I'm looking for recommendations in Madrid and other Spanish tourist centers for restaurants that have serious non-smoking sections, not just a table off to the side.

Thanks.

I guess you can do a search in the soft guide or something. Don't know if anyone else has thoughts on that.

Spain is the wrong place to go, if you can't be flexible on that issue. They smoke more than any other country I have been to. I takes some getting used to for Americans.

Depending on the weather, you can opt for eating outdoors at cafes, but even then it would absolutely not be appropriate to give neighboring customers the "look of death" if they light up next to you (which my Mom did when she visited, I was really embarrassed). Nonetheless, the air will be clearer outside than inside the restaurants... When will you be traveling?

Nicole, that's funny about the look of death!! The VIPS chain of restaurants do have non smoking sections, for real, but the food and atmosphere is SO un-Spanish that I can only recommend it for breakfast (when indeed, the smell of smoke makes people the most sick if they are prone). The outdoor eating is good, but beware that those are the most expensive prices often (bar, cheapest; table indoors, next; table outdoors, aka terraza, highest). I bet if you just plan to eat a weeeee bit early you'll be fine. Go to lunch at 1:30 and dinner at 8:30 or 9. The places won't be crowded, and you can escape smoke. My way of battling it? bumming a cigarette. Not kidding. I only smoke in Spain. After a few days of second hand smoke, i crave some of my own!!!!

That is so funny! I too started smoking periodically while in Spain (although NOT ducados). For whatever reason, other people's smoke bothered me less that way.

And look at MissMadrid-- she couldn't wait to light up once she got to Spain! Well, it is a cultural thing. In the US, it is now impossible to 'enjoy' a cigarette. You don't want to set a bad example for your kids. You can't smoke at work, in restaurants, even in many bars. The cigarettes are expensive. Your doctors practically rush you to chest x-rays if you 'confess'. In Spain, they just don't take the health risks that seriously yet, and as a consequence, people do enjoy their smokes openly, unashamedly. It is only recently that people don't smoke in movies, buses, metros etc. When I studied in Spain in the 70s these things were common. Ya no digamos in airplanes: Iberia was notorious for putting the smoking section in the middle of the plane and the non smoking on the sides. so you could be next to a smoker anyway! Well, having said all this, I still think that most people can escape the smoke in Madrid as long as they don't have to frequent discos and crowded bars/restaurants at peak times.

It sounds like it will be a challenge.

Thanks for the thoughts.

Never smoked a cigarette in my life till Spain. I think it is when I finally tried one that the secondhand smoke stopped making me sick!