Caffè Florian is an incredibly famous and historic coffee house located in the Procuratie Nuove of Piazza San Marco in Venice, Italy, that was established in 1720 and, along with Café Procope in Paris, is the oldest café in continuous operation. It has been visited by Charles Dickens, Henry James, Lord Byron, Goethe, Marcel Proust, Casanova, and countless celebrities over the centuries and has always been a favourite haunt of the rich and famous. Beautifully decorated, with large, lavish interiors, and boasting excellent coffee, it is a key foodie experience for those who have found one of our private villas in Venice and are planning a trip to the city.
While things are certainly pricy, a visit is a rather special experience and the attention-to-detail and luxury is a magical holdover from times gone by; stained glass front windows, gold leaf decor, marble tables, plush red sofas, and waiters in immaculate white jackets. The food isn't particularly lauded but order a coffee or, better yet, a bottle of Prosecco. You're paying for the experience and it is likely going to be a once-in-a-lifetime thing. It's especially recommended for those on a romantic getaway or a honeymoon, in particular.
The coffee house began as just two rooms but has grown to seven in total, which are ornate and beautiful, and include the "Sala del Senato" (Senate Room), "Sala Greca" (Greek Room), "Sala Cinese" (Chinese room), "Sala Orientale" (Oriental Room), “Sala degli Uomini Illustri" (the Hall of the Illustrious Men), "Sala delle Stagioni" (the Hall of the Seasons) and the Liberty Room. The Sala del Senato was decorated by Giacomo Casa with the paintings “The Age of Enlightenment, or Progress” “Civilization Educating the Nations”, and eleven panels representing the Arts and Sciences. The Sala Cinese and Sala Orientale features paintings of lovers and scantily clad women that were painted by Antonio Pascuti and were inspired by East Asian art and aesthetics. The Sala degli Uomini Illustri was decorated by Giulio Carlini with paintings of ten notable Venetians including Marco Polo and Titian and the Sala delle Stagioni was decorated by Vincenzo Rota with women personifying the four seasons. The Sala Liberty, meanwhile, is decorated in the art nouveau style and features hand-painted mirrors and rich wooden wainscoting. In addition, the venue plays host to a contemporary art exhibition every two years in conjunction with the Biennale. Beat that, Instagrammable cafés of today!
For the most magical setting for a coffee in Venice, there could be no better venue!
The coffee house began as just two rooms but has grown to seven in total, which are ornate and beautiful, and include the "Sala del Senato" (Senate Room), "Sala Greca" (Greek Room), "Sala Cinese" (Chinese room), "Sala Orientale" (Oriental Room), “Sala degli Uomini Illustri" (the Hall of the Illustrious Men), "Sala delle Stagioni" (the Hall of the Seasons) and the Liberty Room. The Sala del Senato was decorated by Giacomo Casa with the paintings “The Age of Enlightenment, or Progress” “Civilization Educating the Nations”, and eleven panels representing the Arts and Sciences. The Sala Cinese and Sala Orientale features paintings of lovers and scantily clad women that were painted by Antonio Pascuti and were inspired by East Asian art and aesthetics. The Sala degli Uomini Illustri was decorated by Giulio Carlini with paintings of ten notable Venetians including Marco Polo and Titian and the Sala delle Stagioni was decorated by Vincenzo Rota with women personifying the four seasons. The Sala Liberty, meanwhile, is decorated in the art nouveau style and features hand-painted mirrors and rich wooden wainscoting. In addition, the venue plays host to a contemporary art exhibition every two years in conjunction with the Biennale. Beat that, Instagrammable cafés of today!
For the most magical setting for a coffee in Venice, there could be no better venue!
Photo credits
Picture 1: S.A.C.R.A. srl / CC BY-SA 4.0;
Picture 2: S.A.C.R.A. srl / CC BY-SA 4.0
Picture 1: S.A.C.R.A. srl / CC BY-SA 4.0;
Picture 2: S.A.C.R.A. srl / CC BY-SA 4.0