A Guide to Locali Storici d’Italia
The Guide to
Between Battles and Bottles: A look at the wines (and liqueurs) that have shaped the history of Italy and its locali
“Every sip offers a key to understanding the deep connection between our country’s food and wine heritage and its historical memory” (Introduction to the 2026/2027 Guide)
Every iconic label and every time-honored recipe is not merely a product of its region, but a true “liquid witness” capable of recounting Italy’s grand history, which is intertwined with everyday conviviality. In this new edition of the Guide, bottles and historic bars move beyond their simple role as places of refreshment to become authentic historical documents. From literary cafés to grand hotels, embark on a fascinating journey through time via the flavors and aromas that have shaped our nation’s identity.
Past editions
2024/2025 Families Through History: The Epic Tale of the Great Guardians of Italian Hospitality
A transgenerational journey behind the scenes of our country’s living monuments, where excellence is passed down from one generation to the next, defying the passage of time.
Italy is internationally renowned for its millennia-old history and its exceptional hospitality. However, what truly sets the peninsula’s historical and gastronomic heritage apart is the human element: the personal and entrepreneurial stories of family dynasties which, for decades or even centuries, have been at the forefront of the nation’s hospitality industry. The 2024/2025 edition of the Guide to Historical Places of Italy celebrates precisely this unbreakable bond between bloodlines, memory and enterprise.
«Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the keeping of the fire.»
(Gustav Mahler)
2020: Spirits and Dreams, or the Modern Alchemy of Locali Storici d’Italia
A modern yet secret alchemy, with recipes kept hidden by bartenders and guarded by families who have shaped the history of our country. The world of mixology—an English term (not particularly beautiful, to be honest) that we could translate into Italian as “the art of mixing”—is rich in anecdotes linked to Locali Storici d’Italia. Spirits and grappas, cocktails and bitters, distilled spirits and liqueurs: there are many forms that what Dave Arnold, founder of the Museum of Food and Drink in New York, defines in his famous book as “liquid intelligence” takes on. And there are many stories linked to cocktails and drinks that we also find in the Historic Bars, which we’ll try to summarize in this edition of the Guide.
2019: Ambassadors of Taste
A journey through the most beautiful parts of Italy—the kind to be savored in the establishments that have shaped our country’s history. The 43rd edition of the Guide to Locali Storici d’Italia is dedicated to the Ambassadors of Italian Taste. From espresso to pasta, from risotto to desserts: what is known today around the world as the “Italian taste” was born right here, in these prestigious cafés, restaurants, hotels, and pastry shops with centuries of history behind them. In this edition of the Guide—which also features pages dedicated to supporting members and, for the first time, is accompanied by a smartphone app—we’ll discover the establishments that have shaped the history of taste in Italy and beyond. A journey from north to south, exploring the foods that make us unique and beloved around the world.
2018: Between History and Legend
The 42nd edition of the Guide to Locali Storici d’Italia has taken shape amid history and legend; this year, it is dedicated to businesses celebrating a “milestone” anniversary. These significant anniversaries feature hotels, cafés, restaurants, and pastry shops born from the stories of families who, through their establishments, have shaped the history of our country.
2017: Spirit and Physicality
Historic Venues: Forges of Culture. The 41st edition of the Guide is dedicated to Locali Storici d’Italia, which have been—and continue to be—architects and promoters of culture, either by their very nature or through the events they host as their chosen and extraordinary venues. This is yet another very special edition, then, that invites readers to pause and immerse themselves in the culture of these “forges” of Italian history.
2016: The Ladies of Locali Storici
Courageous entrepreneurs and, at times, dreamers—determined yet passionate in running their establishments. And with that flair, that distinctive touch, that style, as well as the gentleness, firmness, and sense of continuity that only a woman can possess and impart. They are the women behind Locali Storici d’Italia, to whom this 40th edition of the Guide is dedicated. Here they are, with their stories.
2015: Famous Venues and Stops
This year, the Guide invites readers to take a seat at the tables and small tables and stay in the rooms and suites where illustrious figures once stayed—places suggested, immediately following the table of contents, in a unique journey through 80 of Locali Storici d’Italia
2014: Inspirers of Creativity
Inspiring encounters. Pleasant surroundings, tranquility and contemplation, comfort, location. Love and passion. But also a journey, an event, or delicacies capable of inspiring a creative pause. Many historic venues have inspired—and continue to inspire—writers, poets, painters, composers, singers, and photographers who, by frequenting them, have experienced moments of creativity and brought forth works of their own ingenuity. Or they have immortalized the venue by bestowing upon it the honor of a mention. Here is a unique itinerary that highlights these historic venues across Italy, organized by location. Because culture can also be enjoyed while sitting at a small table or a regular table, or by spending a night in a place where genius has left its mark.
2013: Locali and Art Nouveau
This year, the Guide features a tour of more than seventy historic venues across Italy that exemplify the Art Nouveau style. Seven new venues enrich this 37th edition, which has been rewritten and expanded to include nearly half as much new content. For the first time, an outdoor location is also included: the famous “piazzetta” of the seaside village of Portofino, which, much like a grand hotel, a café, or a seaside restaurant, has been a hub of culture and high society since the early 20th century.
2012: The Places and the Lineages
This edition of the Guide pays special tribute to the longest-standing families who have been at the helm of Locali Storici d’Italia for five to seven generations. This is an extraordinary feat in a world that is erasing its past at an ever-increasing pace. Readers will find them listed in the “Hall of Fame” at the end of the Guide. This thirty-sixth edition presents the 236 oldest and most prestigious hotels, restaurants, trattorias, pastry shops, confectioneries, grappa bars, and literary cafés—all key players in Italian history thanks to the notable figures who frequented them and the events they hosted or helped organize. For enthusiasts of cultural tourism, the Guide represents the only exclusive itinerary for discovering and visiting an elite group of establishments that preserve and pass on the refined taste of tradition through architecture, artifacts, furnishings, and mementos of cultural, civic, and artistic value.
2011: The Premises of the Unification of Italy
These are the venues that, during the Risorgimento, witnessed events related to the process of national unification. Identified through research conducted for the 2011 edition of the Guida Locali Storici d’Italia, published to mark and honor the 150th anniversary of the Unification of Italy, the significance of their history has become part of the Association’s historical heritage.
Request your copy of the Guide to Locali Storici
The guide will be available starting in late June 2026.
Shipping in Italy
If you would like the Guide to be delivered to your home in Italy, please note that, as we are a small cultural association, we ask for a modest contribution of €15 to cover express courier shipping costs.
Payment method: Bank transfer
Account details: IBAN IT 20 N 02008 11300 000600014351
Account holder: Locali Storici d’Italia
Note – Please remember to send an email with the shipping address for the guide to:
info@localistorici.it
International Shipping
For international shipments of the Guide, please fill out the form in the Contact section, specifying the country to which you would like the Guide sent. We will notify you of the associated costs via email.