I have been gleefully planning a trip to Portugal to celebrate our twentieth anniversary and my fiftieth birthday. Recently somebody on the forum suggested that non-smokers think twice about visiting Portugal. This bummed me out quite a bit. We live in Vermont where just about the only place you can smoke is in the trunk of your car. So, even after years of living in NYC, we are in fact pretty spoiled now and not used to smoke everywhere. How have others handled the problem in Portugal? Was it such a big deal? Thanks.

Funny you should mention smoking and Portugal because I always remember being in the Lisbon airport and a man lighting up a cigarette as he was walking off the jetway from the plane. I was shocked (and I'm a smoker) at the lack of smoking restrictions inside of an airport no less! This was in 2002, maybe things have changed now. Since I am smoker I don't remember how smoky restaurants and other public places were. I just remember that I was permitted to smoke just about anywhere.

Come to Italy, I can't smoke anywhere here anymore. New law passed this month banning smoking in all public places unless they have a separate smoking area which I have yet to see here in Genoa...so it is basically all non-smoking now.

As a fellow smoker, I am curious as to how this new law in Italy applies to hotels. I am trying to reserve rooms with smoking allowed in the room, and am hearing that it's against the law now, "but we don't have spy cameras in the room." Other hotels say no problem. Amy, perhaps you can tell me how the law affects hotels now?

Castleton, I have wondered about hotel rooms also. From what I understand the outdoors and private homes are excluded. So yes, what is the situation with hotel rooms? I would think (but sure do not know) that so many Europeans visit Italy that hotel rooms will be excluded but again do not know.

Oh, just remembered (how could I forget) I have a friend in Italy that is a night manager at a hotel. I will e-mail him right now for the answer to your question and will post it here as soon as he replies.

Thank you, Love! I would really appreciate a straightforward response from someone in the know. Absolutely, let me (er, us) know what he says.

I was in Portugal (Lisbon) in 2003 and I don't remember a lot of smoke anywhere. It wasn't a problem at all for us. I think I would have noticed if it had been really smoky.

Preciousbane, when are you going? It's easier to breathe fresh air in Europe in the warmer months when you can eat your meals outside at the cafes and restaurants. I've just come back from Paris where they smoke everywhere, and I will tell you that I had a hard time with the smokiness. The tables in restaurants are so close together and it's inevitable that you will breathe second-hand smoke while you are eating.

We adored Portugal, have visited twice, although some 10 years ago now. My husband and I don't smoke, never have, and in fact my husband is allergic to the smoke. And neither one of us can remember any time when there was a problem. I think part of the reason was because it is so beautiful in Portugal that you tend to spend most of your time outside. Hopefully, you can get some more current information to put your mind at ease, but I can't imagine not seeing Portugal if you have the chance. Good luck.

Castleton, he is real slow answering e-mails (unless he is coming here to see us then I get about 30 in one day, LOL)but in my message I told him I needed him to answer immediately!! And I will nag him if he doesn't. I am good at that . I won't forget, I promise.

Casttleton, I am amazed, I got the email!

My friend said Yes, you can reserve a smoking room in a hotel in Italy. He said just make sure you tell the hotel you want a smoking room at the same time you reserve the room.

He did not go into details but knowing him as well as I do I assume that maybe some hotels no longer have smoking rooms so you would want to make sure the hotel you reserve with does.

Hope this helps with your trip planning.

Preciousbane, we highjacked your thread,, my apologies!

Do have a beautiful trip to Portugal. I have never been there but everyone I know who has raves about it.

Thanks for the clarification, Love. I am aware that many hotels have gone completely non-smoking on their own in the past few years, but I needed to know if it was still permitted in those that still choose to accommodate smokers. I take it this law, then, doesn't apply to hotel rooms.

Castleton, the law. I don't know. But as others have stated so many times in Italy the first thing to be broken are the laws, LOL.

My friend said just to be clear when you book the room at the hotel that you have to have a smoking allowed room. Italy depends on tourist so this does not surprise me.

Now whether the hotel you want allows smoking is another matter. I would not smoke in a hotel room where it is a non-smoking room. But it sure appears that you can find a hotel room where you can smoke. Good luck, and have a fantastic trip.

topping this so preciousbane will see it as she/he posted another thread.