Padua, Italy

Aperol Spritz

Also known as Spritz Aperol, Veneziano, Aperol Spritz Veneziano

A low-alcohol Italian aperitif that tastes like bittersweet orange soda for grown-ups.

bittersweetorangerhubarbfizzyrefreshinglow-alcoholaperitifItaliansummer

ABV

Difficulty

Overview

What this drink is like

The first sip is bright and fizzy with sweet orange and a hint of rhubarb. The middle softens as the Prosecco's fruit comes through, but a gentle bitterness keeps it from getting cloying. It finishes clean and a little dry, with that bitter edge fading slowly.

Who will like it

For people who like bitter-sweet, refreshing drinks that you can sip slowly without getting knocked over.

When to drink

This is your late-afternoon, sitting-on-a-terrace drink — perfect as an aperitif before dinner or at a sunny brunch.

Ordering tip

If you find it too sweet at a bar, ask for extra soda water or a little less Aperol to dial it back.

Ice: CubedTemp: ColdCost: $2–$5Glass: Wine GlassBatch-friendlyHome bar friendly

Flavor

Taste profile

This drink is all about easy drinking — sweet orange and rhubarb bitterness wrapped in cold fizz. It's not trying to be deep or challenging. The bitterness is there but polite, more of a pleasant edge than a punch. What really carries it is the carbonation and the chill: it goes down like a grown-up soda. There's not much layering or mystery, just a clean, bittersweet refreshment that does exactly what it promises.

Finish: The finish is short and clean, with a lingering bitter-orange note that fades gently without any warmth or weight.

Primary tastes

bittersweetfruity

Secondary

floralherbal

Aroma

orange zestrhubarbbotanicalyeast

Bitternessmoderately bitter
Aperol brings a clear bitter edge that's present on every sip but never overwhelms — it's approachable even for people who don't love bitter drinks.
Sweetnessfairly sweet
The drink leans sweet from the Aperol and Prosecco, but the bitterness and carbonation keep it from feeling like dessert.
Refreshingextremely refreshing
Cold, fizzy, and served over lots of ice — this is about as refreshing as cocktails get, which is why it's a summer staple.
Complexitystraightforward
This is a simple drink with just a few flavors — orange, rhubarb bitterness, and sparkling wine — and that simplicity is the point.

Recipe

Make it at home

Built · Wine Glass · equal parts on Prosecco. A dry or extra-dry Prosecco works best — avoid the sweet stuff

Before you start

Pop the Prosecco in the fridge a few hours ahead so it's properly cold. Have your soda water chilled too — warm ingredients make the ice melt fast and water everything down.

Ingredients

ProseccoBase SpiritDry or extra-dry; don't use a sweet Prosecco or the drink becomes cloying90ml
AperolLiqueur60ml
Soda waterSodaJust a splash — enough to lighten and add fizz30ml
Orange sliceGarnishHalf-wheel, placed on the rim or dropped in1 slice

Garnish: Orange slice

Tools

Wine glass · Serving
The traditional serve — a large wine glass or goblet gives the drink room for ice and bubbles
At home: A large stemmed water goblet or even a pint glass works fine
Jigger · Measuring
Measuring the Prosecco and Aperol so the ratio stays balanced
At home: A shot glass or measuring cup — 3 parts Prosecco to 2 parts Aperol
Ice scoop · Ice
Filling the glass with ice cubes
At home: Just use your hands or a cup
Bar spoon · optional · Mixing
Giving the drink one gentle stir after pouring so the layers come together
At home: A long teaspoon or a chopstick

Steps

1
Grab a large wine glass and fill it to the top with ice cubes. You want plenty of ice since this is a long, cold drink — don't be shy about it.
!Using too little ice makes the drink warm up and go flat quickly.
2
Pour 90ml of Prosecco over the ice. Tilt the glass slightly and pour down the side to keep as much fizz in the glass as possible — you'll see the bubbles rise but not foam over.
!Pouring straight down into the glass kills the carbonation fast.
3
Add 60ml of Aperol, pouring it gently over the Prosecco. It's thicker and will sink down on its own, turning the drink that signature sunset orange as it mixes.
4
Top with about 30ml of soda water — just a small splash to lighten things up and add a little extra fizz. You'll see the drink settle and the color even out.
!Adding too much soda waters down the flavor and makes it taste thin.
5
Give the drink one slow, gentle stir with a bar spoon — just enough to bring the layers together. You're not trying to mix aggressively; just pull the spoon through once or twice.
!Stirring too hard knocks the fizz out of the drink.
6
Place an orange slice on the rim of the glass or drop it right in. The citrus oils from the orange add a little extra aroma every time you take a sip.

Serve

Serve it right away while it's cold and fizzy — this drink doesn't wait. The ice should be visible above the liquid line in a proper wine glass.

Variations

Ingredient substitutions

Each row shows what you can swap in place of an original ingredient, and how the drink changes.

Swap options for Aperol

AperolCampari
Match
Common availability
Aperol → Campari: Much more bitter and less sweet — the drink becomes sharper and more bracing.
AperolSelect Aperitivo
Match
Specialty availability
Aperol → Select Aperitivo: Slightly more bitter and herbal than Aperol, with a drier finish — closer to what Venetians actually drink.
AperolCappelletti Aperitivo Americano
Match
Specialty availability
Aperol → Cappelletti Aperitivo Americano: Sweeter and more ruby-red fruit forward, with a softer bitter edge than Aperol.

Swap options for Prosecco

ProseccoCava
Match
Common availability
Prosecco → Cava: Drier and slightly more yeasty — the drink reads a bit less fruity and more structured.
ProseccoChampagne
Match
Common availability
Prosecco → Champagne: Adds toasty, brioche notes and finer bubbles, but the cost is hard to justify in a mixed drink.

Similar cocktails

Cousin drinks that share DNA with this one — each profile stands on its own.

Similar cocktail

Campari Spritz

Campari is significantly more bitter and less sweet than Aperol, making the Campari Spritz a sharper, more challenging drink.

Match

The Campari Spritz hits the same refreshing, low-alcohol notes but pushes the bitterness much harder. Where Aperol Spritz is friendly and approachable, the Campari version demands you enjoy bitter flavors.

In common: Low ABV, built over ice, bitter-sweet aperitif, orange garnish, refreshing and fizzy

Ingredients

Both share

Prosecco, Soda water

Only in Aperol Spritz

Aperol

Only in Campari Spritz

Campari

The only difference is swapping Aperol for Campari, which removes the sweeter orange-rhubarb character and replaces it with a more intense, medicinal bitterness.

Flavor

Shared flavors

Bitter-sweet backbone, citrus brightness, fizzy and refreshing, light body

How Campari Spritz differs

sharper bitterness, less sweet, more medicinal, drier finish

View recipe & details →

Similar cocktail

Hugo Spritz

Hugo Spritz uses elderflower liqueur instead of Aperol, trading bitter-orange for floral sweetness.

Match

The Hugo is the sweeter, gentler cousin — all flowers and honey where the Aperol Spritz has bite. If you find Aperol too bitter, the Hugo is the obvious pivot.

In common: Low ABV, built over ice, refreshing aperitif, fizzy and light

Ingredients

Both share

Prosecco, Soda water

Only in Aperol Spritz

Aperol, Orange slice

Only in Hugo Spritz

Elderflower liqueur, Mint leaves, Lime

The elderflower liqueur replaces Aperol entirely, removing the bitter component and adding a floral, honeyed sweetness with fresh mint and lime instead of orange.

Flavor

Shared flavors

Fizzy and refreshing, light and easy-drinking, low alcohol, served over ice in a wine glass

How Hugo Spritz differs

no bitterness, floral instead of herbal, sweeter and more delicate, minty freshness

View recipe & details →

Similar cocktail

Bellini

Bellini uses peach purée instead of Aperol and soda, making it sweeter and thicker with no bitterness at all.

Match

The Bellini is pure fruit and bubbles — soft, sweet, and smooth. The Aperol Spritz has more structure and edge from the bitterness, making it a more stimulating aperitif.

In common: Low ABV, Italian aperitif, fruit-forward, served chilled

Ingredients

Both share

Prosecco

Only in Aperol Spritz

Aperol, Soda water, Orange slice

Only in Bellini

White peach purée

The Bellini drops the bitter liqueur and soda entirely, relying on peach purée for its flavor — it's a simpler two-ingredient drink with a velvety texture the Spritz doesn't have.

Flavor

Shared flavors

Fruity and light, Prosecco-driven, refreshing

How Bellini differs

no bitterness, thicker mouthfeel from purée, sweeter and softer, less fizzy

View recipe & details →

History

Origin

Aperol itself was created in 1919 by the Barbieri brothers in Padua, but the Aperol Spritz as a specific recipe is more recent. The broader Spritz tradition — adding water to wine — dates to the 1800s when Austrians in the Veneto region diluted local wine with a spritz of water. Combining Aperol with Prosecco and soda became common in Venetian bars over the late 20th century, and the drink's international explosion came in the 2000s through targeted marketing. The exact bar or person who first fixed the 3-2-1 ratio is not documented.

Era: 2000s
IBA: Contemporary Classics
Data version: IBA Contemporary Classics
Confidence

The IBA lists this as a Contemporary Classic with a 3:2:1 ratio of Prosecco to Aperol to soda. Some Italian bars use a slightly different ratio or build order, but the IBA spec is widely accepted. The exact origin of the specific Aperol Spritz recipe is not firmly documented.

Practical

Tips & pitfalls

What works at home and what to skip when making this drink.

Tips

Worth knowing before you pour

Keep the Prosecco and soda in the fridge so the ice doesn't melt fast.
The 3-2-1 ratio is a guideline — adjust to taste after your first one.
Use a dry Prosecco; a sweet one makes the drink cloying.
Pour the Prosecco down the side of the glass to keep the bubbles alive.

Avoid

Common mistakes

Don't stir hard or you'll kill the carbonation.
Don't use warm Prosecco — it flattens immediately.
Don't skip the ice; this drink needs to be very cold.