Matt Damon in Venice: The Talented Mr. Ripley

Anthony Minghella’s The Talented Mr. Ripley takes the viewer into 1950s Italy, between Ischia, Rome and an elegant, restless Venice. It is here, among the tables of one of the most famous cafés in the world, that one of the film’s most memorable scenes takes place: the Caffè Florian.

Caffè Florian in the film

At the tables of the Florian, in St Mark’s Square, Tom Ripley (Matt Damon) meets Marge and Dickie’s father. The café, opened in 1720 under the Procuratie Nuove, is considered the oldest in Italy still in business: frescoed rooms, a live orchestra and a view of St Mark’s Basilica. A perfect frame for the film’s sophisticated atmosphere.

Three centuries of history before the film

The Florian opened on December 29, 1720, founded by Floriano Francesconi under the name “Alla Venezia Trionfante” — the name Florian comes from Venetians’ habit of saying “andemo da Florian” (“let’s go to Florian’s”). Over the centuries it has hosted Giacomo Casanova, Lord Byron, Goethe, Carlo Goldoni, Charles Dickens and Ernest Hemingway. A curious detail: it was the first café in Venice to admit women, which made it especially valuable in Casanova’s eyes.

What to treat yourself to

The Florian is an experience rather than a simple drink: a coffee or a hot chocolate at its historic tables, perhaps with live music, is a luxury worth the price. To be experienced at least once, just like in the film.

A Venetian itinerary

Beyond St Mark’s Square, Ripley’s Venice is made of alleys, bridges and canals. A walk (or a vaporetto ride) through the film’s locations is the best way to breathe in the restless elegance of the lagoon city.

You will find the venue page Caffè Florian, the film’s stops on The Talented Mr. Ripley and the venues of Venice.

In short

Sitting at the Caffè Florian means stepping into a scene of the film and, at the same time, into three centuries of Venetian history. The perfect address for a “cinematic” coffee in St Mark’s Square.