The Best Apps for a Virtual Aperitif with Friends

From the city par excellence of the aperitif – a must during the evenings in the company of dear friends – to the whole Bel Paese, with a delicious cocktail in hand for a toast to sharing, light-heartedness and cheer, good drinking is a social necessity. It provides a moment away from the frenzy that everyday life imposes on us, to enjoy – or rather, to sip slowly – by pulling the plug on everyday worries. But in this period in which even our cities have had to slow to a halt, technology comes to our aid, keeping our socialization threshold high, thanks to small virtual tricks.

Photo credit: Chef in Camicia

Agree with your friends on the perfect time for a decidedly unconventional happy hour and choose the snack to nibble in front of the camera. The best app will take care of the rest, for a video call with guaranteed success. Make sure to accompany it with an Aperol Spritz, the undisputed star of the most authentic and original aperitif. All you need to pull this off is internet access: Whatsapp, Messenger, Skype, Zoom, Webex, Hangout Meet, HouseParty and Smule will take care of your live toast with friends, no matter how far the distance is.

WHATSAPP

The best known messaging system allows you to easily video call up to four people who will appear simultaneously on your screen on any mobile device, for a meeting “among a few close friends.”

SKYPE

A platform born as a video call service, it provides a maximum of 50 online contacts, but to obtain high quality communication, it is suggested that you only speak with a maximum of five people at once. There is also a chat feature that lets you send messages during the call in real time. 

MESSENGER

The messaging application linked to the social network Facebook allows you to make video calls directly from the app on any device. You can call up to fifty users, of which only six will appear on the screen, combined with the live chat service.

ZOOM

Considered one of the best services for online video calls, both related to entertainment and in the workplace, you can download Zoom on your mobile devices or use it directly on your browser. The Basic plan – totally free – lets you talk to up to 100 users, with 40 minutes of live connection.

WEBEX

An intuitive platform that’s also very useful in the workplace, works for high quality video calls, and allows unlimited number of participants who can interact via the app or the Web, thanks also to real-time chat.

HANGOUTS MEET

This online communication system is integrated through Google. It can also be used without a Google account by invitation. Available online or as an app, it allows communication with up to 25 users, who can also interact via the chat visible during the call.

HOUSEPARTY

For an even more interactive and fun approach to your virtual aperitif, House Party is the application you’re looking for. In addition to the basic video call with no time limits, with a maximum number of 8 connected users, you can play games, challenges and interactive activities, for a full-fledged “social” meeting. Test your general knowledge with a game of Trivia or try your hand at the art of drawing with Quick Draw, challenging your friends to recognize your sketch. There’s also Heads Up!, Chips and Guac and many other games to try! For those wishing to undertake a singing challenge to accompany the toast, Smule is virtual karaoke which, thanks to a varied selection of hits of the moment and international hits, will rekindle the star in you!

And to celebrate your friendship ritual, a group selfie during the virtual toast is a must! Just as Smartdrinking suggests, Facebook and Instagram pages have been created by a group of Piedmontese friends who, in order to make the ritual of the aperitif  “at a distance” and fight domestic solitude, decided to invite anyone who organizes these events to tag their page to get reposted. It’s a large virtual photo collection from all over Italy, which collects the best moments lived with your friends, even in this particular transition period.

And now, glasses in hand! Pour plenty of ice, add 60 ml of Prosecco and 90 ml of fresh Aperol, conclude with a splash of soda and a slice of orange… Your legendary aperitif is ready to enter the scene. Let yourself be infected by that irresistible charge of energy and positivity that only the excellent company of your friends and loved ones can give, for a brightly colored toast and an irrepressible feeling of “virtual” light-heartedness… Together we rejoice!