The best pastry shops Italy

In Sorrento, Antonio Cafiero is a true institution of extreme pastry: he boasts several appearances in the Guinness Book of Records, with the largest cup of coffee ever filled, or a 200 kg chocolate bathtub where personalities from the Italian TV screen have dived. The walls of the interior room are lined with photos of celebrities who have passed through here, from Roberto Benigni to the Pope. The choice of ice cream flavours is equally vast and each product is handcrafted by the Cafiero family in the on-site workshop.

For almost a century, Augustus has been a reference in artisanal pastries. At this small address along the Via Toledo, people stop to buy a babà, a piece of pastiera or an ice-cream, to be enjoyed on the way. Augustus is also a delicatessen with savoury specialities such as frittata imbottita and a good selection of cheeses (excellent mozzarella). If you want to take your time and sit down, enjoy the tavola calda and its typical good food.

Tonolo is a historical pastry shop, a discreet storefront that has existed since the late ^19th century. Naturally, it is also one of the Venetians' favorites! You can come here to enjoy a coffee with a delicious slice of cream pie, or to take away some sweets, chocolate, pistachio, or cherry or apricot jam cakes. Tonolo's specialties include meringue cake andfrittelle (sugar doughnuts), which are celebrated during Carnival. A real treat!

This is the historic café in Piazza Duomo, in operation since 1830. The tables on the square allow you to enjoy the sun in the summer with a good coffee and pastry. Elegant tea room inside for colder afternoons. Try the lemon-based specialities, such as delizia al limone, and Neapolitan pastries (babà au rhum, sfogliatella, pastiera...). On the other side of the square, at the beginning of the main street, the house has opened an ice cream and chocolate shop: Cioccolato Andrea Pansa.

Dating back to 1898, it's an institution and a meeting place for all gourmets. Just take a look and you'll see that it's the place to go for gourmet treats: cakes, confectionery, ice cream, sandwiches and small dishes, each as tempting as the next. So it's easy to grab a bite to eat. Terrace on the borgo Stretto, site of the traditional passeggiata , where you have to show up to enjoy your pastries accompanied by an espresso stretto!

This is a great place to take a coffee break with the famous sweet Sicilian cannoli, have a granita and brioche breakfast or taste a home-made ice cream at any time of the day. Everything looks good, everything looks appetizing in the window, the meticulously made cakes all look as good as they are beautiful, it's hard to resist window-shopping! You'll come back to it like a fountain. All the more so as it is located in a pretty street paved with polished stones with a terrace composed of small round tables.

It is a mythical address, known to all Romans who come to the historic store behind the San Giovanni gate to taste the specialty: tiramisù. At Pompi's, they prepare it with coffee, of course, but also with banana, strawberry, pistachio or walnut. Purists might cringe and cry heresy, but it's not. Whether you prefer the classic or the twist, Pompi's tiramisù is simply excellent. Other stores in Rome, including one near Piazza di Spagna and one near the Trevi Fountain.

With its four shop windows on the ground floor of a modern building in via Sassari, the Ciro pastry shop is one of Alghero's emblematic establishments. The inhabitants meet there to share coffee and sweet treats. Many of the pastries are presented in small bites, so that you don't have to hesitate and can succumb. Don't miss the bonboloni, the caramel tart or the myrtle bavarese. Very good ice creams too. This is the place to go for breakfast or a sweet break.

During your walk along Via Toledo, make a short detour to the Umberto I Gallery, first to admire its monumental iron and glass architecture, then to stop at this tiny counter and enjoy a sfogliatella, a speciality of the house that is very well executed. Riccia (puff pastry) or frolla (shortcrust pastry), you will have to choose, unless you are tempted by another of their delicious pastries, such as babà au rhum or promessa d'amore, a dessert to be discovered!

This local pastry institution is not extraordinary at first sight, but since the 1950s it has been known in the area for its torta monterossina, prepared with chocolate, cream and apricot jam... Trust us, it's worth a visit.

Founded in 1939, this patisserie has become one of the best in Ventimiglia. The store's Art Nouveau decor hasn't changed much in three generations, and we love the charm it exudes. Here you'll find cakes for every occasion: panettone, tarts, typical Ligurian cakes such as Turta de Luré, a host of mignardises, macaroons, meringues, dark chocolate orangettes, numerous bites from the master chocolatier, ice creams, but also mini-pizzas or friands...

Bistro and shop, this place run by the warm Paolina honours the best of Sardinian products. Francesco, a friend of hers, runs the shop and speaks perfect French. Take the time to chat with him, as he will teach you a lot about Sardinia. He can also offer you a tasting of pastries, breads, oils, wines and liqueurs, so that you can choose the product you like best. You can sit on the terrace in the shade and in the quiet. Simple and tasty cuisine based on local products.

Along the Rio Terà San Leonardo, this sweet haven is the best surprise before or after a long walk in Cannaregio. Venetians stop here for a coffee, a brioche or a spritz at the counter, but also for delicious slices of pizza to be enjoyed at any time of the day. Meringues, nougats, marzipan and dry cakes are also on the menu, each one tastier than the last. And during the holiday season, each time of year has its own cake: fugassa at Christmas and chiacchiere at Carnival, for example.

To get the day off to a good start, nothing beats a good cappuccino accompanied by an Italian pastry! The more classic will opt for a cornetto, but if you want to try a Roman specialty, the maritozzo (a brioche filled with whipped cream) is the one to go for, as it's very good here. 60 years of experience for this great bar, which is also the perfect place to take a break before or after a long visit to the Vatican Museums. For lunch, pasta, pizza and salads are served on the go.

This "snowflake" has attracted ice lovers for several generations. The place does not pay a mine, but its reputation precedes it. A good place to stay, just a few steps from the Pantheon, the hotel is very popular with the locals, who enjoy its excellent ice creams.

The famous Sicilian pastry with its fantastic treats, especially cannoli and cassata. Everything here is handcrafted manufacturing, often handmade, which has become very rare even in Sicily.