Venice:
Caffè Florian
Caffè Florian, which is located on the south side of Piazza San Marco, has been serving coffee since 1720, which makes it the oldest coffee shop in Italy, and one of the oldest in the world.
The cafe was opened on December 29th 1720 by Floriano Francesconi, who called it Alla Venezia Trionfante (To Venice Triumphant), but it was soon renamed Caffe Florian in honour of its owner.
Caffe Florian quickly grew in popularity, possibly because it admitted women, at a time when all the other coffee shops in Venice restricted access solely to men.
In 1858 the Venetian architect Ludovico Cadorin (1824-92) refashioned the interior of the cafe into four rooms, each designed to resemble a drawing room. The rooms were named: Sala del Senato, Sala Greca, Sala Cinese, and Sala Orientale.
During the course of later restorations three more rooms were added.
The cafe was opened on December 29th 1720 by Floriano Francesconi, who called it Alla Venezia Trionfante (To Venice Triumphant), but it was soon renamed Caffe Florian in honour of its owner.
Caffe Florian quickly grew in popularity, possibly because it admitted women, at a time when all the other coffee shops in Venice restricted access solely to men.
In 1858 the Venetian architect Ludovico Cadorin (1824-92) refashioned the interior of the cafe into four rooms, each designed to resemble a drawing room. The rooms were named: Sala del Senato, Sala Greca, Sala Cinese, and Sala Orientale.
During the course of later restorations three more rooms were added.