"Happy Hour in Bergamo!" Top 5 Page for this destination Bergamo Local Custom Tip by suvanki

On my first visit to Bergamo, I'd stopped off at a bar for an early evening aperitivo of my favourite Aperol Spritz, and was surprised to find that this was accompanied by a plate of nibbles - crisps, olives, pizza squares etc. I later learned that this is a Begamask tradition.

From around 17.00 - 20.00 'Happy Hour' attracts locals to unwind with a drink - an aperativo, beer, glass of wine or soft drink etc, and a small snack, (similar to the Andalucian tradition of tapas accompanying your drink).

Unlike in England, where 'Happy Hour' is an excuse to throw as many 1/2 price glasses or bottles of alcohol down your neck, before the prices return to normal, here, the emphasis is on relaxing, chatting with friends and enjoying a drink with food. As Italians usually eat quite late, this is a welcome custom.

Some bars such as VOX (Via Papa Giovanni 94, Citta Bassa), provide a full cold buffet for the price of your drink.

So here are some typical drinks that you'll see being drunk during Happy Hour

Aperitifs

Aperol Spritz (spritz con Aperol) -The distinctive orange coloured drink, Aperol, is made from bitter orange, gentian, rhubarb and a blend of herbs! Produced by the Milanese Campari company, it was invented in Padua in 1919. Spritz are made with Aperol, white wine and topped with soda - served with a slice of orange and a green olive. White wine can be substituted by prosecco.Spritz con Campari is more bitter than the Aperol version.

Martini - Red or white, sweet, medium, - dry and extra dry vermouth - served neat, with a mixer or in a cocktail

Cinzano - A sweet or dry Vermouth from Turin - more bitter in taste than Martini. Served neat, or with a mixer

Campari - A red sweet-bitter vermouth, invented by David Campari in Milan in 1860. Can be drunk undiluted or mixed with soda,mineral water or white wine.

(As an 18 year old on my first visit to Italy, I thought that Campari and soda sounded the height of sophistication - myself and 3 friends ordered one each and posed for photos, holding our glasses. One mouth full and I thought it was awful -at that time I had a sweet tooth, so found this too bitter. Thirty years later, and I decided to try this drink, as I now prefer dry wines, bitter ale etc. - Nope, still don't like it! I'll stick to Aperol Spritz)!

Prosecco - Sparkling wine - a local equivalant to Champagne

Italian Cocktails

Bellini - Invented in Harry's Bar, Venice - Sparkling wine (Champagne or Prosecco) and White Peach juice. - A favourite of Ernest Hemmingway.

Montgomery - another Hemingway tipple! - named after General Bernard Montgomery. A very dry Martini- 15 parts gin to 1 part Vermouth.

Garibaldi - named after the Italian Hero - red campari and Sicillian oranges represent the red shirts worn by Garibaldis soldiers. A low alcohol cocktail.

Martini Cocktail - Shaken not stirred? The original cocktail was invented in 1910, by an Italian bar tender working in New York, named Martini. He wasn't a member of THE Martini family.
8 parts gin to 2 parts dry Vermouth served with an olive.

Negroni-Possibly invented by Count Camilo Negroni in Florence in 1919 - Gin, Campari and Red Martini in equal measures, shaken with ice. Served garnished with a strip of orange peel, that is held over a flame and twisted to release the oils, which produce a distinctive burnt orange flavour.