A ride through history: Caffè Fantoni, a break in bygone times
Dear friends,
starting from today, we’ve decided to guide you through a short “virtual” ride to discover the best stops of our guided tours!
This journey is going to take us to the best spots in The Custoza’s Lands and will fascinate us with traditions and curious aspects of Italian history and culture!
This journey is going to take us to the best spots in The Custoza’s Lands and will fascinate us with traditions and curious aspects of Italian history and culture!
What’s our first stop? It’s Villafranca di Verona! If you’ve already experienced one of our emotional tours, you probably already know that this is a must-go destination for us… but what you maybe don’t know is the reason why! ?
Here we go: Villafranca is a symbol of the Italian Risorgimento – literally, the period leading Italy’s unification! Indeed, here, on July 11th 1859 Napoleon III of France and Franz Joseph I of Austria signed the Villafranca Armistice, that put an end to the second Italian War of Independence.
Can you guess “who” was already there during that times and is today still here as a witness of these events?
Well, welcome to one of our favorite cafés in town, the Caffè Fantoni! Founded in the earliest ’40s of the XIXth century, the Fantoni – and specifically Mr Giovanni, “sweetly” marked Italian Risorgimento history, producing a wide range of pastries and liquors, related to historical events of the area!
Starting from famous Sfogliatine di Villafranca (sweet delicate pastries, a must try!), they created then not only the Torta della Pace (literally: the Peace Cake) as a symbol of peace after the armistice, but also the “Umberto’s cookies” – dedicated to King Umberto I of Savoy and its dedication during the Battle of Custoza. Last – but not least, in the ’20s they started to produce an amazing liquor known as Acqua di Fiume, dedicated to Gabriele D’Annunzio and his “Fiume Endeavour”.
Can you guess “who” was already there during that times and is today still here as a witness of these events?
Well, welcome to one of our favorite cafés in town, the Caffè Fantoni! Founded in the earliest ’40s of the XIXth century, the Fantoni – and specifically Mr Giovanni, “sweetly” marked Italian Risorgimento history, producing a wide range of pastries and liquors, related to historical events of the area!
Starting from famous Sfogliatine di Villafranca (sweet delicate pastries, a must try!), they created then not only the Torta della Pace (literally: the Peace Cake) as a symbol of peace after the armistice, but also the “Umberto’s cookies” – dedicated to King Umberto I of Savoy and its dedication during the Battle of Custoza. Last – but not least, in the ’20s they started to produce an amazing liquor known as Acqua di Fiume, dedicated to Gabriele D’Annunzio and his “Fiume Endeavour”.
Sfogliatelle di Villafranca – Sources: www.terredelcustoza.com
With its Liberty style façade, enhanced with spectacular portraits of important characters of its time and the refined forniture, we could never give up on a great Sfogliatella and – why not, an Acqua di Fiume!
This is why Caffè Fantoni is one of our favorite stops: the ideal for a break during a ride, a place out of time, where you can smell history… and freshly baked pastries, of course!
This is why Caffè Fantoni is one of our favorite stops: the ideal for a break during a ride, a place out of time, where you can smell history… and freshly baked pastries, of course!
Are you ready to come with us to the next stop in The Lands of Custoza?
Follow us, we’ll take you there! 😉
Sources: www.terredelcustoza.com
