Spain has reopened to unvaccinated Brits for holidays

Spain has eased its Covid entry rules for UK travellers ahead of summer as borders are reopening to unvaccinated Brits for holidays and the Foreign Office has changed its travel advice

Spain holidays are back on the cards for Brits who are not fully vaccinated against Covid, as the country has eased its entry requirements to allow them to visit for tourism once again.

Until now, Spain had reopened its borders but only to UK travellers who could show proof of vaccination or recovery from Covid. The exception had been unvaccinated children aged 12-18 who were able to travel if they had a negative Covid test.

However, Spanish authorities announced last week that rules would be relaxed ‘within days’ for those who are not double jabbed – and they’ve made good on the promise.

In fact, the Foreign Office has updated its travel advice for Spain to reflect the new rules.

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Under the new entry requirements, unvaccinated Brits can visit Spain for holidays, although they do have to meet certain criteria.

This includes needing to either have proof of recovery from Covid within six months before travel, or a negative Covid test result.

The latter can be either a PCR taken within 72 hours prior to departure, or an antigen test taken within 24 hours prior to departure.

Usually Spain’s rules will also encompass the Canaries and Balearics, but sometimes these can differ so double check the rules for your chosen destination before booking a trip.

Speaking of the Balearics, if you’re planning a trip to Majorca or Ibiza this summer, you’ll need to take note of new rules around alcohol for all-inclusive holidays.

To crack down on drunken behaviour from tourists, the Balearics government has introduced a limit on how many drinks UK holidaymakers can enjoy as part of their all-inclusive deal.

This will be six drinks a day, alongside lunch and dinner, meaning that you’ll only be able to have three drinks per meal. Essentially, the new rules will mean Brits won’t be able to enjoy drinks by the pool for free – you’ll need to pay extra.

Latest Spain travel rules

If you’re fully vaccinated against Covid or can show proof of recovery from Covid within the last six months, you can visit without a Covid test.

To be considered fully vaccinated, you need to have received a complete vaccination course at least 14 days before you travel. If your course was completed over 270 days before travel (nine months), you’ll be required to have a booster jab to count as vaccinated.

Unvaccinated travellers can now visit provided they have a negative Covid result; either a PCR taken within 72 hours prior to departure, or an antigen test taken within 24 hours prior to departure. You can also visit if you have proof of recovery from Covid within six months.

• Travel rules can change quickly due to the nature of the pandemic. Always check the Foreign Office’s latest Spain travel advice before booking or going on a trip as this may contain key changes and information not covered in the article.

Do you think all Covid entry rules should be scrapped? Let us know in the comments.