For Americans, ordering water at a restaurant is one of those things you don’t really think about.
You sit down, ask for water, and someone brings it.
No discussion. No special request. No charge.
But in much of Europe, that same interaction can play out very differently—and sometimes leave visitors wondering why they’re paying for something they’ve always gotten for free at home.
I recently read that Italy’s Supreme Court ruled that a 5-star hotel in the country that had continually refused to serve a guest tap water at its restaurant didn’t break any laws. This was after a woman filed a lawsuit after hotel staff said they would only serve her bottled water during a stay at the end of 2019.
She had stayed at the Hotel Sassongher, located in Corvara, in Italy’s Dolomites, between December 26, 2019, and January 3, 2020. She was on a package that didn’t include drinks.
During dinner, she’d asked to be given tap water. She offered to pay for it as a service charge, but hotel staff would only provide bottled water at a price of around 7 euros ($8.15).
She later filed a lawsuit asking for compensation of around 2,700 euros ($3,147), arguing that “water is a natural good and a universal human right of every individual, and that the free supply of a minimum vital quantity necessary to satisfy essential needs must be guaranteed, even in the event of arrears.”
The Italian Supreme Court disagreed.
The story had me shaking my head, both at the hotel and woman. But it also made me reflect on our own travels in Europe and how difficult it was at times to get plain tap water at restaurants.
Granted, there are some places around the world where it’s genuinely not safe to drink the water. And although there’s a small handful of countries in Europe where you shouldn’t drink the water, Italy isn’t one of them. But yeah, during our visits to Austria, France, Germany, etc., more often than not, if we asked for “water,” we’d automatically be served bottled. It was only in the U.K. that they’d sometimes give us the option of bottled or tap water.
Why is it so difficult to get tap water in European restaurants
Essentially, it’s less of a “difficulty” as much as “that’s how we do it here in the U.S., but that’s not how they do it in Europe.” Here are some of the specifics:
Different profit models
U.S. restaurants have slim profit margins, but in Europe they’re even smaller. Plus, because servers in most European countries earn wages that are less dependent on tipping, the restaurant has to get more money per table. So European restaurant owners are more likely to offer bottled water and charge for it, instead of giving away tap water for free.
Perception of water quality
In some European countries, it’s not just about profit – the locals genuinely prefer the taste of bottled water over their local tap water. Restaurant owners don’t want to offer water that their customers don’t like as much, so they only offer bottled water.
How to ask for tap water in Europe
Another issue can simply be the language barrier. Yes, a lot of people in Europe speak English. But not all of them do. And if you’re in a place that doesn’t cater to tourists, you may be in a place where, unless you’re ready to use a translation app on the fly, you have to point at things on the menu. So here’s how to ask for it in a few different languages:
- French: “une carafe d’eau” (translation: “a carafe of water”)
- German: “Leitungswasser” (translation: “tap water”)
- Italian: “acqua del rubinetto” (translation: “tap water”)
- Spanish: “Agua del grifo” (translation: “tap water”)
Where they *have* to give you tap water, if you ask
There are a handful of European countries where it’s required to serve you tap water…if you ask.
- France – Due to public health laws, bars, restaurants and cafes are required to provide one carafe of tap water, usually with meals, upon request. But you HAVE to ask for a carafe. “Tap water” won’t cut it.
- Portugal – Restaurants in Portugal are legally required to offer free tap water.
- Spain – Since 2022, all restaurants, bars, and cafes are legally required to provide customers with free, unpackaged tap water on request.
- Sweden – Restaurants in Sweden are legally required to offer free tap water.
- England, Wales and Scotland – Licensed premises that sell alcohol are required to provide free drinking water upon request. Northern Ireland does not have the same legal requirement.
Where travelers often report getting tap water when they ask
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Hungary
- Finland
- Iceland
- Ireland (when asked “Still or sparkling?,” ask for “tap”)
- Norway
Of course, local customs vary widely, and experiences can differ from one city—or even one restaurant—to another.
Where you might get pushback if you ask for tap water
There are still several countries in Europe that are under no obligation to serve you tap water – even if you ask:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Germany
- Italy
- The Netherlands
- Switzerland (although Ticino requires a free glass of water with a main meal, the rest of the country doesn’t)
For many Americans, the whole issue can feel a little strange.
After all, in the United States, free tap water is so common that most people don’t even think about it. It’s simply part of the restaurant experience.
But when you travel internationally, it’s important to remember that not every country approaches hospitality the same way. What feels normal at home may be unusual somewhere else.
So if you’re dining out in Europe and would prefer tap water, it never hurts to ask. Just don’t be surprised if the answer is “still or sparkling?”—or if a bottle shows up on the bill.
Because when it comes to restaurant water, Europe and America often speak two very different languages.
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