Rick Steves' Clever Tip To Avoid Paying For Water At Restaurants In Europe

As Americans, we travel to Europe for a number of reasons. We visit to learn about a different culture and explore centuries-old history. Of course, we also go to experience the food. Whether you're having coffee and a croissant at a small cafe in Paris or enjoying a delectable pasta meal in a restaurant in Rome, dining can be the best part of your trip. However, it can also be expensive. That includes being charged for bottles of water rather than automatically getting the free tap water we're used to in the U.S. Thankfully, travel pro Rick Steves has a clever piece of advice to help. He's given us all sorts of tips in the past for eating like a local or how to order coffee. And his tip for ordering water can save you money in some countries. On his website, Steves says, "While it's possible to get tap water, to do so you may need to be polite, patient, and inventive." It's also important, he notes, to know the right phrase. A translation app can be useful here.

European countries differ in terms of whether they offer tap water upon request, and whether or not it's free. Steves explains that you'll be charged for it in Belgium, for example, and in Denmark, restaurants charge unless you're ordering another drink. He also says that it's not offered in Greece, though it never hurts to ask. Politely, of course.

You may find that you get an odd look when you ask for tap water in European restaurants. Yet some countries are actually required by law to bring tap water if you ask. According to EuroNews, establishments in Spain are required to offer free tap water, and restaurants in Portugal aren't allowed to charge if you ask for it. In the United Kingdom, H2O from the tap has to be given upon request if the business serves alcohol. In France, tap water is always free. However, you can be charged for tap water in other countries, such as Germany and the Netherlands. While Italy isn't required to offer free tap water, there is a large network of free public water fountains across the country that have cold, and pretty delicious (from experience) water, so you can fill up to your heart's content. All of that said, the bottled water that you pay for in Europe can be tasty, whether you get it with bubbles or without. (Rick Steves says to try the bubbly kind.)

Another way Steves saves money while dining in Europe is by having picnic lunches instead of hitting a new restaurant for every meal. You can pick up sandwiches and drinks at the local grocery store (which gives you a real sense of what it's like to live in a different country), and perhaps a nice dessert at the local bakery to enjoy at a park. However, if you plan on dining out, check out Steves' advice for weeding out touristy restaurants in Europe.