My husband - a huge foodie - and I just booked our honeymoon for two weeks in October to Spain (flying into Madrid and out of Barcelona; haven't determined our travels in between yet). Neither of us drink any alcohol; he because of medication and me because I simply don't like it. I know that wine and beer are a huge part of food culture in Spain, and while in fine American restaurants it's easy for us to decline alcohol with meals, I'm not sure how to do that so easily in Spain. What are some alternatives to look for? What would be the common custom? How can we visit pubs/tapas bars and still not look like tourists if we're not drinking? Thanks for your help. I look forward to reading more in the Travelers' Helpline as we plan our trip!
Posted by
Bloomington, IL, USA
9363 posts
It's just as easy to decline alcohol in Spain as it is here. You could order a soft drink or coffee or water or whatever you would order here under the same circumstances.
Posted by
Milpitas
28 posts
No pressure there to drink alcohol at all. Two of my absolute favorite Spanish beverages are horchata and granizado de limon, both of which are common there. Enjoy!
Posted by
Savannah, GA
1337 posts
2 words: HOT CHOCOLATE. If you don't try Spanish hot chocolate (or orange juice, for that matter) you will have missed something marvelous!
Posted by
Malaga, Malaga, Spain
410 posts
As others have said, you will be under no pressure at all to drink alcohol and it will not rate a comment. Just for information - and it may not be something you are interested in, but no alcohol beer is freely available in Spain, and tastes good - to me. That said, I am not much of a beer drinker but my husband drinks it when he is driving and says it is fine.
Posted by
LaGrange, Ga, USA
1178 posts
Do as you would do here in the states - no problem at all. There are some excellent bottled waters there. One, especially good, is served in a glass royal blue bottle. Not sure of the name, but it will be found in the better class restaurants, but most likely not in the tapas bars. And, in Spain, there is not just Spanish Food! A favorite choice of mine in Madrid is The Cafe Garbo- Plaza del Carmen, 4 - A block off of Gran Via near the Telephonico Building - Excellent Italian with Spanish influence. Also, the area of Calle Funercaral, and Calle Hortelenza is a great choicie for Tapas bars. Ask for directions to Hello Lola (Ole Lola) bar Calle de San Mateo, 28, Madrid....On certain nights they have a Spanish - English meeting of both cultures practing their English and Spanish. Fun for sure! And, not on the beaten tourist track for sure. You will enjoy Spain as much as I do I am sure!
Posted by
OP
Durham, NC, United States
5 posts
Thank you all for the recommendations! My husband and I appreciate the suggestions, especially the restaurants!