Travelling to Europe... buy tobacco there or bring with?

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nukatpiat

Lurker
Mar 20, 2016
10
0
Seattle WA
Long time lurker, first time poster. I can't find any discussion about this in the forums so far. I'm going to do some work in Barcelona for a few weeks. I've only just gotten back into smoking pipes after a fifteen year break but I'd enjoy a pipe in the evenings while I'm there.
I'm wondering if I should take tobacco with me and deal with declaring it at customs or buy it when I arrive. I've worked in Europe before during my break but never noticed whether you can easily get pipe tobacco. I also cannot afford very high priced tobacco. I like the lighter English blends at the moment. I'm just planning to take a cob pipe.
Has anyone had personal experiences with traveling to Europe they can share?

 

latbomber

Part of the Furniture Now
May 10, 2013
570
4
Welcome! I lived in Europe for a year in 2013/14 and traveled all around while carrying sometimes very large amounts of tobacco and I never encountered any problems.
As far as selection, you will find a better selection of Dunhill, Samuel Gawith and H+H as well as some codger blends you cant get in north america, however there seems to be a total absence of cornell and diel as well as gl pease (some of my favorites)
The pricing is definitely higher than buying from an american online store but still way cheaper than in Canada.
I would bring a tin of your favorite blend but also check out whatever tobacconists are in the cities you'll visit

 

yorkshirepipe

Starting to Get Obsessed
Nov 26, 2012
136
0
I would agree with the above - take something with you but also see what the local tobacconists have to offer.
I'm not sure what the selection is like in Spain, but as mentioned above, will likely be plenty of Samuel Gawith and Petersons.

 

averagegent

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jan 22, 2016
127
0
Living in Europe, and travelling the parts I don't live in quite frequently, I can say that though it depends what country you'll be in, you won't have too much trouble keeping a steady stock! The only warning I have is that tobacco is a lot more expensive over here than in the US...

 

deathmetal

Lifer
Jul 21, 2015
7,714
32
Good question:
http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/duty-free-stores-for-pipes-and-tobacco
http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/pipe-tobacco-at-heathrow

 

jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,565
27,066
Carmel Valley, CA
No on duty free, at least not anything you'd want. Take a full supply with you. Buying in Europe is nuts in my book, unless you're a regular traveller there: If you find something that you can't live without, it will cost an arm and a leg to resupply once back in the States.
Bon voyage!

 

simong

Lifer
Oct 13, 2015
2,532
15,276
UK
I've recently come back from Barcelona, I came back with a load of tobacco & I recommend you do the same. Capstan/ St Bruno / Condor at 5 euros a 50g pouch it's ridiculously cheap. There's two proper tobacconists in Barcelona, both near the cities two main cathedrals. Both have a healthy selection of English & European brands, do the math & grab yourself a bargain.

 

rigmedic1

Lifer
May 29, 2011
3,896
75
Most of the places I traveled to allied you to bring up to 150 grams of tobacco into the country. You should check the immigration websites from the country you are visiting to see. The US allows more coming back to the country, but the totals are geared for cigarettes. Amsterdam, Bucharest, and Gibraltar were incredibly easy to find pipe tobacco in, and Gibraltar especially had brands That were difficult to find in the US. Mostly anything I found in Italy could be purchased back home, same with Bucharest.

 

stvalentine

Part of the Furniture Now
Jan 13, 2015
808
13
Northern Germany
Oh common guys, Europe isn´t something like Central Africa! In Spain there are usually a lot of tobacco shops. Mostly they stock cigarettes and cigars these days but Barcelona is a large city with visitors from all over the world so pipe tobacco should be no problem. :roll:
Take a look here: http://www.nelso.com/es/barcelona/tobacconist/

 

nukatpiat

Lurker
Mar 20, 2016
10
0
Seattle WA
I'll take an ounce of starter with me and pick some up as soon as I can get to those tabacs, then.
Thanks all, this forum is so helpful.

I appreciate it!

 

pipefish

Can't Leave
Aug 25, 2013
341
6
Here ya go nukatpiat....enjoy your trip!
http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/pipe-tobacco-retailers-in-barcelona-spain

 

jefff

Lifer
May 28, 2015
1,915
6
Chicago
I have not tried this out of the country yet, but when I travel I bring a freshly opened tin with a pipe or two packed in my carryon. Never had a problem. The one time I took a sealed tin, they made me open it.

 

jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,565
27,066
Carmel Valley, CA
One reason I don't take tins! Repack in double wrapped thick plastic bags. Several tins - even one- puts up an alarming profile on baggage scanners.

 

jazz

Part of the Furniture Now
Feb 17, 2014
813
65
UK
Spain is cheap for tobacco and in the times I have been there I have never had any trouble finding a tobacconist with choices. As someone mentioned though, don't expect to find American leaf like Pease and C&D. You just don't see it in Europe. I know of one place here in the UK that has a little and it is beyond expensive.

 

cigrmaster

Lifer
May 26, 2012
20,249
57,280
66
Sarasota Florida
What is the deal with customs? I am planning to go to Europe soon and was going to bring a bunch of my tobacco, a hell of a lot more than 150 grams. I was going to start in Italy and then go other places.

 
When I travel, my mind races to all possibilities, the plane goes down near a deserted island, apocalyptic divergent landing in some remote land, left floating on your seat for days. I would want some tobacco handy in those instances. But, yeh, I would buy it while there too. Especially those plugs and flakes that we are getting gouged on here. I would buy a box of chocolates and throw the candy away and put a plug of tobacco in each space, te get more back into the US. Buy a boxed collector's ornament and remove the shredded paper or peanut packing stuff and use ribbon cut to protect the ornament. A stuffed toy animal full of... Yeh yeh, I know... I'd end up rubbing one out in a Turkish prison like Midnight Express.

 
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