BARCELONA has been named the best city in Europe for free drinking water with 18 water fountains per square kilometer in the Catalan capital.
A study by travel insurance company InsureandGo has revealed that Barcelona is the best city for travellers to stay hydrated for free.
With the highest number of heat-related incidents in summer months, free drinking water is easy to come by in the city – welcome news ahead of a summer set to record sweltering temperatures.
Valencia also makes the top ten, ranking fifth in Europe with six free water fountains per square kilometre.
Meanwhile, the capital Madrid, comes in at number ten with three fountains in a kilometer radius.
Outside of Spain, Switzerland’s largest city Zurich takes second place with 11 water fountains per kilometer, narrowly beating Paris with 10.
Southern European countries Spain, Italy and France dominate the rankings with Lyon, Turin and Milan also making the top ten.
The news comes as Spain is preparing for a scorching summer with meteorologists reporting that the country could experience unusually high temperatures thanks to a ‘Super El Niño’ phenomenon.
Every few years, the El Niño phenomenon brings warmer, drier conditions to southern Europe as the Pacific Ocean warms.
This year, meteorologists predict that the ‘Super El Niño’ could bring even more extreme conditions this year.
With record-breaking temperatures of 46C recorded last June, this summer could be another scorcher.
For Spain’s cities, providing accessible and free drinking water is central to taking care of visitors and locals as temperatures soar during the summer.
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