If you have had the opportunity to stroll through an Italian piazza around 6 p.m., you have experienced a glimpse of paradise. The amber glow of the setting sun bathes the narrow streets and stone fountains. Elegant regulars wander around the square to reserve a table at the café. Trays loaded with spritz and appetizers flow in abundance. The Italian relationship to cocktails is unique in the world. "It is a prelude to the meal," explains Andrea Notaro, director of food service, hotels, and beach clubs at La Roqqa. In Italy, the tradition of the aperitif (a word derived from the Latin aperire, meaning "to open") aims to prepare the stomach for dinner and is an integral part of daily life. "Paris has elevated precision to an art and London has refined the ceremony, but Italy has built its entire bar culture around a simple and glamorous idea: a cocktail should announce dinner, not conclude it," says Chris Moore, director of beverages for the restaurants Jean-Georges. The Italian cocktail culture is also distinguished by its range of regional flavors (and not imported ones). Americans may have invented the modern cocktail, but Italians already had all the necessary ingredients when they became interested in mixology. "We did not need to invent an entire cocktail culture," explains Brando Baccheschi Berti, wine expert at Castello di Vicarello. "The amari, vermouth, amers... In our country, these ingredients are not exotic: they are found in the cupboards of our grandparents and are derived from a true regional tradition." The great classics of Italian cocktails often have a similar structure: they are composed of an amer, a fortified wine, and a sparkling beverage. "These recipes did not originate in a cocktail bar, but in a café, a true place of life and culture," explains Andrea Notaro. Furthermore, Italian cocktails possess a strong local identity: each has its own personality and history. "The Alpine amari and aperitifs instantly transport you to the mountains, while the aperitifs from the Italian coasts make you want to sip them facing the sea," says Kat Foster, head bartender at Borgo. "I place a lot of importance on this regional identity," adds Giuseppe Lamparella, director of La Pergola, the new bar at the Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria. "Here, in Sorrento, Mediterranean herbs and citrus, especially our lemons, naturally find their way into cocktails." To celebrate Vogue World 2026, which took place in Milan, discover a selection of the greatest Italian cocktails, crafted by experts. The Milano-Torino Considered one of the ancestors of Italian cocktails, the Milano-Torino is a great classic. "It combines the Milanese bitter Campari with the red vermouth from Turin, creating the sweet-bitter base of all Italian mixology," says Ambrogio De Siano, head bartender at the San Montano Resort & Spa on Ischia. Today, this drink is less well known. It is often confused with the Americano, explains Andrea Pinto, head bartender at Borgo Santandrea. "You obtain an Americano by adding sparkling water to the recipe, but the Milano-Torino is wonderfully simple and deserves to be rediscovered." How to make it? Pour 4.5 cl of Milanese Campari and 4.5 cl of red vermouth from Turin into a glass with ice cubes. Stir gently and garnish with a slice of orange. The Americano "I would love to see more customers order an Americano," says Edoardo Eusebio, manager of the bar at Passalacqua. According to him, this drink achieves the perfect balance between sweet and bitter. "It is a simple cocktail, but it is sometimes exactly what you need." The Negroni is often preferred to the Americano, but bartenders agree that it is an elegant and versatile cocktail. "The combination of the bitter aperitif and sweet vermouth, elongated with sparkling water, makes it a lighter and refreshing cocktail than many of the great classics of mixology, without losing complexity," explains Francesco Adragna, manager of the bar at the Orient Express Venezia. How to make it? Pour 3 cl of red vermouth and 3 cl of Campari into a glass with ice cubes, stir gently and complete with sparkling water. Finally, garnish with a slice of orange. To obtain a cocktail with a more bitter and herbal profile, Austin Krudys, sommelier at The Chloe, suggests replacing the Campari with Fernet-Branca.