“Para mí, el amor debe ser como el café: a veces fuerte, a veces dulce”

Coffee is part of the culture. Whether it’s a morning wake up, a midday catch-up or an after-dinner treat. It has its place and since being here, I can’t get enough of it.

As I’m writing this, I’m sat in Finestrat, with my dog, sipping a café con leche with a slice of chocolate cake, all for the grand total of €4.40. I guess you could call this the writers’ dream right now.

 

 

Different Day, Different Coffee

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In England, it would take a trip to Starbucks or Costa Coffee to get something ‘out of the ordinary’. A cup of instant coffee with milk is what you expect. But here, it’s a whole different story. Every day, every place is the chance to experience and enjoy a new coffee. The biggest problem is deciding what to order!

There are so many good coffees to choose from, it can be hard to get out of the routine of choosing the same one! Well, take a look at some of these coffees and it might make your decision that little bit easier!

Café con Leche

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A café con leche is your standard coffee. A coffee with milk. You can usually expect to pay around €1-€1.50 for a café con leche. It’s very uncommon to pay any more! A café con leche is my usual go to when I’m at a bar, especially in the morning!

 

 

Capuchino

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A capuchino or cappuccino as we know it has two variations. You can order a capuchino Italiano which is the standard double espresso with steamed milk. Whereas, a capuchino receta is a shot of coffee filled with whipped cream. Not every bar will offer a capuchino Italiano but if they do you can expect to pay €2-€3.50 for a large cup and a capuchino receta will be around €2.50-€3.00.

 

 

Café con Helado

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A café con helado ‘coffee with ice cream’ is one of my all-time favourites and a definite summer weakness. It’s not to be confused with a café con hielo! Café con helado is a shot of coffee, topped with ice cream and cream. It’s definitely not one for when you’re calorie watching! It’s a perfect summer cool off and an improvement from an icy, watery Frappuccino! I usually choose chocolate ice cream and a good café con helado from Jamaica at C.C La Marina can set you back €3.50-€4.50. The ice cream there is amazing! So, it’s perfect for taking the kids too. It’s definitely worth a try!

 

 

Latte Helado

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The latte helado was a drink that I tried for the first time a few years ago, and I was in love. Creamy, cool and refreshing, it’s another perfect treat for summer. A latte helado usually comes straight out of a machine, it’s like a grown-up slush puppy and I can’t get enough! It’s definitely worth having one if you’re at the water parks!

 

 

Café con Hielo

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A café con hielo, coffee with ice, is a big favourite amongst the locals. Yet, as much as I love coffee, I just don’t see the rave. I love the taste of milk in my coffee, so the overpowering watery taste just isn’t for me. The locals swear by it. They usually grab one to take a shot of coffee without adding heat. I’m yet to be impressed by it!

Latte Macchiato

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A latte macchiato is as much steamed milk as possible, with a drop of coffee, or as much coffee until the glass overflows. The latte macchiato is great for a coffee newbie or when you’re not wanting to be wide awake until 3:00am! For me, it’s a perfect breakfast drink paired with toast and tomatoes!

 

 

If you’re wondering where the tried and tested best coffee spots in Benidorm and the surrounding areas are, then stick around because a post will be coming soon!

If you’re interested in the Spanish language and picking up a bit of the lingo, be sure to add your email and sign yourself up to receive email updates of my new series: Learn Spanish: A Free Blog Series.

How do you like your coffee?

Hasta luego,