There was a time when ordering an Aperol Spritz suggested you’d spent a summer somewhere vaguely Mediterranean. Today, it suggests you’ve walked into almost any pub, wine bar or rooftop terrace in Britain between May and September.
That’s hardly Aperol’s fault. It’s a brilliant drink: bright, bittersweet and effortlessly refreshing, helped along by one of the most successful marketing campaigns the drinks world has ever seen.
The problem is that popularity has a habit of breeding predictability. Once something becomes the default order, curiosity tends to kick in. Fortunately, Italy has spent well over a century perfecting the spritz, and Aperol is just one branch of a much larger family tree. So, if you’re ready to look beyond the familiar orange glass, here are 10 traditional Aperol Spritz alternatives the slake team will be ordering all summer.
What Is a Traditional Italian Spritz?
Long before Aperol became the face of summer, the spritz was already a way of life across northern Italy.
Its origins date back to the nineteenth century, when soldiers of the Austro-Hungarian Empire were stationed in the Veneto. Accustomed to lighter wines back home, they found the local Italian whites a little too potent and began asking tavern owners to spritzen (German for “to spray”) their wine with a splash of water. Over time, still water became sparkling water, creating the earliest version of the spritz.
As Italy’s aperitivo culture flourished throughout the twentieth century, local bitters and amari naturally found their way into the glass. Venetian drinkers reached for Select, Milan preferred Campari, while other regions championed their own favourite liqueurs. Eventually, Prosecco replaced still wine in many recipes, giving us the sparkling, bittersweet serves that now define the modern spritz.
1. Select Spritz
For those who always ask the waiter what the locals are drinking.
Created in Venice in 1920, just a year after Aperol, Select never enjoyed quite the same international fame. It didn’t need to. While Aperol travelled the world, Select quietly remained the aperitivo of choice in the city that created the modern spritz. Even today, many Venetian bartenders will tell you that if you want to drink like a local, you order Select.
That sense of place runs through the drink itself. For centuries Venice acted as one of Europe’s great trading ports, importing spices, herbs and botanicals from across the Mediterranean and beyond. Select reflects that heritage, blending 30 botanicals including juniper berries and rhubarb root into a deep ruby aperitivo that feels noticeably more herbal and savoury than its famous orange rival.
The colour is a rich garnet red, while the aromas lean towards orange peel, juniper, gentle spice and fresh herbs. On the palate it delivers bittersweet citrus, subtle rhubarb and warming botanicals before finishing dry and refreshingly bitter.
A traditional Select Spritz combines three parts Prosecco, two parts Select and a splash of soda, finished with a green olive rather than the more familiar orange slice.
If Aperol is Venice’s international celebrity, Select is the bartender who actually lives there.
2. Campari Spritz
For those who’ve graduated from Aperol.
Born in nineteenth-century Milan, Campari reflects the city that created it: stylish, confident and never afraid to make a statement. Created by Gaspare Campari in 1860, it quickly became synonymous with Milan’s flourishing café culture, where aperitivo evolved into a daily ritual as much about conversation as cocktails.
Its recipe remains one of Italy’s best-kept secrets, built around bitter orange peel and an intricate blend of herbs, spices and aromatic botanicals. Unlike Aperol, which leans towards easy-drinking sweetness, Campari embraces bitterness with confidence.
Its brilliant crimson colour is instantly recognisable, while aromas of bitter orange, grapefruit peel and fragrant herbs lead into flavours of blood orange, gentle spice and lingering bitterness. Yet lengthened with Prosecco and soda, those bold edges soften into something surprisingly elegant and wonderfully refreshing.
Traditionally made with equal parts Campari and Prosecco, topped with soda, it’s the natural next step for anyone ready to move beyond Aperol.
If Aperol is an afternoon in the sun, Campari is the city after dark.
3. Hugo Spritz
For those who’d rather hike than sunbathe.
The Hugo may be the youngest drink on this list, but it has already earned modern classic status. Invented in 2005 by bartender Roland Gruber in South Tyrol, where Italy’s vineyards climb into the foothills of the Dolomites, it was designed as a lighter alternative to the increasingly ubiquitous Aperol Spritz.
Unlike much of Italy, South Tyrol’s identity has always been shaped by both Italian and Austrian traditions. Alpine herbs, mountain flowers and crisp white wines dominate the local drinking culture, making elderflower feel like an entirely natural addition rather than a fashionable invention. Within just a few years, the Hugo had spread across Austria, Germany and northern Italy, becoming the unofficial drink of sunny terraces after a day’s hiking or skiing.
Pale straw in colour with flashes of green from fresh mint, the Hugo smells of elderflower blossom, lime zest and fresh orchard fruit. On the palate it’s delicately floral, gently sweet and lifted by cooling mint and bright citrus acidity, making it one of the freshest drinks on this list.
A traditional Hugo combines around 150ml Prosecco, 20ml elderflower liqueur and a splash of soda, finished with fresh mint and lime.
If Aperol belongs beside the sea, Hugo belongs in the mountains.
4. Cynar Spritz
For those who order olives before crisps.
Poor Cynar has spent much of its life trying to overcome one unfortunate fact: it’s marketed as being made with artichokes. Mention that to most people and they immediately assume it tastes like boiled vegetables.
It doesn’t.
Created in 1952, Cynar belongs to Italy’s great family of amari, blending thirteen herbs and botanicals, with artichoke acting as just one ingredient among many. The result is an aperitivo that has quietly become a favourite among bartenders, who appreciate its remarkable ability to balance bitterness with depth.
Its deep amber colour hints at what’s to come. Aromas of burnt orange, dried herbs, baking spice and caramel lead into flavours of bitter citrus peel, dark toffee, earthy botanicals and a gentle savoury bitterness that builds slowly rather than attacking the palate. It’s richer than Aperol but never heavy, especially once lifted by sparkling wine.
Traditionally served with equal parts Cynar and Prosecco before being topped with soda, it becomes one of Italy’s most food-friendly spritzes, pairing effortlessly with salty olives, charcuterie, aged cheeses and anything fresh from the barbecue.
If Aperol is bright sunshine, Cynar is golden hour.
5. Limoncello Spritz
For those who think holidays should taste of lemons.
Unlike most spritzes, which trace their roots to northern Italy’s aperitivo tradition, the Limoncello Spritz is a celebration of the country’s south. It brings together the classic spritz format with one of Italy’s most iconic liqueurs, born among the lemon groves of the Amalfi Coast, Sorrento and Capri.
For generations, limoncello has been served ice cold after dinner as a digestif, capturing the intensely perfumed oils of southern Italy’s famous lemons. Only more recently did somebody have the wonderfully sensible idea of adding Prosecco and soda.
The result is unmistakably Mediterranean. Pale gold in the glass, it bursts with aromas of fresh lemon zest, citrus blossom and fragrant oils before delivering flavours of ripe lemons, delicate sweetness and mouthwatering acidity. The bubbles stop the richness ever becoming cloying, creating something that feels both indulgent and incredibly refreshing.
Built with around 50ml limoncello, 100ml Prosecco and a splash of soda, it’s finished with fresh lemon slices and plenty of ice.
If Aperol tastes like an Italian postcard, the Limoncello Spritz tastes like the holiday itself.
6. Aperitivo Cappelletti Spritz
For those who collect recommendations, not trends.
Unlike Aperol, Campari and many modern red aperitivi, Cappelletti begins with wine rather than neutral spirit, giving it a softer texture, subtle fruitiness and a more naturally integrated bitterness.
Created in Trentino in 1909, it reflects one of Italy’s most fascinating border regions, where Alpine botanicals, Austrian influence and Italian wine culture have happily overlapped for generations. More than a century later, it’s still produced by the same family using a recipe that remains remarkably faithful to its origins.
Its deep ruby colour comes naturally from cochineal rather than artificial dyes, while its wine base allows flavours to unfold more gently than many of its rivals. Expect aromas of blood orange, wild berries and warming spice before notes of rhubarb, bitter orange peel, alpine herbs and soft earthy bitterness reveal themselves sip after sip. It is less confrontational than Campari and more savoury than Aperol, occupying a beautifully balanced middle ground.
A traditional Cappelletti Spritz combines three parts Prosecco, two parts Cappelletti and a splash of soda.
If Aperol is the obvious recommendation, Cappelletti is the one quietly passed across the bar by someone who knows.
7. Pirlo
For those who think bubbles are occasionally overrated.
No, it isn’t named after Andrea Pirlo [although if you do happen to be interested in what wine footballers not only drink but own, we have an article you’d like; from match day to merlot.]
The drink had already been poured across the bars of Brescia decades before the footballer became famous, although the coincidence has certainly helped its cult status. Unlike neighbouring Venice, where sparkling wine eventually became central to the spritz, Brescia remained loyal to still white wine, producing something altogether leaner and drier.
That simplicity is exactly what makes the Pirlo so compelling. The still wine allows the aperitivo to take centre stage rather than being softened by fizz, producing a drink that’s crisp, savoury and wonderfully refreshing.
Expect bright citrus, bitter orange and delicate herbs rather than sweetness, with lively acidity carrying everything through to a clean, gently bitter finish.
A traditional Pirlo combines around 90ml dry white wine, 30ml Campari and a generous splash of soda, served over plenty of ice with an orange slice.
If Aperol is all sparkle, Pirlo proves stillness can be just as refreshing.
8. Spritz al Vino
For those who like knowing where things began.
Every spritz on this list owes its existence to this one.
A simple pour of crisp local white wine, sparkling water and plenty of ice, the Spritz al Vino remains wonderfully understated. Expect fresh citrus, green apple and delicate mineral notes with none of the sweetness or bitterness that define its descendants.
If Aperol is the blockbuster, Spritz al Vino is the original manuscript.
Thirsty for more? You might like to ponder upon the fact that while Aperol became the world’s most famous spritz doesn’t necessarily make it the most interesting. It’s the same phenomenon we’ve explored before in wine, where the most famous region isn’t always the one with the best story.