Italy is dotted with historic cafés, authentic monuments to the style and history of the “Bel Paese” dating back to the XIX Century.

They have been home to poets, painters, writers and artists of all genres, as well as illustrious politicians and Italian intellectuals. Some of these buildings have been listed as places of historical interest by the Ministry of Culture, accordingly.

We have been working as a team exchanging ideas to mould and refine what the final product would be: the Historic Café Route. I’ve been constantly working at this amazing challenge since January 2021 making the way for the Italian heritage to be more and more represented as part of the Route. When I was welcomed on board to give Mr Stathakis and his organization my support and the know-how, I suddenly had my vision on the future of this emergent project and its natural evolution in to a colourful butterfly.

I firmly believe that our Route has got the criteria to get the status of Cultural Route Council of Europe, my commitment as Ambassador in Italy is to make it shine even more brightly with the inclusion of our rarest jewels, since it is through knowledge, story-telling and participation that heritage lives and continues to exist.

Raffaella Caria: Ambassador in Italy of the Historic Cafés Route