klondike

Yes, this is a very old thread, but water is always a necessity.

Where we live in Tuscany, the water is very hard--not unsafe, just heavy in minerals. I brush my teeth with it but don't drink it as it has a very distinctive taste that you notice if you drink a glass full. Bottled water is very cheap here so that's what we use.

Ackislander

The chances of anyone' s "stomach troubles" coming from water that came from a tap in Europe are so minimal as to be negligible. Scooping water from a "clear" mountain stream or from an open well is different.

The water may taste weird, certainly, but not worse than most of Florida or Oklahoma, owing to dissolved minerals, but gastric distress is more often due to improperly wished hands or food that has not been carefully handled.

tom18

I personally have seen some rusty tap water in Sicily and would not drink the tap water there.

nytraveler

I have used/drunk the tap water all over europe - except St Pet - and not had any problems. That said - in a lot of places it is hard and doesn't taste very good so we always order bottled water.

And while the water every place I have been is safe - that doesn't mean it can't upset your stomach if it's very different than what you are used to at home. However, IMHO unpeeled or unwashed fruit is more likely to cause upsets.

pctraveler

I have been to many cities in Italy and while I have often bought bottled water as a matter of convenience, I have always used tap water for brushing my teeth. A couple of years ago, our guide pointed out the public water fountains in Rome and I have used them ever since without incident.

michele_d

We drank the water in St Petes last year, no problems either.

dinsantamonica

I have been in Europe a while. Once in Italy, I continued to drink water from the tap. I felt fluish within five or so days and rested 2 solid day. I did not even think it could be tap water. As of last night, I will drink boiled water to see if my symptoms clear up in a day or two. It would be related to the types of bacteria in water that is not what the body is not used to. Good experiment that I hope ends well.

LSky

How and why do people top 11 year old threads?

cymraeg

I don't see that the age of a thread has anything to do with it. If the subject interests people then it can go on forever. Better than starting a new thread and having everything repeated over and over again.
I live in central Italy and have done for 30+ years. I have never drunk tap water and neither has my wife who was born here. We don't like the taste or the heaviness of it. Bottled water is so cheap and the fact that Italians drink so much of it must mean something.

In the days of the Grand Tour of course people cleaned their teeth with champagne

mamcalice

After 8 trips to Italy, it never occurred to me that the water was not safe to drink. I have seen signs on fountains and taps that indicated that the specific water in that location was not safe but, otherwise, we drink it.

We drink bottled water in restaurants but brush our teeth and drink tap water in our accommodations. I have never been ill. How do people know it is the tap water and not something they have eaten if they become ill?

kybourbon

>>>How do people know it is the tap water and not something they have eaten if they become ill?<<<

They don't.It's just anecdotal.

They are trying to phase out bottled water in the US as it's such a waste of resources and no better than the tap water. Italy hasn't got the memo yet, but their water is fine (just like most of Europe). They've had running water longer than the majority of countries. They even understood about lead in the water back in Pompeii times and took steps to prevent it.

suze

<<How and why do people top 11 year old threads?>>

LSky, since the first post that topped this was removed, I'm going to assume it was an advertisement.

29FEB

^^^"How in the world did you find this 11 year old thread???"

Many people use Fodors for research and they do this by using the search function.
Easy and informative.