Places such as the Antica Locanda del Cerriglio in Naples, which is celebrating its 730th anniversary in 2018. Founded in 1288 and also known for the brutal attack in 1609 on the painter Michelangelo Merisi, known as “Caravaggio,” as he was leaving the establishment, the Locanda can still be reached today by walking through one of Naples’ narrowest alleys. Hotels such as the Hotel Royal Victoria in Pisa, which turns 590 in 2018. From 1428—when land registry documents indicate it was already “operating as a hotel”—to the present day, the building situated on the Lungarno has hosted a large number of distinguished guests, including the first Italian Congress of Scientists, which was held here in 1839.

Places like the Caffè Poliziano in Montepulciano, in the province of Siena, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary. The first City Council resolution commemorating the café’s opening dates back to April 8, 1868, which states that “Angelo Mealle and Sabrina Ercolani are granted permission to open a coffee shop at Via del Poliziano No. 2, under the name Caffè del Poliziano”: today, just as then, its undiminished splendor tells the story of the wonders of times gone by.

The Ristorante ‘O Parrucchiano in Sorrento, in the province of Naples, also has a long-standing tradition and will celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2018. Founded in 1868 by seminarian Antonino Ercolano, who had learned the art of cooking in the kitchens of the archbishop’s seminary, the restaurant—initially known as Trattoria La Favorita—was immediately renamed ‘O Parrucchiano (which means “parish priest” in Neapolitan) because of Antonino’s unfulfilled calling to the priesthood. The Panificio Pasticceria Paolo Atti & Figli in Bologna is celebrating 150 years of uninterrupted operation by the same family. Founded in 1868, it has been a fixture in the history of the Emilian capital. Even today, in fact, when you walk into the shops on Via Drapperie and Via Caprarie, you can breathe in the familiar scents of the past—the typical, fragrant Bolognese bread with its firm texture and the pastries—as well as the aromas of the many types of fresh, dried, and stuffed pasta, tagliatelle, the famous tortellini, and modern delicacies.

2018 also marks the 140th anniversary of Pasticceria Vigoni in Pavia, which has been run by the same family since 1878 and has passed the business down from generation to generation. Founded alongside the Torta Paradiso (which won first prize at the 1906 Milan World’s Fair), the pastry shop is still located today on Strada Nuova, right across from one of the oldest universities in Italy and Europe. The Hotel Catullo in Sirmione, in the province of Brescia, is celebrating its 130th anniversary. Since 1888, it has hosted thousands of distinguished guests, rejuvenating them with the enchanting atmosphere of Lake Garda: nestled in a lush garden on the shores of Lake Garda, the hotel is one of the oldest on the Garda Peninsula and was among the pioneers of 19th-century tourism from Northern Europe. The Caffè Fiaschetteria Italiana in Montalcino, in the province of Siena, is also celebrating its 130th anniversary this year. Founded in 1888 by Ferruccio Biondi Santi, the inventor of Brunello, it is known to everyone as Montalcino’s “Florian”—a charming example of pure Art Nouveau with red velvet sofas, mirrors, yellow marble tables, and original period display cases.

The Ristorante ‘O Canonico in Sorrento, in the province of Naples, is celebrating its 120th anniversary. It was opened in January 1898 by Salvatore Di Maio, an ancestor of the family, and later passed to the family of Guglielmo Terminiello, the current owner (born in 1934). Originally established as a tavern serving and selling local wines from the hills of Sorrento, Poggio di Priora, and Gragnano, the restaurant began receiving its first accolades in the early 20th century, when the French edition of the “Guide Bleu” recommended it as a place to stop in the very central Piazza Tasso to enjoy traditional dishes. Another establishment in Sorrento, the Grand Hotel Royal, is also celebrating its 120th anniversary. In 1898, Angela Cafiero (née Strino), owner and founder of the Hotel De La Ville De Sorrento, moved with most of her family and her son-in-law Emilio Casagrande (who had married her daughter Elisa) to a property on Via Rota (now Via Correale), where she purchased a beautiful manor house. And so, nestled among the vast citrus groves overlooking the sea and boasting a stunning view of the Gulf of Naples, a new hotel business was born, frequented by nobility from all over Europe.

Another hotel built at the beginning of the last century is also celebrating its 110th anniversary in 2018: the Grand Hotel Rimini, situated in the heart of a beautiful park (now named after Federico Fellini) overlooking the blue horizon of the Adriatic Sea. The great director was captivated by it from childhood, immortalizing this Art Nouveau gem and its dreamlike rooms—which still feature 18th-century furnishings, parquet floors, and original chandeliers—in his film “Amarcord.”

The Grand Hotel Vittoria in Pesaro was also built in 1908, where the lights, colors, and atmosphere of the “Belle Époque” seem to have never faded. In this Art Nouveau villa, which preserves its original ballroom with columns and stucco work as well as much of the Art Nouveau furnishings of the noble family that has owned it since its inception, national and international figures from the worlds of politics, opera, art, theater, economics, culture, science, and cinema have gathered. The last anniversary we’re celebrating in 2018 is that of Café Carducci in Verona, which is turning 90. The café was founded by Guglielmo Bianconi (great-grandfather of the current owner, Pier Stefano), who moved to Via Carducci from the neighboring Via San Nazaro in 1928. There, he opened a tavern with a kitchen where today—thanks in part to the latest renovation in the 1920s style—you can still feel the atmosphere of times past spanning four generations. Of particular note, in addition to the historic sign preserved inside, are works and writings by Carducci (including many first editions) discovered by the owner in a closet in the attic of his home and now displayed in glass cases at the entrance to the café.