Is water free at restaurants in Barcelona?

Great news for Spanish diners - the Government has made it a legal requirement to provide free tap in all restaurants and cafes. Before now, the EC's 2020 drinking water directive had only encouraged public venues and restaurants to offer tap water for free.



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Can You Drink Tap Water in Spanish Restaurants? According to a new law passed in Spain in April 2022, all restaurants and bars in Spain are obliged to provide free tap water to their patrons. This law was created to reduce the consumption of bottled water and subsequent plastic pollution.

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In some places you can ask for tap water (for free) but it's not the custom in barcelona so you can get strange faces or negative answers. Agua del grifo, un vaso o una jarra (glass or jug). Dont ask for a bottle. What happens in Barcelona is that the water, although perfectly fine, doesn't have the best taste.

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A question often asked by foreign visitors when they come to Spain is “Is it okay to drink the tap water here?” The simple answer is yes, you can! Spanish tap water is considered to be 99.5% safe to drink, although the taste may vary somewhat according to the region.

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Restaurants in Barcelona Tipping at restaurants is a widely accepted practice in Spanish tipping etiquette. The bill will include a service charge representing the tip in most cases. The most common tip amount to leave is 10% of the total amount on your bill.

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And don't worry, Barcelona isn't short of budget-friendly options. Here you'll find everything from classic tapas to cheap pasta, and fresh dumplings to gnocchi bars. At most spots on our list, you can get lunch for around €10, which is an absolute steal. Here are our favourite cheap eats in Barcelona.

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In Spain, you can simply say la cuenta, por favor (the check, please) when you catch your server's attention. Another common phrase many locals use is ¿Nos cobras cuando puedas? (literally Can you charge us when you can?). Either one is a perfectly fine way to ask your server to bring the bill.

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Tipping in Spain works differently: The customer actually has the option to not leave any tip at all. However, restaurants expect a 10% tip on each bill—although it's not a formal rule, and that percentage is much lower than tipping practices in other countries.

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The Water Law is the legal framework for water management in Spain. Legal amendments to the Water Law introduced in 2004 and 2005 transposed the requirements of the WFD and launched the development of River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs) in each of the 25 river basin districts.

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Can you brush your teeth with Spanish water? A. Yes, tap water is perfectly ok to use when brushing your teeth. Bottled water is also very cheap in Spain so this can also be used if preferred.

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