Cafe Latte at Caffe Florian

Mango sweater
Mavi jeans (c/o)
Mango heels
Anthropologie beret
Louis Vuitton handbag
RayBan sunglasses
& Other Stories necklace (similar)
Wolf Circus necklace (similar)
Delphine Pariente ring (similar)
Keltie Leanne Designs ring (c/o)
Strut Jewelry ring (c/o)
Location: Caffe Florian – Venice, Italy

Since our visit to Venice last year, I have struggled to reconcile my memories of the city with the way it looks in the pictures we took. The Venice I remember is crowded, chaotic and overwhelming. But the photos tell a different story.

I really didn’t plan to go back. But we were already visiting Verona during our Italian vacation this year, and Venice is just an hour away by train. There was one experience in the city that I dreamt of but couldn’t allow myself to indulge in last year: morning coffee at the iconic Caffe Florian. In the interest of checking it off my travel bucket list while I had the chance, I booked us last minute tickets from Verona to Venice for the day after my birthday.

The reasons I wanted to visit Caffe Florian so badly are simple, and a bit silly; it is the most famous cafe in Venice, positioned right on the edge of St. Mark’s Square. Much like the Cafe de Flore in Paris, it is a place to say you’ve been and a place to experience just for the sake of it.

As for why we didn’t visit Caffe Florian last year? The decision was entirely practical. A cup of coffee at the cafe is an experience that every visitor to Venice wants. And it is priced accordingly. When you are in Europe for three full months, traveling from destination to destination, it’s much harder to justify spending ten euros on a cup of relatively regular coffee (even if you do get to drink it in a world-famous and utterly fabulous spot.) That money could just as easily go towards a museum entrance fee or a full meal elsewhere. I made a pragmatic choice to skip Caffe Florian last year. At the time it felt right. But in the end, I wished I’d indulged myself just a little.

So we took the train from Verona to Venice just to have coffee at Caffe Florian. The city was just as I remember it; cramped and crowded and mildly infuriating at the best of times. But the sun was shining, we made it to St. Mark’s Square and there was a table waiting for us at the cafe facing out onto it. An orchestra was playing and, not at all surprisingly, it cost extra to sit down for coffee because there was live music. But I went to Venice just for that cup of coffee, so I made my peace with whatever the cost would be and ordered my cafe latte happily. You can see the smile on my face in these photos – despite the fact that this was most expensive latte I’ve ever had, it was worth it.

I doubt I’ll get back to Venice a third time in my life. It’s one of few places in the world that I am always glad to leave. But despite the fact that I can find little to love in the city, I’m glad I went back to visit Caffe Floriane. If you’re in Venice, it’s absolutely worth the visit.