The Coast Of Venice Is Home To The Oldest Café In Italy Dripping With Art Nouveau

Imagine this scenario: You're sitting in a gorgeous European cafe, watching gondolas, water taxis, and all manner of boats gliding by. There's beautiful, old architecture everywhere, and you can feel the hum of the city as you sip on some of the best espresso in the world. Where are you? Where else but Venice? The romantic City of Canals, despite the tragedy of its slow sinking due to climate change, is naturally the perfect place to enjoy Italy's coffee culture. And it's even better if you can enjoy a delicious cup of coffee in the oldest continuously-run cafe in the world: Caffé Florian.

Opened over 300 years ago in Saint Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco) in December 1720, Caffé Florian's original name translated to "Venice the Triumphant" ("Alla Venezia Trionfante" in Italian), but because the place was owned by Floriano Francesconi, people just started calling it "Florian's." Caffé Florian originally had just two rooms but expanded to four in the late 1800s after changing ownership from the Francesconi family to another group of owners.

Over the years, Caffé Florian has seen some impressive celebrity guests, such as Marcel Proust, Ernest Hemmingway, Giuseppe Verdi, and Lord Byron. There are currently six themed rooms for patrons to enjoy their coffee and cocktails in, including the Liberty Room, the Senate Hall, the Chinese Room, the Oriental Room, the Hall of the Illustrious Men, and the Hall of Seasons (also known as the Hall of Mirrors). Customers may request to sit in any of these spaces or on the outside patio.

Caffé Florian isn't just a place to get a caffeine fix — the entire place is practically a work of art, with each room emanating a slightly different theme. The Chinese Room and the Oriental Room both take inspiration from Asian art, while the Hall of Illustrious Men pays tribute to major Italian artists and historical figures, including Marco Polo, Titian, Francesco Morosini (a former Doge of Venice), and others. The Senate Room reflects Venetian history, culture, and politics, and both the Liberty Room and the Hall of Seasons have floor-to-ceiling Art Nouveau decoration. Although it's the smallest room, the ornate, hand-painted floral decorations in the Liberty Room practically transport you to the end of the 19th century when Art Nouveau was king. The Hall of Seasons also includes many nature-inspired decorations, including feminine figures that represent the four seasons.

You'd be hard-pressed to find a more sumptuous place to order an Italian coffee. Of course, it's important to remember that sitting down for a cup of coffee in Italy will cost more (versus ordering it standing at the bar in the back, termed "al banco"), and that is twice (or maybe three times) as true at Caffé Florian. Even a simple coffee can cost over 10 euros, which is a side effect of visiting such a historical and popular place. Just don't order a cappuccino in the afternoon — that's a big Italian faux pas. Besides coffee, visitors can also partake in the Italian tradition of aperitivo at Caffé Florian, where they can order a delicious cocktail before moving on to a heartier dinner.