A count from Fiesole asked the barman to add a little gin to his usual Americano: from that order, in Florence, the Negroni was born. Every Italian region has its own way of ending a round, and here are four stops.
In Italy, the eighteenth green is only the first half of the evening: next comes the aperitivo, a ritual that changes from region to region as much as the landscape of the courses. Here is a map of four drinks and the courses worth playing before you drink them: Veneto, Piedmont, Tuscany and Lombardy.
How the Italian aperitivo was born
According to the Wikipedia entry on the subject, the modern aperitivo was born in Turin in 1786, when Antonio Benedetto Carpano invented, in a small shop under the arcades of Piazza Castello, a wine flavoured with infusions of herbs and spices. The habit then spread through the cafés of Turin, Genoa, Florence, Venice, Rome, Naples and Milan in the late nineteenth century. Each region developed its own traditions: Veneto chose wines such as prosecco, while Friuli Venezia Giulia followed local wine customs.
Veneto: the Spritz and the links at Alberoni
The Spritz originated, according to the Padua tourism website, when the Austro-Hungarian soldiers garrisoning Lombardy-Venetia diluted the local wine with sparkling water. Aperol, by the brothers Luigi and Silvio Barbieri, was presented at the first Italian trade fair in Padua in 1919; the recipe as we drink it today took hold around the 1950s, when Aperol was added to the original formula. Since 2011 the Spritz has been an official cocktail of the IBA, the international bartenders' association; the classic version comes with a slice of orange and an olive, with crisps or small snacks alongside.
The right course is the Circolo Golf Venezia, at Alberoni on the Lido: 18 holes, par 72, founded in 1928, links in character, with the clubhouse inside an Austrian fort. The 2026 price list shows 95 euros on weekdays and 110 on weekends and public holidays. To stay on the Lido means the Hotel Excelsior Venice, which, about twenty minutes from the course, has the Excelsior Terrace: lunch, aperitivo and dinner with the Adriatic in front of you. The hotel is seasonal, so it is worth checking the dates before booking.
Piedmont: vermouth, born in Turin
Vermouth is the drink of Turin par excellence. The name comes from the German Wermut, wormwood. According to Wikipedia, Italian law requires it to contain at least 75% wine, flavoured and sweetened, with a minimum strength of 15.5%; since 2017 Vermouth di Torino has had a geographical indication. It plays a central role in cocktails such as the Martini and the Negroni.
For golf the reference is the Royal Park I Roveri, at Fiano, in the La Mandria Nature Park next to the Reggia di Venaria. Robert Trent Jones Sr. designed the first course in 1971 for the Agnelli family; today there are 36 holes and the club has hosted four Italian Opens (2009-2012). The clubhouse lounge, designed by Brunello Cucinelli, was inaugurated in 2024.
Tuscany: the Negroni, born in Florence
The Negroni was born in Florence in 1919-1920: Count Camillo Negroni, according to the Wikipedia entry, asked the barman Angelo Tesauro to add a little gin to his usual aperitif, the Americano, at the Caffè Casoni on Via de' Tornabuoni. The drink was first called "Americano alla moda del conte Negroni"; it entered the IBA list in 1961.
In Florence you play at the Ugolino, at Impruneta, in the first hills of Chianti: 18 holes, par 72, designed by Cecil Blandford and Peter Gannon in 1934, with a futuristic clubhouse and a swimming pool by Pier Luigi Nervi, and a 2026 green fee of 130 euros for 18 holes. On 1 May 1983, at this course, Severiano Ballesteros holed out from the edge of the green in the playoff of the Italian Open, later won by Langer.
Lombardy: Milan's aperitivo "in grand style"
Milan is known for the aperitivo with a buffet: according to Wikipedia it offers the "aperitivo in grande stile" with rich buffets. The reference club is the Golf Club Milano, in the Royal Park of Monza, founded on 8 May 1928, with 27 holes and nine Italian Opens played. One caveat is needed: at the club weekends and public holidays are reserved for members and their guests, so a visitor's round is planned for weekdays.
When to play, when to toast
| Region | Drink | Course | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veneto | Spritz | Circolo Golf Venezia (Alberoni) | Clubhouse in an Austrian fort |
| Piedmont | Vermouth | Royal Park I Roveri (Fiano) | 36 holes, 4 Italian Opens |
| Tuscany | Negroni | Circolo del Golf Ugolino (Impruneta) | Italian Open 1983 |
| Lombardy | Aperitivo with buffet | Golf Club Milano (Monza) | Weekends reserved for members |
Curiosities
- A gaffe that made a course. According to the club, in 1928 Henry Ford asked where he could play in Venice: there was no course, and from that answer Alberoni was born.
- The Americano before the Negroni. The Negroni began as a variant of the Americano, with gin in place of soda.
- Vermouth is also a law. In Italy vermouth has minimum requirements for wine, sugar and alcohol.
Frequently asked questions
What is the typical aperitivo of Veneto?+
The Spritz, born, according to Padua tourism, when Austro-Hungarian soldiers diluted the local wine with sparkling water. Since 2011 it has been an official IBA cocktail.
Where was the Negroni born?+
In Florence, between 1919 and 1920, at the Caffè Casoni on Via de' Tornabuoni, when Count Camillo Negroni asked for gin to be added to his Americano.
Where was vermouth born?+
In Turin: in 1786 Antonio Benedetto Carpano standardised its production. Since 2017 "Vermouth di Torino" has had a geographical indication.
What is the Milanese aperitivo with a buffet?+
It is the formula in which the drink comes with a rich buffet: Milan is associated with the "aperitivo in grande stile".
Can you play golf in Milan at the weekend?+
At the Golf Club Milano in Monza, weekends and public holidays are reserved for members and their guests: visitors play on weekdays.
When is the aperitivo drunk in Italy?+
Before dinner, to stimulate the appetite: that is the origin of the ritual. Times vary from venue to venue.
