The Italian summer holiday, Ferragosto, is one of our favorite times of the year, and we like to toast it with these Italian aperitivo drink recipes!
Ferragosto is one of the summer Italian national holidays, celebrated every August 15th, and even when we’re not in Italy, we observe it. Like the 4th of July in the United States, the whole country of Italy seems to take the day off to celebrate Ferragosto.
For most people, that means escaping the summer heat and heading to Italian beaches with friends and Italian cocktails.
Italian Happy Hour
The reality is that we do not wait for our annual Ferragosto celebration to enjoy classic Italian cocktails. Rather, we turn to these classic Italian cocktail drinks whenever we want to channel aperitivo (aka Italian happy hour) vibes.
To be honest, if there’s an excuse for Italian aperitivo cocktails, we’re all about it. And we’re fairly certain we’re not alone, as one of the most popular activities on our boutique group trip to Italy is the classic Italian cocktail class, time and again.
Ten Italian Aperitivo Drink Cocktail Recipes
Here are 10 Italian cocktails that are perfect for aperitivo drinks. They’re a mix of classic Italian cocktails and some modern ones, but they’re all cocktails we love and that you should enjoy, even if you’re not traveling to Italy anytime soon.
The Classic Spritz Cocktail Recipe
It’s essentially illegal to discuss Italy in the summertime without mentioning the classic Spritz. Though this popular Italian drink was created in Northern Italy, you now find it all over, made with either Campari (our personal favorite) or Aperol.
The Hugo Cocktail Recipe
As known as a white Spritz, this super light Spritz combines elderflower, bubbly wine, and lots of citrus and herbs. It’s a true Italian classic you can’t miss this summer.
Watermelon Ginger Spritz Cocktail Recipe
We’re always on the hunt for the perfect summer cocktail to fight off the August heat and this variation on the classic Aperol Spritz cocktail adds in fresh watermelon juice and some ginger juice for a super refreshing twist.
Campari Watermelon Cooler Cocktail Recipe
Seriously though, both Aperol and Campari go really well with fresh watermelon juice, which is why we also use it here in this Campari Watermelon Cooler cocktail that’s as easy to make as it is delicious.
Negroni Sbagliato Cocktail Recipe
To be honest, the classic Negroni cocktail — a mix of equal parts gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari — is too strong for us in the summertime. Instead, we opt for a Negroni Sbagliato cocktail where the gin is swapped out for another one of our favorite mixers: bubbly Prosecco wine!
Classic Americano Cocktail Recipe
Speaking of Campari, our other favorite twist on the Negroni is the Americano. A bit lighter than the traditional recipe, this version swaps out the gin for soda water.
Italian Summer Sangria Cocktail Recipe
Made with Italian rosé wine, orange liqueur, and the bittersweet Cocchi Americano, this is the way we do Sangria with Italian vibes.
Aperol Red Grapefruit Margarita Cocktail Recipe
Sure, this is not your classic Italian cocktail,, but the tinge of bitter makes it one of our favorite ways to serve Aperol.
Frozen Peach Bellini Cocktail Recipe
When it’s too hot to think, we make our drinks frozen! And one popular drink that is particularly delicious frozen is this Bellini.
Lavender Bellini Cocktail Recipe
And when we do take our Bellinis unfrozen, we like to add a bit of lavender for a floral twist on the popular Italian summertime drink.
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Classic Italian Recipes
Dreaming of eating classic Italian food now that you read all about aperitivo cocktails? Here are some classic Italian recipes to make at home:
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Photo Credit: Liubov Burakova
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