Tourists Should Know That Finding Tasty Iced Coffee Is Not So Easy In This European Country

Oh, iced coffee. The beverage of choice for plenty of caffeine lovers and not-so-picky drinkers out there — even during the colder winter months — a simple iced coffee or iced latte rarely feels like anything too out of the ordinary. After all, it's available at pretty much any and every coffee shop or chain in the U.S. — and it's even bottled up or served in a can from the supermarket.

Unfortunately for iced coffee fiends who also love a touch of traveling, however, the same can't be said about its availability in other destinations. This rings especially true in a place like Spain, where the country's post-Civil War coffee culture — and subsequent economic slump — shaped people's relationship with the drink to be more about utility and affordability, and less about frills or sophistication. You know, the kind of coffee you drink to actually wake up rather than to sip, sip, and savor.

Ordering an iced coffee in Spain — whether in the height of summer or in the depths of winter — can easily be classified as a surreal experience and is a surefire way for locals to identify you as a tourist without fail. Mostly because what you know as "iced coffee" just ... doesn't exist there. Instead, ordering one at a local café probably means you'll end up getting something that's an even more confusing concoction than the seasonal Starbucks menu: a mug of hot, black coffee with a glass of ice cubes on the side.

Unlike other coffee-forward destinations like Japan — where 7-Eleven is a paradise for most iced coffee lovers looking to get their fill — or even Greece, where iced coffee drinkers won't look like total tourists after ordering one, Spain just doesn't have the same level of appreciation for the icy, milky drink.

@holaori__

Still always gets me 🤣 and i lived in spain for 4 years haha @Ana Gildersleeve pense en ti!!! #spaintravel #icedcoffee #cafeenespaña #tenerife #spainvlog #cultureshock

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The contrast becomes even more apparent when you take into account just how different the entire coffee ordering experience is. Because, while Americans are used to customizing pretty much every aspect of their drink — from the type of milk to the number of espresso shots and the amount of ice — local cafés in and around Spain operate with a more traditional approach.

This ultimately means that your options are typically limited to more basic drinks — like an Americano, cortado, or a simple latte — that won't leave servers scratching their heads or rolling their eyes at complicated customizations. Throw in knowing about a few specialty pours (like a carajillo, which contains whiskey or brandy; a café bombón, served with condensed milk instead or regular; or a café vienés, which is basically a latte with a dollop of whipped cream to top it all off), and you'll be all set to order like the locals do.