Drinking water in Barcelona
 

I know that drinking water in Europe varies, and that in some places drinking only bottled water is recommended. I can't find information on the water in Barcelona. One guidebook says if you buy produce, you should wash it in bottled water before eating it, but I'm thinking that if the tap water is somehow not suited for drinking, there would be more warnings about avoiding it.

So can we make our morning tea with tapwater safely?

Absolutely. I'm curious, where in Europe are you meant to drink tap water?

I'd love to know the guidebook that says you should wash produce with bottled water - never heard this one before. Definately wouldn't use the guidebook either.

You can drink water from the tap in Barcelona and most places in Europe...

Spain has not been in the third world for some time.

The name and age of this guide book is ....

Or is this an attempt at humour?

>>>So can we make our morning tea with tapwater safely? <<<

Of course, boiling kills all germs. However, I have drunken it from the tap, too - without any problems.

Although I prefer drinking wine.;-)

Oops… Was I not supposed to drink the water? Too late now.
Really, the water in Barcelona is fine.

Does anyone actually believe that ALL the people in every city in Europe are actually drinking ONLY bottled water????

There are a couple of places in europe where water used not to be good - St Pet for a while had parsites - not sure of the current status.

Water almost everywhere else is safe (some places in Italy will have signs on fountains that are not drinkable) - but may still upset the stomach - due to a difference in chemical treatment and mineral content. Also, taste an vary a lot - some places the water has a strong taste.

I have seen it reco'd to wash or peel fruit before eating since manure can be used to fertilize the fields - and you definitely don;t want to eat that. But - don't you wash fruit at home for the same reason - but just with tap water?

As already noted, the information in you "guidebook" is a bit outdated, say mid-20th century...

One of the major problems I have with a number of guidebooks is all they do is gleam information from an earlier editions, or borrow someone else’s work, without bothering to check anything or update the facts.

We were in Saint Petersburg last year and they were still warning against using the tap water, even to brush your teeth.

Alas, the guidebook advising to wash produce in bottled water is Fodor's Spain 2010, page 839. Perhaps that section has not been updated.

Well ... as an spaniard with friends from Barcelona ... I must say that they prefer to drink bottled water. They also use bottled water to prepare coffee.
Water is perfectly fine in Barcelona, but the taste is a bit different, not so good as in Madrid or in the north.

Bye, Cova

Yes, it looks like Fodor's Spain fits the mold in this case.

There was a Barcelona TA thread about this awhile back. My recollection is that locals said they drank tap water but that it was customary to order bottled water in restaurants.

I drink bottled water when I'm traveling. I think it's an easy precaution to take especially if you have a sensitive stomach. Even if tap water is not 'bad' it's not what you are used to at home.

suze, I guess it would depend on where you're from. I have been drinking 'tap' water in Spain for at least 30 years, especially in the north, but then again, maybe that's the problem.

I drink tap water all over Europe (haven't been to St. Pete though) with no problems.

Hello!

In many places in Europe tap water is drinkable however mostly in Northeren Euorpean cities. When i was living in Paris, drinking tap water was absolutely fine, now i live in Barcelona i have heard many different opinions on tap water here. They say drinking tap water in Madrid in OK however in BCN try to avoid due to it being located neard the sea the water does have a different taste. Nevertheless it is drinkable, i know many people in Barcelona who actually drink tap water and many who prefer not to but nothing will happen if you do! I think it depends on the city and where it is located and where the water actually comes from.

Lifestyle Barcelona!

Tap water often tastes horrible and makes dreadful coffee, even though it is perfectly safe. Almost anywhere in Florida and the Oklahoma City area stand out in my mind.

In some older buildings, esp in the older parts of cities, the pipes are a bigger issue.

Drinking water in Spain is like other places.In fact water from Spain is drinkable,it has a good taste especially tap water.I didn't know whether there are many different opinions of water here.But i think tap water is more good for those,who have a sensitive stomach.Always ask for the best tap water when you visit tap water.