Step inside the world's most beautiful historic cafes
Timeless tea rooms
Cafés can be basic little hole-in-the-wall spots – or they can be gilded, glamorous beauties. The places on our list fall elegantly into the latter category, with decadent decor and opulent surroundings matched only by the fancy cakes and fine china. Here are some of the world’s most beautiful historic cafés, where each cup of tea or coffee comes with a slice of the past.
Click or scroll through our gallery to discover stunning cafés and tea rooms everyone should see at least once. Have you visited any of the spots on our list?
The Apothecary, Rye, England, UK
Cute and cosy, The Apothecary is housed in an 18th-century building in the heart of the old town of Rye in Kent. Tables are surrounded by shelves of books and dark-wood furniture, while the menu is also very classic, with traditional British teatime treats like Welsh rarebit, quiche and freshly made cakes.
Antico Caffè Greco, Rome, Italy
Antico Caffe Greco opened in 1760, making it Rome's oldest café. It's hosted luminaries from Casanova to Charles Dickens, and William 'Buffalo Bill' Cody even swung by with his cowboy entourage back in 1890. Today it retains a stately elegance, complete with waiting staff in a uniform of bow ties and pinafore aprons, and is a must-visit when in the city.
Confeitaria Colombo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Confeitaria Colombo has been an elegant stop in Rio for a cup of coffee and a Pastéis de Nata (Portuguese egg custard tart) since 1894. The Centro café's interior is utterly lavish, with giant, brocaded mirrors and intricate stained-glass windows, including the pretty, jade-tinged ceiling dome. There are a few other locations, including in Copacabana and Ipanema, though they aren’t nearly so opulent.
El Fishawy, Cairo, Egypt
El Fishawy is the place to come to experience true Egyptian café culture. Tucked down an alley of Cairo’s Khan El Khalli market, this place can be noisy and cramped, but that just adds to the atmosphere. The beloved café has been open since the 1770s and is believed to be the city’s oldest coffee house. Though it's firmly on the tourist path, customers will also rub shoulders with local stallholders and shoppers, all here to recharge with a mint tea or a shisha pipe.
