When it is hot and you need a refreshing drink go after what the locals drink, an Aperol Spritz. This refreshing cocktail is made with Prosecco, Aperol or Campari, Sparkling water and a garnish of orange. Some find it a bit to bitter, but I find it a delicious sip worthy drink to assist you in wonderful people watching and taking in the scenery.

The Spritz (German: “splash” / “sparkling”, also called Spritz Veneziano or just Veneziano) is a wine-based cocktail commonly served as an aperitif in Northeast Italy. The drink is prepared with prosecco wine, a dash of some bitter liqueur such as Aperol, Campari, Cynar, or, especially in Venice, with Select. The glass is then topped off with sparkling mineral water. It is usually served over ice in a lowball glass (or sometimes a martini glass or wine glass) and garnished a slice of orange, or sometimes an olive, depending on the liqueur. Another variation of the drink uses champagne with the liqueur rather than prosecco. The drink originated in Venice while it was part of the Austrian Empire, and is based on the Austrian Spritzer, a combination of equal parts white wine and soda water; another idea is that the name of the drink would be linked to that of a typical Austrian wine in the region of the Wachau.[1]