Disclaimer: Please drink responsibly and don't drink and drive. The content of this article is meant to inform but we do not advocate overconsumption, or the abuse of alcohol. Drinking excessively will cause harm to your body and mind. Seek help from a professional if you have a problem, or if you think you might have one.
Visiting Ireland without having a Guinness is like going to London without seeing Big Ben.
Is it illegal? No, but it’s something you’ll wish you checked off of your travel bucket list.
Do you know what else is legal in most European countries? Drinking alcohol under age 21.
The minimum legal drinking age in the vast majority of European countries is 18. Others range from 16 to 20, depending on where it’s served, its alcohol content, and if it’s within the presence of an adult.
Heading to Europe for its low minimum drinking age? Be responsible, be reasonable, and if you’re going to get ripped, be wise enough to arrange safe train travel back to your hostel or hotel.
Image Credit: Getty Images, LedLopezHdz
The legal drinking age in different European countries
Visit Europe as an 18 year old and you should rarely find obstacles to alcohol, especially in countries like France, Italy, Spain, Germany, and the Netherlands.
What is the legal drinking age in France?
Legal drinking age: 18
What to drink: Champagne
Where to drink: The Champagne region, naturally
When to drink: Autumn’s annual Champagne et Vous Festival
Whether you’re on a high school graduation trip or on your first collegiate backpacking trip, you’ve surely got a pin on your map for Paris. Sightsee and spot scenes from shows like Emily in Paris, then get on the train and see the less crowded beauty of France. Head to the Champagne region and impress even the most discerning connoisseurs with how you handle a glass of Dom Perignon, despite being little older than the vintage itself.
Drinking age in Spain
Legal drinking age: 18
What to drink: Sangria
Where to drink: Any tapas bar, preferably in view of the beach
When to drink: After a long day of sun worshiping
You can plan a trip to Spain on Madrid’s tapas bars alone; just don’t forget that Spain’s also got one heck of a coastline to explore. Go from the platform to the playa and you’ll find refreshing sangria waiting for you at the bars and clubs. Indulge, especially if you’re on your last summer vacation before college. You’ll make memories—or lack thereof—that’ll last a lifetime.
Legal drinking age in Italy
Legal drinking age: 18
What to drink: Regional wine (as hyperlocal as possible)
Where to drink: A quiet vineyard surrounded by endless hills
When to drink: Harvest season, September through October
If you grew up in an Italian family, your lips probably knew the taste of vino before you hit your teenage years. Unfortunately, the laws in the country are a little different than at nonna's house: you need to be 18 to drink in Italy. Still, a glass of wine with a fine Italian meal is something that even a grad fresh from high school can appreciate like any seasoned-swirling adult.
Drinking age for Germany
Legal drinking age: 14/15 with parent, 16 for beer/wine, 18 for spirits
What to drink: Pilsner or Hefeweizen/Weißbier beer
Where to drink: Munich’s Hofbräuhaus
When to drink: Oktoberfest for the beer
German drinking culture is way more accessible than you’d believe: just see “kinderbier”, the children’s beer that 14 and 15 year olds can drink with a parent or guardian, if you need proof. Americans rightly assume Oktoberfest is the ultimate time to visit Germany, but you can find a friendly crowd gathered at a biergarten any day of the year. If Bavaria doesn’t convince you to belly up to the bar for a beer, visit Germany’s Christmas markets and feel all warm ‘n’ fuzzy inside with a cup of cheerful Gluhwein.
Image Credit: Getty Images, Klaus Vedfelt
Drinking age in Amsterdam
Legal drinking age: 18
What to drink: Jenever (Dutch gin)
Where to drink: Canalside cafe or Koffie Huis
When to drink: Spring when flowers bloom around the city
You watch the clock melt in a coffeehouse or drink a pint while basking in the neon of the Red Light District, but we prefer pleasures as delicate as Holland’s tulips. Namely, a glass of Jenever whilst sitting along a canal. Just as there’s much more to the Netherlands than its capital, so too is there more to Amsterdam than its acceptance and availability of sex and drugs. The Dutch gin is easy on the body and airy on the mind, (and purchasable thanks to the low Netherlands drinking age), which is exactly what you need if you actually want to enjoy semi-sober museum hopping.
Toast to European train travel with Trainline
Responsible drinkers are rewarded on Europe’s trains, many of which allow you to purchase booze on board or bring your own to sip and savor. And for our sober riders, you’ll find an ample selection of non-alcoholic beverages for sale as well.
Download the Trainline app today and plan your own bar crawl across Europe.
Header Image Credit: Getty Images, Marco_de_Benedictis. Image Location: Burano, Venice, Italy.
