Venice: a hotspot for coffee lovers

Everyone has heard of the iconic Venice. Whether you have been there or not, you are probably familiar with its canals, gondolas and unique streets. But did you know that Venice is also the place to go if you love coffee? Here are our 5 reasons why you should definitely go to Venice:

1. The coffee history

Coffee is part of Venetians’ blood, and we mean that almost literally! The Venetians are responsible for introducing coffee to Europe and the earliest document found that mentions coffee was written in 1585. This means that the Venetians have been drinking coffee for almost 500 years! Venetian merchants traveled all the time and on their travels in the 16th century, they were introduced to coffee. They then imported this delicious drink from the Middle-East. However, not everybody was grateful for their import! The Catholic Italy wanted nothing to do with a drink that came from the Islamic east. Luckily, there was Pope Clement VIII: after he tasted the ‘heathen’ drink and fell in love with it, he suggested that it would actually be a sin to ban this heavenly drink. Now that Pope Clement VIII had given his approval, coffee vastly became the most popular drink in Venice.

2. A café at every corner

Due to coffee’s popularity in the 17th century, the first ever ‘Café’ opened its doors at the Piazza San Marco in 1683. And this was only the beginning. The following years more and more cafes opened in Venice. These cafes were more than just a place to drink coffee. People from all classes - aristocrats, professors, students, merchants and ‘commoners’ - came together to talk, eat and drink in the comfortable atmosphere of a cafe. Soon cafes became unmissable within Venetian culture and you can still see that today. With its overwhelming amount of cafes, Venice is still thé place to drink a cup of coffee in the morning, midday, and evening - with friends, family, strangers or alone.

3. Drinking while standing

We admit it: Venice isn’t the most affordable of places for a city trip. Luckily, the Venetians have a solution to that: drinking coffee while standing at the bar. This is not only cheaper (you don’t pay service costs) if also offers the opportunity to chat with your barista! Venetian Baristas take pride in their work and enjoy giving you tips about coffee or their city. And who knows: maybe you’ll walk away with a new, lifelong friend!

4. Buy Caffè Del Doge at 120 different places

When you’re in Venice, you should absolutely try Caffè Del Doge! Their cafe, close to the Rialto bridge, is often called one of the best coffee spots by both tourists and Venetians. No wonder they claim a spot in the top 5 of cafes of Venice on Tripadvisor! Besides drinking coffee at their original cafe, you can find Caffè Del Doge coffee at 120 other places. There is nothing stopping you now from enjoying one of our favorite coffee brands.

5. Coffee with a view

Italians know how to deck out a building with atmosphere and Venice is no exception to this rule. Every cafe you visit - whether it’s budget or luxurious - is overflowing with authentic, Italian atmosphere. And then we haven’t even talked about the terraces yet! It’s true, you might pay a bit extra to sit on a terrace, but when you are sipping on a cup of coffee next to the Grand Canal, overlooking gondolas, it’s all worth it!