I made a reservation for my favorite Rome restaurant and have been told two different things by the person answering the phone. The first told me they could only seat me in smoking which will not work. I called back to get a smaller table on a different night and was told that all restaurants are now non smoking in Rome.

Can anyone clarify? We really hate cigarette smoke and especially at dinner it simply is not an option to dine with smokers.

When we were in Rome last December, all restaurants (not pub or bar places) were non-smoking. My younger son has very bad allergic reactions to smoke, so we always look for no-smoking sections. But we had no problem in Rome.

This was news 3,5 years ago, 1.1.2005:

"Italy's 14 million smokers are bracing for a new anti-smoking law which comes into force Monday. It bans them from smoking in public places including bars, restaurants, discotheques and offices.

There have been two delays in applying the regulation, but now the die is cast: As of Monday, private homes, the open air or special places reserved for smokers will be the only places to light up. Plainclothes police will patrol the country's 240,000 eating and drinking establishments on the lookout for miscreants," press reports said.

elina, I am familiar with the law but have also seen it ignored. I was wondering at the reality of it and if it was being enforced.

Last year we had no issues in restaurants in Italy but since they were so specific on the phone, I wondered about their enforcement of the law...and since they do not have outside seating it did not make sense.

Come to think of it all the restaurants we ate at were smoke-free when we were in Rome in April 2007.

I have never seen smoking allowed in a restaurant in Rome. If they have outdoor seating, it is allowed there.

Maybe they call "smoking" section the outdoors tables Last time I was in Rome (two years ago) it seemed every bar or restaurant had a few...even in January

Yes, the restaurant no doubt referred to the "smoking section" as the outdoor dining area kfusto. Some restaurants have heaters so customers can sit at the outdoor tables. You shouldn't have any problems if you have a table inside the restaurant.

There is no outside dining at this place. I will call again tomorrow and see what they say.

In my experience the no-smoking-inside is true for all over Italy.

I can't recall a restaurant in any location where there was smoking inside...and this includes two winter trips. Smokers went outside despite the freezing cold.

On another travel site, a poster provided a link to restaurants in Italy that have indoor smoking rooms:

http://www.italianodoc.com/fumatori/locali.fumatori.htm

Apparently, they do still exist though not in large number.

Perhaps others will find this info useful.

Thank goodness Italy has entered the 21st century.

Are you implyling that half of the United States has not?

Are you implying that half of the United States has not?

I'm currently in Rome and haven't run into any smoking indoors. Outdoor cafes have plenty of smokers.

I sure am....although admitedly the economy of Italy is not dependent on selling tobaco despite the cost in human life.