News Dispatch: Travel to Barcelona, Spain
Welcome to Lokal Amico’s blog! This page is a collection of travel guidelines and link resources for visiting Barcelona, Spain soon. As Europe braces for the new COVID variant Omicron, Spain is now requiring a vaccination certificate from UK nationals to enter the country from 1 to 31 December 2021.
Last update: 09 December 2021
Park Güell in Barcelona
There used to be a long list of territories whose residents can enter Spain with no vaccination proof needed at all, nor a recent negative COVID test. But for the rest of the holiday season, Britons can enter the country by only presenting a COVID-19 certificate or a negative PCR test taken 3 days before arrival.
Spain has also recently tightened entry rules for Maltese travellers. Arrivals from Malta include presenting proof of COVID-19 vaccination and recovery, with one of the vaccines being recognised by the Spanish government.
Such measures currently do not affect several countries whose residents have enjoyed freer transit. These include Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Indonesia, Jordan, Kuwait, New Zealand, Peru, Qatar, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, China, Hong Kong, and Macao and Taiwan.
Where to keep track of policies
We recommend checking the following links to confirm prevailing travel regulations at the time of your visit:
TravelSafe, Spain’s official tourism website. Here, you can select other regions and their unique policies to keep locals and visitors safe
Barcelona Turisme, Barcelona’s official COVID travel information page
Check Barcelona - this app allows you to track visitor numbers at the city's attractions in real time, plus manage your bookings per the health measures and capacity restrictions in place.
Barcelona.cat, Barcelona’s community and cultural bulletin
What to expect in Barcelona?
In Spain, policies typically differ per region and autonomous community. Please check this summary of guidelines for your visit to Barcelona.
Perimeter closure - as of 22 November, there is no perimeter confinement imposed by Autonomous Communities or by municipalities. You can rest easy that this will not change overnight, as stricter restrictions must first be ratified by the Spanish courts or tribunals.
Mobility - No curfews are in force. Restaurants close at 02.30 or 03.00, while bars close depending on the establishment's license.
To enter indoors, however, you need the EU Digital COVID Certificate.
Social distancing or interpersonal separation of 1.5 meters is required at bars and other indoor spaces, which operate at 80% capacity. On terraces or outdoor spaces, there is no entrance requirement.
There is no capacity restriction at sporting events, cultural events, and concerts.
No limit for the number of people in a gathering is in effect.
Face masks will be mandatory in indoor or closed spaces, including public transport.
For a comprehensive and updated healthcare information and guidance, it’s highly recommended to use these apps, available on the Apple Store and Google Play:
RadarCovid, an app for all of Spain
StopCovid19Cat for Catalonia
Quick-dial 061 for emergencies.
When arriving by plane to Barcelona, the Josep Tarradellas Barcelona El Prat Airport has a laboratory in Terminal 1 that carries out COVID-19 diagnostic tests onsite.
You can also check this list of venues that have obtained the Safe Travels stamp, which is globally promoted by the World Travel & Tourism Council.
Important Note:
LokalAmico is not an official source for information on COVID + travel. We strongly encourage you to always check your destination’s government resources online for the latest regulations in force.
