The Pub Valletta

Whether dive or divine, the bars, pubs and taverns of the world hold as much history as any museum, present as much drama as any theater, and spark as much creativity as any academic institution. With this in mind the members and editors of travel website VirtualTourist.com have compiled their list of the "World's Top 10 Most Legendary Bars."

1. HARRY'S BAR, VENICE, ITALY

It's been said that since the bar's opening in 1931, management has kept one and only one guestbook, but considering the names that are in it, one is plenty. Truman Capote, Noel Coward, Orson Welles, Charlie Chaplin, Peggy Guggenheim, and a host of others all completed tenure at this still-hip institution.

2. THE BLIND BEGGAR, LONDON, ENGLAND

With one brutal murder already behind it, The Blind Beggar became even more notorious when in 1966 London mobster Ron Kray shot fellow mobster George Cornell as he nursed a gin and tonic at the bar. Built in 1894, it remains a favorite of celebs and locals.

3. WHITE HORSE TAVERN, NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

A favorite of New York's literati set, White Horse has seen everyone from Kerouac to Mailer pass through its doors, but it's perhaps best known as being the bar that served the 18 whiskeys said to have killed Dylan Thomas. While many dispute that, what's not in question is that the tavern has reached almost mythic status to those who appreciate the written word.

4. GAROTA DE IPANEMA, RIO DE JANERIO, BRAZIL

When a 15-year-old girl made a stroll past the Veloso bar part of her daily walk to the beach, she inspired two song-writing patrons to pen possibly the most famous Bossa Nova tune in history. Not surprisingly, the bar's owners made the wise decision to capitalize on the success by renaming the business.

5. THE PUB, VALLETTA, MALTA

The walls of this simple bar are covered in pictures, newspaper clippings and impromptu tributes to British actor Oliver Reed who was said to have died just after consuming vast amounts of alcohol there while on location for the movie "Gladiator." These days a sign outside the bar reads, "Ollie's Last Pub."

6. HEINOLDS' FIRST AND LAST CHANCE BAR, OAKLAND, CALIF.

The slanted floors and stopped clock in Jack London's favorite haunt are a result of the devastating 1906 earthquake that virtually leveled nearby San Francisco. A 10-year-old London is said to have used the bar as a place to study, planting himself at tables still used by the bar today.

7. LONG BAR, RAFFLES HOTEL, SINGAPORE

Home to the famous Singapore Sling, the Long Bar still serves the drink that gained it international notoriety. Equally notable is the Raffle's Writer's Bar, created as a tribute to the wordsmiths who either frequented or included the hotel in their work.

8. THE EAGLE AND CHILD, OXFORD, ENGLAND

Still called "Bird and Baby" by locals who remember the bar's first moniker, this quaint-looking pub was a favorite of J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. While it makes for a good story, the tale that the burgeoning authors actually exchanged their writings over a pint here is probably largely fiction.

9. BELL-IN-HAND TAVERN, BOSTON, MASS.

With the exception of a brief closure during prohibition, the alcohol has been flowing at Bell-in-Hand for more than 200 years. Once the hangout of notables like Paul Revere and Daniel Webster, it now plays host to karaoke fanatics and lively weekend crowds.

10. FINK'S, JERUSALEM, ISRAEL

The only bar on the list no longer in existence, Fink's was noted for sticking to its "treat everyone equally" ethos on an almost fanatical level. In fact, legend has it that the owner not only denied Henry Kissinger service twice, but also once kept Israel's prime minister, Golda Meir waiting for more than half an hour.

 

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