Spain’s new law could help make summer holidays cheaper for Brits

Spain has issued a new law which will affect Brits heading on summer holidays as well as May half term getaways – but it could actually make your holiday cheaper

Spain holidays could be about to get a little cheaper for Brits thanks to a new law that’s come into force in the country.

Anyone who’s been to Spain will know that there’s some incredible food to be had (Hello paella!) but when you’re eating out, those food and drink costs can quickly add up.

However, Spanish authorities have issued a new law that could help keep some of the costs down. That’s because as of April 11, all bars and restaurants in the holiday hotspot are legally required to offer free tap water, as an alternative to bottled water which customers must pay for.

As reported by GlasgowLive, new regulations have come in stating: “Establishments in the hotel and restaurant sector will always have to offer consumers, customers or users of their services the possibility of consuming unpackaged water free of charge and complementary to the offer of the same establishment.”

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If you are heading to Spain on a holiday where you plan to eat out at restaurants for most of the time, then you may want to consider a trip to Costa del Sol; the resort was recently tipped as one of the top 10 best value destinations for Brits when it came to the cost of meals out, coffee, alcohol and other drinks.

UK travellers heading to Spain were given another boost earlier this month when Benidorm’s beaches went ‘back to normal’ for the first time in two years.

At one point in the pandemic, restrictions had included social distanced plots of sand for sunbathers, time restrictions and even a pre-booking system which often led to long queues.

Those measures have now been removed completely, while other amenities such as sunbeds have been brought back.

Meanwhile, the country has lifted a requirement for beach users to wear masks, as these are no longer mandatory outdoors. Rules on wearing face masks indoors are set to be lifted from April 20.

Currently, Spain is open to UK tourists who are fully vaccinated or have recently recovered from Covid; either way, you’ll need to be able to show proof of your status.

To be considered as fully vaccinated you’ll need to have completed a full vaccination course at least 14 days before travel. If you completed this over 270 days (nine months) before travelling to Spain, you’ll need a booster jab to qualify as fully vaccinated.

Although the rules apply to anyone aged 12 or over, Spain has eased its restrictions for unvaccinated teens aged 12-17, who can visit if they have proof of a negative Covid test.

It’s worth noting that the country also recently scrapped pre-travel forms for vaccinated travellers.

• Travel restrictions can change quickly due to the nature of the pandemic. Always check the latest Foreign Office travel advice for a destination before booking or going on a trip.