introduces

NEW rules have come into which will ban ALL pub crawls in a major Spanish city.

The classic activity popular with locals and tourists alike is now totally banned, whatever the time of day or night.

The ban on promoting, organising or running pub crawls has been extended to cover the entire area of Barcelona at all hours of the day, and comes into force on October 29, 2025.

The move aims to “ensure peaceful coexistence, safeguard residents’ right to rest and protect public health“.

The new rule, which also prohibits advertising related activities in any form, has been agreed following a public consultation.

A spokesman for Barcelona city council. “Pub crawling is a business that takes customers on organised drinking tours to a series of establishments that offer discounted alcoholic drinks.

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“It typically involves quickly consuming one or more low-quality drinks before heading to the next stop.

“This activity has been identified as a risk factor that causes disturbances in neighbourhoods, puts extra strain on public spaces and potentially leads to criminal behaviour or road safety violations.”

Organisers face fines ranging up to €3,000 (£2,641), while participants are exempt from fines, they could face them for other infractions like drinking in the streets or causing disruptions. 

Until now, pub crawls were only banned in the districts of Ciutat Vella, since 2012, and L’Eixample, since June 1, 2025.

The restrictions here were mainly focused on nighttime hours, from 7pm to 7am.

The new rules that have been introduced are for a permanent ban that applies 24 hours a day, all year-round, rather than being only seasonal.

This has been approved and will be in force for four years.

According to the city council, data provided by the police indicates that the ban on alcohol routes in Ciutat Vella and L’Eixample has worked.

They say it  has “contributed to significantly reducing the number of activities detected and has facilitated their prevention, thanks to the early detection of the offer through social networks”.

The city council says the ban has been well-received in the Ciutat Vella district, with only three fines issued last year, and authorities believe it will have a similar impact citywide.

Pub crawls have been hugely popular in Barcelona and have been widely promoted on the internet.

These have attracted hundreds of thousands of people every year and bringing in a huge income.

Most pub crawls lasted for at least six hours and others up to 24 hours, but now organisers have started to post “now unavailable” messages on their websites.

These aren’t the only rules that have been introduced, across Spain there are been lots of new sanctions put in place to stop bad behaviour.

New rules range from not wearing swimwear in towns or cities, to smoking bans, and monitoring noise complaints.

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Local authorities in holiday hotspot Albufeira, Portugal, have warned that the new rules will be “enforced strictly” and that the code of conduct will be in place year-round

Tourists now face fines for misplacing shopping trolleys in a popular European destination keen to crack down on bad behaviour.

British travellers visiting Portugal this year risk fines of over £1,570 for breaking new public rules in the popular holiday destination of Albufeira. The fines range from a minimum of €150 to €1800 (£130-£1570) for ignoring tightened restrictions, which include misplacing shopping trolleys, lighting barbecues on the beach, and creating excessive noise.

Local authorities have warned that the rules will be “enforced strictly” and that the code of conduct will be in place year-round.

Over the years, Albufeira has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in Portugal. With its stunning coastline, buzzing nightlife, and holiday appeal, it is easy to see why it attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. But that popularity has come with some cost.

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A small number of visitors are engaging in disruptive, disrespectful or even dangerous behaviour. This has had an outsized impact on the town’s quality of life, particularly in peak season. From rowdy public drunkenness to inappropriate conduct in public spaces, these incidents have prompted concern from residents, visitors, business owners, and local authorities.

Following a year of work, the local authorities have unveiled a new code of conduct. It was put together through consultation with police, businesses and civil society organisations.

Signs have been placed across the city centre area to remind tourists and locals alike of the new rules. Authorities say the crackdown follows several high-profile incidents of disruptive behaviour last year, including viral videos of British tourists engaging in indecent acts on the main party strip.

Fines being introduced in Albufeira include:

• Wearing swimwear outside of authorised areas – €300 to €1,500 (£260–£1,300)
• Street drinking, urination or defecation in public – €300 to €1,500
• Public nudity or sexual acts in public – €500 to €1,800 (£435–£1,570)
• Sleeping in public or unauthorised camping – €150 to €750 (£130–£650)
• Spitting in public – €150 to €750 (£130–£660)
• Abandoning shopping trolleys/carts – €150 to €750

“With a €144 million investment in projects across the municipality over the last four years, Portugal is pushing to protect locals and keep its reputation as a family friendly destination.” an expert at One Sure Insurance explains.

“We are seeing fines introduced across Europe which could lead to tourists being caught out. Portugal is looking to introduce some steep fines, so we are asking British travellers to consider these new rules when on holiday to avoid unexpected costs to their trip.”

If you’re concerned about accidentally breaking one of the rules, you can speak to tourist information offices, hotel staff, your country’s consulate or local police for more details. In emergencies, dial 112.