Yes! I am aware that cigarette smoking is injurious to one's health. That is why I do not smoke.

Having said that, can anyone tell me about the laws and customs in the cities of Italy pertaining to smoking? Is it outlawed in hotels, restaurants, bars? How about outdoor public spaces? Sidewalk cafes?

Looks like the trains are non-smoking. Is that all the trains or just the Euro-Star?

My travel companion smokes. I want her to have a good time and not be continuously suffering from nicotine withdrawal during our trip.

Thank you for any information you can provide.

Olive Oil

Hi OO,

Smoking is verboten on all trains.

When we were there in 2003, most patrons did not smoke in restaurants, etc.

olive oil,
Relax, your travel companion will be fine. While all trains are non-smoking you will see the train personnel get off at certain stops for a quick smoke. The outside areas of restaurants are now the smoking section. People rarely smoke inside. Most hotels allow you to smoke in the room. People still smoke in outdoor public places.

Henry

If smoking in the hotel room is important to her, she should check that it's permitted before making the reservation.

Technically the trains etc are non smoking.

However, look around and you will probably see the employees of said train gathered someplace smoking.

(Every time I go to the restroom in CDG, there are airline employees in there right under the non smoking sign puffing away)

My mother smokes and Europe is the one place where she doesn't feel like an outlaw. LOL!

Just out of curiosity, isn't poster olive oil different from poster OO, who used to be OliveOil (or something like that)?

Hi olive_oil, as others have said, your friend can smoke at an outside table. Do make sure she gets a hotel room that permits smoking. No smoking inside public buildings of any kind. No smoking on the trains. I am amazed, but the smoking law in Italy actually has worked.

Well except I was told that when going through customs in Rome a friend experienced the custom person having a cigarette, but nothing is perfect is it, lol.

You sound like a nice friend. My wishes that the two of you have a beautiful time in Italy.

Not that nice a friend, LoveItaly, it is guilt that motivated my last inquiry. I made the hotel reservations without even thinking about the smoking issue (doh!) because I don't smoke. So I thought I should figure out what the lay of the land is regarding the rest of the trip.

Yes, Neopolitan, OO and Olive Oil and olive_oil are all one and the same. I am not trying to be confusing. And I am still working on the same trip scheduled for November with my sister. A mere 43 days away.

Thank you all for the reassurances, it sounds like it should be manageable for her.

oo

There are ways to get a nicotine fix other than by smoking e.g., nicotine chewing gum and others. These can be helpful on a long non-smoking trip. Start before the trip to know your own reaction.

Strict anti-smoking laws were introduced in Italy in January 2005. Bars, restaurants and other public places can only allow smoking if they have a separate area for smokers which must be smaller than the space allowed to non-smokers. The practical result of this is that most bars, cafés and restaurants are entirely non-smoking. Smokers must usually go outside to smoke. All trains in Italy are non-smoking, like those in several other European countries.