Going out in Spain: What are the rules for bars and nightclubs?
Nightclubs are now open across most of Spain's 17 regions and many have also eased restrictions on capacity limits and closing times. Find out what the rules are for going out in your part of Spain.
After Spain's fifth wave, many regions started to relax their nightlife restrictions and now nightclubs are open in almost all areas. Find out what capacity limits remain in place and in which regions you need a Digital Covid Certificate to access nightlife venues.
Here are the current nightlife rules for each of Spain's 17 regions:
Andalusia
The government of Andalusia has introduced a new level 0.
Bars in municipalities at this level will have no capacity or opening time restrictions. At places in level 1, bars can operate to a 75 percent capacity limit indoors and stay open until 2am. Eight people are allowed per table indoors and 10 outdoors.
Nightclubs in places at level 0 also have no restrictions on capacity or opening times. At places in level 1, drinking at the bar is allowed and tables can seat eight people inside and 10 outside.
Aragón
Bars can open to a capacity limit of 50 percent indoors and 100 percent on the terraces. Ten people are allowed per table inside and 15 outside. Closing times now depend on each venue's municipal licence.
Nightlife venues are allowed to open until 4am, if their licences permit them and they have the same capacity limits as bars and restaurants. It is not permitted to smoke at nightlife venues or use the dance floors.
Asturias
There are no more limits on the opening times of bars. Eating and drinking at the bar is allowed and up to 10 people can sit at tables both inside and outside.
Nightlife venues can open until 4am with six per table inside and 10 outside.
Balearic Islands
The Superior Courts of the Balearic Islands have approved the use of Digital Covid Certificates to access nightclubs. This means that you will need to either be fully vaccinated, show that you have a negative Covid-19 test or show that you have recovered from Covid-19.
From October 8th, bars will be allowed to increase their capacity limit from 50 to 75 percent and will be allowed to stay open until 2am. The number of people allowed per table is eight indoors and 12 outdoors.
Nightclubs are also allowed to reopen from October 8th to a 75 percent capacity and can stay open until 5am. Masks will be required on the dance floor. Cocktail bars can open until 4am.
Basque Country
There are currently no limits on capacity or opening times for nightlife venues. The use of masks is still required and the government ask that people still maintain their distance from one another.
Canary Islands
Fuerteventura is at level 2, while Tenerife, Gran Canaria, El Hierro, Lanzarote, La Palma and La Gomera are at level 1.
Bars in level 1 can operate up to 75 percent capacity indoors and 100 percent capacity on the terraces. They can stay open until 3am and 12 are allowed per table. Those in level 2 can operate up to 75 percent capacity outdoors and 50 percent capacity indoors. They can stay open until 2am and are allowed eight per table.
Nightlife venues have been allowed to open on all islands from October 1st without the need for a Digital Covid Certificate to access them. Places in levels 1 and 2 can open until 4am.
Clubs in most regions are now open. Photo: JAIME REINA / AFP
Cantabria
All of Cantabria’s 24 municipalities have now moved to level 1. This means that bars can open to a 75 percent capacity indoors 100 percent on the terraces. Six are allowed per table inside and 10 per table on the terraces.
Nightlife venues can operate to a 50 percent capacity with six allowed per table indoors and 10 outdoors. They can stay open until 3am.
Castilla-La Mancha
There are currently no restrictions for nightlife venues on capacity or opening times. The only rule that remains is that you must use a mask indoors.
Castilla y León
Castilla y León has lifted all Covid restrictions on capacity limits and opening hours. This means that bars and nightclubs don’t have to abide by a regional closing time but will have to shut at the time set by their municipality.
Catalonia
On October 6th, the government of Catalonia announced the reopening of indoor nightlife venues. Nightlife venues can reopen to a capacity of between 60 to 70 percent and stay open until 5am on weekdays and until 6am on weekends.
A Digital Covid Certificate will be required to access them and for those who haven't been vaccinated or recovered from Covid-19, a negative test (PCR or antigen) will need to be taken 72 to 48 hours ahead of time. Masks must be worn at all times (except when drinking) and drinks will not be allowed on the dancefloor.
Music bars will be able to stay open until 2.30am on weekdays and 3am on weekends.
The interior of bars can open to 50 percent capacity. Up to 10 people are allowed at tables both indoors and outdoors. They can stay open until 1am and eating and drinking at the bar is allowed.
Extremadura
The western region next to Portugal lifted most restrictions on September 30th. However, they recommend that nightlife venues and bars don't exceed 80 percent capacity. A mask is also required for indoor venues.
Galicia
The government of Galicia has announced that from October 9th, the number of people who can sit per table in bars will increase from eight to 10 people inside and from 15 to 20 people on the terraces.
New rules for nightlife venues came into force on the first weekend of October. Those places that require Covid-19 certificates and have the maximum safety measures can stay open until 4am with an indoor capacity limit of 75. The rest are limited to 50 percent capacity and can stay open until 3am.
La Rioja
Bars and nightlife venues can open to 75 percent capacity inside and 100 percent capacity on the terraces. The use of dance floors is permitted.
Madrid
On October 4th, Madrid relaxed all rules on capacity limits and opening hours.
Smoking is not allowed on the terraces if there are not at least two metres between tables and you can eat and drink at the bar only if you're seated.
People sit at an outdoor club in Barcelona. Photo: Pau BARRENA / AFP
Murcia
For places at level 1, bars can operate at a 75 percent capacity indoors. There is a 50 percent capacity limit indoors for places in level 2 and a 30 percent capacity limit for places in level 3. There are no capacity limits on the terraces at all levels. They can stay open until 4am.
From October 6th, nightclubs have also been allowed to stay open until 4am with the same capacity limits as bars and restaurants.
Navarre
On October 1st Navarre relaxed all restrictions on capacity limits and opening hours.
Smoking on the terraces is prohibited unless there are at least two metres between tables.
Valencia region
On October 9th, the government of Valencia will relax all restrictions on capacity limits and opening times.
Eating and drinking at the bar will be allowed and dance floors can open in nightclubs, but masks must be worn.
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After Spain's fifth wave, many regions started to relax their nightlife restrictions and now nightclubs are open in almost all areas. Find out what capacity limits remain in place and in which regions you need a Digital Covid Certificate to access nightlife venues.
Here are the current nightlife rules for each of Spain's 17 regions:
Andalusia
The government of Andalusia has introduced a new level 0.
Bars in municipalities at this level will have no capacity or opening time restrictions. At places in level 1, bars can operate to a 75 percent capacity limit indoors and stay open until 2am. Eight people are allowed per table indoors and 10 outdoors.
Nightclubs in places at level 0 also have no restrictions on capacity or opening times. At places in level 1, drinking at the bar is allowed and tables can seat eight people inside and 10 outside.
Aragón
Bars can open to a capacity limit of 50 percent indoors and 100 percent on the terraces. Ten people are allowed per table inside and 15 outside. Closing times now depend on each venue's municipal licence.
Nightlife venues are allowed to open until 4am, if their licences permit them and they have the same capacity limits as bars and restaurants. It is not permitted to smoke at nightlife venues or use the dance floors.
Asturias
There are no more limits on the opening times of bars. Eating and drinking at the bar is allowed and up to 10 people can sit at tables both inside and outside.
Nightlife venues can open until 4am with six per table inside and 10 outside.
Balearic Islands
The Superior Courts of the Balearic Islands have approved the use of Digital Covid Certificates to access nightclubs. This means that you will need to either be fully vaccinated, show that you have a negative Covid-19 test or show that you have recovered from Covid-19.
From October 8th, bars will be allowed to increase their capacity limit from 50 to 75 percent and will be allowed to stay open until 2am. The number of people allowed per table is eight indoors and 12 outdoors.
Nightclubs are also allowed to reopen from October 8th to a 75 percent capacity and can stay open until 5am. Masks will be required on the dance floor. Cocktail bars can open until 4am.
Basque Country
There are currently no limits on capacity or opening times for nightlife venues. The use of masks is still required and the government ask that people still maintain their distance from one another.
Canary Islands
Fuerteventura is at level 2, while Tenerife, Gran Canaria, El Hierro, Lanzarote, La Palma and La Gomera are at level 1.
Bars in level 1 can operate up to 75 percent capacity indoors and 100 percent capacity on the terraces. They can stay open until 3am and 12 are allowed per table. Those in level 2 can operate up to 75 percent capacity outdoors and 50 percent capacity indoors. They can stay open until 2am and are allowed eight per table.
Nightlife venues have been allowed to open on all islands from October 1st without the need for a Digital Covid Certificate to access them. Places in levels 1 and 2 can open until 4am.
Cantabria
All of Cantabria’s 24 municipalities have now moved to level 1. This means that bars can open to a 75 percent capacity indoors 100 percent on the terraces. Six are allowed per table inside and 10 per table on the terraces.
Nightlife venues can operate to a 50 percent capacity with six allowed per table indoors and 10 outdoors. They can stay open until 3am.
Castilla-La Mancha
There are currently no restrictions for nightlife venues on capacity or opening times. The only rule that remains is that you must use a mask indoors.
Castilla y León
Castilla y León has lifted all Covid restrictions on capacity limits and opening hours. This means that bars and nightclubs don’t have to abide by a regional closing time but will have to shut at the time set by their municipality.
Catalonia
On October 6th, the government of Catalonia announced the reopening of indoor nightlife venues. Nightlife venues can reopen to a capacity of between 60 to 70 percent and stay open until 5am on weekdays and until 6am on weekends.
A Digital Covid Certificate will be required to access them and for those who haven't been vaccinated or recovered from Covid-19, a negative test (PCR or antigen) will need to be taken 72 to 48 hours ahead of time. Masks must be worn at all times (except when drinking) and drinks will not be allowed on the dancefloor.
Music bars will be able to stay open until 2.30am on weekdays and 3am on weekends.
The interior of bars can open to 50 percent capacity. Up to 10 people are allowed at tables both indoors and outdoors. They can stay open until 1am and eating and drinking at the bar is allowed.
Extremadura
The western region next to Portugal lifted most restrictions on September 30th. However, they recommend that nightlife venues and bars don't exceed 80 percent capacity. A mask is also required for indoor venues.
Galicia
The government of Galicia has announced that from October 9th, the number of people who can sit per table in bars will increase from eight to 10 people inside and from 15 to 20 people on the terraces.
New rules for nightlife venues came into force on the first weekend of October. Those places that require Covid-19 certificates and have the maximum safety measures can stay open until 4am with an indoor capacity limit of 75. The rest are limited to 50 percent capacity and can stay open until 3am.
La Rioja
Bars and nightlife venues can open to 75 percent capacity inside and 100 percent capacity on the terraces. The use of dance floors is permitted.
Madrid
On October 4th, Madrid relaxed all rules on capacity limits and opening hours.
Smoking is not allowed on the terraces if there are not at least two metres between tables and you can eat and drink at the bar only if you're seated.
Murcia
For places at level 1, bars can operate at a 75 percent capacity indoors. There is a 50 percent capacity limit indoors for places in level 2 and a 30 percent capacity limit for places in level 3. There are no capacity limits on the terraces at all levels. They can stay open until 4am.
From October 6th, nightclubs have also been allowed to stay open until 4am with the same capacity limits as bars and restaurants.
Navarre
On October 1st Navarre relaxed all restrictions on capacity limits and opening hours.
Smoking on the terraces is prohibited unless there are at least two metres between tables.
Valencia region
On October 9th, the government of Valencia will relax all restrictions on capacity limits and opening times.
Eating and drinking at the bar will be allowed and dance floors can open in nightclubs, but masks must be worn.
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