I am going to Italy. Since Rick says he fills his water bottle in a fountain, I assume that it's ok to consume water from the hotel faucet and to eat ice and salads?
Posted by
Portland, OR
282 posts
Yes - all the water is safe. It is nothing like Mexico.
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA
7737 posts
Italy is a modern Western European industrialized nation. The water is perfectly safe to drink. Just like France. But don't expect to get a glass of tap water at a restaurant. Most Italians drink only bottled water when out dining. The only exception about the water fountains is those that are prominently labeled "Non potabile" which means "Not drinkable". Also, don't do what I saw a spectacularly ignorant young tourist do. Do NOT fill up your bottle by dipping it into the water in the various decorative fountains around Italy. Birds were bathing and pooping in that water!! We'll never know how sick she got later after consuming all the bacteria swimming around in it. The drinking fountains usually look like this and in Rome are called "nasoni" or "big noses." They usually have a hole on the top of the bend. You plug the end of the tap with your finger and then water shoots out the hole, arcing out so you can drink it. Or just shove your bottle underneath and fill it up.
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23653 posts
Of course. You are not going to a third world country.
Posted by
Toledo, Ohio, US
11613 posts
Karen, some cities have better tasting water than others. Rome's is particularly good, always cool. Piazza fountains will have a separate "nasone" nearby, or a tap attached to part of the fountain. Restaurants in some cities will also serve tap water (from the "rubinetto") in a carafe instead of sealed bottles of water - this is fine to drink.