Coffee

If you like coffee then you've come to the right place. Spanish coffee is some of the best that you are likely to taste in Europe and is made as an expresso, usually from freshly-ground beans from Columbia. It's quite strong by European standards, but packed with flavour and can be ordered in a variety of styles according to your taste:

Café solo is black coffee, served strong and in a small cup or glass
Café con leche is coffee with milk, usually mixed 50-50
Café cortado is a black coffee with a dash of milk
Café americano is black coffee with a little water added to make it milder
Manchada, or leche manchada, is milk with a small amount of coffee

Decaffeinated coffee is available, usually as a sachet mixed with milk although some of the better cafeterias now stock fresh-ground decaffeinated beans, served as a true expresso, which is very close in flavour to the full strength version.

If it's too hot outside for a steaming drink, why not try an iced coffee, or café con hielo. This is a normal black coffee, served with a separate glass full of ice. You mix in the sugar and then add to the ice. Very refreshing.

And finally, if you want to perk up even more after your meal you can order a carajillo. This is black coffee with a splash of Spanish brandy (or anis) added, more for flavour than effect.

The Spanish drink very little tea but it's always available. You can order tea with or without milk, as with coffee, or as a more refreshing té con limón which is black tea with a slice of lemon in it. And there's no reason why you shouldn't order iced tea if you prefer.

More popular with the locals are herbal infusions. The following are available in most cafeterias and restaurants:

Infusión de manzanilla - camomile tea
Infusión de poleo menta - peppermint tea
Infusión de tila - linden flowers tea

When asking for camomile tea, be sure to stress that you want an infusión. If you simply ask for a manzanilla in some bars you may well end up with a glass of sherry.

Apart from the ubiquitous international brands of fizzy, coloured drinks, you will find a good selection of alternative non-alcoholic drinks to choose from.

First, we must mention mineral water, or agua mineral. Since tapwater is not recommended for drinking, this can be found everywhere, smaller bottles in the restaurants and bars and bigger 5 litre containers in the supermarkets. You can order it sparkling (con gas) or still (sin gas) if you prefer.

Fruit juices, know as zumos, are everywhere and include most of the popular fruits such as orange (naranja), pineapple (piña) and peach (melocotón). Beware that you are not given nectar instead. This is an inferior fruit juice with sugar added, sometimes preservatives as well. If you order a zumo natural you will get a freshly-squeezed juice, usually orange, which will be a lot more expensive than the bottled version but much tastier. This is commonly served with breakfast in the better cafeterias. Or, for a change, try ordering a mosto. Also known as zumo de uva, this is pure grape juice (either red or white). If it's too sweet, try mixing it with sparkling mineral water.

Occasionally you will come across the delicious horchata. This is a drink originating from the Valencia region, now popular all over the country. It is made from macerated ground nuts (chufas), water, sugar and plenty of ice. Another refreshing summer drink that you'll come across is granizado de limón made from lemonade served with crushed ice.

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