Cafes in Trento: the historical cafes

Ah, Trento! A city with one of the highest standards of quality of life in Italy, an achievement that might also be partially due to its many charming old bars: in the historical cafes of Trento, coffee has a completely different taste! As in all the historical cafes of Italy, some bars are veritable city landmarks, on a par with other attractions of the largest city in the province of Trentino, such as its Cathedral, Buonconsiglio Castello or the Muse, the Science Museum designed by Renzo Piano. Ready to tour the historical cafes of Trento?

Bar Tre Portoni, Trento

The long history of Bar Tre Portoni in Trento began back in the 1920s, and the bar was extended in 1937 with the permission of the Podestà in power at the time. After a long series of different managers, today this historical café of Trento is run by Sergio Bortolotti, with the help of his sister and daughter.

The interior still hosts a painting from 1951 by Trento-born artist Mario Brugnara, dedicated to the five city landmarks: the Tre Portoni, the Buonconsiglio Castle, the Civic Tower, the Walls of Piazza Fiera, and the Cesare Battisti Mausoleum.

Bar Pasticceria Mazzoleni, Trento

Opened in November 1959 by Mario Mazzoleni and Tecla Pergol, Bar Pasticceria Mazzoleni has always been a meeting place favoured and loved by the entire Cristo Re neighbourhood in Trento.

Bar Pasticceria Mazzoleni has always offered its loyal customers delicious soft pastries and refined espresso coffee for breakfast, but also savoury treats, such as salads, sandwiches, and rice or pasta dishes at lunchtime. When the owner’s daughter Francesca took over at the helm of the business, the historical bar in Trento underwent an extensive renovation that completely renewed it.

Bar Fiorentina, Trento

Open since 1949, Bar Fiorentina in Trento has always been located in a building deemed to be “of historical significance” by the Superintendence for Architectural Heritage. Inside, it hosts some very important historical furniture and documents, such as a 1964 Faema E64 coffee machine, vintage photos of the Viola Club Trento and a copy of the book “Cara vecchia Trento” by Gian Pacher, the story of a series of events that animated the bar during the 1950s.

Bar Veneto, Trento

Having opened its doors for the first time in August 1965, Bar Veneto is a historical cafe in Trento that has held on to its original name throughout the decades, despite changing hands several times, except for a period in the early 2000s when it was renamed “Zorba’s”.

After another change of management, the current owners decided to return to the origins, reinstating the original name and sign of Bar Veneto, as well as the original decor.

Bar dei Cavai, Trento

Open from Easter Monday 1946 until 2018, when it closed it was known as Trento’s Bar dei Cavai, one of the symbols of the city’s post-war rebirth. The original name of the historical café in Trento was linked to its unique lack of tables and chairs: here its patrons drank “en pe’ come i cavai”, that is “standing up like horses” in the local dialect.

In 2018 the bar closed forever, taking with it the memories and memorabilia of more than half a century of history. A few metres away from the old bar that no longer exists, today there is another café that ambitiously attempts to continue its tradition, “Caffè Cavalli 2018”, but has nothing to do with the old bar.

All these cafes with their long traditions are certainly full of charm! But don’t stop there! Discover the historical cafes of Perugia, where stories of footballers, Swiss families and the famous maritozzo buns full of delicious cream await you. And that’s not all…