1. The ten most beautiful Cafés in the world
according to the classification by
UCityGuides
The coffee, as a beverage, first appeared in Turkey in 1585, and crossed its borders when, in
1683, the Ottoman Turks invaded Vienna. There is another historical reference stating that
it was in Venice that it began to be sold commercially from 1638. Anyway, it was in the 18th
century that coffee houses began to appear around the city and then throughout Europe.
However, only in the late 19th and early 20th centuries European cafes have become
gathering places preferred by intellectuals, epoch in which the ornamentation of these
"hangouts" started to have characteristics of cultural institutions and interior decoration
resembling palatial ones.

2. Hungary - Budapest
Café New York

3. The New York Palace Hotel, a Boscolo Luxury Hotel, – of which the New York Café
is part - was built in eclectic style between the years 1891 and 1895.

4. The New York Café is located on the ground floor of that hotel, now owned and named after the
international group Boscolo.

5. The Café, however,
maintains its already
legendary name - Café
New York – and is a
spot of obligatory
passage in the city, a
living legend that, at
the beginning of the
20th century attracted
the city's cultural elite.
Its exterior is adorned
with bronze statues
while the interior
impresses with its
monumental headroom,
frescoes and
chandeliers.
The tables and sofas
modern lines create
exquisite contrast.

6. This place, that was sacred to the artists of the early 20th century, maintains a stunning interior with
gilts, ornamental lamps, ceiling paintings, mixed with contemporary furnishings.

7. Italy – Venice
Café Florian

8. Located in a privileged position under the arcades of the Procuratie Nuove in Piazza San Marco, at
the Caffè Florian you can still feel the Venetian tradition, while as well being the meeting point
of several worlds.

9. The Grand Venice can only be seen in its palaces and museums, but it’s in its historic cafés that it can be
felt, still exuding the elegant effluvium of the 18th century, especially in the most impressive of all, the
Caffè Florian in its splendor of frescoes and mirrored interior.
.

10. Café Florian that has been a meeting point for writers and artists in the past, at present, stands out
as a living museum. At its desks, sat Charles Dickens, Proust, Byron and other renowned writers.

11. The refinement of a coffee served at Florian.

12. Austria – Vienna
Café Central

13. Housed in a historic palace, the Café Central , like most of Vienna’s historical cafés, that
receives a great deal of tourists visiting the city, remains a local attraction, offering live
classical music in the afternoon.

14. The Café Central has marble pillars, big chandeliers and arched ceilings that
welcomed intellectuals since the turn of the 19th century.

15. At present, with a more eclectic frequency, the “Central Kaffeehaus” is still a place
that attracts philosophers, thinkers and writers. Historically, it is said that here was
where Trotsky had planned the Russian Revolution.

16. Czechoslovakia – Prague
Café Imperial

17. Prague - continuation

18. The Café Imperial belongs to the Prague Art Deco Imperial Hotel, five stars, dated 1914, which
is located in central Prague protected by UNESCO.

19. Many of the great Prague cafes have disappeared after the Second World War, while other
survived and were restored to its former glory – as Café Imperial .

20. The Café Imperial has chairs in bright mahogany finely worked, with seats upholstered in
pale yellow leather; the waiters invariably wear an immaculate white shirt.

21. The Café Imperial
is still the largest of
these examples, and is
known as a jewel of Art
Deco.
Its mosaic of ornate tile
is one of the most
incredibly beautiful
scenery in the world for
breakfast, afternoon
tea, and even a
selection of Czech
dishes.

22. The tile panel sits above
another one, artistically
carved in wood.
The taps in the bathroom
were cast in the form of
swan wings in flight position
and the faucet waterspout
coincides with the beak of
the bird in its outside.
The restoration of the
complex added a new touch
of class to this place,
maintaining the aura of the
past and unforgettable
atmosphere. There are not
many places like the
Imperial in Prague.

23. France - Paris
Café de La Paix

24. Café de La Paix is located at the Opera square, at angle to the Boulevard des Capucines.
It was designed by the same architect that created the Paris Opera - Charles Garnier.

25. The Café de La Paix was built in the purest Napoleon III style, in the ground floor of a luxury
building Haussmann, which now houses the Hotel InterContinental.

26. Among the famous frequenters of the Café de La Paix in the late 19th century stand out,
among others, Tchaikovsky, Massenet, Zola and Maupassant.

27. During the Belle Epoque, were also included among the visitors to the Café de la Paix,
Sergei Diaghilev, and the then Prince of Wales, future King of Britain, Edward VII.

28. Portugal – Porto
Café Majestic

29. It is in the second largest city of Portugal that locates one of the finest cafés around the world, with
the name of Café Majestic. Opened in 1921 under the name "Elite", the café was immediately
associated with the frequency of that epoch’s distinguished people.

30. The Majestic is one of the most impressive of all the cafés in the country and one of the most
attractive in the world. From its facade to the interior, Café Majestic is still a beautiful scenery
for cultural events, making it more than just a tourist attraction.

31. In its Art Nouveau style in the symmetry of the curved wooden frames, in the large mirrors interspersed
with metal worked chandeliers that delimit the walls with a clever optical play of amplitude, retains its
entire former splendor and invites to revive the fascinating Belle Époque.
.

32. Brazil – Rio de Janeiro
Confeitaria Colombo

33. Founded in 1894, the Confeitaria Colombo holds still today its original style: art nouveau
of l9l3. There are 4 floors with 3 spacious lounges decorated with eight Belgian beveled mirrors,
measuring 3 x 6 m and weighing 1 ½ tons each, all framed in rosewood.

34. Its balconies are in Italian marble and the furniture of all rooms exquisite. Five cupboards
house early 20th Century china and crystal goblets with gold embroidery.

35. Culminating it all, on the last floor
the ceiling is a skylight in colorful
mosaics bathing the restaurant with
natural light.
Among its distinguished visitors,
detach King Albert of Belgium in
l920, and Queen Elizabeth of
England in l968.
Besides Olavo Bilac, were also
regulars at Colombo: Jose do
Patrocinio, Oscar Lopez, Luis
Murat, Placido Jr., Pedro Rabelo,
Manoel Carlos, Father Severiano
and Lima Barreto.
From the round of presidents of the
Republic stand out Getulio Vargas
and Juscelino Kubitschek.

36. Italy – Naples
Café Gambrinus

37. Founded in 1860, Café Gambrinus was soon recognized by Royal Decree as
"Supplier of the Royal House."

38. The Gambrinus is legendary
not only for being the oldest
café in the city, but because
since it opened in mid-19th
century has welcomed royalty,
celebrities and artists attracted
by its beautiful interior.
Throughout its history, it
received personalities from all
countries and loyal customers
such as Gabriele D'Annunzio,
who in a coffee table, wrote the
poem "The Vucchella" later set
to music by FP Tosti, and
recorded by Caruso in 1919;
Benedetto Croce; Matilde
Serao; Eduardo Scarpetta;
Totò; De Filippo (it); Ernest
Hemingway; Oscar Wilde; Guy
de Maupassant; Jean Paul
Sartre, That all marked their
presence through a poem, a
dedication or a photo.

39. The Gambrinus’ interior decoration was entrusted to the best painters of the Neapolitan school,
and today still you can admire its frescoes, as well as floral friezes announcing the Art Nouveau.

40. Argentina – Buenos Aires – Palermo Park
Café Tortoni

41. Café Tortoni - Opened in 1858, it was moved to its present location only in 1880, but its former
entrance was by Rivadavia Avenue. Since 1898 its main entrance is by the Avenue of May.
.

42. The Tortoni was obligatory reference for anyone in the twentieth century Argentine culture. Jorge Luis
Borges and Carlos Gardel, the big names that Argentina gave the world, were regulars. It was said that
Borges and his companions were poor and spent little, but gave notoriety to the home.

43. Alfonsina Storni, Arthur Rubinstein, José Ortega, were some of the personalities connected with the
fame of the Café Tortoni. Today, besides a remarkable library, the house offers place to read,
appreciate painting, enjoy music, dance, dine, see shows, chat, play snooker, listen poetry...

44. Italy – Rome
Café Greco

45. In one of the streets of greater luxury and most famous of Rome - Via dei Condotti – since 250 years
there’s the Caffè Greco, that has served coffee to many of the historical figures of Europe, and
remains a refuge for today’s intellectuals and politicians, in a traditional and striking atmosphere.

46. Under decoration based on mirrors, romantic paintings, golden, wood, marble and epoch
furnishings that deliver a unique charm to each of the small rooms that make up its interior, became
regular visitors to the Caffè Greco, Stendhal, Goethe, Byron Liszt, Keats, Ibsen, Hans Christian
Andersen, among many others.

47. Arrivederci, eternal Rome ...

48. Images: All drawn from the Net with credits to their respective authors.
Music: Die Fledermaus (“The Bat") - an operetta composed by Johann Strauss
– (edited).
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Seiji Ozawa
Creation, research, compilation and formatting:
Delza Dias Ferreira
new e-mail delzadfer@gmail.com
English version: Flavio Musa de Freitas Guimarães
www.culturesandart.com São Paulo, IX - 2011