From June 18 to August 2, Bar Volare in Bologna transforms into a tropical pop-up jungle. The occasion is the fourth edition of Tiki Experience, which this year takes on an ambitious challenge: creating an original dialogue between Polynesian culture and the flavors, aromas, and traditions of the Mediterranean.
The new signature cocktails stem from a provocative question: what if the ingredients, spices, and citrus fruits of the Mediterranean had evolved into something fresh, tropical, and exotic? The answer extends well beyond what’s in the glass. As bar manager Giuseppe “Peppe” Doria explains, “Tiki isn’t simply a decorative style or a category of cocktails—it’s an extraordinary exercise in immersive hospitality.”
The Evolution of the Experience Bar: from Don the Beachcomber to Bologna
“I’ve always seen tiki as one of the first experience bars in history. If you think about Don the Beachcomber, it wasn’t just a bar — it was a place that told a story and allowed guests to step into a complete experience.”
Scaled to its own identity, Bar Volare has embraced that same philosophy.
“When we conceived the venue, we wanted to create a place capable of transporting people somewhere beyond everyday life. The music, atmosphere, service, interiors, and cocktails all had to work together to build a coherent, immersive world.”
Tiki Experience 4: Where the Emphasis is on the Word “experience”
That vision gave birth to Bar Volare‘s distinctive 1960s-inspired atmosphere. Tiki Experience was developed with the same mindset. For its fourth edition, the project leaves behind its previous Dolce Vita inspiration to immerse guests in a timeless tropical jungle. Every element — from lighting and music to plants and décor — is carefully orchestrated to create a fully immersive environment.
“People often focus on recipes, tiki mugs, or iconography,” says Doria. “They’re all important, but the heart of tiki lies elsewhere. For me, its greatest value is its ability to create a space detached from everyday life — a place where time slows down and people can step away from their daily routines, even if only for a few hours.”
Gianni Zottola’s Step Aside and the Team’s Growing Confidence
Naturally, the first edition of Tiki Experience explored the legacy of tiki’s founding fathers, Don the Beachcomber and Trader Vic. The second focused on iconic classics such as the Mai Tai and the Zombie, while the third turned its attention to the historic Filipino influences that helped shape tiki culture. The 2026 edition embraces its boldest concept yet: creating a dialogue between Polynesia and the Mediterranean.
It also marks the moment when Gianni Zottola — described by Doria as “a friend and the Piero Angela of tiki” — chose to step slightly into the background. While he contributed to shaping this fourth edition, he deliberately left more creative space to the Bar Volare team. “As we’ve spent four years studying and exploring tiki culture,” Doria explains, “we felt it was time to add our own voice to the conversation. The Mediterranean Edition was born from exactly that idea: engaging with tiki through Volare’s own language and sensibility.”
A Cocktail List Where the Tropics Speak the Language of the Mediterranean
One example of that conversation between the Pacific and the Mediterranean is Pogo Melon, “where the tropical character of spiced watermelon meets a blend of Mediterranean citrus fruits including lemon, citron, mandarin, and bergamot, finished with a touch of rosemary.” Two other cocktails further illustrate the concept.
“Pistachio Mai Tai reinterprets the classic recipe using pistachio as its defining ingredient, immediately evoking Sicily and the Eastern Mediterranean. Then there’s Mediterranean Pearl, where rum, orange blossom honey, saffron, hazelnut, and citrus come together in a structure that is unmistakably tiki while expressing a distinctly Mediterranean identity.”
“Rather than replacing tropical flavors with Mediterranean ones,” Doria adds, “we wanted to create a dialogue. We wanted to explore what tiki might have become had it been born on the shores of the Mediterranean instead of the Pacific.”
Tradition Only Survives Through Evolution
Tiki Experience 4 also offers a broader reflection on the relationship between tradition and innovation.
“I deeply believe in respecting established traditions because they remind us where we come from. But I also believe evolution is essential. If we turn the past into a cage, we stop growing.”
“For me, the real question isn’t whether a cocktail is Mediterranean enough or tropical enough. The question is whether it still carries that same spirit of escapism, discovery, and storytelling that has always defined tiki. As long as that spirit remains alive, the conversation can continue.” To try the results of that dialogue firsthand, Tiki Experience 4 runs at Bar Volare in Bologna from June 18 through August 2, 2026.
Images courtesy of Volare Bologna.
