Whether it’s on business or vacation, at work or simply on the go, there is nothing like sitting down at just the right cafe. Cafes are little islands of tranquility in the hustle and bustle of big cities. They are centers of life and culture in small towns, and, most importantly, they are the home of true coffee and tea lovers the world over.
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Maybe you live on coffee and tea, or maybe you just want to enjoy the atmosphere of a good cafe. In these vibrant cities, you can find the tastiest brews and the best places to soak up the cafe culture.
The Best Cafe Cultures in the World
Paris, France
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The City of Lights is an ideal place to start off your caffeinated pilgrimage. The boulevard cafes of this iconic city still have the bohemian atmosphere that inspired a generation of painters, poets and writers.
If you want to get away from the crowds to enjoy your cup, try one a little further away from the central arrondissements and tourist attractions. Sit down at the closest cafe to your hotel for a traditional French breakfast of coffee or tea with a fresh croissant. Bon App!
Rome, Italy
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When in Rome, espresso lovers will find themselves in heaven. The Eternal City’s love of coffee is inescapable. Finding a delicious cup of dark-roasted grains is as easy as smelling the morning air.
Start the day or take a break from the sights with a strong brew, a latte, and a cornetto while you take in one of the most inspiring cities in Europe. You might have trouble finding your Americano, but strong coffee and lattes abound.
London, England
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What, after all, is more British than a good cup of tea? London’s passion for tea, either hot or cold, is known the world over. Cafes and tea houses in London can be your salvation on a cold, rainy day. They are home and hearth to artists, musicians and locals who all know each other.
They can be just the right place to sit, drink and take in the Queen’s majestic city. Sit down and enjoy tea-time with toast and jam, they way it was meant to be. Soak in the tradition and attention to detail unique to England’s love for tea.
Vienna, Austria
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As one of Europe’s most beautiful and classy cities, Vienna is one of the world’s best places for cafe culture. Its cafe’s are famous for their atmosphere of tradition, high class and high quality – reminiscent of the Imperial era. They, like the traditional French cafes, are a harbor for artists and poets of all stripes.
The Old City boasts some of the best rated and most stunning cafes in the globe, like the Cafe Landtmann. It was established in 1873 and it is the perfect example of the quality and atmosphere. Attentive service, elegant settings and the best tea and coffee that can be found.
Vienna’s cafes will send you back in time.
Amsterdam, Holland
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Amsterdam’s narrow streets and its networks of stunning canals need to be enjoyed from a small table in one of its thousands of little cafes. The city of Van Gogh, Anne Frank, and the world’s most famous Red Light district has some of the tastiest coffees and teas you will ever try.
There is something for every taste here, with cafes offering roasts and leaves from all over the planet. You can recharge your artistic batteries or plan your walking route around the old city with a warm cup.
Melbourne and Sydney, Australia
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Europe, of course, is not the only option if you are looking to settle down and cozy up. Australia’s cafes have become some of the most vibrant places in the world to relax or mingle. Melbourne and Sydney are full of cafes in which bean-culture has taken on a new meaning.
Independent brewers and specialty coffee houses cater to the most passionate of java-heads.
They have a hip and modern atmosphere, where you will find the newest in music tastes as well as the best brews.
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These types of cafes are constantly listed among the best in the world – picked out by experts and connoisseurs looking at taste, quality and atmosphere. According to them, your best bet for coffee-heaven is in Melbourne’s cultural center, Fitzroy.
Istanbul, Turkey
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The ancient city of minarets has, beyond doubt, some of the best places in the world to sit and rest from the heat. There is cold and iced tea but, of course, the locals will tell you the secret to staying cool is hot tea. It is worth traveling to Istanbul just for its famous tea steeped with fresh mint, but as you sit and enjoy it you will see one of the most ancient and beautiful cities ever built.
On top of this, Turkey has appreciation and culture around coffee that goes back centuries. Though the traditional unfiltered Turkish blend has lost some ground to more aromatic blends brought by newer cafes, a determined and adventurous traveler can always find it.
Seattle, USA
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The home of Starbuck’s coffee has long moved on from the global franchise, as locals will be glad to make clear. The city has cultivated a cafe culture that artists and connoisseurs flock to from around the world.
Seattle, in fact, boasts more independent brewers and coffee houses than anywhere else in North America. It is a scene in which passionate drinkers pour everything into their coffee-houses, finding the world’s best beans and brewing them expertly.
Bogotá, Colombia
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Nestled in the heights of the Andes, this cold and rainy city is at the heart of the world’s best coffee. The world’s best, after all, is grown in Colombia and, in their capital, the very best of the crop is the daily cup. Cafes here can be comfortable and homely, or eclectic and modern depending on your taste.
In the city’s vibrant downtown center, where business and culture share a contested space, hundreds of little cafes, stands and restaurants offer light-roasted black coffee with lots of flavor to please the purist. They also, of course, have cafe con leche to fuel your day just right.
San Jose, Costa Rica
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Also located in that magical temperate zone, Costa Rica produces some of the most amazing beans on the planet. While it does not produce at the massive levels of Brazil, the country boasts some of the most aromatic and flavorful beans in the world.
In San Jose, you can sit back and enjoy the sun with that delicious cup of cafe con leche, while listening to the birds sing and the ambient music play—knowing that the coffee that is waking you up came from the best plantations in the world. It is famous for its freshness, its light body and its flavor.
A xenophile at heart, she lives to travel and loves to share her experience on Trip Jaunt (formerly Weekend Jaunt), an online travel community and hub she founded in 2010. She hopes that you will feel inspired to discover the world as well! Helen is a member of the North American Travel Journalists Association and the Academy of Canadian Film and Television.
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