The recent heatwave has given Brits a taste of the sunny life and left many eager to book a break and soak in the summer sunshine.
With more than 55 million trips booked in 2023, and roughly two million holiday-goers expected to jet off this Easter weekend alone, many will make a beeline for the affordable, short flights to Europe’s home of sunshine, Spain.
Spain is littered with must-see sights; coastal beaches; and Mediterranean towns full of cultural architecture, shopping and food. Offering every form of holiday under the sun, the country is made up of colourful city breaks in Madrid and Barcelona and historical sight-seeing in the Islamic south of Granada’s Alhambra. Spain also offers its fair share of youthful party islands like Magaluf in Majorca and the bucket-list Ibiza, as well as the slightly calmer beaches of Malaga and Alicante.
As Spain is one of Briton’s most flocked-to destinations, Slingo’s brand marketing Coordinator, Dom Aldworth, has laid out the laws to stick to for a guaranteed good time in the vastly popular country, and to avoid fines which can reach up to £25,000, Mail Online reports.
Majorca has warned returning tourists that any inappropriate or disrespectful behaviour will be met with strict fines and that there will be ‘zero-tolerance’ for vandalism, drinking on the streets and any outbreaks of fighting.
Dom advices holiday makers to familiarise themselves with Spanish culture and research the local customs, traditions, and laws of the place you wish to visit in order to avoid any potential trouble – for others and yourself. This sound advice applies globally, however, Spain’s doubling down on tourists also includes the noise level each visitor makes too.
Slingo’s representative states his second rule specifically for Alicante – the Valencian seaside city. Now announcing heavy fines for noisy tourists, Alicante’s regulations are tighter versions of their 2019 rules placed by the city council. These simple rules against tourist noise pollution, however, could cost Brits over £25,000 if breached.
Dom’s advice? Don’t play loud music on the beach or on speakers, and avoid speaking at too loud a volume whilst inside your hotel.
The country as a whole has declared that tourists will now be fined as high as £8,000 for not having legal proof of their accommodation whilst travelling. This translates into a booking confirmation letter or email – which is easy enough for hotel stayers, but for those visiting friends and family that reside there, proof becomes a lot more complicated.
Those who are visiting a resident will now be required to contact the local police for this proof, which is stated as the host’s responsibility to arrange. A statement will be provided, but only if the resident in question is a Spanish national, an EU citizen living in Spain or a non-EU citizen with legal residence. Dom advises all who wish to visit Spain to arrive prepared with documented proof pre-flight as it will save them thousands.
Cities like Benidorm have announced a new change to their tourist law: a beach fine for any who steps onto its sandy coasts between midnight and 7 AM. In an effort to preserve its beaches and prevent potential crime, Benidorm’s fines are a significant sum that can land between £640 and £1,030 and will also target romantics opting for a night-time swim or sleeping under the stars.
Introduced because of the beaches’ increase in swimming incidents and lack of unavailable lifeguards, the country has stated it no longer wants to waste extra resources on local emergency services guarding restless tourists.
The law is designed to protect people from potential pickpockets who infamously scour beaches at night for left belongings. It is therefore best to schedule in all beach activity whilst enjoying the sun.
Plain and simple: removing your clothes on a non-nudist beach will result in a fine of £560. The silver lining? There are actually many nudist beaches dotted across most Spanish holiday spots. If a tan with no lines is your ultimate goal this summer, then make sure to research which beaches are clothes-free spots and which are family-friendly.
Furthermore, drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes on the beach in Benidorm are a complete ‘no-go’, with fines reaching from £650 to a scary £1,700, respectively. This comes from a fear for health conditions as well as general policy against littering.
Only use registered taxis, says Dom, referring to the UK government level warning to Brits that advised against rogue taxis this summer. Those caught in unlicensed taxis will now be chargeable of fines up to £512. Because of transport risks, Brits are urged to ensure their taxis and airport transfers are booked your taxi through a council-licensed firm.
If you’re after a ‘lad’s holiday’ or a party weekend with the girls, then those planning for Majorca or Ibiza this summer should be conscious of where exactly they’re going. With authorities tightening up on the usual madness expected from venues in these party districts, club-goers may face a fine of over £25,000.
This fine would be a result of the place being unlicensed or unruly, and which targets anyone involved, including innocent attendees. Mostly held in Spain’s private homes and villas, these parties lack typical safety measures such as: emergency exits, capacity limits, and trained security staff needed for licensed bars.
Aldworth finishes his Summer in Spain list by saying: “Before you pack your suitcase, it’s important to educate yourself on any travel rules, especially as new regulations are announced every year”.
He adds that, in this way, “you can enjoy your holiday whilst staying safe and being respectful to local laws. By travelling with awareness of the local culture and regulations, you can contribute to a positive travel experience for yourself and others”.
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