The refreshing summer drinks in the Region of Valencia

If you were to ask us what summer is like in the Region of Valencia, we’d say it’s feeling the sea breeze on your skin. Watching the waves lap gently on the shore. Awakening to the sound of birdsong. And enjoying sweet and refreshing drinks that will immediately quench your thirst. 

This is a destination that will awaken all your senses. If you are keen to treat your palate to some local delights, there are a number of quintessentially Mediterranean drinks that you simply have to try during your stay. Keep reading to discover six of the most popular. 

Summer drinks in the Region of Valencia

Horchata

Horchata is one of the most refreshing drinks out there. Backed by a long history, it has since become a firm summer favourite. It’s very easy to make at home: all you’ll need are tiger nuts (with the ‘Valencia’ designation of origin), water and sugar. The result? A drink so delicious you absolutely need to try it. 

Horchata - locally dubbed ‘white gold’ - is traditionally enjoyed with fartons (a baked good similar to an iced bun) or rosquilletas (bread sticks). Whichever option you choose, it will freshen you up in no time. 

Granizado de limón

Traditionally, locals withstand the summer heat and long afternoons on the beach thanks to a delicious glass of granizado de limón. This lemon-flavoured slushy drink will cool you down whenever you need it. And it couldn’t be easier to make: you can make it at home in five minutes. All you need are quality lemons, water and sugar. 

Leche merengada

A creamy drink flavoured with lemon and cinnamon, leche merengada can be enjoyed in various forms: as a liquid drink, an icy slushy (granizado) or an ice cream. Whichever you choose, you will absolutely love it. If you fancy making it yourself, all you’ll need is milk, lemon peel, a cinnamon stick, cinnamon powder, sugar and egg whites. Delicious! 

Blanco y negro or nacional

Café granizado (coffee-flavoured slushy) is another popular summer drink in the Region of Valencia. It’s also incredibly versatile and is often combined with other drinks, such as horchata. A blanco y negro combines café granizado with a dollop of cream or leche merengada while a nacional adds a scoop of ice cream to the slushy. 

Turrón ice cream

Jijona is a place where the ice creams taste of tradition. The town is famed for its turrón, or nougat, and in the summer months it transforms this delicacy into a refreshing ice cream.  

Wherever you go, you’re sure to end up ordering some turrón ice cream, which is the perfect antidote to those balmy summer days. If you want to have a go at making it yourself, we recommend using turrón from Jijona. It will be a triumph. 

Orange juice 

And though it’s a classic you can enjoy at any time, orange juice will be your saviour during the summer. It can be mixed in different ways to cool you down on a hot summer day. Agua de València is a popular choice: a cocktail made of a couple of different spirits and delicious freshly squeezed juice from oranges grown in the Region of Valencia. 

The Region of Valencia will awaken your sense of taste, smell, sight and touch. There are many ways to get to know this fantastic destination. So give into the wonderful flavours and live an incredible summer.