Berlin smokefree?

[TeamPhilly]

We'll be travelling to Berlin soon and am curiosu how the smoke free policy is working? Are restaurants smoke free? Thanks.

[linguafood]

Ha! Smoke-free Berlin! Who knows when that'll happen. It's considered an issue of personal freedom here, not health.

But seriously -- as far as I know, most (if not all) restaurants are smoke-free. Bars & pubs? 50/50, I'd say.

[Pata_Negra]

oh no? that sucks. hope Berlin goes smoke-free soon.

it's completely smoke-free in Freistaat Bayern, even in the 'schwemme' area. the difference is enormous. it's so nice to be in my lieblingskneipen since the ban came into effect [one of the many reasons i love Bayern so much]. however i've read they have relaxed the ban a little since last august. there will be a smoking referendum this coming july.

[linguafood]

it's unbelievable how germany, along with austria and poland, is one of the few countries left in europe where the smoking ban has been met with such revolt on the public side, including bar owners, etc.

i'm not going to bet any money on a smoke-free berlin experience this spring/summer. >sigh<. now that i quit for good, i can't stand it anymore. "at least" up until last year, i would just give in and smoke along....

[TeamPhilly]

Reporting back from my original post. We had a great time in Berlin last August. Most of the restaurants were smoke free and it really made the trip so much better. BTW, Berlin is a great town!

[planesdrifter]

Too late to reply to your request but I hope others might see this. Berlin is filled with smokers and though you'll have an OK time with hotels and restaurants, the bars are another issue: totally smoke filled and our experience is that it seemed as if all the gay men in Berlin smoked making the bars and clubs (not to mention the locals) unbearable.