{"id":11778,"date":"2020-03-16T14:44:00","date_gmt":"2020-03-16T13:44:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/madridfoodtour.com\/?p=11778"},"modified":"2020-03-16T14:44:00","modified_gmt":"2020-03-16T13:44:00","slug":"can-you-drink-tap-water-madrid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/dev.devourtours.com\/blog\/can-you-drink-tap-water-madrid\/","title":{"rendered":"Can You Drink Tap Water in Madrid?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Can you drink tap water in Madrid? And if so, how can you order it? What if you do<\/em> want a bottle?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve got all the answers and the context behind them\u2014plus tips for staying hydrated in Spain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Clear
Get the scoop on drinking water in Madrid. Photo credit: Pratik Gupta<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a classic tourist question, both for those headed to Madrid and elsewhere: \u201cCan I drink the tap water?\u201d But while it may sound clich\u00e9, this is serious stuff. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When traveling abroad, the last thing you want is to be sidelined by an easily avoidable virus or bacterial infection. In some places, it\u2019s better to be safe than sorry; in others, buying bottled water is totally unnecessary. So where does tap water in Madrid fit into the equation?<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Is It Safe to Drink Tap Water in Madrid?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s the short answer: yes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, Madrid has some of the best tap water in Spain. There is absolutely nothing dangerous, risky or even unpleasant about it. Madrid\u2019s tap water is totally clean and uncontaminated, and you should have no qualms at all about drinking it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re the (understandably) paranoid type, you\u2019ll be happy to know that according to the CDC<\/a>, tap water is safe to drink in all major Spanish cities. And if you\u2019re really curious, consult this infographic<\/a> to get a quick answer for any country in the world. Notice how nearly all of Europe is blue, meaning there\u2019s nothing to worry about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So What\u2019s With All the Bottled Water in Spain?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Now that you know tap water in Madrid is safe, you might be wondering why so many people seem to be drinking bottled. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people might swear that they \u201cdon\u2019t trust tap water,\u201d and insist on only drinking the bottled kind. This is not a uniquely Spanish phenomenon (after all, we\u2019ve all met someone who drinks only Evian). To each their own, but don\u2019t let those people intimidate you\u2014drink your tap water with pride!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This brings us to a whole other issue: drinking water in Madrid\u2019s restaurants and bars<\/a>. If you\u2019re from the United States, you probably take it for granted that as soon as you sit down to eat, your server will bring you a tall glass of water, or even a pitcher of it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is not the case here. You certainly won\u2019t be served tap water in Spain without asking, and even if you ask, you might not get it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Several
If you order water, most bars and restaurants in Madrid will serve you bottled by default. Photo credit: srgpicker<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

How to Order Tap Water in Madrid<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Imagine that you\u2019re in a Spanish caf\u00e9, restaurant or bar. You want a glass of water: nothing fancy, just some basic hydration. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You ask the waiter or bartender for agua<\/em>\u2026and they hand you a bottle. Now you have a choice: do you surrender, or stand your ground?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t be afraid to send that bottle back. Ask instead for un vaso de agua <\/em>(a glass of water) or agua de grifo <\/em>(water from the tap)\u2014or avoid this altogether by asking for that to begin with. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Usually they\u2019ll give in, but sometimes they\u2019ll resist. They might say they don\u2019t serve tap water, or that they only have bottles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s the thing: every food service establishment has a faucet. The only reason not to serve tap water in Madrid is that it\u2019s not as profitable as selling a bottle. It\u2019s up to you how far you\u2019ll go to get it, but as long as you\u2019re confident, you\u2019ll probably have success. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even if you’re not the confrontational type, trust us on this one. Spaniards tend to be much more direct when it comes to this sort of thing, so they\u2019ll expect you to be up front about what you want!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Wooden
You might have to insist a little bit, but most places will eventually serve you a glass of tap water if you ask. Photo credit: Alejandro Pinto<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

When to Drink Bottled Water in Madrid<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In most cases, bottled water in Madrid is unnecessary, overpriced and environmentally unfriendly<\/a>. But sometimes it\u2019s easier to swallow your pride and just drink it. So when is it acceptable or necessary to go for the bottled stuff?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re in a nicer restaurant, they\u2019ll probably expect you to order a drink. Even if all you want is water, you may have to spend a few euros on a bottle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Likewise, if you\u2019re ordering a men\u00fa del d\u00eda<\/em><\/a>, bottled water usually counts for the included drink. You can plead your case, but if you\u2019d rather just go with the flow, we\u2019ll forgive you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What about the plastic bottles of water that are sold on the street? If you\u2019re walking around in the sun, it\u2019s preferable to pay for one than to faint from dehydration. Just make sure you recycle it, and next time, bring a reusable bottle! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although (working) public drinking fountains in Madrid aren\u2019t exactly ubiquitous, they do exist\u2014some are even steeped in history<\/a>. And of course, you can always fill your bottle up from a regular sink.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Rectangular
A minimalist drinking fountain in Madrid, with a design that makes filling bottles easy. Photo credit: Daniel Lobo<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Overall, tap water in Madrid is nothing to worry about. Drink it to your heart\u2019s content, stay hydrated, and don\u2019t be afraid to ask for a glass of water if that\u2019s what you want. You might get a funny look, but if you ask us, it\u2019s way better than wasting money and materials on something you don\u2019t need!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spanish Tap Water FAQs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Can you drink the tap water in Spain?<\/strong>

All water in Spain is considered safe to drink. That said, if you’re not used to it, it can taste a bit off in some areas (mainly coastal cities like Malaga and Barcelona). If that’s where you’re headed, go for bottled\u2014the water won’t make you ill, but the taste can be off-putting.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

Update Notice: This post was originally published on March 16, 2020 and was updated with new text and photos on June 3, 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Can you drink tap water in Madrid? And if so, how can you order it? What if you do want a bottle? We\u2019ve got all the answers and the context behind them\u2014plus tips for staying hydrated in Spain. It\u2019s a classic tourist question, both for those headed to Madrid and elsewhere: \u201cCan I drink the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":13707,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"_oasis_task_priority":"","inline_featured_image":false},"categories":[53,82],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nDevour Tours<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"http:\/\/dev.devourtours.com\/blog\/can-you-drink-tap-water-madrid\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Can You Drink Tap Water in Madrid? - Devour Madrid\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\""Can you drink tap water in Madrid?" is a common question from travelers. 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