Europe
Can you drink tap water in Greece?
YesYes, drinkable
Can you drink the tap water in Greece?
Tap water is safe to drink. Safe in Athens, Thessaloniki and most mainland towns. On many islands water is desalinated or trucked in; locals drink bottled.
Key facts
- Safely managed drinking water: 97% of people (2024, WHO/UNICEF JMP).
Tap water by place in Greece
| Place | Verdict | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Athens | Yes, drinkable | Athens tap water is safe to drink, though some people dislike the chlorine taste and buy bottled water. |
| Santorini | No, drink bottled | Tap water is desalinated and brackish; drink bottled water and use it for cooking. |
| Mykonos | No, drink bottled | Tap water is desalinated and salty; drink bottled water. |
| Crete | Filter or boil | Water quality varies by town and is often hard or chlorinated; most people drink bottled or filtered water. |
| Rhodes | Filter or boil | Tap water is treated but heavily chlorinated or hard in some areas; most people drink bottled water. |
| Corfu | Filter or boil | Tap water is treated but often hard or chlorinated; most locals and visitors drink bottled water. |
| Thessaloniki | Yes, drinkable | Tap water is safe to drink, though some find it hard; many locals use bottled or filtered water. |
| Naxos | Filter or boil | Water is mostly from wells and desalination and can taste salty; most people drink bottled water. |
| Paros | Filter or boil | Water is partly desalinated and can taste salty; most people drink bottled water. |
| Zakynthos | Filter or boil | Water is treated but often brackish or chlorinated; most visitors and locals drink bottled water. |
| Chania | Filter or boil | Water quality varies by area and is often hard or chlorinated; most people drink bottled or filtered water. |
| Milos | No, drink bottled | Tap water is brackish or desalinated and tastes salty; locals buy bottled water. Refill from large bottles where possible. |
| Kos | No, drink bottled | Tap water is treated but heavily mineralised; locals and visitors drink bottled. Fill from larger bottles to cut plastic. |
| Kefalonia | Filter or boil | Tap water varies by village; many residents drink bottled. Check with your host before drinking. |
| Meteora | Yes, drinkable | Kalambaka tap water is generally safe; locals drink it. Carry a bottle on hikes. |
| Halkidiki | Filter or boil | Tap water varies by village and can be salty near the coast; most residents and visitors use bottled water. |
| Ios | No, drink bottled | Tap water is desalinated and salty; use bottled water. Plastic bottles can be recycled at the port. |
| Lefkada | Filter or boil | Tap water is treated but quality varies by village; many locals drink bottled water. |
| Nafplio | Yes, drinkable | Tap water is treated and generally safe, though minerals give a taste; many locals drink bottled. |
| Skiathos | No, drink bottled | Tap water is salty or treated; most visitors and residents drink bottled water. |
| Hydra | No, drink bottled | Water is desalinated and salty; drink bottled water. Locals do the same. |
| Peloponnese | Yes, drinkable | Safe in Nafplio and Kalamata. In some coastal villages locals drink bottled water because of taste. |
| Thassos | Filter or boil | Most locals buy bottled water. Tap water is safe for brushing teeth but often tastes of chlorine or is trucked in on some beaches. |
Tap water by place
Sources
- World Bank: safely managed drinking water
- US State Department travel advisory
- Ministry of Migration and Asylum
- Visit Greece (Greek National Tourism Organisation)
- Hellenic Train
- European Commission: Entry/Exit System
- World Bank open data
Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.