If you’d like to spend some time in Athens but you’re not feeling like spending a fortune on bottled water, perhaps you’d be tempted to reach for the tap. But can you drink tap water in Athens? Is it safe? Let’s take a look.
Is tap water in Athens potable?
Opinions about tap water in Greece tend not to be the most flattering – though most of Greece has tap water which is safe to drink, its taste is so bad that most locals opt not to use it. This is especially common for islands and rural areas. Athens, however, is the one shining exception.
You may see some warnings in select establishments not to drink tap water, though it’s generally perfectly safe and not as bad tasting as in other parts of Greece. Locals drink it and you may be served tap water in restaurants, for instance. As such, we wouldn’t worry too much about triple-checking whether it’s totally safe in the more touristy areas of Athens, as it usually is.
Of course, if you have any doubts about the condition of the place you’re staying in or you gather from the staff/locals that this is an area where it’d be ill-advised, then you can always opt for bottled water or water filters. If you’d like to take a cruise from Athens to one of the Greek islands, we’d generally recommend you stay clear of taps. Just to be on the safe side.
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