Published: 18 Mar, 2021 CET.Updated: Tue 4 May 2021 16:23 CET
Bar in Seville. Photo: CRISTINA QUICLER / AFP
These are the new updated Covid-19 restrictions in place around the country in late April and early May.
Advertisement
Regional authorities have set their own restrictions for each of Spain's 17 autonomous communities and two city enclaves in North Africa.
So far, the government of Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has resisted following the lead of other European nations which have reimposed lockdowns, arguing its highly-localised restrictions are enough.
Under Spain's decentralised political system, its 17 regions are responsible for handling the pandemic, although the central government could intervene to declare a national lockdown as it did in March.
Here's a breakdown of all the restrictions in place in each of the regions of Spain.
Madrid
Since May 3rd, the borders of 16 health zones and two localities (San Agustín de Guadalix and Manzanares El Real) have been closed due to exceeding 500 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the last 14 days.
The additional areas include Vicente Muzas in Hortaleza, Daroca in Ciudad Lineal, Reyes Católicos in San Sebastián de los Reyes, Las Ciudades in Getafe, and Las Rozas in Las Rozas.
You can follow this link to find out which health zones have opened or closed their borders and until when.
An 11pm curfew is in place and all bars, restaurants can stay open until the same time, accepting their last customers at 10pm.
The number of people allowed to meet around a table on the terraza of a restaurant, cafe or bar is capped at six people, with four people inside.
The interiors are allowed to operate at a 50 percent capacity and the exteriors at 75 percent.
Shops can stay open until 9pm.
Authorities still insist that households can't mix with each other in private homes.
🔴 En vigor las nuevas medidas frente al COVID-19 en la región:
👉 Limitación de movilidad nocturna de 23:00h a 06:00h.
👉 Hostelería y restauración:
🕐 Cerrará a las 23h.
☕ Desde las 22:00h no podrán entrar nuevos clientes.
It was announced the from the end of the state of alarm on May 9th, bars and restaurants will be able to open continuously until 11pm with a limit of 30 percent capacity inside and no limit on the terrazas.
These are the current restrictions that are in place.
Travel outside your comarca is allowed for certain reasons.
Restaurants, cafes and bars can open continuously until 5pm. The interiors can open to a capacity of 30 percent, while there are no number restrictions on the terrace.
Up to four people are allowed to sit together.
For sports, there is a 50 percent capacity limit outdoors and a 30 percent capacity limit for indoor venues.
Shops are limited to a 30 percent capacity.
There is a curfew between 10pm and 6am.
Social groups limited to 6 people from two households.
Valencia
The Valencian Government relaxed several of its restrictions from Monday, April 26th however, the curfew and other rules remain in place in Valencia for 15 days more, until the end of the state of alarm on May 9th. President of the Generalitat Ximo Puig announced that from the end of the state of alarm the borders of the region would reopen.
These are:
The closure of the borders around the Valencian Community remains in place until May 9th.
Bars and restaurants are now allowed to stay open until the curfew at 10pm. Interiors can operate at a 30 percent capacity and there is no capacity on the terraces.
Shops and other commercial businesses can stay open until 10pm and operate at a 75 percent capacity.
The capacity for ceremonies and celebrations can now operate at 50 percent.
Cinemas, theatres and other cultural venues can now operate at a 75 percent capacity.
Up to six people can meet in public and in private those from two co-habiting bubbles can meet.
Curfew from 10pm-6am.
People sit in bar terraces in a busy street in Burgos. Photo: Cesar Manso / AFP
Advertisement
Aragón
Aragón relaxed some of its restrictions on April 13th, while also announcing the border closures of some of its areas.
The regional border of Aragón will remain closed but travel between most provinces is now allowed.
Those areas that remain closed, and will do so until May 9th, are Tarazona, Fraga, Cuarte de Huerva and the Comarca de la Litera which have now passed to a level three.
In Tarazona and other level three areas, all non-essential activities will now have to stop by 8pm.
In the rest of the region bars and restaurants will have to close by 10pm. There is a 75 percent capacity limit inside, but 100 percent capacity on the terraces.
Up to four people are allowed per table.
The curfew from 11pm-6am remains in place.
Services, shops and shopping malls are only allowed to open at 25 percent capacity, but shops that sell food can open to 50 percent capacity.
Cultural venues can open at 50 percent capacity.
Up to six people can meet in public and four in private.
Most of La Rioja is currently at a level four, but there are still a few areas which remain at level five and six. The current restrictions are:
Borders between municipalities are open (except Calahorra, Nájera, Alfaro, Arnedo y Rincón de Soto) but the regional border is closed.
There is a nightly curfew in place from 11pm-5am.
Socialising must be restricted to those within the same household or between a social bubble, if someone lives alone.
Restaurants are allowed to open with a limited capacity of 30 percent inside and 75 percent on the outdoor terraces and can stay open until 11pm, but not accept any new clients after 10pm. A maximum of six people will be allowed to sit together.
Cultural and sporting activities can operate at 50 percent capacity.
Shops and other commercial activities can operate at 30 percent capacity. Non-essential shops can stay open until 8pm.
The border of Extremadura remains closed until May 9th. The borders of the following municipalities also remain closed: Oliva de Mérida, Segura de León, Bodonal de la Sierra and Fuentes de León (Badajoz), and Zarza de Granadilla, Malpartida de Plasencia and Guadalupe (Cáceres).
Curfew from 11pm - 6am
Bars and restaurants can open from 6am-11pm. Four can side inside and up to six can sit outside.
There is a 40 percent capacity limit inside and a 75 percent capacity limit on the terrazas.
Shops and other commercial establishments can open to a 40 percent capacity.
Cultural activities can also reopen at a capacity of 50 percent.
Castilla y León's regional government has closed the interior of bars and restaurants in 20 different municipalities.
Other restrictions in place include:
Places of worship can now operate at a capacity of 1/3.
Curfew from 10pm-6am.
A maximum number of four people are allowed to meet in private with the recommendation that groups are limited to the same household.
Restaurants and bars outside the 30 municipalities can operate an indoor and outdoor (75% capacity) service. Clients can be admitted until 10pm and establishments must close by 11pm. Smoking is banned on bar terraces.
Shopping malls and sports centres are allowed to 1/3 capacity.
Balearic Islands
The Balearic Islands have announced that they will relax some of their restrictions. The new rules came into force on April 24th. This includes changing the curfew across all islands from 10pm to 11pm.
In Mallorca and Ibiza the interiors of bars and restaurants remain closed, but the terraces can open at 80 percent capacity. Terraces can open from Monday - Thursday until 5pm and from 8pm to 10.30pm Friday to Sunday.
People will now be allowed to socialise outside in groups of six, regardless of whether they live together or not.
Mallorca, Ibiza and Formentera are at level 2 and Menorca is at level 1.
Level 1:
Shops can open to full capacity, while commercial centres and malls can open to 75 percent capacity.
Gyms can operate at a 50 percent capacity.
Up to 15 people can play sports together outside, providing there's no contact.
The interior of bars and restaurants can operate at 50 percent with four people at each table, and the terraza can operate at full capacity.
Level 2:
Bar and restaurant interiors can operate at a 30 percent capacity and must close at 5pm Friday to Sunday, but can stay open until 10.30pm Monday to Thursday. Terraces can operate at a 75 percent capacity. Four are allowed at a table inside and outside.
Shops can operate at a 50 percent capacity and stay open until 10pm.
Level 3:
Dining is allowed on the terraces of bars and restaurants only at a capacity of 50 percent. Four people from two households are allowed to sit together and establishments must close by 6pm.
Shops can open to a 50 percent capacity and most close at 8pm.
For all the rules visit Balearic Islands' government information page HERE.
On May 5th, the new level changes in the municipalities will come into force, with Ulea as the only one at extreme risk. The current restrictions include:
A curfew from midnight to 6am.
Bars and restaurants can operate their interiors at a 30 percent capacity, however, terraces can operate at 100 percent.
Four can sit together inside and six people can sit outside.
Up to four people who do not live together can meet in private and six people can meet outdoors.
Shops can operate at a 50 percent capacity.
The border of the region will remain closed until May 9th.
Restrictions may vary slightly depending on where you live and level of alert your area is in.
— Gobierno de la Región de Murcia (@regiondemurcia) March 22, 2021
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands operates a traffic light system with each island on an alert level depending on the infection rate and with different rules in place for each level.
As things currently stand, La Palma, La Gomera, and Fuerteventura are at Level 1. Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria and El Hierro are at Level 2.
The Canary Islands' infection rate continues to be the lowest of all regions in Spain.
Level 1:
No limits on entering or leaving the island.
Curfew between midnight and 6am.
Social gatherings limited to six people maximum
Restaurants/bars close at midnight
Sports in groups of up to six, markets only if open air, public transport functioning normally but all cultural events suspended.
Level 2:
No limits on entering or leaving the island
Curfew between 11pm and 6am.
Social gatherings limited to four people maximum
Restaurants/bars close at 11.
Sports in groups of up to four, public transport functioning with 50 capacity but all markets and cultural events suspended.
Level 3:
Entering and leaving the island is restricted to those with justified cause (work, study, legal or administrative appointments, to care for dependents or to return to habitual or familial home). Travel between islands is only allowed for essential reasons.
Curfew between 10pm and 6am.
Social gatherings limited to four people maximum.
Restaurants/bars close at 10. Only outside table service with 50 percent capacity
Sports centres closed inside and outside only allow groups of up to four, public transport functioning with 50 percent capacity but all markets and cultural events suspended.
For a detailed breakdown of all the rules, see the government bulletin HERE.
All those arriving on the islands from outside Spain from destinations classified as high risk must show a negative test (PCR, TMA or LAMP) before boarding. For those coming from "safe destinations" or mainland Spain an antigen test is valid and must be shown at your accommodation.
Advertisement
Castilla- La Mancha
Current restrictions include:
Curfew from midnight to 6am.
Bar and restaurants can stay open until 11pm. Interiors can operate at 50 percent capacity with four per table and terrazas at 75 percent capacity.
On April 23rd, the rules changed slightly due to the rise in Covid cases. 43 municipalities across the region must stop all non-essential activities completely for the next 14 days. These include 21 municipalities in Granada, 10 in Jaén, five in Cádiz, three in Malaga, two in Seville and one each in Almería and Huelva.
Municipal confinement is imposed on every city with a population of over 100,000 in addition towns that see infection rates rise above 500 cases per 100,000 and the closure of all non-essential businesses in municipalities where the rate tops 1,000 cases per 100,000 people.
Restrictions also vary slightly between which alert level each municipality in each province is in. Most are currently at level 2.
The current measures are:
Travel in and out of the region is not allowed, unless with justified cause.
The curfew is from 11pm-6am, but may vary slightly depending on your province.
Shops can open until 10.30pm. In municipalities at level 2, the capacity limitation is 75%. Those at level 3, the limitation is 60% and in level 4 at 50%.
Bars, restaurants can open until 11pm. In municipalities at level 2, they can operate at a 75% indoors and 100% on terraces. In municipalities at level 3 the capacity inside cannot exceed 50% and they must close at 10:30 p.m. In those at level 4 the interior is limited to 30% and the exterior to 75%.
Social gatherings are limited to four people inside and six people outside.
Full details and the status of each municipality can be found at the interactive map published by the regional government can be found in link HERE
Asturias
The current restrictions are:
Travel in and out of the region is not allowed except for justified reasons.
Shops are allowed to open to 50 percent capacity.
Interiors of bars and restaurants must close by 9pm, but the terrazas can stay open until 11pm.
Four people per table inside and up to six outside.
Indoor sports facilities have a 50 percent capacity limit and there can only be up to 15 people per class.
Curfew between 11pm and 6am.
Up to 25 people can practice sport outside, as long as there is no physical contact and distance is maintained.
Groups are limited to four people indoors.
Cantabria
The current restrictions in Cantabria include:
There is a curfew in place from 11pm to 6am.
The interiors of bars and restaurants remain closed. The terrazas can stay open.
Groups of people are limited to four.
Cultural venues and shops have a capacity of 50 percent.
Regional borders closed meaning travel in and out of the territory is not allowed except for justified reasons.
Sports facilities can open with a capacity up to 1/3 and activities in closed spaces must be done with a mask on.
Galicia
The municipalities of Laza (Ourense), Cualedro (Ourense) and Vilanova de Arousa (Pontevedra) are all at extreme risk and their borders are currently closed.
Bars must now close at 9pm, but restaurants with prior reservations can serve food until 11pm. All restaurants must also have the ability to control the air quality in the room.
Shops can now revert to their normal opening hours, but must operate at a 50 percent capacity.
Cultural centres and gyms can also revert to their normal opening hours, as long as they don't stay open past the curfew time of 11pm.
Social restrictions remain the same - meetings of four people inside and six people outside.
The autonomous community has split its municipalities up into different levels depending on the number of cases.
Level 1: Extreme risk restrictions
Closure of all bars and restaurants
Meetings with co-habitants only
Perimitral border closure
Level 2: High risk
Meetings of up to four people allowed, not only with co-habitants
Bars and restaurants can open their terrazas to a 50 percent capacity, while the interiors stay closed. They can stay open until 9pm, except restaurants with prior reservations that can stay open until 11pm.
Gyms, sports centres and swimming pools can reopen, but you can only play with four other people while wearing masks
Level 3: Medium risk
Bars can stay open until 9pm and restaurants until 11pm. Interior capacity at 30 percent and terraza capacity at 50 percent.
Other measures remain the same as level 2
Level 4: Low risk
Bars can open until 9pm with a capacity of 50 percent inside and 75 percent on the terrazas. Restaurants with prior reservations can open until 11pm
Travel is allowed between provinces, but not to those with higher alert levels.
Up to six people can meet who don't live together.
Sports centres, gyms and pools can open. Sports can be practiced with up to four other people, while wearing masks.
Click here to find out which municipality is at which level.
Municipalities that have had more than 500 cases per 100,000 residents in the last 14 days will remain closed.
Advertisement
Basque Country
Most restrictions in the Basque Country will remain in place until the end of the state of alarm on May 9th.
From April 27th, the region announced the closure of the borders of 79 localities, including the cities of San Sebastián, Vitoria and Bilbao. On May 4th, several more localities were added to this list.
The borders of any municipality with an incidence rate higher than 400 cases per 100,000 inhabitants will stay closed.
Other restrictions are:
Social gatherings are limited to four people in public spaces and meetings in private are banned. Meetings between people from different households are also not allowed.
The ban on travel in and out of the Basque Country remains in place with the requirement that those with justified cause complete the form required by regional authorities HERE
The curfew is in place between 10pm and 6am.
Bars and restaurants can open until 8pm at a capacity of 50 percent inside and 100 percent on the terraces.
In confined localities, bars and restaurants can only open for breakfast from 6.30am until 9.30 am and lunch from 1pm to 4.30pm.
Shops can stay open until 9pm with a capacity of 40 percent in shops bigger than 150 metres squared and a capacity of 60 percent in those that are equal or smaller.
Suspension of musical performances and rehearsals.
A maximum of four people are allowed to take part in group sport indoors (except professionals), changing rooms will be closed, except for at swimming pools.
Navarra
Navarra has announced that the current regional restrictions will remain in place until the end of the state of alarm on May 9th. These are:
Interior of bars and restaurants to operate at 30 percent. Terrace dining is allowed whereas indoor facilities must close to the public.
Social gatherings reduced to those from within the same household although those who live alone can form a bubble.
Social gatherings are limited to four inside and six outside.
Smoking on terrazas or walking in the street is banned.
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
People sit in bar terraces in a busy street in Burgos. Photo: Cesar Manso / AFP
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.