Cigar-friendly Europe?

Heres a list of laws related to indoor smoking bans, in places such as restaurants and bars (I have this because I have a relative who has asthma and so can't be around smokers):

Austria-No ban.
Belgium-Bars only.
Czech Republic-Banned.
Denmark-No ban.
England-Banned indoors.
France-Banned.
Germany-Partial ban on non-bars.
Italy-Banned.
Portugal-No ban.
Scotland-Banned.
Spain-banned.

One point to mention about Austria. I was there in May and apparently a "partial ban" covering smoking in at least indoor locations is expected soon.

I have a major problem with the smoke also, and I soon learned which restaurants already had "no smoking" policies, and where the best outdoor patios were.

Cheers!

There are two places in England where I adore smoking a good cigar.

Number one is The Turf in Oxford. It’s got to be the hardest pub to find in the world ( Enter Bath Place from Holywell Street, even though it looks like a dead end, find the small gap between the houses at the bottom on the left, follow the passage until you see The Turf ). Of course you can only smoke in the front garden but with a pint of Brakespear’s and a good Havana ( there’s an excellent tobacconist’s on The High just down from Carfax and on the right hand side ) - life is great.

Number two is sitting on a pub seat outside “Charlie’s“ ( The Prince of Wales on the corner of Drury Lane and Great Queen Street in London ). You can buy the best Havana cigars at Dunhill’s on Bond Street, head for “Charlie’s” and a pint of London Pride and watch the world go by.

There’s also one other place I love. In the small town of Delft in The Netherlands on Kornmarkt is a great bar called ‘Locus Publicus’. On a warm afternoon it’s a great place to sit on the pavement, smoke a panatella and drink a glass of Trappist brewed beer.

In Denmark, smoking has been banned in pubs and restaurants for almost a year now, there are exceptions for small bars less than 40 sqm and special smoking rooms in restaurants where food is not served.

I think that smoking a nice cuban cigar in an english pub is one of lifes greatest pleasures

Here's one for your files...the Port Institute in Lisbon Portugal...great place to visit...they will pour you great Ports to taste...some very old...they will serve you tapas (we had something like Serrano Ham and olives and nuts) and you can buy great cigars there and smoke them there! The fun part is getting there...it's up the hill from the Restauradores on the funicular (known as Calcada da Gloria).

Thanks, Bill! Porto is on my list of places to visit, since I'm a big fan of port vino with cigars.

Plus, one of the Camino de Santiago trails cuts through there (I walked the most popular route, the Camino Frances through northern Spain, last year), and the trek provides many opportunities to sample various food and wines (not to mention stogies).

Erik,

You're welcome. If you go, try late afternoon...that way you can savor the Port...have a cigar...and afterward, go down the hill and eat dinner at one of the barbeque chicken places (for Piri Piri Chicken...so good) along the Restauradores row.

I agree about the "small pleasures" aspect, although I lean towards French cafes and Spanish bars. But a stogie in an English pub sounds fine by me :-)

I believe there is a cigar mecca in Amsterdam, a very old store/museum where you can try all sorts of stogies and get some insight into cigar history. That would be a fun place to check out someday (I missed it on my first visit to A'dam).