Summer turns the beaches of Spain into the favorite destination of locals and internationals. Taking a bath or spending the day by the sea is the perfect plan to spend your vacation. However, not everything is allowed in the arena. Some habitual behaviors may be registered by municipal ordinances. For example, not long ago it was put into practice to spend the night sleeping on the beach to avoid having to pay for accommodation. This action is not permitted and may result in financial penalties of 600 euros.
And this is not the only one: from camping to reserving space with umbrellas, using certain products in the shower or leaving waste. These regulations seek to guarantee coexistence, keep the sandy beaches clean and protect the environment. We review some of the actions that can end in a fine.
Reserve a piece of beach
It is a classic every summer on some of the most "inhabited" beaches in Spain. People who insist on reserving a strip of sand from early in the morning until the sun says goodbye. An unopened towel or umbrella is intended to mark territory and convey the message "we are here." But no, you can't.
Reserving a piece of beach is prohibited on almost all Spanish coasts. It depends on the regulations defined by the municipal authorities based on Law 22/1988 on Coasts. But, fines can range from 300 to 3,000 euros. As an example, this is what happens in places in Andalusia such as Málaga, Torrox, Algarrobo or Vélez, and in the Levant such as Cullera, Benidorm, Torrevieja, Gandía, Peñíscola, Oropesa del Mar, Calpe or Denia.
"What we prohibit is the reservation of spaces, that is, those people who take the first line at seven in the morning and do not arrive until one in the afternoon or those who place it at noon and do not come until seven in the afternoon. The police pursue these behaviors because we want everyone to enjoy the beaches," explains the mayor of Torrox, Óscar Medina.
Planting the umbrella to reserve a spot is prohibited in Cádiz, specifically in Tarifa; in Granada, in very touristy municipalities such as Almuñécar, Torrenueva de Costa and Motril; and in Murcia, on San Javier beach.
Camping on a beach and sleeping
The free tourist who thought he had a marquee license to camp wherever he wanted was long gone. Generally, doing so on beaches and public areas is prohibited.
Like any other public space, beaches are also subject to rules and laws that limit their use. The Coastal Law refers to these cases. Camping or sleeping on the beach can result in a fine of 40 and up to 150 euros per occupied square meter.
But based on this state law, each community has the freedom to decide. The limits and amounts of fines are in municipal ordinances. For example, in Murcia it is considered a serious infraction. San Pedro del Pinatar prohibits any type of camping on the beach and provides for fines of up to 1,500 euros.
In Andalusia, it is also up to 1,500 euros. In Galicia, if we have decided to camp in a protected area, they can fine us up to 3,000 euros, which would be 6,000 for the same reason in the Valencian Community. And whoever says beach means mountain: in the Basque Country, a fine of at least 500 euros.
Bathing with a red flag
There are also several regulations that prohibit bathing in the sea when conditions are not favorable for it, as indicated by the red flag (which must fly clearly visible on the beach). An example is Algeciras, whose regulation includes penalties of up to 750 euros for bathing while ignoring the prohibition.
smoking on the beach
Although beaches are an open-air space and, in general, you can smoke on them, more and more municipalities are prohibiting this practice to raise awareness among the population about the health risks of smoking. After all, as has already been said, Coastal Law 22/1988 establishes that each locality has the power to establish the regulations for the beaches in its municipal area.
The most recent case is that of Barcelona. The beaches are now smoke-free spaces and there are fines for anyone who smokes on them. They can reach 30 euros and only in case of repetition. Some municipalities in Galicia, the Valencian Community or the Canary Islands do the same. The best thing is to ask or consult the website of the City Council of the municipality we visit.
As part of the measures to reduce tobacco consumption, the Government created a network of smoke-free beaches to "promote the cleanliness and sustainability of our coastline." In this way, practically all coastal provinces have at least one tobacco-free beach (there were 525 in 2021). We see this indicated with a sign on the beach. The fine for smoking on a smoke-free beach (one that specifies it) can reach 450 euros.
Play in the sand...with limits
On the Galician coast of Nigrán (Pontevedra) there is a prohibition on making holes in the sand. Police use drones to ensure that regulations are followed. Fines for breaking this prohibition can reach up to 200,000 euros.
Pee on the beach?
In the pools yes, but on the beaches? It is unusual, but some cities have banned urinating on their sands and waters. This is the case of Vigo. Its regulations consider this action as a minor offense and suggest the use of public services available on the beaches. The fine for doing so in the beach water can be up to 750 euros.
Also Malaga, where, since 2004, urinating on the beach or in the sea is penalized with a fine that can reach up to 300 euros. Or Marbella, which has sanctions planned for "physiological evacuation at sea and on the beach." But, indeed, how can the infringement be proven/demonstrated if it is in the water!
Shower with gel and shampoo?
A beach shower is public. Does that mean I can bring my gel and shampoo and shower with them? Many municipalities have not legislated anything in this regard, but San Sebastián or Tarifa have. It can't be done. In the capital of Gipuzkoa the fine ranges from 50 to 200 euros and in the Cadiz town up to 750 euros.
Go to the beach with your pet
There are many beaches that are allowed to go with our pet, but there are others where it is prohibited, some spaces where there are usually signs expressly prohibiting it. The fine for entering the beach with a dog when it is not possible varies between 100 and 1,500 euros, depending on the regulations of each municipality.
Furthermore, if it is allowed to bring a dog on some beaches, there are also rules for this, including keeping it on a leash, carrying documentation or collecting feces.
