Founded in the 1930s, this legendary bar is renowned for its Bellini cocktails (originally invented here) and for having been ever since it’s opening a favourite spot of almost every famous person visiting Venice (including Ernest Hemingway, Orson Welles, Truman Capote, Georges Braque and Peggy Guggenheim). Today, it is still a must-visit stopover for anyone visiting the city: a perfect opportunity to step back in time and savour the slightly retro and incredibly fascinating atmosphere.

The history of the establishment is definitely worth knowing. The bar was named after Harry Pickering, a young American student who moved to Venice with his aunt in the 1920s. After two months, Harry Pickering fell out with his aunt, who went away leaving him with her dog and very little money. Giuseppe Cipriani, who was the barman of the hotel where the American was staying, lent him money for his passage home. A few years later, the young man returned to Venice and, as a sign of gratitude, not only paid Cipriani back the loan but also added an additional sum so that he could open his own bar. Cipriani decided to call his venue ‘Harry’s Bar’ in honour of his young friend, and it opened on 13th May 1931.

For those who know nothing of its origins, the Bellini cocktail was invented in 1948 by Giuseppe Cipriani, the owner of Harry’s bar. Thanks to its pinkish hue, which reminded Cipriani of the colour of the toga worn by a saint in a painting by Giovanni Bellini, he called the cocktail ‘Bellini’. The secret ingredients for a perfect Bellini are a mix of a puree of ripe, white peaches and Prosecco or Champagne.