Water at restaurants

For many travelers, aside from visiting all of Italy’s beautiful historic sites, one of the most exciting things about traveling somewhere like Rome is getting to taste some real, authentic Italian food. However, at the end of a delicious meal, many travelers will find a little surprise on their bill. Water.

Now when I say a little surprise I do in fact mean little. Water at a restaurant will usually cost about 1 euro or 1.50 at the most. Still, for those who come from the States this may come as a bit of a shock since we are so used to being served water free of charge. And although this is not admittedly not a huge expense, if you are still interested in finding free water in Rome then you are in luck. Rome has an ancient culture of providing free clean water, all around the city.

In Rome you can always find free water

It is true! And it is safe to drink. Water running right on the street all day long. Yes, the street. I know this sounds unsanitary and that you may not believe me, (I was skeptical at first too), but the water running from the small fountains along the streets of Rome is completely safe to drink. It even has higher standards for cleanliness than the bottled water that is sold in Italy.

Many tourists spend the majority of their day walking all around Rome from one historic site to another. So, for these visitors, keeping hydrated is obviously very important, especially during the summer months. Thus, these fountains can be a very valuable and even economic resource, and they are all over the city. So when you are preparing for your next visit to Rome, make sure you don’t forget to pack a water bottle!