Founded in 1720, the Cafè Florian is the oldest cafè in the world. Almost 300 years old, the history of the city seems to run through this cafè; at one time or another, all of Europe’s famous personalities have stopped to enjoy a coffee here, from Goethe, Rousseau, Byron, Dickens to the locals Guardi, Canaletto, Goldoni and of course Casanova. No surprise that this was Casanova’s favourite place given that it was the first Cafè in the city to allow entry to women. Indeed, famous not only for its unique history and location, Florian has always been a place of innovation and forward-looking ideals. It was here in fact the idea of a Café-live orchestra was invented, as well as the plan to start the first Biennale Art Exhibition in the late 1800s’, and it was here, in 1848, that the Venetian patriots first declared the city’s independence from the Austrians.
