This may be silly, but...?

Question

I'm leaving for Rome in a few days, and it's just occurred to me to ask: Is it okay to drink the water in Rome (and the rest of Italy)? Or, should I stick to bottled water?

Answer 1

The water is totally fine to drink.  I started drinking the water here the first day I arrived from America and never once have I been sick.  It tastes a little bit different, but so does water from town to town all across America.  

Actually, the water for the fountains across Rome and Italy comes from underground springs.  People line up in the city center around various fountains, carrying baskets full of bottles to fill up from the fountains.  At the villa where I live with my fiancee's family, we drink water that we get from a random spout coming out of the ground down in the little town where we live.  We can certainly afford to buy bottled if we like, or just get water from the tap at the house, but the family prefers the fresh taste of this water over others.

The water is fine to drink!

Edited to add:  It is true that if you order water in a restaurant it will always be bottled- I have never even seen tap water served at a restaurant.  I have no idea why, that is just how they do it here.  But if you buy a bottle of water while walking around, don't be afraid to fill it up form a drinking fountain- or even a big decorative fountain!

Answer 2

most tap bottle is drinkable.."acqua potabile"

on trains, in stations etc...if it written "acqua non potabile", do not drink it

It is easier to buy bottled....always cold as things here are starting to heat up...and least you are sure what you are drinking

Enjoy your stay here in italy and have fun

Answer 3

Italy is a top consumer of bottled water, and what do they say? When in Rome...

you forgot to say that Italy is a top producer of bottled mineral water: it's quite normal that we are also top consumers.....

Public water in Rome is drinkable, it's pure, and it's very good (of course, not that on trains...).

It's in our DNA: ancient Romans built a lot of aqueducts to convey pure water to Rome!!!

Answer 4

Don't drink the water! It won't agree with your body! European tap water is awful. If you don't want to be in the bathroom for hours stick with the bottled stuff. If you ask for water in a restaurant it will be bottled! Italy is a top consumer of bottled water, and what do they say? When in Rome...