale Podere Rosa (Italian) - a lot of initiatives.