21 Spanish Drinks You Must Try: Traditional Beverages from Spain (2026)

We've been drinking in Spain for years now, and each region has its own specialities. From Asturian cider poured from a height to Valencian horchata served with sweet fartons, Spanish drinks are as diverse as the country itself.

This guide covers the traditional beverages you'll find across Spain: what they are, where they come from, what they cost, and which ones locals actually drink (hint: it's not sangria).

Time to experience Spain like a local. Salud!

Spanish Drinks at a Glance

Drink	Type	Region	Price	Best For
Tinto de Verano	Wine cocktail	Andalusia	€2.50-4	Summer refreshment
Sangria	Wine punch	Nationwide	€5-8/glass	Sharing with friends
Cava	Sparkling wine	Catalonia	€3-5/glass	Celebrations
Sherry	Fortified wine	Andalusia	€3-5	Tapas pairing
Rebujito	Sherry cocktail	Andalusia	€3-5	Feria season
Clara	Beer shandy	Nationwide	€2-3.50	Hot days
Sidra	Cider	Asturias/Basque	€2.50-4	Traditional experience
Café con Leche	Coffee	Nationwide	€1.50-2.50	Breakfast
Horchata	Tiger nut milk	Valencia	€2-3.50	Summer treat
Chocolate Caliente	Hot chocolate	Nationwide	€2.50-4	Winter mornings

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Wine-Based Spanish Drinks

Tinto de Verano

Tinto de verano ("summer wine") is what locals actually drink when tourists are ordering sangria. A simple mix of red wine and sparkling lemon soda (usually Casera or Fanta Limón), served over ice with a slice of lemon.

It originated in Córdoba, Andalusia, in the 1920s and remains the go-to summer drink across southern Spain. Unlike sangria, it's quick to make, cheaper, and you'll find it at every chiringuito (beach bar) and tapas spot.

Price: €2.50-4.00 | Where: Everywhere, especially Andalusia | Best for: Hot summer days

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Sangria

Sangria is Spain's most famous drink internationally, though locals rarely order it. Made with red wine, chopped fruit (oranges, lemons, apples), a splash of brandy, and sometimes triple sec or orange juice.

The name comes from "sangre" (blood), referring to its deep red colour. It's traditionally served in a large pitcher to share and is best enjoyed cold on a hot day.

Price: €5-8/glass, €15-20/pitcher | Where: Tourist areas, restaurants | Best for: Sharing with a group

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Cava

Cava is Spain's answer to Champagne, made using the same traditional method (méthode champenoise) but with local grape varieties: Macabeo, Xarel·lo, and Parellada.

Most cava comes from the Penedès region in Catalonia, near Barcelona.

By law, it must be aged for at least nine months. The result is a crisp, refreshing sparkling wine at a fraction of Champagne prices.

Look for these quality levels:

• Cava: aged 9+ months
• Cava Reserva: aged 15+ months
• Cava Gran Reserva: aged 30+ months

Price: €3-5/glass, €6-20/bottle | Where: Catalonia, nationwide | Best for: Celebrations, brunch

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Sherry (Jerez)

Spain's most famous fortified wine comes from the "Sherry Triangle" in Andalusia: Jerez de la Frontera, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, and El Puerto de Santa María. The name "sherry" is the English pronunciation of Jerez.

Sherry comes in several styles:

• Fino: dry, pale, served chilled with seafood tapas
• Manzanilla: light fino from Sanlúcar, salty tang
• Amontillado: amber, nutty, medium-dry
• Oloroso: dark, rich, full-bodied
• Pedro Ximénez (PX): intensely sweet, syrupy, served over ice cream

Price: €3-5/glass | Where: Andalusia (best in Jerez) | Best for: Tapas pairing

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Rebujito

Rebujito is a refreshing cocktail of fino sherry mixed with lemon-lime soda (usually Sprite or 7UP), fresh mint, and ice. It originated at the Feria de Abril in Seville and is now the official drink of Andalusian ferias.

During feria season, you'll see entire casetas (festival tents) serving nothing but rebujito in plastic cups. It's light, easy to drink, and dangerously drinkable in the Andalusian heat.

Price: €3-5 | Where: Andalusia, especially during ferias | Best for: Feria de Sevilla, hot weather

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Kalimotxo

Kalimotxo (pronounced ka-lee-MO-cho) is the Basque Country's contribution to Spanish drinking culture: equal parts cheap red wine and Coca-Cola, served over ice.

It sounds terrible, but it works.

The cola softens the tannins of rough wine, creating something surprisingly drinkable. It originated in the 1970s at a festival in Getxo when the wine went bad and someone had the idea to mix it with cola to mask the taste.

Price: €2.50-4.00 | Where: Basque Country, nationwide | Best for: Parties, botellón (outdoor drinking)

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Vermut (Vermouth)

Vermut has made a major comeback in Spain. This fortified wine infused with herbs, spices, and botanicals was once considered an old man's drink, but vermut bars (vermuterías) have popped up across Barcelona and Madrid.

The Spanish tradition is "la hora del vermut" (vermouth hour), typically around noon on Sundays before lunch. It's served in a small glass with ice, a slice of orange, and an olive, alongside some olives or chips.

Price: €2.50-4.00 | Where: Catalonia, Madrid | Best for: Pre-lunch aperitivo

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Agua de Valencia

Agua de Valencia was invented in 1959 by Constante Gil at the Café Madrid in Valencia. The recipe: fresh Valencia orange juice, cava (or champagne), vodka, and gin.

It's served in a large pitcher to share and is stronger than it looks. The sweetness of the orange juice masks the alcohol content, so pace yourself.

Price: €15-25/pitcher | Where: Valencia | Best for: Group celebrations

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Beer-Based Spanish Drinks

Caña

A caña is a small glass of draught beer, typically around 200ml. It's the most common way to order beer in Spain, especially in the south, because it stays cold in the heat.

In the Basque Country, ask for a zurito (even smaller).

In Catalonia, a quinto or canya. Each region has its own term.

Price: €1.50-2.50 | Where: Everywhere | Best for: Tapas hopping

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Clara

Clara is Spain's version of a shandy: beer mixed with lemon soda (clara con limón) or sparkling water (clara con casera). It's lighter than a full beer and perfect for hot afternoons when you want something refreshing but not too strong.

Price: €2.00-3.50 | Where: Everywhere, especially beach bars | Best for: Hot summer days

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Spirits & Liqueurs

Licor de Hierbas

Licor de Hierbas (herbal liqueur) is a digestif made by infusing spirits with local herbs. The Galician version uses orujo (grape pomace spirit) as a base and includes herbs like chamomile, mint, and lemon verbena.

It's served after meals to aid digestion. Similar to Italian amaro or German Jägermeister, but with its own Spanish character.

Price: €2.50-4.00/shot, €10-20/bottle | Where: Galicia, nationwide | Best for: After dinner

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Orujo

Orujo is a Galician spirit distilled from grape pomace (the skins, seeds, and stems left after winemaking). It's similar to Italian grappa and typically around 40% ABV.

The clear version (orujo blanco) is the most common, but you'll also find it infused with herbs (orujo de hierbas) or coffee (licor café).

Price: €2-3/shot | Where: Galicia | Best for: After dinner, cold nights

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Queimada

Queimada is Galicia's "fire drink," a theatrical ritual as much as a beverage. Orujo is mixed with sugar, lemon peel, and coffee beans in a clay pot, then set on fire while an incantation is recited to ward off evil spirits.

The Celtic-influenced tradition is performed at festivals and family gatherings, especially around Halloween (Samaín in Galicia). The drink itself is sweet, strong, and warming.

Price: €5-10/serving | Where: Galicia | Best for: Cultural experience

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Ratafia

Ratafia is a Catalan liqueur made by macerating green walnuts, herbs, and spices in grape spirit. It's sweet, aromatic, and typically around 25-30% ABV.

Traditionally made in summer when walnuts are still green, ratafia is served as a digestif, often over ice.

Price: €3-5/glass | Where: Catalonia | Best for: After dinner

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Coffee in Spain

Café con Leche

Café con leche is the Spanish breakfast staple: espresso with an equal amount of hot milk, usually served in a glass (vaso) rather than a cup.

The glass-without-a-handle takes some getting used to (it's hot!), but it's become part of the charm. Pair it with tostada con tomate (toast with tomato) for a proper Spanish breakfast.

Other coffee options:

• Café solo: espresso, no milk
• Cortado: espresso with a dash of milk
• Café americano: espresso with hot water
• Café con hielo: espresso served with a separate glass of ice (pour it over yourself)

Price: €1.50-2.50 | Where: Everywhere | Best for: Breakfast

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Carajillo

Carajillo is espresso spiked with brandy or rum, sometimes flambéed. The Catalan version uses Licor 43 (a vanilla liqueur) and is served over ice as a "carajillo con Licor 43."

Legend says the name comes from soldiers needing "coraje" (courage) before battle.

Price: €3-5 | Where: Nationwide | Best for: After dinner

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Non-Alcoholic Spanish Drinks

Horchata de Chufa

Horchata is a refreshing Valencian drink made from tiger nuts (chufas), water, and sugar. The Arabs brought the tiger nut to Valencia when they ruled the Iberian Peninsula, and the drink has been a local tradition ever since.

It's naturally dairy-free, slightly sweet, with a creamy texture and subtle nutty flavour. Traditionally served ice-cold with fartons, long sugar-glazed pastries perfect for dunking.

Price: €2.00-3.50 | Where: Valencia, nationwide | Best for: Hot summer days

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Granizado de Limón

Granizado is a slushy made from fresh lemon juice, sugar, and crushed ice. You'll find it at kiosks, beach bars, and cafés across Spain during summer.

Other popular flavours include granizado de café (coffee), granizado de horchata, and granizado de naranja (orange).

Price: €2-3 | Where: Everywhere in summer | Best for: Beach days

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Chocolate Caliente

Chocolate caliente (hot chocolate) in Spain is not like the watery version elsewhere. It's thick, rich, and intensely chocolatey, almost like drinking warm chocolate pudding.

The traditional pairing is churros, fried dough sticks that you dip into the chocolate. Breakfast of champions (or the best 3am snack after a night out).

Famous spots include Chocolatería San Ginés in Madrid (open since 1894) and many local churrerías.

Price: €2.50-4 | Where: Everywhere, especially Madrid | Best for: Winter mornings, late nights

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Leche Merengada

Leche merengada is a traditional Spanish milkshake made from milk, sugar, cinnamon, lemon zest, and whipped egg whites. It's chilled and served semi-frozen with a dusting of cinnamon on top.

Popular in summer, especially at horchaterías in Valencia where it's served alongside horchata.

Price: €2-3.50 | Where: Valencia, Madrid | Best for: Summer treat

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Regional Drinks

Sidra (Asturian Cider)

Sidra from Asturias and the Basque Country is traditionally poured using a technique called escanciar: the bottle is held high above the head and the cider is splashed into a wide glass held at hip level.

This aerates the cider and releases its flavours. You drink it quickly in one or two gulps, leaving a small amount in the glass (called the "culete") which is thrown away.

In a proper sidrería, the waiter will pour for you. In more casual settings, you might try your hand at escanciar yourself (prepare for wet shoes).

Price: €2.50-4.00/glass, €5-8/bottle | Where: Asturias, Basque Country | Best for: Cultural experience

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How to Order Drinks in Spain

Common Questions

What is the national drink of Spain? Spain doesn't have an official national drink, but sherry (from Andalusia) and cava (from Catalonia) are the most iconic Spanish beverages. For everyday drinks, café con leche (morning) and tinto de verano or caña (afternoon/evening) are what most Spaniards drink regularly.

What do locals drink in Spain? Locals drink tinto de verano (summer wine with soda), cañas (small beers), café con leche (breakfast coffee), and regional specialities like sidra (Asturias), horchata (Valencia), or fino sherry (Andalusia). Sangria is considered a tourist drink.

What is a typical Spanish breakfast drink? Café con leche is the standard Spanish breakfast drink, served in a glass with equal parts espresso and hot milk. Some people prefer a cortado (espresso with a dash of milk) or café solo (straight espresso).

Is tap water safe to drink in Spain? Yes, tap water is safe throughout Spain.

However, some areas (like Barcelona) have heavily chlorinated water that tastes unpleasant. In restaurants, you can ask for "agua del grifo" (tap water), though many places will try to sell you bottled water.

How much do drinks cost in Spain? Typical prices: caña (small beer) €1.50-2.50, tinto de verano €2.50-4, café con leche €1.50-2.50, glass of wine €2.50-4, sangria pitcher €15-20. Prices are higher in tourist areas and major cities.

What Spanish drinks are non-alcoholic? Popular non-alcoholic Spanish drinks include horchata (tiger nut milk), granizado de limón (lemon slush), chocolate caliente (thick hot chocolate), leche merengada (cinnamon milk), and mosto (grape juice sold in wine bars).

The Bottom Line

Spanish drinks are as regional and diverse as the country itself. From the cider houses of Asturias to the sherry bodegas of Jerez, from Valencian horchaterías to Madrid's churrerías, each region has its own drinking traditions.

Skip the sangria (unless you really want it) and try what locals drink: tinto de verano on a hot terrace, a caña with your tapas, or a café con leche to start your morning. You'll taste more of Spain that way.

Salud!