From bone-dry sidra (hard cider) poured from on high in Asturias, Spain, to a hollowed-out calabash gourd filled with yerba mate, many of the world’s defining drinks are deeply rooted in tradition. Through their artisanal production methods, deep-rooted social significance, or both, these drinks form an invaluable part of humanity’s cultural heritage. Local drinks also originated from what grew locally, often out of a need to preserve certain ingredients or foster well-being. Perhaps that’s why so many drinks are so deeply woven into the social fabric of their respective places.
Some beverages are so significant that they’re recognized on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity — an acknowledgement that what we drink is a reflection of who we are. These pours serve as historical witnesses, identity signifiers, economic engines, and sometimes the very reason we gather. And since one of the pleasures of travel is to embrace new daily rhythms, these beverages offer a way to ground yourself in a destination. Here are just a few truly exceptional drinks worth the plane ticket. As always, check for travel guidelines and closures before planning your trip.
Limoncello on the Amalfi Coast, Italy
If there’s one place that truly evokes la dolce vita, it’s the Amalfi Coast, a place so dreamy one expects Sophia Loren to pull up in a convertible at any moment. As in the rest of Italy, long, leisurely meals here end with a shot of a digestif: grappa for those of strong constitutions or limoncello, the gentler, more aromatic option. For anyone who’s winced at cloying, artificially flavored renditions of the elixir outside of Italy, good-quality limoncello in its birthplace is a revelation. While you’ll find limoncello all over Italy, nowhere else boasts such spectacular citrus as the Amalfi Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that features a dramatic shoreline with steep, terraced groves built into the cliffs. On these rugged landscapes, the Sfusato Amalfitano is cultivated. This softball-sized lemon with an EU Protected Geographical Indication is so delicious that locals often eat thin raw slices dipped in sugar.
Amalfi, Sorrento, and Capri all claim the title of limoncello’s birthplace. While limoncello itself doesn’t bear a UNESCO designation, both its birthplace and Italian cuisine are recognized by UNESCO. Campanella Restaurant at Pazziella, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Capri offers an array of Italian spirits. Pompeii- and Naples-based visitors can also book day tours to experience Amalfi firsthand.
Beer in Belgium
While Europe’s history of brewing and drinking beer runs deep, Belgium operates on another level. Long before craft beer took the world by storm, Belgium’s 400-plus breweries, most of which are independently owned and operated, were busy brewing more than 1,500 distinct styles of beer.
In 2016, UNESCO inscribed Belgian beer culture on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Beyond the sheer variety of styles, this designation highlights ales and lagers brewed by Trappist monks, as well as Belgium’s longstanding tradition of wild and spontaneously fermented beers. Lambics, which rely on the natural microflora in their surrounding area for fermentation, are the ultimate expression of terroir. Legendary breweries such as 3 Fonteinen have been brewing tart, funky, intensely complex lambics for generations.
In Belgium, beer is everywhere. Experiencing this culture for yourself is effortless. Brasserie STROOM, inside Courtyard by Marriott Ghent, pours a curated selection of local craft beer. In the capital, Brussels Marriott Hotel Grand Place sits directly across from the Belgian Beer World Experience, an interactive educational center. It’s also not far from Cantillon, one of the most renowned lambic breweries.
Coffee Culture in Türkiye
Coffee is often central to social rituals in countries where it’s consumed, whether that’s a morning espresso downed while standing up in Rome, a cardamom-perfumed brew poured from a traditional coffee pot in Cairo, or an afternoon Kaffee und Kuchen (coffee and cake) with neighbors in Munich. In Türkiye, this beverage acts as an excuse to gather with friends and an accompaniment to major celebrations. The grounds left in a finished cup are even used to tell fortunes.
UNESCO inscribed Turkish coffee culture on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2013. Thought to have originated more than 500 years ago during the Ottoman Empire, the brewing method, which involves slowly steeping ultrafine grounds, is among the oldest still in use. The process requires traditional copper pots locally called cezve. Served unfiltered, Turkish coffee develops a thick foam and leaves a characteristic sediment.
Coffee in Türkiye is an easy find. Properties like Caresse, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Bodrum and Lugal, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Ankara seamlessly integrate this traditional method into their diverse culinary menus. For a deeper immersion, travelers in Istanbul can book tours to participate in workshops featuring traditional fortune readings of coffee grounds.
Commandaria Wine in Cyprus
Cyprus is renowned globally for its sun-drenched Mediterranean beaches, but this expansive island offers far more than coastal tourism. Inland, rugged valleys and mountain ranges safeguard centuries-old traditions. Commandaria, an aged sweet wine crafted from indigenous xynisteri and mavro grapes, is one of those.
Cultivated on the southern slopes of the Troodos Mountains, this wine uses late-harvested grapes that are sun dried before fermentation. Related traditions and skills are passed down informally during farm work and social gatherings. In 2025, UNESCO officially inscribed this historic winemaking process on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Perhaps the best way to dive deep into the traditions surrounding this particular vino is to travel along the Commandaria Wine Route, an itinerary spanning 14 villages where this historic style originated. Along the trail, travelers find four distinct wineries. Autumn is the ideal time to witness the sun-drying process firsthand, although the route is lovely in spring and summer, as well. At Parklane, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Limassol tastings are a daily Epicurean Moment.
Port Wine in Porto, Portugal
Few places worldwide claim a fierce wine identity without cultivating grapes at scale. Porto is one of the rare anomalies. While the city is world famous for port wine, the actual viticulture occurs roughly 50 miles inland along the banks of the Douro River. The city itself serves as a hub for barrel-aging and, of course, drinking the results of the harvest.
The relationship between the city and the vines has a UNESCO designation, as the entire Alto Douro Wine Region was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 2001, honoring two millennia of viticultural history. While the valley produces many varieties, port steals the spotlight. Winemakers craft this fortified wine by adding neutral grape spirit to preserve natural sugars.
Directly across the river from Porto, Vila Nova de Gaia houses the historic Port cellars known as “lodges.” These waterfront facilities offer regular tastings of classic ruby, tawny, and fine white varieties. Nearby, Forte de Gaia, Autograph Collection is a great spot for oenophiles. Sample different varieties of port at the hotel’s elegant bar, Roxo Wine & Spirits.
Tequila in Jalisco, Mexico
Agave, a succulent with 200-plus varieties that thrive across the arid regions of North America, is a pillar of Mexican culture. Since pre-Columbian times, locals have fermented agave to produce beverages. The arrival of Europeans introduced distillation technology, transforming many agave ferments into potent spirits.
Tequila, which can only be produced in Jalisco and designated regions of Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit, and Tamaulipas, is the most internationally famous of the agave spirits, although it represents only the tip of the iceberg here. Mezcal, the broader category of spirits that includes tequila, can be smoky, earthy, or impressively smooth. Its production involves jimadores, skilled workers that manually shear the spiky leaves of blue agave. Once harvested, the agave hearts are roasted to extract juices for fermentation and distillation. In 2006, UNESCO inscribed the agave landscape and ancient industrial facilities of Tequila as a World Heritage Site.
In Jalisco, the town of Tequila remains a premier cultural destination. JW Marriott Hotel Guadalajara serves as a convenient base for day trips. Properties nationwide also celebrate this heritage. By the Pacific coast, Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa produces its proprietary tequila made locally in Jalisco. By the Caribbean, Paraiso de la Bonita, a Luxury Collection Resort, Riviera Maya, Adult All-Inclusive offers complimentary tastings.
Sake in Japan
Around 90 percent of global rice production and consumption occurs in Asia. Across this diverse continent, the grain anchors countless culinary traditions. Japan is no exception, as rice remains an undisputed cultural highlight. Here, the revered staple is not only eaten, but also transformed into a unique drink. It is so unique in fact that it is its own category of alcohol.
In 2024, Japan’s traditional sake production, specifically traditional knowledge and skills of sake-making with koji mold in Japan, was added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The centuries-old craft relies on koji mold to convert rice starch into sugar before fermentation. Master brewers known as toji meticulously manipulate temperature and humidity. Although it is also mass-produced today, some sake is still made with traditional artisanal methods.
Sake culture permeates Japan through distinct regional expressions. In Nara, considered the birthplace of modern sake, JW Marriott Hotel Nara offers curated tastings. Meanwhile, The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto honors local terroir with its private-label Fushimi sake. Crafted from regional rice, this exclusive drink is only available at the award-winning Mizuki restaurant.
Cider in Asturias, Spain
Located in northern Spain, Asturias is one of the few Spanish regions where wine is often not the de facto drink of choice. Much of that has to do with the climate and geography of the region. Blanketed in green cliffs and lush valleys, this beautiful community resembles the British Isles far more than it does Mediterranean Spain. Grapes struggle with the constant humidity, but apples thrive, which explains Asturias’ historical devotion to cider.
UNESCO inscribed Asturian cider culture on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2024. Unlike commercial varieties, local cider fermented in a traditional llagar is never artificially carbonated. It relies entirely on a unique pouring ritual to aerate the sidra (cider) and awaken its flavor. This technique, called escanciado, drops the liquid from a height to deliver a perfect culín (sip or small pour).
Across Asturias, traditional sidrerías masterfully pour culines alongside local cheeses and cider-braised chorizo. Several operate close to AC Hotel Gijón and AC Hotel Oviedo Forum. Although you can always purchase some to take home, local lore says that Asturian cider never travels well. Legend has it that bottles crossing the regional border lose their character.
Tea Culture in China
While tea is one of the world’s most widely consumed beverages, it holds a special place of honor in its birthplace. Derived from the Camellia sinensis plant, tea makes itself present in so many facets of Chinese culture. From casual to ceremonial gatherings, tea anchors social life. Geographically, tea-terraced gardens shape some of the nation’s most visually iconic and celebrated landscapes.
The exact same plant species yields six distinct varieties of tea: green, yellow, dark, white, oolong, and black. When accounting for specialized reprocessed blends, China produces more than 2,000 teas. The rarest and most prized varieties, such as pu-erh from Yunnan province, often command a fortune and are sought after by collectors. In 2022, UNESCO recognized the Chinese traditional tea processing techniques and associated social practices, placing it on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Across China, various Marriott Bonvoy participating hotels offer locally rooted tea experiences. West of Shanghai, JW Marriott Hotel Zhejiang Anji provides panoramic views of the lush landscape and exclusive white tea tastings. In Fujian, the nation’s leading tea-producing province, Fuzhou Marriott Hotel Riverside hosts traditional ceremonies featuring regional jasmine tea at Dew Bud Tea House.
Mate in South America
Yerba mate is present across South America, from tropical Brazil to Patagonia. It’s frequently associated with the hot beverage consumed in countries like Argentina and Uruguay. This ubiquitous drink has Indigenous origins and the Guaraní people have cultivated mate to make Tereré throughout the region.
This ancestral drink combines cold water with mortar-crushed Pohã Ñana, the Guaraní term for medicinal herbs. Served cold over mate, Tereré is shared among friends and family. According to generational knowledge, each medicinal plant carries different health benefits. In 2020, UNESCO inscribed Paraguayan Tereré and its rituals on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The recognition specifically honors Paraguay’s cold, herb-infused beverage. In Argentina, where mate is also a cultural flagship, it is customarily consumed hot without additional herbs. In Buenos Aires, visitors can explore the Museo del Mate, opened in late 2025. Marriott Buenos Aires Downtown is about a 15-minute walk away.
Related Articles
