THREE HUNDRED YEARS OF COFFEE IN ITALY’S OLDEST CAFÉ
Coffee has become an almost inseparable part of daily life. With 70% of Americans drinking coffee at least once a week, tastes are becoming more sophisticated as the consumption of gourmet coffee increasing 25% in the past five years. Americans are drinking more cappuccinos, lattes, and macchiatos; more and more, we are coming to love espresso. And when it comes to the perfect espresso, there is only one place to turn to: Italy.
To Italians, to love espresso is almost as natural as breathing. “As an Italian myself, I grew up with only one concept of coffee – and that’s espresso,” says Giampaolo Grossi, the general manager of the first Starbucks location in Italy. One needs only to look at the INEI, the Italian Espresso National Institute, to get an idea of how important the drink is to Italians.
Italy is a key player in modern coffee culture; however, it was even more of a part of coffee culture in the past. The city of Venice housed one of the first ports to see the arrival of coffee in Europe as well as the first café in the country. If you’re trying to find the place where the world of coffee began, you should look no further than Italy.
As we cross from one century into the next, let’s take a look back at one of the places where this magnificent culture of coffee began by celebrating the anniversary of Italy’s oldest café. 2020 marks three hundred years of uninterrupted service from Caffè Florian. A reminder of a vibrant and eloquent past, the Florian stands firm as a cultural hotspot in Italy’s Floating City.
What is Caffè Florian?
Caffè Florian was the first coffee house established in Italy. Located in Saint Mark’s Square in Venice, … Through the windows of Caffè Florian, one could watch the world outside go through a whirlwind of changes. It has served its customers loyally despite the tumultuous world outside, drawing clientele such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Antonio Canova, Charles Dickens, and Lord Byron.
A historical image of the café before its renovations.
In Caffè Florian, you experience the past with all of your senses. The décor of each of the Florian’s historically inspired rooms give patrons a view of years past as they café taste traditional Florian recipes, all while surrounded by the aroma of the café’s freshly ground coffee and the sound of the café’s orchestra performing the café concert.
A Look Inside The Historic Café
Taking a step into one of the rooms of Caffè Florian is like taking a step backward in time. Excluding the time spent restoring these rooms to their ancient splendor, they have been open to the public ever since their conception; not even the historic flooding in 2019 could close their doors.
The Senate Room, the Sala del Senato, saw the beginning of the Venice Art Biennale, the most prestigious art and culture institution in the world. Passages lined with mirrors connect the Oriental Room, the Sala Orientale, and the Chinese room, creating a labyrinth-like effect. Adorned with flowers, the Room of Seasons, the Sala delle Stagioni, displays portraits representing each of the four seasons. The Room of the Illustrious Men, the Sala degli Uomini Illustri, features ten men famous in the history of Venice.The fifth and smallest room, the Liberty Room, was opened to the public in 1986. It was created in 1920 to celebrate the two-hundred-year anniversary of the café, though it did not open until decades later.
The Liberty Room is the simplest and most modern of all the Florian’s rooms.
These small, elaborately designed rooms encourage intimacy and conversation as you enjoy your coffee and the café’s unique atmosphere. After all, coffee culture isn’t just about the coffee- it’s also about enjoying the time spent together.
A Commitment To Art And Culture
Caffè Florian regularly hosts art exhibitions featuring contemporary artists. Sculptors, glassblowers, photographers, and painters alike seek the Florian as a tasteful venue to showcase their artwork.
Adrian Tuchel is one of many incredible artists to showcase their work at the Florian. This piece is a dreamy panoramic of the city of Venice.
Caffè Florian also holds events for holidays and celebrations such as Women’s Day, New Year’s Eve, and Venice Carnival. Many of these events last for a month or longer, giving tourists a large window to take part in the celebrations. Each event comes along with its own special menu to suit the festivities; at the Venice Carnival, you will be suggested frittelle and galani as are typical of the season. Regardless of the occasion, you can be sure that any event held at the Florian will be one to remember.
The Venice Carnival, an explosion of color and magic, blends in perfectly with the mirrors and décor of the Florian.
A Taste Of The Past
Caffè Florian features menus for breakfast, a light lunch, afternoon tea, aperitif, a light dinner, and after dinner. It features fresh and delicious products that are perfectly matched with your coffee.
A traditional afternoon tea at the Florian features teas, scones, jams, whipped cream, and finger sandwiches. The perfect meal to enjoy while leisurely chatting with friends.
Check out this video to get a taste of what Caffè Florian has to offer:
The Café Concert
Café Florian’s attempt to preserve culture does not end with food or art. Season by season, the Florian’s orchestra has been performing its café concert since its rise in popularity in the early 20th century. Featuring different classical and operatic pieces, even the sound of the past has been preserved at the Florian.
Committed To The Past While Embracing The Future
Caffè Florian is able to preserve the past while also propelling itself into the future, embracing modernity as well as maintaining history. The Florian has seen a number of other locations open in modern and contemporary styles that honor the café’s historic roots. The company has also developed three brands, creating an international name for itself and serving as a symbol of the city of Venice throughout the entire world. Everything the Venice Souvenirs Shop has to offer can be accessed on its e-shop.
If you want to experience typical Venetian gourmet treats, teas, and wines, you can access Caffè Florian’s Gourmet collection on their e-shop. Here, you can also find the exclusive Venezia 1720 coffee blend. If you want to experience the Florian without making the trip, this is a great option for you! The Lifestyle collection provides you with the must-have Italian styles for both you and your home. In the Design collection, you will find breathtaking pieces designed by the same artists behind the magnificent works of art found throughout the Florian. These items were made exclusively for Caffè Florian, making them the perfect souvenir.
This is the Florian blend of the Venezia 1720 ground coffee- one of the most popular items.
Caffè Florian can also be rented out as a venue for various events. The café can be booked for both professional and personal events. There is certainly no better backdrop for wedding photos or art showcases than the historic rooms of the Florian. They’ll even help you prepare the most romantic wedding proposal you could ever imagine!
By keeping true to their historic roots while continuing to grow, Caffè Florian is a testament to the fact that we do not need to sacrifice tradition for the sake of modernity.
Italy’s Love Affair With Coffee
Venice itself has an intimate relationship with coffee. Italy has the 13th highest coffee consumption in the world, though it is not actually the country with the highest consumption of coffee (Finland, Norway, and Iceland top that list- it must have something to do with the climate). Whether it’s a cappuccino with breakfast or an espresso after dinner, coffee has a permanent place in Italian daily life.
Italians are protective of their coffee- and with good reason. They don’t want to see other countries changing such an integral part of their culture. It was not until 2017 that even Starbucks was able to open a location in Italy, despite its expansion of 28,000 locations in 78 countries.
As cafés gained popularity (Venice had 206 coffee shops by 1759, 34 of them in Saint Mark’s Square alone!), they attracted people from all walks of life. There was no class or social requirement when it came to loving coffee. This sentiment has survived to this day; in Italy, coffee is seen as a social right that belongs to all people, rich or poor.
In 1767, women were banned from coffee shops in Venice due to concerns about morality and public decency. Women tended to ignore this law, however, and continued with their normal social lives. At this time, Caffè Florian was the only café that permitted women.
The café plays a consistent part in Italy’s history. It has provided uninterrupted service for the past three hundred years and will certainly continue to do so for as long as it can.
Protecting Italy’s Cultural Heritage
Italy is striking to have traditional Italian espresso added to UNESCO’S Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity List. The list, initiated in 2001, recognizes and protects cultures and practices that cannot be touched. Italy can already be found on the list as representative of various crafts, songs, and foods. Now, Italy wants to add Italian espresso to that list.
Why does Italy want this specific drink added to UNESCO’s list? They have a specific, traditional way of preparing and drinking espresso that they wish to have preserved. The Consortium for the Protection of Traditional Italian Espresso Coffee submitted the application, claiming that the truly unique aspect of the Italian preparation is its cream. The crema should be “uniform and persistent for at least 120 seconds from the time the coffee has been dispensed” and a dark hazel color with light streaks. Italians would surely know best; after all, 95% of Italians drink coffee habitually.
Italy also wishes to “claim back the espresso’s Italian identity,” says Consortium for the Safeguarding of Traditional Italian Espresso Coffee member Ilaria Danesi. “That’s because espresso originates from the creativity of Italians.” As coffee becomes more popular worldwide and people begin to prefer the gourmet taste of espresso, Italians are concerned that their traditional methods of preparing espresso will be lost. This is their way of ensuring the heritage of such a culturally significant drink will not be lost.
The application was submitted at the end of last year and we won’t know if it’s been accepted for a couple more months.
Italy’s Most Culturally Significant Café
Caffè Florian remains a vital part of life in Venice as it maintains its reputation as a cultural hotspot. Whether it’s with music, art, or food, Caffè Florian gives you an accurate feeling of what it was like to be in an 18th century coffee house. Unfortunately, the café was recently forced to close due to the Coronavirus Pandemic. If you’re itching to try any of the delicacies provided at the café, collect any of the art pieces found within its walls, or update your style with authentic Italian pieces, you can still access the café’s e-shop. It’s a great place to get a unique and memorable Mother’s Day gift that she’s sure to love! (It’s just around the corner!)
The Florian’s e-shop has a page featuring recommended Mother’s Day gifts! This is a sampler of some of the cafés most popular teas.
Follow Caffè Florian on their Facebook and Instagram to keep up to date on its reopening, events, and products!
