Can you drink the water in Italy?

The short answer is yes. Drinking water from the tap in Italy is considered safe. Tap water in the major cities and towns around Italy is safe for consumption, and there are thousands of old-style water fountains dotted around cities, like Rome, where you can fill up water bottles.



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Generally, tap water in Italy is drinkable and safe, especially in major tourist places. What is this? In fact, cities like Rome have thousands of old-style drinking fountains where you can fill your water and consume fresh water.

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Some guides advise bringing one with you from home. But plastic water bottles work just as well, and they're sold in every cafe in Italy. Buy one when you're here and just keep refilling it at the fountains you'll see everywhere.

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Yes, tap water in Paris is perfectly safe to drink and is readily available wherever you go, even at public water fountains. As long as taps aren't labeled eau non potable—meaning “not for drinking” in French—everything else is potable. In fact, drinking water from the fountains of Paris has been encouraged.

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It's also very dangerous to swim in the canals because of motorboats and gondolas circulating the canals constantly and at a rapid pace. Not even on the so-called fondamenta (the seashores) are you allowed to swim. It is even more dangerous, since bigger boats regularly stop by.

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If you ask locals “Do you tip in Italy?”, they'll explain that while they sometimes leave a small tip, it's generally not necessary. In Italy, gratuity (or una mancia, pronounced oo-nah MAN-chah) is considered a bonus for exceptional service. And it's not often that you'll find a tip jar at a register.

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Just know that the insistence on bottled water isn't one of Italy's famous restaurant scams targeting tourists - unless you're later overcharged for it, of course. The water is perfectly safe to drink all over Italy, and you can ask for tap water if you want.

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In Italy, don't shock your waiter by asking for tap water Not so, as you should never ask for free tap water in restaurants. As Fodors explains, usually, you'll be offered a bottle of still (naturaleor liscia) or sparkling (frizzante or gassata).

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It's always wise to carry a small amount of cash for smaller cafes and restaurants, some public transport options, and taxis who may not accept credit card payments. We once visited the same restaurant 5 years in a row, only to discover each time that their card machine was out of order!

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Yes, Italians use toilet paper. It is a common practice in Italy, just like in many other countries around the world.

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