Is it OK to drink the water in Greece?

In Athens and many other parts of Greece, the water is safe to drink. However, because of various concerns regarding supply and infrastructure, it's popular on both the islands and the mainland to buy bottled water rather than drinking straight from the tap.



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Water supply and sanitation Greece achieves high compliance rates with the requirements of the DWD. Over the period 2011-2013, drinking water was 99-100% compliant for the microbiological, chemical and indicator parameters2 of the DWD (European Commission, 2016b).

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“You can safely drink tap water in many areas of Greece,” she says. “This includes the big cities such as Athens and Thessaloniki, most of the mainland and certain islands. On smaller islands, such as Santorini, tap water is not always drinkable, so you should drink bottled water.

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Greek sewage pipes are much narrower than US or British pipes, and therefore can't handle paper or any other items as it will easily clog them. This is because the infrastructure and sewerage system are much older.

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Commonly Asked Questions about Greek Travel In Athens and most places across mainland Greece, the tap water is perfectly safe to drink.

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While it is customary to tip people in Greece, in the end, it is entirely up to you whether you will leave a tip or not, as is the amount of the tip. If you want to show your gratitude through money, we aren't going to stop you. Feel free to express yourself and make those around you smile big!

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While it is customary to tip in Greece, it is not considered rude if you choose not to tip. Tipping is seen as a gesture of appreciation for good service, but it is ultimately a personal decision.

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Technically, Santorini's tap water is safe to drink. However, it's also brackish, and the water supply system itself isn't always reliable. Single-use water bottles are popular in Santorini, but terrible for the environment.

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If they are made with tap water, they may not be safe to consume, especially in the Greek Islands. However, many hotels use bottled water to make ice cubes, which gets you a safe drink. If you have any doubts, we recommend removing the ice cubes from your drink before they have a chance to melt.

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Drinking water They in fact rely on having water delivered to them. Needless to say, bottled water is a popular product on Santorini! We recommend that you always use bottled water for drinking. Washing up and brushing your teeth can be safely done using tap water throughout the island.

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No, in Santorini you cannot flush toilet paper down the toilet bowl. As with most places in Greece, toilet paper cannot be flushed down the toilet. You should place the used toilet paper into a special trash bin located next to it. The hosts or hotel staff empty the bin every day and put a new bag in it.

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While there may be exceptions in some newly built resorts and modern hotels, the overwhelmingly common rule is to avoid flushing paper products down the toilets in Greece. And don't worry about forgetting. You'll come across plenty of fun signage to remind you.

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Tip in the local currency Whenever you tip during your trip to Greece it is important to use the local currency, that is - Euros. Otherwise you'll leave your service providers with cash they can't use without paying high fees on currency exchange.

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Greek: “To logariasmo parakalo” After eating a delicious meal in Greece, you'll get your server's attention and ask for “To logariasmo parakalo” from your server. Both “logariasmo” and “parakalo” have the strongest accent on the last vowel, which sounds like the English word “oh.”

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Housekeeping: It is customary to leave a small tip for the housekeeping staff who clean and maintain your room during your stay. The typical amount is around 1-2 euros per day. You can leave the tip in an envelope or on a table with a note expressing your gratitude.

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Greece uses the euro as its currency, and businesses only accept Euros for payment. It's a good idea to carry some Greece currency for cash transactions, especially in remote areas. The best way to get euros in Greece is via an ATM or to exchange American dollars for euros before arriving.

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Most Greeks will eat dinner around 9 to 10 pm. If they have had a substantial lunch then they will eat something lighter for dinner such as fruit with yogurt, a sandwich, salad or a small amount of leftovers from lunch.

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It is acceptable to wear shorts, whether you are a woman or a man. However, NEVER (and I do mean NEVER) wear shorts if you want to visit a church or monastery. Also, if you plan to do a walking tour of Athens, ditch the shorts and opt for a dress – if you are a woman – or a pair of long pants – if you are a man.

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There are times when it cannot even be used for making tea or coffee or for cooking as the water is sometimes a brownish colour. Bottled water is used for drinking in these places. In Athens the water is drinkable but may just taste different to what you are used to.

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No Greek restaurant or bar or cafe can serve bottled water -and bread for that matter- unless there's a customer consent after asking them first (a jug with tap water is free of charge). The law is very specific and the fine is 500 euros.

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