International Coffee Day celebrates the world's most famous drink, but especially the one most loved by Italians.
October 1st is International Coffee Day. It is the day of one of the most iconic drinks for Italians around the world. All Italians have coffee and an espresso machine in their home. Today we celebrate the world day of a drink that every country declines and offers differently: from the Neapolitan espresso to the American long, to the Moroccan, to the Brazilian and many others.
Discover with us the history, tradition and goodness of the tasty Italian espresso, famous in the world.
Why is International Coffee Day celebrated?
International Coffee Day, which takes place on October 1st, is a special occasion that has been taking place since 2015 when the International Coffee Organisation (ICO) endorsed this initiative on the occasion of the Expo in Milan to promote and enhance the intoxicating aroma, magic, passion and exceptional qualities of this delicious beverage, which represents a timeless and indispensable ritual. Its ancient origins can be dated back to 1983 when the All Japan Coffee Association established a celebrating event to honour the quintessence of this delicacy. In many countries, including Japan, China, the United States, Nepal, Denmark, Brazil, Costa Rica, Switzerland, Mongolia, and Indonesia, passionate events were already taking place to highlight the uniqueness of this product, which is a remarkable social tradition.
Today, International Coffee Day has also acquired a highly symbolic value as a moment of dialogue between different cultures and to reflect on the commitment and fundamental role of the farmers and workers involved in the various stages of the coffee production chain, a symbol of pleasure, relaxation, energy, and conviviality, and dedicated celebrations are held in 77 countries. It also provides an opportunity to raise consumer and public awareness of the indispensable importance of sustainability to safeguard biodiversity and fair trade and to appreciate this ancient and fascinating art, savoring the delicious varieties grown in every corner of the globe.
International coffee day: between events and UNESCO heritage
As we have made you understand, coffee in Italy is an important tradition, so much so that in recent years many exponents of the sector are trying to include the tradition of Italian coffee among the intangible assets of humanity as a UNESCO heritage. Through the collection of signatures and various initiatives in Turin, Milan, Venice, Trieste, Bologna, Rome, Naples, Lecce, Pescara, Palermo, and many others, the candidacy of this intangible tradition is supported. From visits to historic Italian cafes such as Caffè Florian in Venice or Gambrinus in Naples to multisensory events and historical debates, many initiatives populate Italian cities on World Coffee Day.
There are many attractions and events that you can visit on this day; if you want to use this day to offer your contribution to the cause to make the coffee ritual a remarkable heritage of humanity, you can find the online petition from the sign.
What are you waiting for? Would you like to know how to ask for a delicious cup in an Italian bar, we provide you some useful tips to savor the exquisite taste of real traditional Italian espresso and let yourself be carried away by its flavors, and events related to the culture of drinking coffee in Italy.
The history of coffee in Italy
On international coffee day, a small ex cursus on the birth of the union between Italy and coffee cannot be missing. The history of coffee in Italy has ancient origins and in particular, is extremely linked to the explorations of Italian traders in the East who at the end of the sixteenth century brought sacks of these dark beans from the most remote countries of Asia.
In the beginning, the drink, like almost all the more exotic drinks that have come down to us, was sold in pharmacies. Despite the high initial cost, the rise and success of coffee in Italy could not be stopped until the second half of the eighteenth century when it had now become the drink of the courts living in Italy: from Naples to Venice to Milan. From this moment on, coffee begins to become the drink of conviviality and family, of friendship and an opportunity to chat and discuss one's moments of serenity, whether at court or in the slums.
This is how coffee arrived at the end of the nineteenth century in all the regions of Italy that have declined, albeit with small nuances, its unique flavour in the most disparate ways.
In cities like Naples, coffee is now a consolidated ritual that cannot be eradicated, it is a tradition that passes from generation to generation, like espresso machines and which is present in all moments of our life.
