Top Travel Inspired Tasty Beverages

One of our favorite travel activities is experiencing the local cocktails we encounter on our travels. We’ve mentioned a few tasty beverages along the way in various posts, but we haven’t created a summarized list yet. This list doesn’t include beer or wine as those really deserve their own posts entirely. Follow this link to check out our international amateur wine tour. If you are interested in our top travel inspired tasty beverages then please enjoy this non-exhaustive list of international travel drinks we’ve enjoyed around the world on our explorations so far.

Authors Note: Locations in parentheses indicate if the drink is regional to a specific location or if the area of origin is different than where we enjoyed them.

Spain

• Tinto de Verano
  • Red wine and lemon soda over ice. Casual, refreshing, and more “local” than sangria in many parts of Spain. Our absolute go to cocktail in Spain!
• Sangria
  • The world-famous Spanish punch with wine, fruit, and a splash of spirits — best when not overcomplicated.

Italy

• Aperol Spritz
  • A refreshing Italian aperitif made with Aperol, Prosecco, and soda water — perfect for warm afternoons, especially when exploring the wonders of Rome.
• Campari Spritz
  • A bolder, more bitter cousin to the Aperol Spritz — very Italian, very aperitivo.
• Hugo Spritz
  • Prosecco, elderflower liqueur, mint, and soda. Light, floral, and wildly popular in northern Italy and the Alps. Dragon’s favorite spritz.
• Limoncello Spritz / Limoncello
  • Bright, lemony, and pure southern Italy. Whether straight after dinner or topped with prosecco and soda, it’s sunshine in a glass.
• Negroni
  • Gin, Campari, sweet vermouth — bitter, balanced, and timeless.

Greece

• Ouzo
  • Classic anise spirit, usually served with ice or water — instantly Greek. This drink is strong, but it hits the spot while wandering Athens for a week.
• Ouzito
  • Ouzo mixed with citrus and soda for a lighter, more cocktail-style drink.
• Raki (Crete)
  • Strong, clear, and traditionally served with meze. Not fancy — but deeply local and authentic.
• Mediterranean Spritz
  • A regional catch-all spritz using local herbs, citrus, or liqueurs — common across Greek islands and coastal towns.
• Corfiot Spritz
  • A Corfu specialty often featuring kumquat liqueur, prosecco, and soda — uniquely Ionian.

Malta

• Bajtra Spritz
  • Made with prickly pear liqueur (bajtra), prosecco, and soda — distinctly Maltese and beautifully pink. One of Dog’s favorites. Dog looks forward to having this refreshing, easy drinking spritz during any visit to Valetta.
• Rummiena Spritz
  • Made with Maltese rummiena (pomegranate liqueur), prosecco, and soda — fruity, vibrant, and very local. We discovered this gem on the island of Gozo.

Portugal

• Caipirinha (Brazil)
  • Brazil’s national cocktail made with cachaça, sugar, and lime. Dog and Dragon referenced Brazilian-influenced drinks in Lisbon like a caipirão, which is similar to a caipirinha.
• Ginjinha
  • A sweet Portuguese cherry liqueur served in tiny cups often made of chocolate — more of a liqueur than a cocktail, but a quintessential local drink in Lisbon.
• Glühwein (Central Europe)
  • Mulled wine with spices and citrus — a winter staple at Christmas markets across Germany and Austria. We marveled over a liter of gluhwein at the Lisbon Christmas market.

Mexico

• Margarita
  • Classic tequila, lime, and orange liqueur served with a salted rim — a staple in Mexican bars and worldwide. Any list would be incomplete without what is perhaps Dog’s favorite cocktail of all. The margarita is a versatile cocktail that has led to many variations and flavor combinations. There was a touch of margarita sampling while researching the best tacos in Playa del Carmen.
• Paloma
  • Tequila with grapefruit soda and lime — lighter and more refreshing than a margarita, and widely enjoyed throughout Mexico.

Costa Rica

• Guaro Sour
  • Costa Rica’s answer to a pisco sour, using local guaro (sugarcane spirit), lime, and sugar. Sweet, sour, and refreshing.

Peru

• Pisco Sour
  • Pisco, lime, sugar, and egg white — tangy and frothy, that originated in Lima, Peru in the 1920’s.

Obviously our top travel inspired tasty beverages list is subjective, incomplete, and inconclusive at this point. That’s ok though. At this point it just means there are more tasty beverages to discover. We hope you find some inspiration and enjoy your own discovery on adventures of your own. Leave us a comment or a suggested favorite cocktail of your own to try.