When you're on vacation, you'll probably look for a café so that you can rest your feet when you're tired of sightseeing. But some cafés are a destination in themselves. There are famous and historic cafés once frequented by famous writers, and cat cafés are appearing all over the world for people who can't have a cat in their own apartment. And there are also some very unusual cafés you could visit …
1 Pokemon Café
You'll have to be quick if you want to visit the Pokemon Café in Tokyo, as it's only open until the middle of March. It's so popular that visitors have to wait at least four hours to get in, and get a timed ticket. So if you're a Pokemon fan, book your ticket to Tokyo right now!
Frequently asked questions
2 Cuddle Café
It's often said that the British don't like physical contact. But they recently got the chance to enjoy a hug -admittedly from a giant teddy bear rather than a human - at the UK's first Cuddle Café in London. And it's not the only one; there are Cuddle Cafés in Portland and Tokyo.
3 Cosplay Cafés
In fact, Japan is full of themed cafés. With the popularity of cosplay in Japan, it's probably no surprise that this developed into cosplay cafés. Staff dress up in cosplay outfits and behave as though they were serving employers in their own home, rather than customers in a public café. There are maid cafés, butler cafés, and even school cafés, where customers eat at school desks.
4 Tardis Café
The popularity of sci-fi show Doctor Who made it inevitable that Who-themed cafés would open up. There are several around the world; perhaps the best is the tiny coffee stall in a Glasgow police box. Sadly it isn't bigger on the inside. But if you're in Glasgow, head there and take a photo of yourself entering the Tardis.
5 Clinic Bar
It's not just cafés that can have an unusual theme; bars can be pretty strange as well. Nobody likes going to a hospital, so it's puzzling as to why anyone thought this Singapore bar was a good idea. Yes, it had a hospital theme, with wheelchairs instead of seats, hospital screens, and apparently drinks served via drips. Perhaps it's not entirely surprising that it's now closed, although a reopening is possible.
6 Hammock Cafés
Now, this is a themed café that I could definitely go for. They seem to be mostly found in Japan, which clearly loves a café with a theme. The only problem I can foresee is the risk of the hammock moving, and you spilling your coffee all over yourself! Perhaps it would be better to sit on a normal seat while you drink your coffee, and save the hammock for afterwards.
7 Café De L'Enfer
It seems that themed cafés are nothing new. Sadly long since closed, this Hell-themed café was in the racy district of Pigalle, in Paris. Not surprisingly, its heavenly counterpart opened up next door. Surely it should have been on the floor above?
So if you get bored with ordinary cafés, look out for one of these themed cafés. And if there isn't one near you, you could always open one! What would your dream theme be for a café?
