When looking to connect yourself with a coffee in Venice, where do you start?
Venice is the city of spritz and cicchetti, but is it really just about having a tipple with aperitivo? Of course not. The love story of Venice and coffee has deep roots.
By reading this guide you’ll not only learn where to find the best coffee in Venice but also some of the history about coffee in this city and how it all came about.
How to drink the best coffee in Venice
Let’s take a step back in time… In 1585, the ambassador of the Serenissima Republic of Venice in Constantinople introduced the ‘black drink’ to Venetians.
They loved it so much that in 1683 it’s here that the oldest coffee shop in Europe was born and strategically positioned in the most famous square in Venice.
Its success was such that over 70 years, 206 coffee houses sprang up in the city (and the Senate had to stop more from opening) while even the oldest café in the world, Caffè Florian opened to the public in 1720. It goes without saying, Coffee has been animating the social and cultural life of the city ever since.
The art of coffee roasting is taken seriously in Venice, and today it’s still possible to find cafès serving amazing coffees, which are nothing less than a selection of the best beans which arrive here from various coffee regions around the world.
Whether you are a certified coffee lover or not, keep reading below to learn a few curious facts about the history of coffee in Venice, the city’s oldest roaster and coffee shop and where you can still drink some of the best coffee in Venice.
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History of coffee in Venice
Here are some historical facts about coffee in Venice worth knowing:
- The first written testimonies in Venice about coffee are connected to the Constantinople ambassador Gianfrancesco Morosini that in 1585 discovered the custom of drinking ‘Turkish’ coffee.
- Prospero Alpini, a botanist and doctor of the Venetian consul in North Africa, introduced the coffee beans to Venice for the first time.
- In 1720 Caffè Florian opened its doors to the public in St. Mark’s Square: it’s the first cafè in the world.
- Today there is only one traditional coffee roaster in Venice left: Torrefazione Girani, where you can buy high-quality coffee beans.
What is the oldest coffee shop in Venice?
In 1720 the first café in Europe and the world opened its doors: Caffè Florian.
Located under the Procuratie Nove in St. Mark’s Square, the original name was ‘Alla Venezia Trionfante’, and it started to be called ‘Florian’ in honour of its founder, Floreano Francescani.
Caffè Florian was the meeting spot of the Venetian elite and illustrious characters such as:
- Carlo Goldoni
- Giacomo Casanova
- Ernest Hemingaway
- Antonio Canova
Which are just a few of the big names that used to frequent it. Also note that Caffè Florian was the only venue that allowed women to enter at that time.
The café is known by many as a historical monument and holds immense value for the city of Venice and is part of the Association of Historical Places of Italy.
Sitting at one of its tables, in 18th-century-style rooms, to enjoy a tasty coffee is an unforgettable experience. Some visitors will do a morning coffee tour like this one as a way to get to know what an authentic Venetian coffee bar is really like.
Drinking Coffee in Venice
Now that you know exactly where to find the best coffee in Venice so you can get your daily dose of caffeine, which of the above establishments will you visit first?
Either way, now you understand where you can get the best and authentic Venetian coffee and keep finding new places to try while along the way.
Life is too short for bad coffee, and since you’ll visit soon, why not see these coffee shops in Venice for ideas on how to try the city’s best cup of coffee?
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