What are the liquor laws in Europe, if any? If I were to purchase a bottle of wine/cup of beer in a market, would I be able to drink it while eating a picnic outdoors?

Europe consists of a few dozen countries, which one are you asking about? To the best of my knowledge there's no law against having beer or wine at a picnic, but I don't know of very many places worldwide where that would be illegal.

Specifically Italy. I would very much like to make meals out of various items from a market (i.e. cheese, bread, produce and wine) and then take my picnic to a pretty vantage point. Would I be able to consume my wine with my picnic outside?

I'm no legal expert, but all I can say is that I've done it before and nobody seemed to notice or care.

Most of our European posters are asleep by now, but if you don't get an answer tonight, you might want to top this thread in the morning.

It sounds like you are you are using the terms "liquor laws" and "licensing regulations" interchangeably, and they are very much not interchangeable in many places in the US, and probably not so different in most of the countries of Europe.

There are <u>laws&lt;/uI&gt; that govern the sale of bottled (packaged) alcoholic beverages, and some about where you can consume them (and in some public venues, there are local ordinances against consuming alcoholic beverages on the premises). There are <u>licenses</u> that permit the sale of packaged alcoholic beverages, and then there are licenses for the sale of alcoholic beverages <u>to be consumed on the premises</u>. It would be quite rare in much of the US to find one place that has both kinds of licenses - - and almost none have a license to sell a &quot;cup of beer&quot; that you can walk out the door while drinking it.

But there may be more lax laws _and_ licenses for some kinds of establishments in some countries in Europe. You can buy beer and/or wine in various fast food restaurants in Europe, and I can't think of any prohibition against your walking out the door drinking those, frrom the places that sell them.

Best wishes,

Rex
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Oh, crap - - I messed up the underlining... <i><u>again</u></i>!

With your question more specific now...

&lt;&lt;Would I be able to consume my wine with my picnic outside?&gt;&gt;

Yes, with possibly some rare exceptions, I would say yes, for wine you bought in a store (or even if it was already opened - - such as the leftobver from a restaurant).

But you wouldn't generally find a <u>bar</u> that will sell you wine or beer to go in a plastic cup (I don't think)... for you to walk out the door with...

I'm no legal expert but I've drunk wine in public around Venice on several occasions. As above, not a cup of it purchased from a bar, but a full bottle from a wine shop (they sold me a cold white and opened it for me there).

One particularly memorable occasion when I'd gotten in at the crack of dawn off an overnight train and couldn't check into my hotel until the afternoon. Sat on the walkway by the Guidecca and drank white wine directly from the bottle! Yes, tacky I know but I was desperate and no one seemed to care about it one way or the other.

As I reread my post above, maybe next time I'd pack a plastic cup -LOL!

suze, the best way to drink wine is at 10am in Vevey. ;-)

Can I go with you next time suze? I'm tired of quaffin' pre-dawn wine with the fishermen in Marseille.

This has been discussed as far as drinking in parks in Paris... it is evidently not legal to drink in public, but- as long as you are being discreet (not being 'drunk'), no one pays any mind, including passing police officers.

Perhaps it's the same environment in Italy..?

Even within a country the law varies - some towns in the UK for example have areas where public (ie outdoors) drinking of alcohol isn't allowed

Switzerland: It's fine to say &quot;Prost&quot; and have a nice drink in the park. Just don't have an outright party or be loud and obnoxious.

Italy - it's fine to drink wine with a picnic. The Italians would think it most uncivilised if you DIDN'T.

What ISN&quot;T acceptable is to buy a drink at a bar and then sit down to drink it. They charge more for you to sit down, and provide waiter service for this.

as others have said, there is no one answer across europe or even across one european city (in most cases). but in general, in most places, a tourist would not be harassed by police if drinking responsibly in a park.

as a general rule, some european countries are draconian and paternal when it comes to regulating alcohol use and others are quite liberal.

likewise, some countries usage patterns are overall mature and responsible while other countries are largely characterised by irresponsible and dangerous use.

I've bought pannini in a little take-away place in Italy and got a quarter-litre bottle of wine and two plastic glasses with it.

My &quot;Italian daughter&quot;'s response: &quot;It's like so many of the laws in Europe...who cares?&quot;

Hi vl,

Yes, you may drink alcoholic beverages with your picnic almost anywhere in Italy.