Why is aperitivo such an important part of Italian culture? And what’s the story behind the Aperol Spritz you see everywhere from Milan to Palermo?
In Italy, aperitivo is a centuries-old tradition of gathering before dinner, often with wine, bitters, small plates of food, and good conversation. Unlike American happy hour, it’s not primarily about discounted drinks. It’s about making time for the people around you.
The tradition has deep historical roots, from herbal bitters and vermouth to modern aperitivo culture. Aperol itself was created by the Barbieri brothers in Padua in 1919, long before the Aperol Spritz became an international sensation.
And the food changes across Italy, from simple olives and snacks to regional specialties like Bologna’s mortadella and traditional breads.
Whether you’re enjoying a Spritz, a glass of wine, or something nonalcoholic, the heart of aperitivo is the same: connection.
Salute! ๐ฎ๐น
#ItalianCulture #Aperitivo #AperolSpritz #ItalyTravel #ItalianTraditions
17 Comments
We Italians drink before dinner??? Jesus I lived some years in the US and those alcs guzzle Martini Vodkas and Manhattans before dinnere! The US is the only county in the world in which restaurants have waiting lounges that are cocktail bars!! ๐
Hi Joseph..In my little village we drink a lot, each of us.๐ It's still white wine with red Campari.
I bitter analcolici si consumano ancora. Mica tutti bevono alcolici.
ร vero, spesso io prendo l'aperitivo ma bevo solo aranciata.
ร sufficiente incontrare qualche amico e il tipo di bevanda non conta.๐
โค hi traveller
โค
Ciao! Forse il significato di โAperitivoโ avresti dovuto spiegarlo un poโ in maniera diversa. Sarebbe stato piรน giusto dire che โAperitivoโ viene dal verbo italiano โaprireโ, non da โopenโ (โopenโ รจ un termine inglese). Nel modo come lโhai spiegato tu, qualcuno potrebbe pensare che viene dal termine inglese. Quando spieghi le origini di determinati nomi italiani, usa la terminologia italiana e poi spieghi agli americani cosa vuol dire quel termine. Perchรฉ altrimenti dai lโimpressione al pubblico americano come se le nostre parole derivassero da termini inglesi. ๐
PS: Esempio per questo caso specifico: โAperitivoโ comes from โaprireโ (to open).
You nailed it โค
Dude, your videos are really making me want to go back to Italy!
Spritz is very popular in Veneto region, in last years in all Italy. Spritz is water + prosecco because prosecco was too much intense for German people during 2 world world, Germans ask to bar man to โSpritz/Spritzenโ The wineโฆ translated: add seltz or sparkling water to prosecco to Make Prosecco more light.
In the 60s, aperol advertising and fame add Aperol to Prosecco and sparklig water.
In Veneto you can drink spritz with aperol, Campari or only prodezze and sparkling water
nel mio paesello gli ubriaconi si ritrovano per farsi un aperitivo, due aperitivi , tre aperitivi e via.
Ok, ma da buona veneta .. non ghiaccio
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In France we do the same thing. We call it l'apรฉro and I love those moments
Oh what a wonderful word… ๐๐๐๐๐please clowns
Spiegazione ottima e completa.
I enjoy Aperol straight. I am also enjoying more the Select spritz