Pdizzle

I am going to Italy this July and I want to know what the legal drinking age is there, when i google it, no-one seems to tell a straight answer?
Help please

logos999

16

flanneruk

There's no legal minimum age for drinking in Italy - or in most civilised countries.

In most regions, you need to be 16 to be allowed to buy drinks of 10% alcohol content or below. You need to be 18 to buy stronger booze (though in practice, supermarkets don't seem to worry about wines of 12% content). Children 14 or over may drink alcohol in public establishments if it's bought by a parent or guardian: again, in practice, no-one seems to worry about younger children drinking small amounts of wine at restaurant meals.

There are more stringent rules in the region of Alto Adige, up on the Austrian border, where 16 is legally the minimum age for public consumption.

ira

Hey pd,

If you have to ask, you are too young.

Enjoy your visit.

nytraveler

If you're old enough to travel by yourself you're old enough to buy wine or beer. (Perhaps not hard liquor). When dining out and we ordered wine for the table my stepdaughters were served from the time they were 14 or 15 (and yes, their age was apparent).