Introduction
When you plan to travel, you should inform yourself about the customs of the foreign country you want to visit. It refers to food you should taste, the way you behave and the climate you can expect. Many countries have rules and laws which are not applied in your country. For example, holding hands, hugging, and kissing in public is considered unacceptable in Dubai. If you follow the rules, you won’t offend the host. You will also avoid many inconveniences and the possibility of going to prison.
Before we start with the most important part, here is a little statistic. Tourists love Spain. Over 30 million people visit Spain in one year. The most visited places in Spain are Barcelona, then Madrid, Seville, Palma de Mallorca, and Grenada. The supreme Spanish law is the Spanish Constitution of 1978. It regulates the functioning of public bodies and the fundamental rights of the Spanish people.
In the following lines we will discuss Spanish laws you should know before you pack your bags for Barcelona, Valencia, Mallorca, Malaga, Seville, or any other area of this beautiful country. Invest some of your time in research and get the most out of your trip to the land of matadors.
Conduct deep research
Doing a deep dive and researching well will help you discover Spanish history and culture. Also, it will help you prepare for all the situations you might encounter. Did you know that you are not allowed to drink outside in Spain?
Money, money, money – must be funny
Did you hear about the 85-pound rule in Spain? From January 1, 2022, you have to prove that you have the minimum amount of 100€ (85 pounds) per day if you want to take a vacation in Spain. That includes a minimum of 900€ in total.
Besides the contents of your wallet, at a Spanish border control, you have to show a return or onward ticket. As well as proof of accommodation for your stay. It entails a hotel booking confirmation or invitation from your host. If you stay at your friend’s or family’s, you should have an invitation to show anyway.
We don’t smoke here, you know?
At beaches in Barcelona, on Ibiza, Menorca, Mallorca, and the Balearic Islands, it is prohibited to smoke. You may ask why I couldn’t smoke outside. Yet, it is very logical when you think of numerous visitors beside you. They want to smell the scent of the sea and trees; and not the smoke of your cigarette. You would face the fines up to USD 2000 if you break this rule.
Suit up!
You may want to walk to the beach dressed as lightly as possible. But you should know that bikinis and swimsuits are only allowed at the beach. It is also not permitted for people to walk the city topless. For your walk from and to your accommodation, you should wear clothes. It could be challenging because of the high temperature. However, you should follow that law to avoid getting a fine.
Nudists gonna nude
We admit that swimming naked is one of the greatest feelings ever. However, you can’t practice it wherever you want in Spain. The law here strictly forbids nudity on non-nudist beaches. You could pay up to 800 USD for disobeying this prohibition. Anyhow, you can enjoy swimming naked on the Playas de Vera, Andalucía; Playa de la Pelada, Tenerife; or Maspalomas Beach, Gran Canaria. These nudist beaches will be happy to welcome you.
Watch out for your skimpy outfit!
In Seville, you shouldn’t hang your underwear to dry outside your yard or even your house. It is considered inappropriate and offensive. This fairly conservative city in the south of Spain thinks of it as an affront to morality. So you should dry your panties out of sight of the Sevillians.
Watch where you do your business
It sounds logical that you have to go to the toilet instead of doing your business in the sea. Yet, the authorities in Vigo, in the Galicia region, had to impose the rule about that. You would have to pay approximately USD 800 if caught.
No bathing, only swimming
We understand you want to wash out the sea salt from your skin after a long day on the beach. You should know that you are not allowed to do that on the beach. Don’t bother to bring shampoo, shower gel, or hair conditioner with you. You can face a fine of approximately USD 800 for using it at the seaside. This is so because the chemicals in these products can harm marine life.
Fortunately, sunscreens are allowed at beaches. So you can be protected from UV radiation while enjoying the sun and sea.
Bring sandwiches and snacks to the beach
Everybody gets hungry after swimming, sunbathing, and playing in the sea. But if you plan to grill some burgers on the beach, don’t. You can face a fine of approximately USD 3000 for barbecuing on the beach in several parts of Spain. In some areas, you can ask the authorities for permission to hold a beach barbecue, but there is still a possibility you won’t get it.
Unfortunately, your dog can’t always keep you company
It sounds a little strict, but dogs are not allowed at public beaches. Spain’s Ley de Costas (Beach Law) wants to keep beaches safe and clean. You can face a USD 3000 fine if you bring your four-legged friend. Yet, there are plenty of dog-friendly beaches in other municipalities. So your best friend and you can enjoy the Spanish Sea and the sun somewhere else.
Nap on the beach during the day is ok
Who doesn’t like to take a nap in the shade of a palm tree? Luckily, you can do that in Spain. But taking a nap or sleeping on the beach at night is illegal. It will cost you approximately USD 1500. However, on long summer days, most public beaches are open until 9 PM. So you have the opportunity to look at the stars while lying on the beach at least for a while.
(Don’t) Sing, sing, sing with a swing
We know that you are so happy being in Spain that you could sing. But don’t do it if you are in Castile. It is forbidden to sing or practice acrobatics on the streets. The Castile Municipality thinks that it could disturb the neighborhood. You shouldn’t practice skill games with skateboard or bicycle as well. There are areas designated for that purpose and you should respect that.
Spaniards don’t want to know if you are cleaning
There is a law that forbids leaving cleaning mops on the balcony. That might influence the appearance of the neighborhood. So if you want to help your host and polish the floors, keep cleaning mops in the bathroom.
Spanish authorities don’t want to see you tipsy
If you are a student, it might happen to have a few drinks too much while on vacation. In that case, you shouldn’t go to El Arenal, Playa de Palma in Mallorca, Magaluf, or Sant Antoni on Ibiza. Tourists in all-inclusive hotels will be limited to six alcoholic drinks per day. They will only be offered three drinks per meal. Choose some other place if you want to enjoy cocktails after dinner time.
Don’t go swimming tipsy either
Yet, if you’ve had a few drinks, don’t go swimming. San Sebastián is among the first cities which have prescribed penalties for drunk swimmers. Their authorities said that they want people to think twice about swimming drunk. At the end of the day, it is for your own sake, isn’t it?
Conclusion
Planning a vacation is very exciting. When you organize a vacation in a big city, you should get to know local laws and regulations. This way, you will avoid unpleasant situations and high fines. In most cases, tourists get away with warnings. Yet, when it comes to more serious offenses, you could ruin your entire holiday. You could also exceed your budget for no good reason.
