It’s only in Denmark you can get alcohol when you are 16, most other European countries have an 18-year-old restriction.
If you look like you are older then 18, they won’t bother with ID’s unless they are very strict, if you look like you’re 17, or even younger, then you shouldn’t count on being let in.
I guess you won’t have a problem at all getting in somewhere. The legal drinking age in the Netherlands and Denmark is 16, the other countries in western Europe keep it at 18. But especially in the more southern countries wine drinking is part of culture, and even youngsters drink it. I assume I don’t have to start about eastern Europe.
Thank god it’s not as strict as the US, I’m 27 and still have to show my ID… :S
I guess you won’t have a problem at all getting in somewhere. The legal drinking age in the Netherlands and Denmark is 16, the other countries in western Europe keep it at 18. But especially in the more southern countries wine drinking is part of culture, and even youngsters drink it. I assume I don’t have to start about eastern Europe.
Thank god it’s not as strict as the US, I’m 27 and still have to show my ID… :S
It’s interesting here in the United States. We have the most restrictive rules on alcohol than most western nations but we’re the most leniant when it comes to drunk driving. You can’t buy a brew until your 21, some places have time restrictions on when booze is sold yet one can get up to 5 DUI’s before his/her drivers license is suspened.
Call me crazy but if you’re trusted to vote at 18 then you should be able to buy a drink…legally.
It’s only in Denmark you can get alcohol when you are 16, most other European countries have an 18-year-old restriction.
If you look like you are older then 18, they won’t bother with ID’s unless they are very strict, if you look like you’re 17, or even younger, then you shouldn’t count on being let in.
Just to make it complete… here in Central Europe legal age is 18 in every country, but there is usually no problem to buy alcohol in shops. The shops here sell alcohol to everyone, including small kids. In pubs and bars, you at least have to look like you are 18, but not always. I had no trouble getting drunk here when I was 15. Maybe one in five bartenders asked me for an ID, and if he did, I just moved to another pub where they didn’t care.
If you have any questions about Prague or Czech and Slovak republics, ask me.
Drinking ages in Europe vary by country and administrative region, but it’s never higher than 18. And even if you’re under the legal age by just a few years, the law is not strictly enforced.
Keep in mind the difference between Europe and the USA:
In America, the legal driving age is 16, and the legal drinking age is 21. So, if I provide alcohol to someone who drives a car but is not legally allowed to drink, and that person gets intoxicated and causes an accident, I can be found liable. So, logically, I’m going to be very careful about who I give or sell alcohol to, and/or who I allow in my bar (where someone else might offer them a drink).
In Europe, the driving age is 18, and the drinking age is at most 18. And people are generally far less dependent on automobiles to get around, anyways. If I give alcohol to someone under the legal drinking age, I don’t have anything to worry about…it’s not like they can drive. Additionally, it’s a big part of the culture…beer in northern Europe, wine in southern.
Quote:
ORIGINAL: HeidiStGu
It’s only in Denmark you can get alcohol when you are 16, most other European countries have an 18-year-old restriction.
Quote:
ORIGINAL: Joeri
I guess you won’t have a problem at all getting in somewhere. The legal drinking age in the Netherlands and Denmark is 16, the other countries in western Europe keep it at 18. But especially in the more southern countries wine drinking is part of culture, and even youngsters drink it. I assume I don’t have to start about eastern Europe.
In the Southern countries (Portugal, Spain, France, Malta, Italy, Greece, Cyprus), it ranges from 16 to 18, but is not enforced. Wine is a part of the culture, always present at the dinner table. You never see guys at the door checking ID, or waiters at restaurants asking you for ID. OTOH, public drunkenness is rare (except in areas frequented by northern European tourists), and generally frowned upon by the local cultures.
In germany the drinking age is 16 for drinks with not so much alcohol like beer and wine. And for the “hard stuff” it is 18. But you shouldn’t have any problems getting into a bar or club when you are 17.
In European countries, the drinking age varies from 18 to no age limit at all. Public drunkenness is by and large socially unacceptable, and drink-driving laws are very strict.
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oliviaharis DUI
I don’t think you’ll have much trouble because I think the drinking age is 16 in Europe.
Eat the food, use the wrong verbs, and end up getting charged double.
It’s only in Denmark you can get alcohol when you are 16, most other European countries have an 18-year-old restriction.
If you look like you are older then 18, they won’t bother with ID’s unless they are very strict, if you look like you’re 17, or even younger, then you shouldn’t count on being let in.
Where are you from? How much yngr than 18 are you? Some more details would be nice
I guess you won’t have a problem at all getting in somewhere. The legal drinking age in the Netherlands and Denmark is 16, the other countries in western Europe keep it at 18. But especially in the more southern countries wine drinking is part of culture, and even youngsters drink it. I assume I don’t have to start about eastern Europe.
Thank god it’s not as strict as the US, I’m 27 and still have to show my ID… :S
It’s interesting here in the United States. We have the most restrictive rules on alcohol than most western nations but we’re the most leniant when it comes to drunk driving. You can’t buy a brew until your 21, some places have time restrictions on when booze is sold yet one can get up to 5 DUI’s before his/her drivers license is suspened.
Call me crazy but if you’re trusted to vote at 18 then you should be able to buy a drink…legally.
Just to make it complete… here in Central Europe legal age is 18 in every country, but there is usually no problem to buy alcohol in shops. The shops here sell alcohol to everyone, including small kids. In pubs and bars, you at least have to look like you are 18, but not always. I had no trouble getting drunk here when I was 15. Maybe one in five bartenders asked me for an ID, and if he did, I just moved to another pub where they didn’t care.
If you have any questions about Prague or Czech and Slovak republics, ask me.
Drinking ages in Europe vary by country and administrative region, but it’s never higher than 18. And even if you’re under the legal age by just a few years, the law is not strictly enforced.
Keep in mind the difference between Europe and the USA:
In America, the legal driving age is 16, and the legal drinking age is 21. So, if I provide alcohol to someone who drives a car but is not legally allowed to drink, and that person gets intoxicated and causes an accident, I can be found liable. So, logically, I’m going to be very careful about who I give or sell alcohol to, and/or who I allow in my bar (where someone else might offer them a drink).
In Europe, the driving age is 18, and the drinking age is
at most18. And people aregenerallyfar less dependent on automobiles to get around, anyways. If I give alcohol to someone under the legal drinking age, I don’t have anything to worry about…it’s not like they can drive. Additionally, it’s a big part of the culture…beer in northern Europe, wine in southern.In the Southern countries (Portugal, Spain, France, Malta, Italy, Greece, Cyprus), it ranges from 16 to 18, but is not enforced. Wine is a part of the culture, always present at the dinner table. You never see guys at the door checking ID, or waiters at restaurants asking you for ID. OTOH, public drunkenness is rare (except in areas frequented by northern European tourists), and generally frowned upon by the local cultures.
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Holland has no technical drinking age. Only a buying age of 16.
In germany the drinking age is 16 for drinks with not so much alcohol like beer and wine. And for the “hard stuff” it is 18. But you shouldn’t have any problems getting into a bar or club when you are 17.
In European countries, the drinking age varies from 18 to no age limit at all. Public drunkenness is by and large socially unacceptable, and drink-driving laws are very strict.
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oliviaharis
DUI