A century-old Italian café!Save €6 by standing and blend in with the locals' pace

Text and photos by /Happy Cloud

This was a café I happened to visit after marking it on Google Maps — “Greek Café, standing drink for 2 euros, seated drink starts from 8 euros.” That was my note on the map. I hadn’t originally planned to come here, but near the Spanish Steps, I got tired from walking and just happened to spot a café. Thinking of grabbing a coffee, I went in...

Hmm~~ I guess this must be fate!! Over ten years ago, when I first visited this place, I remember it was May 1st, Labor Day. Most shops near the Spanish Steps were closed for the holiday. Aside from the Trinity Church at the top of the steps, which left an impression, another memory was the Fountain of the Boat in the square. This fountain is really something!!

It was created by the famed Italian sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini. But some sources say that originally, the fountain was small and unremarkable, and due to low water pressure, even the water stream was very thin. So, Bernini’s father, Pietro Bernini, built a half-submerged boat around the original fountain.

The water would then flow into the boat first, and slowly overflow from the sides. Since the entire fountain is almost level with the street, it really gives the feeling of a leaky boat about to sink into the ground... Hmm~~~ the old man really knows best. After Pietro Bernini redesigned it, it became one of Rome’s most famous landmarks. This place is definitely a super popular attraction in Rome.

During my week-long stay in Rome, I passed by here many times, and it was always packed, so crowded that even the steps were full of people. Oh my gosh!!! It’s so different from what I remembered on my first visit!! Today, I don’t know what festival or event it was, but a group of people dressed in traditional costumes came here to take photos. Watching them walk down the Spanish Steps, I even wondered for a moment if a movie was being filmed???!!!

The famous shopping street in front of the fountain is definitely a place no visitor to Rome would miss. Hahaha, it was also packed with people!! Whether you buy anything or not, you really have to stroll through here. Just then, I spotted a café on the shopping street and instinctively wanted to go in, so I ended up at Antico Caffè Greco (Greek Café).

Hmm~~~ today just happens to be the day I’m leaving Rome. In addition to revisiting familiar sights, I can’t miss my favorite Italian gelato. This café is just an interlude, so I opted for a standing coffee — quick and simple — just to enjoy a few minutes of coffee time.

Standing coffee in Italy is really cheap!! Friends who travel to Italy must give it a try. Aside from saving money, it’s also a great way to experience the local coffee culture.

It was while waiting for my coffee here that I pulled out my phone to mark the places I’d been. That’s when I realized — hmm~ so this is actually a historic century-old café, and it’s also the second oldest café in Italy!! Hahaha, what a coincidence, what a coincidence. I had marked lots of places on my phone, and not having visited all of them is no big deal, but chance and coincidence still brought me here!!

This is a century-old café in Rome. The photos show its interior decoration is quite elegant and charming. But today I decided to save time for gelato, so it wasn’t about saving money either. Still, it confirmed once again — the price difference between standing and sitting coffee is really huge, huge. 2 euros vs. 8 euros, four times the price. Which one would you choose??

Antico Caffè Greco is the oldest café in Rome. It’s said that even across all of Italy, only Venice’s Florian Café (opened in 1720) is older. Many historical figures have visited here. Wow~~ sounds really impressive!!!

If you want to enjoy coffee at a century-old café without spending a lot, you can do as I did — stand and drink, enjoying a brief coffee moment. And if you speak Italian or enjoy chatting in English, the baristas here are pretty friendly and like to talk to people too!!

The Italian gelato here in Rome is really... so delicious. It’s absolutely a must-try delicacy when you’re in Rome!!! (Highly recommended!!)

Hmm~ seems like this trip, it’s the first time I’ve seen a female barista!! An espresso gave me a boost of energy, and now I’m ready to continue my journey.

Italian coffee is great — no need to elaborate. To be honest, what’s even better is experiencing the atmosphere of the space. Maybe sharing a café with someone you admire, sipping coffee across different times and spaces, is just a joyful thing. Next time, I think I’ll come back here, spend more time, sit down, and really soak in the vibe of Italy’s second oldest café.

...................................................... Eating, drinking, playing — there’s no end to it.

Antico Caffè Greco (Greek Café)
Website
Address: Via dei Condotti, 86, 00187 Roma RM, Italy
Phone: +39 06 679 1700
Business Hours: 9:00–21:00

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