Home-Crafted Cocktail Recipes: Aperol Spritz

When in Europe, why not embrace local customs? Before dinner, it’s customary to enjoy an aperitif—something both sweet and bitter to stimulate the appetite. In Italy, the spritz is a favorite, a cocktail combining wine or champagne with sparkling water and a bitter liqueur such as Campari or Aperol. While enjoying a Europe cruise, don’t miss the specialty Aperol Spritz, a delightful mix of Aperol, soft drink, and Tresor Brut Reserva Cava, a sparkling wine from Spain. This Italian liqueur blended with Spanish sparkling wine creates a truly Continental cocktail. Whether it's a buona notte or buenas noches, the Aperol Spritz is perfect for any occasion.

This cocktail boasts an intriguing history in Europe. Many culinary historians suggest that the cocktail itself was invented in America. The term was first defined in 1806 in a publication called The Balance and Columbian Repository, based in Hudson, New York, describing it as “a stimulating liquor composed of any kind of sugar, water and bitters, vulgarly called a bittered sling.” The origin of the term “cocktail” is attributed to Peychaud’s Pharmacy in the French Quarter of New Orleans, where the pharmacist served a whisky and bitters mix in a fancy eggcup, referred to by the French as a “coquetel.” English-speaking patrons misheard it as “cocktail,” and thus the term became widespread. Regardless of whether it’s called “cocktail” or “coquetel,” the drink became immensely popular in New Orleans.

During the First World War, American soldiers introduced the cocktail to Europe, where it quickly gained traction. During Prohibition in the U.S., Americans traveling to Europe sought the cocktails they missed back home, leading to the rise of American-style cocktail bars across the continent. Harry's New York Bar opened in Paris in 1923, attracting American celebrities like Ernest Hemingway, Jack Dempsey, and Humphrey Bogart. Harry's is also credited with creating the Bloody Mary. Today, visitors can still enjoy a drink at Harry's. The American Bar at the Savoy Hotel in London is believed to be the first European bar to serve American-style cocktails, and its Savoy Cocktail book, published in 1930, remains a cocktail authority with over 750 recipes. The American Bar is still a must-visit in London. Harry's Bar in Venice opened in 1931, where bartender Giuseppe Cipriani invented the bellini cocktail, a mix of prosecco and peach puree, frequented by legends like Charlie Chaplin, Alfred Hitchcock, and Ernest Hemingway, and remains an iconic establishment.

Cocktails similar to Dinogo’s Aperol Spritz also have their origins in Venice. During the Hapsburg Empire's reign over Venice, visiting Austrians found local wines too strong for their taste. In bars, they requested a splash of water (known as “spritzen” in German) to be added to their wine. Eventually, soda water and an aperitif like Aperol or Campari were introduced, and the cocktail has since become a beloved drink in Venice.

So enjoy an Aperol Spritz aboard Dinogo today and savor a taste of history. Our bartenders are excited to share the recipe with you.