5/11/0411:48 AM. And data agrees with him. This is younger than the lawful age of drinking in many countries. Check with local law enforcement what is the legal drinking age BEFORE drinking or purchasing alcohol while in the country. That’s the law, at least, although it isn’t always strictly enforced. Is there a drinking age in Italy? Original Post. Many people allow minors to have a sip of wine at meals. Answer 1 of 3: Hi all, I'll be travelling with my 16 year old son (who looks and sounds like an adult) to Italy, and I am after clarification about the laws regarding the consumption of alcohol by minors. Is it enforced? In Italy, most parents who have expressed their sentiments (in online forum or actual conversations) about other nations’ relatively extreme policy measures on youth’s allowable drinking age opine that it is through education, not revising laws to raise the legal drinking age, that will discourage irresponsible accident-related drinking. And often within countries. Ninety-six (96) countries/possessions in the world have a minimum drinking age of zero. I'm aware that the age to purchase alcohol is 18, but is it also the consumption age? Drinking Culture in Greece. J juicesluce Member. However, if you want to purchase alcohol and drink in public, you must be 18 years of age. This summer I am going on a class trip to Italy. Archived. For some countries in Europe, like Italy for example, children are eased into the drinking culture. In Italy, minors are not allowed to buy alcohol, but they do not incur in any administrative penalty or criminal charges for drinking alcoholic beverages at home or in public, unless they are drunk. Answer 1 of 2: I'm 16 and going to Italy in a few days with my family and was wondering what the legal drinking and buying age is for alcohol in Italy was?? Hi all, I'll be travelling with my 16 year old son (who looks and sounds like an adult) to Italy, and I am after clarification about the laws regarding the consumption of alcohol by minors.It seems to be a bit of a grey area. save. Some sources say the legal age is 16 others, 18. During the years 2006 to 2014 when the new study in Italy was conducted, the per-person consumption rates of alcohol in the U.S. stayed basically the same for all alcoholic drinking… 36,910,560: Spain: 16: 16: WHO lists the drinking age as 16; other sources say that the minimum age varies by region, that it is 18, or that minors may purchase alcohol if accompanied by their parents. Yet in recent years, more attention has turned to how much alcohol young people are drinking, not necessarily the age at which drinking starts. The legal drinking age is 18. We encourage our children to eat "local/regional" meals when travelling. It was raised from 16 to 18 in 2013, by the Italian health ministry. Close. report. share. Hi all, I'll be travelling with my 16 year old son (who looks and sounds like an adult) to Italy, and I am after clarification about the laws regarding the consumption of alcohol by minors.It seems to be a bit of a grey area. No age limits for drinking in Italy, but lately new rules and laws about alchoolic beverages have been introduced. Drinking age in Italy? I don't want to get drunk, just curious! Drinking, in private, may start at an early age in Italy.There's no law that pinpoints a beginning age for alcohol consumption, in private. Drinking age in Italy? Drinking age in Malta is 17 See below for more details on drinking age and alcohol purchase age in Malta This is not legal advice. 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