Best holiday destinations for the perfect summer cocktail in 2025

TUI’s best holiday destinations for summer cocktails

Best holiday destinations for Aperol Spritz

Padua, Italy

Where better to sip on an Aperol Spritz than in the place where it was invented? Often hailed as 'an Italian sunset in a glass', this citrussy cocktail was first created by the Barbieri brothers in 1919, as they wanted to create a lighter aperitif than Campari that was unique to Padua.

The city itself sits in the north of Italy and is best known for its rich history and picturesque buildings, including the University of Padua (Italy's second oldest university), the Scrovegni Chapel and the Basilica of Saint Anthony. It's also just an hour from Venice by train but is significantly quieter, so may be the preferred choice for those seeking a more relaxed, authentic Italian holiday.

As for eating out, caccalà alla cappuccina (salted cold) is a must-try dish that's popular in this region, but you'll also find plenty of excellent, traditional foods like prosciutto, parmesan and, of course, lots of pasta.

Explore Padua holidays at TUI:

• Hotel M14, from £63 per night
• NH Padova, from £100 per night
• Le Camp Spa & Resort, £242 per night

Barcelona, Spain

Spain is one of the best orange producers in the world, so it makes perfect sense to us that Aperol Spritz is one of the country's most popular summery cocktails. It's particularly prevalent in Barcelona, where you'll find it on the menu in most bars and eateries across the city, including restaurants Bacaro (winner of a Michelin Bib Gourmand award) and Blue Bar Beach Club on Sant Sebastià beach.

Once you've ticked off popular tourist hotspots like the Sagrada Família and Park Güell, be sure to stop for an evening tipple at Mariposa Negra in El Born – it's one of the city's most interesting cocktail bars, offering a selection of drinks that combine unusual ingredients and flavours.

Explore Barcelona holidays at TUI:

• SB Diagonal Zero Barcelona, from £439 per person
• Catalonia Barcelona 505, £486 per person
• Vincci Maritimo, from £502 per person

Best holiday destinations for rum cocktails

Jamaica

Nowhere does rum quite like Jamaica – in fact, it has the most rum bars per square mile than any other country, and produces enough rum every year to fill 20 Olympic swimming pools. Located in Jamaica's Nassau Valley is Appleton Estate, the second oldest rum producer in the world, where you can learn about how the rum is distilled and sample it for yourself.

Elsewhere on the island visitors can expect spectacular white sand beaches, crystal-clear ocean views and sprawling waterfalls – essentially everything you could possibly want for a relaxing Caribbean break. There's plenty for adventure seekers, too, including rainforest treks, cliff diving at Rick's Cafe in Negril and a zip-lining and adventure course at Mystic Mountain.

Explore Jamaica holidays at TUI:

• Bahia Principe Grand Jamaica, £1,139 per person
• Royalton Negril, from £1,293 per person
• Riu Montego Bay, from £1,338 per person

Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic has been producing rum for centuries and, as well as being home to three world-renowned distilleries – Brugal, Barceló and Bermudez – the island's signature drink, Mamajuana, is a spiced rum cocktail that also contains wine, honey, tree bark and herbs. It's often likened to port and tastes better when left to infuse.

Many tourists visit the Dominican Republic for the beaches but there's much more to see here than long stretches of sand and sea. The island is home to rainforests, mountains and colonial towns brimming with history, and as it is so vast, tourists have their pick of places to stay – from large resorts with a livelier atmosphere, to quieter spots like Bayahibe, a fishing village with just a few hotels.

Explore Dominican Republic holidays at TUI:

• Grand Sirenis Punta Cana Resort, from £860 per person
• Bahia Principe Grand Punta Cana, from £1,104 per person
• Riu Palace Macao, from £1,453 per person

Best holiday destinations for tequila cocktails

Riviera Maya, Mexico

When it comes to tequila, where else? It'll come as no surprise that this popular spirit is widely available across Mexico, though technically speaking, tequila can only named as such when it's been produced in one of five authorised states (Guanajuato, Jalisco, Michoacan, Nayarit or Tamaulipas) and made from blue agave plants, which are mostly found in Jalisco in the west.

Fortunately there's no shortage of the spirit in Riviera Maya on the east coast – even one of its most famous hotels, Riu Tequila in Playacar, is named after it. Benefitting from the warmth and visuals of the Caribbean coastline, this sunny district is also home to historic Mayan ruins, eco wildlife parks and enormous underground rock pools where you can scuba dive and snorkel.

Explore Riviera Maya holidays at TUI:

• Catalonia Yucatan Beach, £983 per person
• Royalton Riviera Cancun, from £1,205 per person
• Margaritaville Island Reserve Riviera Cancun by Karisma, from £1,235 per person

Best holiday destinations for whiskey cocktails

New York, USA

As the birthplace of the Manhattan cocktail, which was allegedly invented in the Manhattan Club in the mid 1870s, there's nowhere better to enjoy a whiskey-based tipple than the Big Apple. The best bars to find them include the Bemelmans Bar at The Carlyle Hotel, Death & Company in the East Village and speakeasy-style venue Employees Only. The city even has its own version of a whiskey sour – simply called a New York Sour – which has a float of dry red wine sitting on the top.

As well as cocktails, food is a big deal here. From gigantic New York pizza slices to rich, creamy cheesecakes, hot dogs, bagels and pastrami sandwiches, there's a wealth of options to choose from, and must-visit spots in the city include Joe's Pizza, Katz's Deli and Momofuku Noodle Bar.

Explore New York holidays at TUI:

• Distrikt Hotel New York City, from £1,062 per person
• The Manhattan Hotel at Times Square Hotel, £1,103 per person
• Walker Hotel Tribeca, £1,110 per person

Los Angeles, USA

LA has a thriving cocktail scene, in part thanks to its links with movie stars and the golden age of cinema, and the resurgence of the Old Fashioned is said to be inspired by the TV show Mad Men, which was filmed and later set in the city. The Brown Derby – consisting of bourbon, grapefruit juice and maple syrup – was also first created at the Vendôme Club on Sunset Boulevard in 1930.

By day, you'll find there's much to see and do in LA – from hikes into the Hollywood Hills and walks along Venice Beach, to tours of museums and the Warner Bros Studios. The Griffith Observatory, where you'll see sweeping views of the Los Angeles Basin and the Pacific Ocean, is also worth a visit.

Explore Los Angeles holidays at TUI:

• Plaza La Reina, from £556 per person
• Mondrian Los Angeles, from £632 per person
• L'Ermitage Beverly Hills, from £1,221 per person

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