Venice has a rich history, but no cafรฉ there is more famous than Caffรจ Florian in St.

Markโ€™s Square. It’s where one can relish 18th-century decor and soak up the sun while listening to the patio orchestra while gazing on Dogeโ€™s Palace (with a fleet of pigeons).
As the oldest cafรฉ in Italyโ€”and the world, in factโ€”Caffรจ Florian recently celebrated its 300th anniversary on December 29 with no fanfare.
It was a far cry from the 290th celebrationย in 2010, with cakes, an enormous party, and a live concert.
The cafรฉ was opened in San Marco Square in 1720 by Italian entrepreneur Floriano Francesconi (locals knew it as Florianoโ€™s).
It has been a gathering place for locals, a place to woo tourists, and a hot spot for A-listers for hundreds of years.

โ€œWe do everything possible to keep the business alive,โ€ Marco Paolini, the managing director of the cafรฉ, tellsย AD. โ€œWe are working to stay open for as long as we can.โ€

Today, it retains Old World charm, with red velvet seating, marble tables, and gold-leaf walls adorned with century-old artworks by Italian masters Antonio Pascutti, Giuseppe Ponga, and Cesare Rota.
โ€œWe are devastated,โ€ says Paolini. โ€œThe pandemic has affected everyone, but we couldnโ€™t benefit from various benefits.โ€ The brand had a turnover of more than $10 million in 2019 but suffered a decline of 80% of sales in 2020.

โ€œCelebrating the 300th anniversary of a business with doors closed is a symbol of this crisis in Venice, and of the cities of art, in general,โ€ says Paolini. โ€œThis crisis isย not only economicย but historical, as Caffรจ Florian is a piece of Italian history known throughout the world.โ€