Mariella Barbato There are drinks that are not just a cocktail, but a state of mind.
Aperol Spritz, with its bright orange color and balanced taste between sweet and bitter, is one of them.
Light, cheerful and summery, it has become the symbol of the modern Italian aperitif, especially in Naples, where it is enjoyed facing the sea with the sun falling behind Vesuvius.
But behind its apparent simplicity lies a fascinating story that began long before an orange cup went viral on social media.
The origin of Aperol Spritz: an aperitif born in Northern Italy
Although today we associate it with the Mediterranean “dolce vita”, Aperol was not born on the coast, but in Veneto.
Padua, 1919
In 1919, during the Padua International Fair, the brothers Luigi and Silvio Barbieri, heirs of a small family distillery, presented an innovative liqueur:
Aperol.
Its name was a tribute to the word “apéro”, widely used in France to indicate aperitif time.
The new liquor was unlike anything that existed at the time:
- vibrant orange
- low alcohol content
- bitter-sweet and citrus flavor
- based on a secret recipe of herbs, roots, bitter orange and rhubarb
It was not an immediate success, but it was the beginning of an unstoppable journey.
Spritz: an Austro-Hungarian tradition that became Italianized
To understand Aperol Spritz, you must first understand spritz.
The spritz is born… by accident
In the early 19th century, during the Austrian occupation of northern Italy, soldiers found the local wines too strong for their Germanic palate.
The solution? Add a “spritz”(spritzen) of water.
Thus was born the spritz, a light and refreshing wine.
Over the years, the Italians replaced the simple water with sparkling water or seltzer, and then added local bitter liqueurs.
Each city created its own version: with Campari, Select, Cynar…
And then an orange bottle entered the scene.
The perfect blend: birth of the Aperol Spritz
It was between the 1950s and 1960s that the current recipe began to take shape:
Aperol + sparkling wine (prosecco) + sparkling water.
Aperol became the ideal bitter for the spritz: light, aromatic and easy to drink.
But the real boom would not come until decades later.
The great international success: from Veneto to the world
In 2003, the Campari group acquired the Aperol brand.
From there began a strategy that would forever change the Italian aperitif:
- colorful and summery campaigns
- orange terraces throughout Europe
- iconic garnish: orange slice
- photogenic aesthetics (even before Instagram)
- accessible and universal flavor
Between 2010 and 2020, Aperol Spritz became the world’s most popular cocktail within the Italian Aperitivo, a symbol of lifestyle and socializing.
Today, it is drunk in London, New York, Buenos Aires, Sydney…
but in Naples it has a special charm.
Aperol Spritz in Naples: a rite with a view of Vesuvius
In Naples, you don’t drink spritz: you live it.
Here it is part of the sunset, of the terraces of the lungomare, of the laughter that bounces between the tables, of the aroma of sea and salt that accompanies the first sip.
It is usually served with:
- Neapolitan taralli
- pizzette
- montanarine
- cuoppi de fritura
- mozzarella di bufala
The orange color combines with the afternoon sky, creating an almost poetic image.
Official Aperol Spritz recipe
The classic formula is simple, balanced and world famous:
3 – 2 – 1
- 3 parts prosecco
- 2 parts Aperol
- 1 part sparkling water or soda
It is served in a balloon glass, with ice and a slice of orange.
Spritz variants (especially popular in the south)
In Naples and the Amalfi Coast irresistible versions have been born:
- Limoncello Spritz (sweeter and more aromatic)
- Spritz del Golfo (with local orange liqueur)
- Spritz with pink pompelmo
- Amaro del Vesuvio Spritz
- Hugo Spritz (elderflower and mint)
All of them maintain that Mediterranean lightness that invites conversation.
Curiosities about Aperol Spritz that delight readers
- The recipe for Aperol is completely secret, like that of Coca-Cola.
- It has only 11% alcohol, so it is considered a light aperitif.
- In 2019 it became the most drunk cocktail in Italy.
- Its orange color comes from a natural blend that Aperol keeps secret.
- In the 1950s it was considered a “modern liquor for women”, a very period marketing.
Aperol Spritz is proof that sometimes the best things are born from unexpected encounters:
an Austro-Hungarian tradition, a Paduan liqueur, a 100% Italian aperitif culture and the search for beauty in the everyday.
Today, it is a symbol of summer, of friendship, of carefree, of evenings that start soft and can end in adventure.
And in Naples, it is almost a liquid poem, a perfect companion to see how the sun reflects on the sea.
Let’s drink to that. Cin cin.
With love, your Neapolitan girl!
