Is the Water Safe to Drink in Rome?
(Plus How to Find Free Fountains)
Whenever I take a tour group through Rome, there seem to be concerns about drinking water, especially during the summer heat. Which is interesting, because Rome is possibly the easiest place to find drinkable water and refill stations. Here is exactly how and where.
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Where to find drinking water in Rome?
Buying a 1€ water bottle several times a day, especially at 38°C where you go through water like its air, can get expensive quickly. And while sellers in Rome will try to convince you otherwise, buying water is 100% unnecessary. All you need is a refillable bottle.
Not only is tap water in Italy and hence Rome safe to drink, they have water fountains called Nasoni at every corner. Nasoni means big nose and refers to the fountains look, with a long cast-iron spout that the water comes out of.
The Nasoni water is safe to drink, tastes good (in my opinion) and is often even cold.
Pictured above is a Nasoni, and if you cover the main spout the water comes out of with your finger, the water will spray up through a smaller hole, perfect for drinking from. I usually just refill my water bottle with them though.
Rome also recently added some fancier refill stations, they usually look like dark green boxes and offer still and even sparkling water. There is one just outside Colloseo station for example.
Why do restaurants not offer tap water then?
You may notice that despite this perfectly drinkable tap water and the countless fountains, you will practically never get free tap water at a restaurant. This isn’t meant to scam you or get as much money out of you as possible, but more a culture custom.
Italians take their food and hospitality very seriously, and it is said the hard minerals in tap water could affect the taste of the food. It is hence considered rude to serve it to guests. At least that’s how my local friend explained it to me.
It’s a charge to expect like the Coperto, the cover charge of usually 2-4€ you pay for sitting at a restaurant in Italy. You can just see it as a tip (though it’s not the same) and you usually get bread with it too.
Speaking about tipping, this isn’t necessary in Italy, but rounding up a bill is considered nice if your waiter was especially good.
Where to stay in Rome?
Rome has many amazing hostels and hotels, however it can quickly get expensive. Check out my full budget accommodation guide, including some incredible hotels, out here.
Some of my favourites are:
$$$ Maalot Roma
FAQ about Rome:
How much money do you need per day in Rome?
From my personal experience and leading backpacker groups through Rome, you can expect to spend around 100€ per day. That would mean budget-friendly hotels/hostels and Italian street food for lunch instead of two big meals.
Accommodation is minimum 40€ per person per night, activities around 20-30€ per day, food from 30€ per day (local restaurants and street food) and transport 3-8€ per day.
Do you need cash in Rome, or are credit cards accepted?
I’d say 95% of the time you do not need cash and credit cards are fine. I have seen a few stores who don’t accept American Express, but other cards are fine, but usually most stores in tourist areas accept any cards.
For smaller shops and markets, you can sometimes get a discount when paying cash as vendors have to pay high fees on card.
I’ve very rarely come across any place that does not take card, it’s usually street stalls or local shops.
Do you have to book Colosseum tickets in advance?
Yes, ideally buy your Colosseum at least 1-2 weeks in advance as times sell out quickly in peak season. Make sure to buy through the official site, I have had a few guests book through fake sites that looked almost identical but charged triple.
The Colosseum & Roman Forum ticket without a guide should be € 18.00!
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