Spain Holidays

You can travel to Spain without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period for purposes like tourism or visiting family.

Your passport must be less than 10 years old on your arrival date and have at least 3 months validity remaining after your planned departure from the Schengen area.

At border control, you may need to show documents such as a return ticket, proof of travel insurance, proof of sufficient funds, and your accommodation details.

Visits to any Schengen countries in the 180 days before your trip count towards your 90-day visa-free limit, so ensure your total stay is within this period.

When the Entry/Exit System (EES) is implemented, you may need to register biometric details like fingerprints and a photo at the border, which could cause longer wait times.

You cannot take meat, milk, or products containing them into Spain, with exceptions for items like powdered baby milk or special medically required foods.

You must declare any cash or travellers cheques if the total value is 10,000 euros or more upon entry to avoid seizure.

Be alert to street crime using distraction techniques, especially when handling luggage at airports or hiring cars.

Be cautious of approaches by 'highway pirates' targeting hire cars; if you must stop, do so at a well-lit public area like a service station.

Do not leave drinks unattended or go off with strangers to avoid drink spiking, and be aware that alcoholic drinks in bars are often stronger than in the UK.

You can be fined on the spot for drinking alcohol in the street or for wearing only swimwear on seafront promenades in some areas.

Do not behave dangerously on balconies as you may be evicted from your hotel, fined, and your travel insurance may not cover any incident.

You must provide photo ID if asked by police, and ignoring a direct request can be considered a criminal offence.

Local laws in parts of Mallorca and Ibiza ban happy hours, open bars, pub crawls, and the sale of alcohol from vending machines between 9:30pm and 8am.

Use official money exchange offices or banks, as possession of counterfeit money from unofficial changers is considered a serious crime.