Gran Caffè Gambrinus

Gran Caffè Gambrinus is the most famous café in Naples, and a visit is part of almost every first trip to the city. Its story begins with the unification of Italy: it opened in 1860 on the ground floor of the Palazzo della Foresteria, on the corner of Via Chiaia and Piazza Trieste e Trento, facing Piazza del Plebiscito and the Royal Palace. The building blends neoclassical forms with Liberty, the Italian Art Nouveau, and the elegant interior rooms keep the atmosphere of a grand 19th-century café.

Over the years the café has welcomed intellectuals, politicians and business people, and it says it is a favourite stop for Italian presidents visiting Naples. Today it draws a constant mix of Neapolitans, office workers and visitors.

The café has three sides: a coffee bar, a pastry shop and a gelateria. For the full Neapolitan experience, stand at the counter and order an espresso, which is served short, strong and often already sweetened, with a sfogliatella riccia, the crisp shell-shaped pastry filled with ricotta and candied peel. The babà, soaked in rum, is the other classic. In summer the gelato is a good alternative. Naples is also the home of the caffè sospeso, the custom of paying for an extra coffee for someone who cannot afford one, a tradition closely associated with the city's historic cafés.

Prices are higher at the tables than at the bar, as is usual in Italy, so decide before you sit down. Table service is the way to enjoy the interior rooms at leisure; the counter is quicker and is how most locals use the café. The café is busy at most times of day, and service at the bar can be brisk, but the queue moves quickly.

It suits everyone, from solo travellers wanting a quick coffee to families stopping for gelato after visiting the Royal Palace. The location could not be more central: the Royal Palace, Piazza del Plebiscito, the Teatro di San Carlo and Galleria Umberto I are all within a two-minute walk, Pizzeria Brandi is just up Via Chiaia, and the seafront at Via Partenope is about ten minutes away. Toledo and Municipio stations on metro Line 1 are close by.