Little-known Spanish holiday rules that could see you hit with £2500 fine

Scottish Sun

17 hours ago

Multiple cities across Spain are expected to be brought to a standstill during MORE planned protests this month
HOL NO Little-known Spanish holiday rules that could see you hit with £2500 fine
IT'S that time of year again where Scots tourists flock to Spain and its islands to party or relax during some time off in the summer.
With thousands of miles of stunning coastline, a warm climate and world-class food and drink, it's easy to see why the country is a top visitor destination.
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Areas of Spain have brought in some new rules which holidaymakers must follow
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Scots are set to flock to the sunshine hotspot this summer
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Some parts of Spain have become a party spot for a lot of tourists
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Brits have been a particular target of the protests in the past
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But tensions continue to rise between locals and holidaymakers over rowdy behaviour and disturbances partly caused by overtourism.
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Thousands of anti-tourism protesters flooded the streets of Spain again in April.
Brits have been a particular target of the protests in the past, as they are amongst the most loyal visitors to sunny spots like Majorca and Malaga.
Protesters were even urged to superglue the locks of holiday rentals to render them unusable and cause a nuisance.
These were the first mass anti-tourist protests of the year, following on from a string of furious demonstrations last summer.
Huge crowds across 40 different Spanish cities took to the streets to send a clear message that holidaymakers are not wanted.
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And the Spanish government are continuing to clamp down on the issues raised by locals.
Locals claiming their homes have been turned into playgrounds for tourists have put pressure on the government to set strict rules in place that put a stop to unruly tourist behaviour.
New regulations could land rule breakers whopping fines of up to £2,500.
Tourists will now need to be careful about where and how they drink in certain hotspots.
Thousands of anti-tourist protesters flood Spanish hols hotspots & call on mob to super glue holiday rental locks
Public drinking in Llucmajor, Palma, and Magaluf, along with Sant Antoni in Ibiza, is banned - unless it takes place in clearly designated areas approved by authorities.
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The new rule also extends out to sea covering party boats within one nautical mile of the towns.
Holidaymakers who don't follow the rules could be hit with a hefty fine starting from £450 for minor offences and up to £2,500.
Those opting for a relaxing stay at an all-inclusive resort have been warned that alcohol rules apply there as well.
All-inclusive guests are limited to a strict limit of six drinks a day - three in the day and three in the evening.
Alcohol cannot be bought in shops from 9.30pm to 8am - but bars and clubs can continue selling.
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Anti-tourist measures sweeping hotspots
A WAVE of anti-tourist measures are being implemented across Europe to curb mass tourism in popular holiday hotspots.
Overcrowding has become the main problem in many sunny destinations, with authorities trying to find a solution to keep tourists and locals happy.
Officials have attempted to reduce the impact of holidaymakers by implementing additional taxes on tourists, or banning new hotels.
Earlier this year Venice became the first city in the world to charge an entry fee for holidaymakers after it started charging day-trippers €5 (£4.30) if visiting the historical Italian centre.
It was followed by an area in Barcelona which resorted to removing a well-used bus route from Apple and Google Maps to stop crowds of tourists from using the bus.
Meanwhile, San Sebastián in the north of Spain, limited the maximum number of people on guided visits to 25 to avoid congestion, noise, nuisance and overcrowding.
The city has already banned the construction of new hotels.
The Spanish government has allowed restaurants to charge customers more for sitting in the shade in Andalucia.
Benidorm has introduced time restrictions, as swimming in the sea between midnight and 7am could cost a whopping £1,000.
The Canary Islands are also considering adopting measures to regulate the number of visitors - and charge tourists a daily tax.
Greece has already enforced a tourist tax during the high season (from March to October) with visitors expected to pay from €1 (£0.86) to €4 (£3.45) per night, depending on the booked accommodation.
Officials in Santiago de Compostela in Galicia want to introduce a fee for travellers to remind people to be courteous during their trips.
The four main spots affected by these restrictions are Ibiza, and Magaluf, Playa de Palma and El Arenal in Majorca.
But there are some locations the rule isn't in place.
Here's where you can visit without the six drink restriction:
Alcudia, Majorca
Cala D'Or, Majorca
Cala Bona, Majorca
Cala Millor, Majorca
Santa Eulalia, Ibiza
Es Cana, Ibiza
Playa Den Bossa, Ibiza
Port Des Torrent, Ibiza
People could also be fined between £640 and £1,300 if their drinking "disrupts coexistence, involves crowds or deteriorates the tranquillity of the environment".
If the offence is considered serious, the fine could range from an eye-watering £1,300 to £2,500.
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Carry ID
Both tourists and Spanish citizens must carry a state-issued photo ID with them at all times.
Failure to produce an ID on the spot when asked by the Civil Guard, National, Regional or Local Police can result in being detained.
You can be held at a police station until your identity is confirmed.
Holidaymakers have been warned that ignoring direct requests or challenging a police officer may be viewed as "disobedience", which is a criminal offence.
Sarah Slattery, a former travel agent, advises sunseekers to prepare ahead by photocopying their ID and passport in case they're stolen while abroad.
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She said: "It is not something we like to think about, but is it possible that you could be a victim of a crime on holidays, or you could simply loose your passport or other documents.
"I suggest photocopying or uploading images of your passport, tickets and insurance policy to the cloud before you travel.
"This is an important part of your holiday checklist, and once you have uploaded images of your passport once, they will be there for your next trip."
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Thousands of anti-tourism protesters flooded the streets of Spain again in April.
Credit: Getty
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There are a number of rules tourists should follow while at the beach
Credit: Getty
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Bad beach behaviour
In some Spanish seaside towns, going to a beach between midnight and 7am can cost tourists hefty fines of £640 to £1,000.
Swimming when the red flag is flying can cost £850.
Sleeping or camping on the beach can result in a sickening £1,000 bill.
And placing a parasol or towel to reserve a space comes with the risk of a possible £130 fine.
Smoking on the beach has a fine of up to £1,700 and alcohol is strictly banned - even when illegal beach vendors are offering it up at cheap prices.
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And urinating in the sea can get you a fine of £130.
In parts of Benidorm and Tenerife, building a sandcastle on the beach could also cost you up to £130 - the fine does not include kids and is aimed towards larger "sand architects".
Shirtless stroll
Going shirtless or stepping out in a bikini while walking in specific public areas is a huge no-no in some parts of Spain.
If you get caught by the police in the street then you can get fined up to £500.
Barcelona, Malaga and Benidorm are known as the spots tourists breaking this rule get caught out the most.
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Why is Spain clamping down on tourists?
MANY of Spain's most popular tourist destinations have been introducing tighter regulations for tourists as we approach the summer.
It's a response to a fierce anti-tourism backlash in Spain.
Locals blame tourists for crowded streets, traffic jams, a proliferation of souvenir stalls and generic coffee shops and restaurants and spiralling cost-of-living prices.
Anger is also growing over the impact tourism is having on housing, with short-term tourist accommodation driving up the cost of rental properties.
The new measures aim to mitigate the issues caused by overtourism and ensure a more sustainable tourism model.
Stay clear of protests
On June 15, several Spanish cities are expected to be brought to a standstill when locals take to the streets to protest against mass tourism.
The demonstration in Palma, Majorca will be held simultaneously with similar marches in Ibiza, Lanzarote, Tenerife, Barcelona, Valencia, Bilbao, Donostia-San Sebastián, Santander and Pamplona.
Some cities in Portugal, Italy and France are also set to see protest action on the same date.
Tourists have been warned to "stay clear" of any protest action, amid fears that growing anger over mass tourism could make demonstrators more hateful.
Cap on cars and caravans
Ibiza introduced a limit on the number of tourist cars and caravans that can visit the island.
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From June 1 until September 30, the number of vehicles used by non-residents will be capped at 20,168.
Only 16,000 of these will be allowed to be rental cars.
The other 4,108 will be for tourists who want to disembark with their cars in Ibiza from the ports of Barcelona, ​​Denia, Valencia, or Palma.
Vehicles heading to the sunshine hotspot must obtain prior online authorisation first.
Those making the journey in caravans must present a confirmed reservation at an authorised campsite on the island to make it through.
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