Torremolinos Travel Forum

I'll be going to Torremolinos next winter. I haven't ever been to the Costa del Sol, and I haven't been in Spain at all for twenty years. I'm assuming that the municipal water systems in all cities have been upgraded to preclude an danger from consumption of water from the local tap. Does anyone have current knowledge of the system in Torremolinos?

BUY BOTTLED WATER. PURE AND RATHER AFFORDABLE

Thank you for changing your attitude and giving me a reasonable response. As I said in my original post, I assumed this to be the case. My most recent visits to Europe have been to Italy, Germany, and Austria. I did not expect Spain to be significantly different from those three countries where I ingested the tap water with no consequence. I was just looking for some assurance that the same is true in Spain. Thank you again.

There is nothing wrong asking for sanitary conditions of tap water. There are issues with it in many EU countries. Tap water is "safe" in Spain, but may taste awful in some areas so many of we locals tend to drink only bottled water (never been to Torremolinos so I can't say)

However, as you might know, the most frequent disease among tourists, the "travelers' diarrhea", is related to different local bacteria and mineral composition of water around the world. Perfectly "safe" water may upset you stomach as you're not used to, it has nothing to do with lack of sanitary measures. Of course it not depends on political borders, but on geographical distance and local water characteristics. I've to say that the worse travelers' diarrhea I ever had was after a business trip to another Spanish region... (precisely because I was too confident... I guess than when traveling to "exotic" destinations all of we are more vigilant)

So, as bottled water is cheap and ready available everywhere, I would drink mineral water. You can safely use tap water to wash your teeth, no problem with ice cubes, and the odd glass of tap water now and then... provided there is not a sanitary alert (the same if you were traveling to any other "civilized" country). Travelers' diarrhea is related to the total amount of local bacteria you intake, so small intakes should be not a problem.

Thank you, again, ilargitxo. My reasearch indicates that what you say is undoubtedly true, in the summer. I will be there in January and February. I will also be with a group of compatible traveling companions. Our primary activities will be eating, sleeping, walking, and talking. We will do the few obligatory tours - Rhonda, Malaga, ferry ride to Morocco, etc., but most of the time will be slow and laid-back.

Think you have figured out it's safe by now, though it does taste a little bad and is a little warm out the tap. I usually buy bottled water but drink water from the tap with no adverse affects that I know of....( hair on your palms is normal, right?)

DON'T DRINK THE WATER IN MOROCCO THOUGH!!!! That's not in Europe as yet ;)

Random fact: Malaga has some of the cheapest tap water in Spain!

I agree totally with Belsaita's reply, can't get better than her answer.

That's what I wanted to say too, I drink it with ice cubes now and again when I run out of bottled. I live in an old building and wonder what the state of the pipes are like (this happens to me in every country). If you let it run for a while first is usually tastes better. In Andalucia in general the water is hard so tastes of.... hardness.

You are right too that 20 years ago they warned people not to drink tap water in the south of Spain!

Thanks, Julie. My last visit to Spain (20 years ago) was to the US Navy Base at Rota. The base was full, so I had to stay in a hotel out in town. We made it over to Cadiz while there. Our flight home was from the airport in Jerez del a Frontera. We got there by ship directly from the USA.

Just for those of you a little confused about Spanish history,Evil dictator Franco was in power right up until the 70's. He died in 1975, but of course things didn't change over night. making it 30 years ago, rather than 50 that Spain was held back.

It was also Franco who gave gave Rota (well the naval base) to the American's ;)

I always laugh at forum replies, look what a simple question about tap water can spark of.... talking about Spanish history.

Well to get back on topic on my bill it puts the results of an analysis of my water, which will be very similar to Malaga.

Nitrate <1,24
Ammonium < 0,034
Chloride 0,88

The amounts don't seem bad to me, maybe someone else knows better though.

Wow Cap'n, twenty years for you too, huh? Be there for the first time in 25 on May 2nd. I know what you all are thinking... how many more times is he gonna say he's coming over??? Well, as I said before, my wife and I are kinda excited, almost like DisneyWorld-excited (to use Disney as an adjective). Blint, yea, topics do vary after ten to twelve replies so I've seen. Regarding the base, having been stationed there for three years, people always forgot it wasn't an "American" base so to speak. The flag at the gate was Spanish and I really tried to remember I was a guest, even at 23 years old back then. Only 20 days till departure...yea, I'm countin'!!

I wouldn't say that Torremolinos is a village! It used to be but not now. It has improved over the years and I would recommend that you go down to the promenade and walk along to La Carihuela which is a small place with lots of great places to eat. I was there 2 weeks ago and had a great time.

Spain has come a long way in 20 years, the sea front promenades and beaches are all excellent.

As you are going in the new year I would take some wet and cold weather clothes but also something for warmer weather. I was there one January and although it rained there were 3 or 4 days of glorious sunny, warm weather and we all got a tan!

Chris