Caffè Florian in Venice
Are you in Venice and want to drink a coffee in the same spot where Casanova drank one three centuries ago? Then head towards Caffè Florian, located under the arches of the Procuratie Nuove in St. Mark's Square. Part of the Association Locali Storici d'Italia, Caffè Florian is a "savory" slice of the city's history.
It was the end of 1720 when Floriano Francesconi opened the café named Alla Venezia trionfante ("Triumphant Venice") in St. Mark's Square. This pompous name didn't last very long, as 1797 brought the occupation of the Serenissima by the French, and Francesconi's nephew found himself forced to change the establishment's name to Caffè Florian. Regardless, everyone used to simply say Andemo da Florian ("Let's go to Florian's"). Thus was born Caffè Florian, the oldest café in Italy.
The furniture and interior decorations are no longer those from 1720 but date back to the second half of the 19th century, when the café was refurbished with the help of several artists. The rooms bear names such as the "Chinese Room", the "Oriental Room", the "Senate Room", the "Room of Seasons", the "Room of Illustrious Men", or the "Liberty Room" (the last one to be fitted out). The interior, with its marble tables, frescoes, mirrors, and wood inlays, is spectacular regardless, and together with the music from its orchestra (from April to October), it can easily transport you into the fascinating atmosphere of past centuries.
Countless celebrities have passed by the café's tables. The long list includes, among many others, the adventurer Casanova (who could court high-society ladies here, as the café was also open to women), the painter Canaletto, the sculptor Antonio Canova, the playwright Carlo Goldoni (whose character Ridolfo in the comedy "The Coffee House" is inspired by Floriano Francesconi himself), composers Mozart and Vivaldi, or writers Lord Byron, Charles Dickens, Goethe, Hemingway, Marcel Proust, and Gabriele D'Annunzio.
A curiosity: the staff's attire at Caffè Florian follows a well-established ritual. In the morning, waiters wear a white jacket, which they switch for a black one in the afternoon, when the chef puts on a tailcoat. The chef wears a black bowtie, the two deputies (sous-chefs) wear gray bowties, and the assistant waiters have white bowties.
As for the prices at Caffè Florian, they follow the same general rule valid almost everywhere in Italy: you will pay less for consumption directly at the counter than for what you consume sitting at a table (both inside and on the terrace in St. Mark's Square). Caffè Florian has a menu for bar consumption and another menu for table consumption To get an idea, an espresso will cost you €3.5 if you drink it at the bar, but it will be €7 brought to the table. A Florian Spritz will be €9 at the bar and €17 at the table.
