Will they roll their eyes if I try to order sangria?

Knock yourself out with the sangria. Don't worry about looking like a tourist. I've never heard of rum or vodka in sangria and I'd have to Google what seltzer is. When I was in Barcelona I'd get a carton or two of Don Simon mass produced sangria from the grocery store and carry it around in my bag, supping when the mood takes me.

Get yourself some Cava too. That's the local sparkling white wine. Estrella Dam is the local beer in cans and on tap and is ubiquitous.

I think most Spaniards would consider Sangria a tourist drink, but then there are lots of tourists in Spain, and lots of places sell sangria. There, you will usually see it made with red wine, brandy, and sweetener, and fruit, sometimes with sparkling soda added.

Early in my travels, I was in a smaller town, and ordered sangria, and the waiter actually refused, told me he would bring a Tinto de Verano, which is more common. It is a mix of red wine and a lemon lime soda, similar, but not really like 7-Up. Very refreshing, I still order that, and have not had sangria in Spain since.

You should also try Vermouth, way off the radars of most Americans. Some places do just serve Martini and Rossi vermouth, but the good ones have a nice Spanish vermouth either in bottle or on tap. Usually served in a tumbler with a block of ice. The better places make their own.

They serve sangria for a reason. Rather than rolling their eyes, they’d maybe be disappointed if you didn’t order it. In Seville a long time ago, my husband caught me at a restaurant at 10 in the morning, having sangria and a plate of fried calamari. It was sooooo good!

It’s stronger, but Spanish vermut (vermouth) would be another drink that’s a local treat. Bitter, but it’s Spanish!

If it's not on their menu, good chance. if it's on their menu, nobody cares.

My advice is that Spain is similar to Italy or France with its food culture. There is no such thing as Spanish food or Spanish drinking culture, it's regional. People don't eat the same way in Asturias as they do in Valencia. When you're going to a region or city, read up on their particular food and drink culture and try to focus a bit on what makes that region special. However, in Madrid you can definitely find restaurants and bars that are regional to the rest of Spain, Basque bars, Cantabrian bars, etc.

I was very surprised at how much beer Spaniards drink. Estrella Damm is just one regional example. Estrella Galicia is another, and Mahou, 1906 and Cruzcampo are others. None of them is very good, but there's a nascent and growing craft beer scene in Spain, and most sizeable cities have a number of brewpubs and craft breweries. Brooklyn Beer Company has a brewery somewhere in Spain, interestingly.

I have to say that as much as I enjoyed Spain, food wasn't a primary reason. I do love paella, but honestly prefer the way they prepare it in France. Do like boquerones en vinagre (anchovies marinated in vinegar) and patatas bravas, though. And the little chipirones (tiny squids) are delightful.

I'm partial to a Tinto de Verano too. Red wine and Coke is surprisingly tasty also. I've never drunk that in Spain though, just with Spanish folks in London.

Sangria is fun to drink. A pitcher to share with a partner or buddy when the sun's going down feels good to me. Who cares if you look like a tourist?

For a popular local drink try Vermut instead, that's what we all drink nowadays lol

Although not Spanish, mojitos are another good times drink for me in Spain.

Tinto de verano is delicious!
Once you try it you’ll be converted!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinto_de_verano

Not sure anyone will “roll their eyes” at anyone ordering Sangria considering there are multiple brands of pre-mixed Sangria sold in Spanish supermarkets.

The Spanish people we saw at the beach in southern Spain were drinking gallons of tinto de verano so we decided to join them. It’s sold in big plastic bottles in the supermarket and looks just like a soft drink.There is a soft drink version and the packaging is very similar. When the villa owner came round and made us ‘sangria’ it was tinto de verano with added fruit!

I will add a bit more, I agree with beer, Spain is a big beer country, as was mentioned, it is mostly big brewery lagers, but it is cheap, served in small glasses, and really refreshing in the heat. Also, you will find nearly every bar or cafe will have good alcohol-free beer.

Another drink the Spanish really like is a Gin and Tonic, maybe influenced by the expat community, and a treat on a hot day. Some places seem to compete who can serve the largest one.

In the South, Sherry is another good option not mentioned yet. There is a good variety, from dry to fruity and sweet.

As non-alcohol options, there will be sodas new to you, I like the bitter lemon ones, and various drinks made with fresh juices.

I’m sure you can get sangria in the popular destination; not so much in small towns and villages. We occasionally go with the vermouth, but most of the time we go with a house red or white wine. They differ from location to location and are mostly from the local area. Since we change hotels every few days it’s a good way to sample a variety of different wines.

This is such a great question, because I thought the same thing when I was in Spain in March. I kept hearing that Sangria is a tourist drink, and I'll look like a tourist if I order it. But then I thought, who cares. They can already tell I'm a tourist when I try to order a drink anyway. And I like Sangria, so why not?

A local drink you can order is Vermouth. I really enjoyed the Vermouth.

One other quick note about beverages (and the Spanish seem to really love their beverages): Fanta in Spain is made with a fairly high percentage of actual fruit juice, usually orange. I drank it (the no-sugar-added variety) every morning for breakfast. Yummy.

Paul described a really fancy-sounding Tinto de Verano upthread. I've always known it as just Sprite or 7-Up with red wine. That's how it's been served to me at clubs and parties in Barcelona, and what Spanish people I know would drink it as at a house party.

You should try Vermut---it's a fortified wine and served over ice--delicious and refreshing! We saw many people drinking Sangria. I had it once but usually had white house wine until I discovered Vermut.

Hmmm... I wasn't aware that was what vermut is described as. Kinda sounds like chilled Buckfast when you say it like that :)

Rum or vodka in sangria? OK. I use brandy for a red, tequila for a white (with mainly lime, like a light margarita). And whoever said they didn't love Spain for the food didn't eat there, IMO. What those folks do with potatoes is amazing: tortilla, bravas, croquetas and especially the cheap olive oil chips from the corner store!

The best drink is the one you like!

But with that said I always try to make a practice to sample what the locals have too-- vermouth, ah, is quite refreshening. Red wine, Rioja in particular, lovely! Even the puny inappropriately small beers-- quite tasty! You just have to have a lot of them to be good tourist!

Happy travels!

I now know what vermouth is thanks to this forum. Gap in my knowledge filled. I had never paid it any attention, but knew the word. Looked it up now.

Me with my working class Tinto de Verano and no idea what vermut or vermouth is... :)

I was walking the camino and some of my fellow walkers would end their day drinking vermouth, saying it what the locals drank!

Happy travels.

We saw plenty of Spanish-speaking tables with pitchers of Sangria every evening in Seville. The brandy is a nice addition, but makes it more potent.

In addition to all of the above, GinTonic (one word) served in a big balloon glass seemed to be popular in Spain.

The drink, red wine and Coke, is commonly known as Kalimotxo in the Basque region of Spain, and sometimes as Calimocho. It's also simply referred to as "red wine and Coke". The name Kalimotxo is believed to have originated from a group of friends who were trying to find a name for the drink at a festival in Getxo. They used the nicknames of two friends, "Kalimero" and "Motxo," to come up with the name.

https://www.bascofinefoods.com/spanish-recipes/kalimotxo-recipe/

There you go. What I now know to be Kalimotxo or Calimocho. I drank it at a house party in London some years ago and thought it was tasty. I like Jack and Cokes and Southern Comfort and Lemonade, so I like sweet stuff.

Alcohol free beer is really popular in Spain and called ‘zero zero’ if you want to order it.

Another summer favourite is Rebujito - fino (dry) sherry , with lemonade and mint.
Spain has a light lemonade/soda called Casera, which is often used.

I agree with the order with impunity. It’s was very popular when we were in Spain. It’s been fun reading about all the variations, local and regional. We drove through Spain for three weeks one summer. I enjoy cold soup and ordered gazpacho everywhere. I don’t think I ever got the same bowl of Gazpacho twice. It was sometimes puréed and/ or served in stemware which came as a big surprise, unlike any I’d known or imagined. It’s fun to learn. Have a great trip and safe travels.

It depends. Spain is very varied in meals and drinks, and sangría is not a thing in most of Spain (at least, I don't know anyone having sangría...ever). In other parts of Spain, where it's warmer, it may sometimes be a drink, but always ready made and coming from a jar. Vermouth is for the aperitivo only, before lunch, with "rabas" or calamari (always before lunch, only).

Start walking a bit after dawn, 5 to 7 hours later depending on stops-- averaging say 13 miles-- time for a vermouth! Splendid! (We actually only had it a couple times in over a month of walking-- but ah, so nice!)

Happy travels!

I don't drink sangria but my son and his girlfriend are partial to it when they've travelled to Spain with us and not one server rolled their eyes when it was ordered. My wife likes a Hugo, elderflower cordial or liqueur, prosecco (cava in Spain) soda water and mint leaves served with lots of ice in a balloon glass, very refreshing on a hot day.

Spaniards do drink a lot of beer, most of it is not great however a glass of Estrella Dam or San Miguel on a hot day is a great way to slake a thirst. I like Alhambra Especial and if I fancy an IPA type beer then Mallorca's Rosa beer is quite nice however I'm mostly a red wine drinker and I would consider it sacrilege to ruin a good glass of wine by adding soda or fruit, I'd rather just have a coke.