Our Story
The story of the famous literary café in Florence is an integral part of the history of the Tuscan capital.
Chalet Fontana, an ancient literary café in Florence, was set up way back in 1896, not far from the heart of city. Its founder, Tullio Fontana, wanted to model it on the famous Parisian cafés: a place where people could get together and talk to each other in a historical period in Italy which was still far from being the “Belle Époque” but which was preparing to savour its lively influences.
Florence, a lively, dynamic city, a place of art and culture, quickly acknowledged the noble vocation of Chalet Fontana, which made a name for itself as a point of reference where people could stop off for a coffee and a chat. From their lofty perch, poets, writers, intellectuals and others took turns admiring the city at their feet, bringing the rooms of a special space to life. In the 1970s, the now much-loved Chalet on Viale dei Colli also became one of the first piano bars in Florence.
Its history, therefore, earned this beloved literary café a name as one of the most attractive places of interest to visit in and around Florence. A place dear to Vasco Pratolini, Ottone Rosai, Sandro Pertini, Leonardo Sciascia, it is said that sitting at the tables of the Chalet, the painter delighted in the composition of his extraordinary drawings while the author of Metello and Il Quartiere cites it as an integral part of his passionate “Cronaca Familiare”.
Gradually expanding over the years, the Chalet Fontana is a unique, unmistakable place: a precious symbol of a hidden Florence waiting to be discovered, which, years later, is once again playing a leading role in the food and wine and cultural scene in the area.
