11 Best Countries For Weed Consumption And Vacation This Summer In Europe (No, Spain Is Not No.1 But It’s Close)
“The world is a book and those who don’t travel read only one page.” Saint Augustine
Summer is here and it’s time to pack your bags and do some sightseeing. Why not head over to Europe, which according to UN Tourism is the most popular tourist destination in the world. In 2023 alone, tourism reached 94% of its 2019 pre-pandemic levels, supported by demand and travel from the United States.
Why Europe?
There’s a multitude of different cultures, cuisines and it hosts the most important historical sights all packed into a relatively small geographical area. This enables visitors to experience so many things in just a two-week trip, according to travel enthusiasts on Reddit. Then, there are friendly visa policies and safety, which are considered among the best as compared to other global destinations.
And let’s not forget how Europe is often romanticized in movies (there’s a reason!) with themes like princesses in castles or finding love in Rome. Speaking of Rome, if you’re an art lover, that’s your city.
But what if you are a cannabis lover? If you want to spice up your travels by enjoying your favorite herb, then you should carefully choose your destinations. Benzinga did the job for you and has meticulously compiled a list of the 11 best countries for weed consumption in Europe.
Countries on our list have not necessarily legalized or decriminalized adult cannabis use, but are cannabis-friendly. This means that marijuana consumption is tolerated. To rate these countries accordingly, we also took into account how affordable it is to travel there and its popularity as a tourist destination. So, let’s dive in.
11. The Netherlands
Contrary to widespread belief, cannabis has not been legal here over the last decade, it’s just been tolerated. A lot. While the authorities were turning a blind eye to consumption, cannabis cultivation and supply to the popular coffee shops was completely illegal. In 2023, the country of windmills and tulips finally launched legal marijuana as part of a four-year trial across the country.
According to BudgetYourTrip, a one-week trip to the Netherlands for two people costs, on average, $2,642, including accommodation, food, local transportation and sightseeing.
Photo: Courtesy of Chait Goli via Pexels
10. Austria
In 2016, Austria partially decriminalized the personal possession of marijuana. This means that if a person is caught in possession, but has not been implicated in any drug-connected offense in the last five years, their case would not be pursued. The country of baroque architecture, coffee culture, winter sports and Alpine traditions is worth the trip.
One week’s trip to Austria for two people including accommodation, food, local transportation and sightseeing, averages $2,272.
Photo: Courtesy of Szabolcs Toth via Pexels
9. Germany
Marijuana became legal in Germany on April 1st, making it the third country in the European Union to legalize adult-use cannabis after Malta and Luxembourg. Under this first pillar of cannabis legalization, adults over 18 can legally possess up to …