We all love summer and especially in Spain. One of the most rewarding things about this time of the year is sitting back and sipping a refreshing summer drink, don’t you think? We’ve put together a list of typical delicious drinks so you can start the summer off right!

Vermouth
In England, there’s a tea time, in Spain there’s “La hora de Vermouth” or Vermouth’s time which is just before lunch, to accompany your aperitive before your Sunday meal. Although originally Italian drink it arrived to Spain in mid-19 century and its capital became a small town in Calatunya – Reus, which you might have visited if you stayed in our hotels on Costa Daurada. It’s a drink that should be ordered not just anywhere, but in vermuterias, some of them are particularly beautiful vintage bars. What can be better than taste this aromatized white wine, with herbs and spices (caramel added to make it dark) on the dazzling Mediterranean sun overlooking the bay of Cambrils, another typical town for vermouth lovers. Lately it’s becoming even more popular, there are Vermouth parties hold during the year like Vermouth musical or Vermouth Electronic in Tarragona.

Sherry or Jerez
A bottled sun of Andalusia as famous commercial says, Jerez is a is a fortified wine, made only in the tiny triangle between Jerez, Sanlucar de Barrameda and El Puerto de Santa Maria in the Cadiz province of Andalusia. It can be very dry (when it’s called fino or manzanilla), very sweet (cream and Pedro Ximénez) or between the two (oloroso, amontillado and others.) Sherry is usually drunk from a copita (also referred to as a catavino, a special tulip-shaped sherry glass. Sampling wine directly from a sherry butt may be performed with characteristic flourish by a venenciador, traditionally made of silver and fastened to a long whale whisker handle. The cup, narrow enough to pass though the bung hole, withdraws a measure of sherry which is then ceremoniously poured from head height into a copita held in the other hand.

Sidra (cider)
Another drink poured in a strange way, as seen on the picture, is cider. Traditional Spanish cider is widely available on the north of Spain, mostly Asturias and Basque Country.
Although some good cideries can be found in other parts of Spain, like La Sidreria in Tarragona, Sidreria la Muralla in Cambrils, La Sidreria Aurrera in Benidorm or Rincón Asturiano restaurant in Benalmádena.
This strange way of pouring it is to aerate the drink, thus reducing the acidity.

Horchata (Orxata)
Is a very popular soft drink originated from Valencia (Orxata in Catalan) and has nothing to do with Latin American rice-based beverage or the same name. Horchata in Spain is made of chufas of tiger nuts or actually a plant called cyperus esculentus. Horchata is therefore perfect for vegetarians, vegans and people with nut allergies and it’s really quenches one’s thirst in hot Spanish summer.

Coffee
Coffee in Spain is served in many ways. Learn to ask for the right one. Typical ones are café solo (standart espresso), cortado (espresso with a drop of milk, very milky in Catalunya though), café con leche (coffee with milk), café con hielo (coffee with ice) and carajillo (espresso with a drop of liquor ex. Carajillo de Bailey´s).  But in Malaga the measuring system based on the proportion of the milk is unique and has become part of the city’s cultural heritage.

Tinto de verano or summer wine is an alternative to famous Sangría, is the drink of choice in the hot summer months in southern Spain. It’s simply red wine, ice and Fanta Lemon (or equivalent). And talking of Sangría, Spaniards usually do it like punch, at a party, not at the bar, so there is where you try a home-made sangria. At MedPlaya Hotels we offer you to try our home made Sangría at our paella and sangria show in Summer (hotel Calypso).

Whichever drink you choose, we are sure you’ll enjoy your favourite one.