Caffe Greco—Rome’s oldest cafe could shut its doors in the near future

The oldest cafe in Rome, Caffe Greco faces a possible shut down. The cafe boasts of a bevy of famous patrons over the years, since it first opened its doors in 1760. Caffe Greco has hosted people as eminent as Charles Dickens, Henry James, Franz Liszt, Wagner, Audrey Hepburn, Sophia Loren, Princess Diana, Byron, Keats, Goethe, and Orson Welles, just to name a few.
The cafe is Italy’s second-oldest, right after Caffe Florian; but now, due to a disagreement between the management and the owner of the building, the cafe might go through a drastic change, or worse, close down permanently. The disagreement is regarding the rent of the building, and this issue has, in fact, sparked a major debate in the country. But, on the other hand, the cafe, along with its furniture and artworks, is a protected property as per the Italian government’s decision that was taken in 1953.

Today, the cafe attracts locals and tourists alike, but a cup of espresso is not really easy on the pocket. It can set you back by 7 Euros.
Venice’s Caffe Florian was established back in 1720, forty years before Cafe Greco, and is the oldest in the country. Together, the two are the forerunners of Italian coffee culture and, of course, a huge part of Italian history. The closure of Caffe Greco could end one of the finest historical places of the country, as one must remember that the cafe went through wars and unrest throughout history, yet stood the test of time.