Travel to Spain 2021: What you need to know... part 2

Thanks for providing these updates Carlos!

Thank you so much for this information!

This is exactly what I need for going forward.

Thank You!! We are heading to Mallorca in September and I need to keep up with the latest info.

Thank you for the update.

Thank you for the update. We are following events in Spain very closely as we are scheduled to visit Andalucia in October. We are both fully vaccinated and very cautious about our daily interactions. Your updates are very welcome! A note: acquaintances of my wife are currently in Valencia and report many venues still tourist-friendly but COVID rules about mask wearing, etc are strictly enforced (good to hear).

Again, thanks for the updates, we will keep watching!

Very helpful. Thank you

Our plans are to be in Costa Brava early October, then 3 days in Barcelona before returning home. I am watching several US sites warning AGAINST travel to Spain...level RED. It's so hard to decide if we go or not. Still waiting for our tour company to get the OK from their Spain partner. KN95 masks purchased and ready, Covid testing appointments in Barcelona before returning home confirmed. Downloaded the CLEAR Health app, and have our vaccination records there, and will take our laminated cards with.

It's still day to day...we haven't paid for our trip yet, not until one month before we are schedule to leave...that will be Aug 29 to get the "go- no go".

Really look forward to your updates here, so helpful. Thank you !

UPDATE - The Superior Court of Galicia has deemed their regional Covid health pass is unconstitutional and is no longer required to access establishments like hotels, bars and restaurants.

Source (in Spanish): https://www.lavanguardia.com/vida/20210812/7658421/justicia-galicia-decreta-certificado-covid-bares-vigencia.html

On the ground report: half way through our multi-stop trip through Spain and we have found things to be very accessible (worth noting that we’re not into the club scene and we aren’t staying out super late in the evening). It’s 100% recommended to get tickets in advance for anything you’d like to make sure you see/do, as there are admission limitations due to Covid. Same goes for restaurant reservations, and breakfast at your hotel, because capacity limitations are in place. Masks are widely used as far as we’ve observed, and people are respectful of giving/making space.

We had a lot of trouble getting the Spain health control form to go through on the app; it was much better on the actual website.

We are driving, so no insight on how things are on trains, busses etc. Will find out more when we ditch the car in Barcelona in a couple days!

Over all our trip has been great! The exception is the current heat dome covering most of the country, but what can you do? We had to skip Granada (108F today) and head south to Valencia for a couple days. Can’t complain!

Thanks for all updates . I am finally going to Barcelona for 32 days Oct/Nov and keeping my eyes open for updates . By the way , this forum is amazing !

UPDATE (19 Aug 2021) - Curfew lifted in Barcelona

The nightly curfew in Barcelona and most of Catalonia has been lifted today, due to improving covid situation in the region. However a ban on public or private gatherings of more than 10 people throughout Catalonia has been kept in place for one more week

Catalonia's infection rate stands at 328 cases per 100,000 inhabitants over a 14-day period, below the national average of 378 cases. But the region still has 42% of its intensive care unit beds occupied by Covid-19 patients, the highest rate among Spain's 17 regions.

As of today, Spain has fully vaccinated 64.1% of its population against the virus, one of the highest rates in Europe.

Source (In Spanish): https://www.lavanguardia.com/vida/20210819/7670332/tsjc-toque-de-queda-cataluna-restricciones.html

Las Fallas 2021 update

la Cremà de las Fallas (held on September 5) in València will be under curfew and behind closed doors this year, as to avoid Covid outbreaks.

Carlos, this is great!

What do you know about the land border? If a US traveler arrives in Portugal with the required negative test (and vaccine), could they use their Portuguese rental car and drive into Spain? Assuming the rental agreement allows it, I am mostly interested in Spanish regulations on this point. Would there be checks or need to provide a negative test? Happy to do so but this would need to be timed depending on the test requirements.

@Mira - I haven't heard anything to that affect for Portugal.

If you are coming from France, on the other hand (like these high risk regions: Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Burgundy-Franche-Comté, Bretagne, Center— Val de Loire, Corsica, Grand Est, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Hauts-de-France, Ile-de-France, Reunion, Martinique, Normandy, New Aquitaine, Occitania, Pays de la Loire, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur) you are obliged to present a certificate that proves they have either been vaccinated with one of the vaccines accepted by the Spanish authorities as valid proof of immunity for travel, recovered from COVID-19, or tested negative for the virus.

Here's the full list of high risk EU regions: https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/spains-list-of-high-risk-countries-expands/

Carlos, Do you know anything about arriving in Spain from France via train? I have used the entry requirement link you gave but you HAVE to have the name of the airline you are arriving on. Otherwise, the form will not submit. So, we do not have an airline.

Any help from anyone would be greatly appreciated.

Carlos, sorry. I did not read your post of today. I assume the restrictions you posted for entry from France apply to my question about arriving by train. Do you know if they will accept our CDC card? We should also have the French Health QR code by then. Thanks again.

CDC vax card is acceptable in Spain.

Digital health passes are not required in Spain currently.

Are there any restrictions for a day trip coming in via land (car) to Gibraltar from Seville?

UPDATE - Germany takes Spain off high-risk COVID-19 list from Sunday Aug. 29

In a sign of the continually improving coronavirus situation in Spain, Germany will remove Spain from its list of high-risk areas for COVID-19 from Sunday, meaning that incoming travellers from Spain who are not fully vaccinated will not longer have to quarantine, the German Foreign Ministry said. Spain has been a high risk area since the end of July.

Neighbouring Portugal is also being downgraded and no longer classified as a high-risk area. However, the Algarve region will remain a high-risk area.

Here's hoping the Americans will soon follow suit...

Carlos, curious if you have an opinion on if Spain will follow what looks like will be revised EU guidelines recommending reimposing travel restrictions on visitors from the US (and 5 other countries)
https://www.forbes.com/sites/suzannerowankelleher/2021/08/28/europe-to-remove-the-us-from-the-safe-travel-list/

I know they are just recommendations and each member country is free to impose their own rules, but wondering if you have a read on how likely it would be that Spain would actually restrict US visitors again? Thanks for keeping us up to date with info from the ground.

Of course, we will have to wait until the official pronouncement, which may come as early as tomorrow, but my educated guess is that Americans will not be totally banned (like what happened last year) from entering Spain for tourism purposes. Instead, I think it's more possible that a negative COVID-19 test result carried out within 72 hours prior to arrival will be required for both vaccinated and unvaccinated US travellers.

Worst case is that Americans will have to undergo a 10-day quarantine upon arrival in Spain, like what is currently required for travellers from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia etc.

We will see...

I have a trip to spain end of September and personally am hoping for some more countermeasures against covid spread. Since Spain is not enforcing any kind of digital vaccination check like Italy or France it could at least have some entry requirements. I would hate to see it become the first choice destination for anti-vaxxers/maskers in a time when every other country is being more cautious.

Carlos, are you aware if there has been any controversy or discussion in Spain that for the last two months or so US travellers have only had to fill out the entry form and thats it, no covid test, no vaccine proof or anything else required. From what I can gather Spain has had the easiest entry rules of the bigger European countries.

Rob, so far no major controversy on entry restrictions or covid measures in Spain, unlike France/Germany etc.. Spain is currently one of the leaders in vaccinations in the EU (70% fully vax), there has been little vaccine hesitancy or anti-mask sentiment in Spain.

UPDATE - (30 Aug. 2021) The EU removes the United States and Israel from the list of safe destinations

Today the EU voted to officially recommend restrictions on non-essential travel from the USA. While this is a recommendation, most countries have largely followed EU guidelines, but there have been times when individual nations have deviated from them.

Travel between the EU and the US has been a point of political controversy. The Biden administration has maintained border restrictions despite pressure to allow visitors from allies like the EU who have eased their own limits. US officials have cited the rise in delta infections as one reason for that stance.

The new EU rules specify that for non-essential third country travel is to be allowed only if the trend of new cases is stable or on downward trend and that no more than 4% of those tested for the virus are positive.

The EU recommendation made no distinction between vaccinated or unvaccinated travellers from third-countries. The guidelines also take into account whether variants of concern have been detected in a particular nation and whether it has been reciprocated on opening trips. Other countries that have also been removed from the list are Kosovo, Montenegro, Lebanon and North Macedonia.

The recommendation of the Council of the EU is not binding on the Member States, but the institution warns that a Member State should not decide to lift travel restrictions on countries that are not on the list without making a coordinated decision in the Union.

No official word from the Spanish central government at this point, but there could be an official pronouncement by the end of the week.

Source: https://www.lavanguardia.com/vida/20210830/7689792/union-europea-recomienda-volver-poner-restricciones-vuelos-estados-unidos-covid.html

https://www.mscbs.gob.es/en/profesionales/saludPublica/ccayes/alertasActual/nCov/spth.htm
Looks like as of today, we could still go to Spain?

However the current notice is only valid til 23:59 9/5. We will be flying from SFO on 9/5 morning and arriving in Barcelona on 9/6 at 9am. What if they change the rules by the time we arrive on 9/6? They review this every 7 days. Would they still consider that when we left US, we followed the "older rules" and technically we are still able to enter Spain? We are afraid of being denied entry, as they could literally ban non essential travel next time they update this.

This recommendation was just made today by the EU, it could take several days before the wheels of Spanish bureaucracy churn out any updated rules. For now we can only wait and see.

Nick and Carlos,

Thank you. I am just feeling very say now..we have been preparing for this trip since they reopened in June, and really could not go to Spain earlier due to my friend's work and also trying to catch a good airfare using our flight credit from last year. We all have been following rules religiously and protecting ourselves and others, and hoping that US will maintain good stats with low Covid cases count so we could all travel. We really want to be able to go on this trip (2weeks) but it is totally out of our control. We will be patiently waiting and hopefully we will get some good news in the next few days.

Thanks so much Carlos. Your updates are great. I also have a trip to Bilbao from JFK on the 11th of Sept, arriving on the 12th. I am not going to cancel, hoping for the best and trying to stay positive.

While we continue to wait for updated guidance from the Spanish central government regarding non essential travel from the US, I thought it would be helpful to post the current state of play as of September 1st 2021:

Who can travel to Spain?
Spain, in line with EU recommendations, permits restriction-free entry for people traveling from non-EU countries and regions with good epidemiological situations. This includes the Australia, South Korea, Israel, Japan, Lebanon and Rwanda among others. Visitors from these places do not need to show proof of testing, vaccination or recovery to enter Spain.

Until this week, that list included the US, however the EU has recommended reimposing restrictions on US visitors due to surging coronavirus case numbers there. Spain has yet to determine if it will follow the EU recommendations, so for now the situation remains unchanged for American visitors.

Travelers coming to Spain from the UK will need to present a negative COVID-19 test result or proof of vaccination/recovery.

Visitors from "high-risk" non-EU countries coming to Spain must show proof of vaccination with one of the vaccines authorized by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) or the World Health Organization (WHO), with the second dose administered at least 14 days before travel. Non-vaccinated travelers from these countries will not be allowed into Spain for tourism, even if they get tested.

What else is required before traveling to Spain?
All travelers must fill out a Health Control Form (HCF) through the Spain Travel Health website or app. It will generate a QR code which must be shown upon arrival on your mobile phone or printed on paper.

What vaccines does Spain recognize?
Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Sinovac and Sinopharm.

Do children face restrictions when traveling to Spain?
No, children under 12 years old are exempt from the testing or quarantine requirements.

Where can I get a COVID-19 test in Spain?
Many countries, including the US, require passengers to present a negative COVID-19 test result before boarding their flight home from an international trip. Antigen tests cost about €30, while PCR tests cost about €120 from a private medical facility. You can see a partial list of testing locations here: https://es.usembassy.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/260/COVID19_Testing_Labs_Spain_January_2021.pdf

What are the current restrictions in Spain?
Spain is in its fifth wave of the pandemic but according to El País. As of August 30, the wave is peaking and the country has reported a downward trend in infection rates and hospitalizations in the last two weeks, which has resulted in many restrictions, like night time curfews being lifted.

Masks are no longer legally required outdoors, provided people can keep 1.5 meters (5 feet) apart. But it's a good idea to always take a mask with you as they're still required in crowded outdoor spaces, on public transport and in taxis, and in indoor spaces such as restaurants, airports, supermarkets, shops and museums.

Across Spain, restaurants, cinemas, theaters, cultural attractions and museums are open with capacity limits. Amusement and water parks are open with enhanced health and safety protocols. Beaches are open with social distancing guidelines in place and in some tourist resorts a curfew applies, such as Mallorca, where beaches are closed from 9pm until 6am.

There are still no plans for a national covid health pass in Spain.

You can read more here: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/travel-to-spain-during-covid

I don't know if this is helpful, but when I traveled to Spain in late June, as a traveler from the USA, I needed to provide proof that I was vaccinated, as well as a health control form that I completed online (Spain Travel Health App - "SpTH"). When it came time to fill out the form on the SpTH app, I wasn't able to complete it because it asked for a seat number on my flight and I hadn't yet checked in. Once I checked in, the Iberia Airlines rep told me to show proof that I filled out the form on the app. I told her that I couldn't do it prior to checking in because I hadn't yet been assigned a seat, and the app asked for a seat number. She told me I could've put any seat number on the app and then updated it once I checked in.

This would've been good to know before I got to the airport. So, I'm passing it on.
-Marc

Hi Bill, no problem, to clarify there are currently no plans that I know of to nationally mandate a "pass sanitaire" type digital covid health pass to access bars and restaurants etc. in Spain. While it is up to the individual regions to decide if they need a regional covid pass, the only region who has done so thus far is Galicia, but that was quickly struck down by the Galician regional courts.

Revised original post with updated info as of Sept 2, 2021.

UPDATE - New Travel Restrictions for US Visitors to Spain

As of September 6, Spain now requires travelers coming from the US to be fully vaccinated if they wish to travel to Spain for tourism or leisure. US travelers must present a certificate of vaccination with one of the vaccines approved by the Spanish authorities as proof of immunity for travel.

The certificates should hold the name and surname of the holder, vaccination date of each administered dose, type of vaccine, issuing country. Acceptable vaccines include Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Sinopharm, Sinovac and Covishield.

In addition, all international travelers, regardless of where they're departing from, must register their details through the Spain Travel Health portal. Once completed, the website will generate a QR code which must be shown upon arrival on your mobile phone or printed on paper. The form can be obtained through the Spain Travel Health portal, or downloaded as the ‘SpTH’ via Google Play or the App Store.

Unvaccinated children under 12 traveling with vaccinated adults are allowed to travel to Spain without any additional requirements. However, children between the ages of 12 and 18 must present proof of vaccination.

Travelers coming from the US who are not vaccinated can present a negative PCR test (taken no more than 72 hours before arriving in Spain) or antigen test (taken no more than 48 hours before arriving in Spain) if they are traveling for essential reasons.

Spain has also announced that now all travelers from France and Italy are obliged to present a certificate that proves they have been vaccinated, were previously infected with the virus, or negative COVID-19 test results. Previously, only travelers from particular regions of these two countries were subject to such requirements.

You can read more here: https://www.mscbs.gob.es/en/profesionales/saludPublica/ccayes/alertasActual/nCov/spth.htm?fbclid=IwAR3R4poHS1-kK0PW7pbIY70Oe-lnos5hz4ODyEqHa9MJIq5SiXGq01QLVNE

and

https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/spain-has-banned-non-vaccinated-us-travellers-from-entering-its-territory/

Thanks again for all of the updates!

Thanks for the update

Current regional restrictions across Spain (as of 13 SEP 2021):

Andalusia
The regional government is expecting measures to soon be relaxed if the cumulative incidence falls below 100 cases per 100,000 inhabitants over 14 days. The majority of municipalities are on level one of four. This means capacity is limited to 75% in hospitality venues indoors, with a maximum of eight people per table, while outside areas have no limits. Restaurants and bars can open until 2am and nightclubs until 3.30am. Consumption at bar counters inside and outside is permitted at level one, while at level two this is only permitted outdoors.

Aragón
The health department in the region is considering loosening restrictions “very soon,” according to an announcement made on Thursday. For now, the measures remain in place. Meetings in private and public are limited to 10 people, bars and restaurants can open until 12.30am, but new customers are not allowed in from midnight. The capacity indoors in these areas is limited to 50%, with up to six people per table, and outdoor areas have no capacity limits but the maximum number of people per table is 10. Consumption at bar counters is not permitted and there is no smoking in outdoor areas. The same measures apply to nightlife venues.

Asturias
The regional government on Friday presented the new restrictions in place from Saturday onward. The measures affect hospitality venues, which can now open according to their license and with a maximum of 10 people per table both inside and outside. The use of bar counters is permitted as well as consumption at bars. As for nightlife, venues can open until 4am and dancing is permitted when the dance floor is outdoors. Inside, nighttime bars and nightclubs can open but patrons can only stand or sit in groups of six.

Balearic Islands
New restrictions went into place on Thursday and will stay in place until September 27. In Ibiza, the closing time for social, cultural and leisure activities has been extended from 1am to 2am, meaning that all the islands are now subject to the same timings. Restaurants can have eight people per table inside and 12 outside. The Balearics is allowing nighttime bars to open subject to the same capacity limits as for hospitality venues. Nightclubs remain closed. Beaches are closed from 10pm to 6am on all of the islands.

Basque Country
Restrictions put in place on September 1 remain in force. Indoors, capacity is limited to 50% in bars and restaurants, with no limits outside. Up to eight people per table are permitted, both inside and outside. No consumption at bar counters or when standing is allowed. Closure for all commercial, cultural and social activities remains at 1am. Pubs and nightclubs are still closed.

Canary Islands
The regional government put new restrictions in place last Monday, and there are still restrictions according to the four different alert levels. The majority of the islands are on level one, apart from Gran Canaria, on two, and Tenerife and Fuerteventura, on three. Social meetings among those who don’t live together are limited according to the level: 12 people for level one, eight for two, and six for levels three and four. For restaurants on level one, outdoor areas can open with no limits and indoors the capacity is 75% with a 3am closing time. For level two, the capacity falls to 75% outside and 50% inside with closing at 2am. At level three, 75% capacity outside is permitted and 40% inside with a 1am closing time. Nighttime bars, nightclubs and karaoke bars can open on all the islands, but only for hospitality activities – i.e. food and bar services – and with no dance floors. The closing time for these businesses also depends on the level.

-continued below-

Cantabria
The region is keeping its restrictions in place, depending on the risk level in each municipality. The whole territory is between level one and two. For hospitality, capacity is set at 75% for level one with tables of up to six people indoors, and 100% capacity with a maximum of 10 people outdoors. At level two, the capacity inside falls to 50% with six people per table and the same capacity outdoors as at level one. Nighttime venues can only open in level one, with the same limits as for the hospitality sector, and a 3am closing time.

Castilla-La Mancha
Restrictions for hospitality and nightlife remain in place. For restaurants, the capacity inside is 75% and 100% outside, with a 2am closing time. Consumption at bar counters is prohibited and tables are limited to 10 people. Nightlife opens until 3am with a capacity of 75% inside and 100% outside. No dancing is allowed inside, nor is consumption at bar counters.

Castilla y León
The regional government announced last Thursday that it will not extend restrictions further, and that from Tuesday the whole region will return to risk level one. Limits on nightlife will be eliminated and consumption at bar counters will be permitted. Bars and restaurants will be able to allow consumption at the bar and standing, with a limit of 75% capacity and a maximum of 25 people per table. Outdoor areas will have no capacity limits, while the inside of nightclubs and other nighttime venues will reopen with a capacity of 50%. No closing times will be mandated.

Catalonia
New restrictions came into force on Wednesday. The limit of 10 people for social and family meetings was scrapped, while hospitality and nightlife venues must close at 12.30am. Capacity in bars and restaurants is limited to 50% inside, with a maximum of six people per table. There are no limits outdoors, and there can be as many as 10 to a table. Nightlife venues still cannot open their indoor areas.

Extremadura
The regional government of Extremadura announced on Friday that it intends to enter the new normality on September 27. To reach this point, the region is expected to enter level two on September 15, and start to relax restrictions on the hospitality and nightlife sectors. From this date on, bars and restaurants will be able to open until 3am (up from 2am), and capacity indoors will increase from 30% to 40%. With respect to nightlife venues, opening hours will also be extended an hour and capacity indoors set at 30%.

Galicia
From September 15, restrictions on the hospitality sector will not be linked to the risk level of each municipality. There will be two options on how to open and it will be up to business owners to decide between the two. In the first, restaurants and bars can open with a capacity of 50% inside and 75% outside. While in the second, capacity is set at 75% and 100%, respectively, and people can consume at the bar counter if alone or with one other person from their household. In municipalities at extreme and high risk, nighttime venues must keep their indoor areas close, but can open outdoor space at 75% capacity. In medium-risk areas, these venues can open at 50% capacity indoors and 75% outdoors. In low-medium risk municipalities, this is set at 50% and 100%, respectively. Beaches must close between 12 and 6am.

La Rioja
The regional government extended the restrictions in place on Wednesday. This means that bars and restaurants still have 75% capacity limits inside and 100% outside. The recommendation is six diners per table. Closing time depends on each venue’s license but 2am is the limit. Nighttime bars and nightclubs have a six-person limit at tables too, while consumption at bars is permitted. The capacity limit inside is 75%.

-continued below-

Madrid
The regional government is going to relax restrictions for hospitality, nightlife and culture at the end of September. For now, the current measures will stay in place. Hospitality venues can open until 1am with capacity limited to 50% inside and 75% outside. Six diners per table are permitted inside and eight outside. Nightlife venues can open until 3am with the same capacity limits as hospitality. Consumption at bar counters is not permitted, nor is dancing indoors.

Murcia
In the hospitality sector, outdoor areas can open at 100% capacity with tables of up to 10 people. Indoors, the capacity is at 30% for municipalities at level three, 50% for level two, and 75% for level one. Tables indoors are limited to six people and consumption at bar counters is prohibited. The interiors of pubs and nightclubs have been closed since July 10, but outside these businesses can operate with no limits. Social meetings are not permitted between members of different households between 2 and 4am and are limited to 10 people in general.

Navarre
The government will relax all restrictions for the hospitality sector from September 17, but for now, restrictions remain in place. Bars and restaurants can open inside with capacity of 60%, but there is no such limit if the venue has a CO2 monitor and a system to locate patrons in the case of a confirmed infection. There can be up to six people per table provided there is a distance of 70 centimeters between them. There are no limits for outdoor tables and there can be up to 10 people per table. Closing time is 1am. Nightclubs and other nighttime venues are limited to 50% capacity with tables of six people. Dance floors are not permitted and closing time is 1am.

Valencia
A series of new measures came into force on September 7 and will remain in place until September 27. The nighttime curfew was scrapped on September 7, and new limits on capacity were introduced. Capacity in bars and restaurants is now set at 50% with a limit of eight people to a table. In outdoor areas, there are no restrictions on capacity, and up to 10 people can be seated at a table. Bars and restaurants must close at 12.30, and consumption at bar counters remains prohibited. Nighttime venues can open until 3am at 50% capacity in indoor areas. Eight people are allowed at a table inside and 10 outdoors. Dancing is also banned.

source: https://english.elpais.com/society/2021-09-13/coronavirus-restrictions-in-spain-all-the-latest-news-region-by-region.html

@carlos: According to The Points Guy yesterday (9/13), Spain now requires travelers from the US to be fully vaccinated, with very few exceptions. I have not been able to confirm this elsewhere yet.

Spain now requires travelers from the US to be fully vaccinated, with very few exceptions.

That is true, Spain requires travelers coming from the US to be fully vaccinated if they wish to travel to Spain for tourism or leisure. Travelers coming from the US who are not vaccinated can enter Spain with a negative PCR test or antigen test only if they are traveling for essential (non-tourism) reasons.

You can read more here: https://www.mscbs.gob.es/en/profesionales/saludPublica/ccayes/alertasActual/nCov/spth.htm?fbclid=IwAR3R4poHS1-kK0PW7pbIY70Oe-lnos5hz4ODyEqHa9MJIq5SiXGq01QLVNE

and

https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/spain-has-banned-non-vaccinated-us-travellers-from-entering-its-territory/

Hi Carlos
Will the FRENCH QR Pass work for flights from France to Spain (for vaccinated Americans)? I signed up for the Spanish info and registered but they only issue 48hr before arrival in Spain specifically Barcelona (which will be half way through my trip while in France).
Thanks much for keeping us all informed on the latests in Spain.

Hi, currently Spain requires proof of vaccination or a negative test for flights coming in from France, if you are an American I would be prepared to show your CDC Vaccination Card also just in case.

Just came from CDG to Madrid Spain. Needed the QR code for Spain and they also asked for the CDC card. There was a lady in front of us that did not have her QR code, and she was not allowed to board.

Hi @tsnclr
Did you use the French QR code or one from the Spanish Gov Website?
Also - curious which Airline too if you dont mine sharing?

Hi Carlos
One more question - for the flights TO SPAIN - just incase in addition to my French QR code - I filled in the Spanish application form. But for the flight I used the second-leg of my 2-part flight from within France (BIQ-to-CDG and then CDG-to-BCN)
I used the CDG-BCN flight info since that is the one going TO Barcelona. It only lets you apply one application for one day so I hope thats the logical flight (not the internal France local first flight!)

All I can say is be prepared to show your QR code via the SPtH app (https://www.spth.gob.es/) and your CDC Vax card when entering Spain, I cannot speak for France.

Ok thanks Carlos
I updated my info on the Spanish APP (as well as the website direct).
BTW I was able to load my FR Pass Sanitare QR code into the Spanish Health App as an EU pass (in either english or spanish) - and it also allowed to add THAT to my apple wallet. Likewise just to check - it also let me scan the QR into the SWISS Health APP.

Will also have plenty of hard-copies with my CDC and Passport! :)

Just spent a week in Spain, flying to Barcelona from Frankfurt. Uploaded the Spanish health certificate that Lufthansa sent to me and printed it out. I think I only had to show it a couple of times, at departure, at an exhibit in City Hall in Barcelona, and at the Sagrada Familia. I have the QR code on my phone too, that shows the dates and kinds of vaccines I had. I think I showed that a couple of times too, but restaurants didn't seem to be too interested in this like they are in Germany.
People wore their masks when entering restaurants, buildings, riding trains, or in churches, but not on the street.

Flights were fully booked both ways and everyone wore medical masks. No cloth, but both kinds of medical masks were fine.

UPDATE (SEP 29, 2021) - Spain lifts more coronavirus restrictions on sporting events and dinning as new cases continue to fall

In response to the Health Ministry reporting 2,290 new infections on Tuesday, the lowest daily figure since July 2020, there will be no coronavirus restrictions on outdoor stadiums in Spain starting this weekend. Until now, capacity at stadiums was restricted to 60% and 40% in outdoor and indoor stadiums, respectively.

What’s more, 76.9% of the population is fully vaccinated against Covid-19, according to the latest figure released on Tuesday. Nearly 74% of the 30-39 age group are completely immunized, a figure that rises to 75.3% for the 12-19 demographic. Some 95.1% of the over-40 population has had at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine.

The decision to ease restrictions on Wednesday was backed by all the regions, which are responsible for the vaccination drive and controlling the pandemic in their territories, as well as the Health Ministry. Under the agreement, non-pharmaceutical measures, such as face masks, will remain in place. Eating, drinking, smoking and the consumption of other related products will be banned in the stadium.

The decision to lift the capacity limits on outdoor sporting events comes as several Spanish regions move to ease other coronavirus restrictions. On Tuesday, the premier of Andalusia, Juan Manuel Moreno said that half the southern region is set to enter level zero on the coronavirus alert system on Friday, meaning restrictions on capacity and opening hours in bars and restaurants will be lifted. In municipalities on level one, hospitality establishments must close at 2am and nightlife venues at 3.30am, and the maximum number of people allowed to a table is 10 for outdoor spaces and eight indoors.

Meanwhile in Catalonia, authorities have agreed to ease coronavirus restrictions starting Thursday. Under the new rules, 10 people will be allowed to be seated at a table in indoor spaces, up from six. The Catalan regional government also said it was “closer” to reopening nighttime venues, indicating that it could take place in “the coming weeks.”

source: https://english.elpais.com/society/2021-09-29/spain-lifts-capacity-restrictions-on-outdoor-sporting-events-as-coronavirus-cases-fall.html

Great news. Thank you, Carlos, for all the updates!

We leave for Spain in just a few hours. This is fantastic news. We are both boosted with Pfizer vaccine, have plenty of KN95 masks and are ready to ride our bike in the Costa Brava !

No problem, the good vaccination progress is especially welcome news 👍

Have fun on the Costa Brava!

UPDATE (September 29, 2021) - Spain Adds Poland, Czechia, & Hungary to List of High-Risk Areas

Travellers reaching Spain from Poland are now subject to the requirement of additional entry rules, as the Spanish Ministry of Health has added the country to its list of high-risk areas. At the same time, Czechia’s regions of Moravian-Silesian and Prague, as well as Hungary’s regions of Pest and Northern Hungary, are now part of the same list.

Travellers reaching Spain from these countries and regions in the high-risk list are subject to the requirement of proof of vaccination against COVID-19, recovery from the virus in the recent months, or negative test results for Coronavirus, in case the traveller holds neither of the two first.

Interesting, Carlos. I wonder how the decision was made in regards to Poland? The U.S. CDC still has Poland as a level 1 in terms of risk. Poland's cases have been increasing, but their numbers are still low, at least based on reported data. Not saying I disagree, but interesting. I read a press release from their government. They are continuing quarantines for unvaccinated people coming into the country and masks are still required indoors. Umm, yeah, about that. . . .

Hi Jules, yes I though it was an interesting coincidence too, as we were just talking about Poland in the other thread, my understanding was that it was a preemptive move due to the exponentially rising number of new daily coronavirus cases in Poland, coupled with the appalling low vaccination rates.

As for the CDC, they seem a bit slow on updating their lists, I find it farcical that Spain is still on the level 4.

The trend line appears like Poland is at the threshold of the 4th wave now, which Spain and most of Western Europe is just now coming out of.

"We said that by the end of September we would reach this average level of about 1,000 infections (daily), so for the time being this fourth wave is developing in line with our predictions," Polish health minister Adam Niedzielski said.

source: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/polands-new-covid-cases-surpass-1000-first-time-since-may-2021-09-29/

Hi Carlos, and thanks for this helpful information. Re the earlier post with info from the US Embassy on "where to get a COVID test", can you explain how complicated vs convenient this process is? How far might you have to travel, say in Barcelona or Madrid, to get a test? How flexible are the operating hours for these places?

Thank you!

The Basque Country will enter tomorrow into "normality" after 481 days of Sanitary Emergency. The Basque Government has lifted all restrictions (except for the obligation of wearing mask indoors, which is a national restriction by the Spanish Government applicable to all of Spain) and we can now enter bars and restaurants with no limits in number of persons inside, we can stand at the counter and we can enjoy our wines and pintxos as we did before. Concerts, public attendance at events and schools will also have total freedom (except for attendances over 5000, limited to 80% of total capacity). No limits either on number of persons seated at a table, either indoors or outdoors. 90% of total population over 12% have been fully vaccinated, 95% on persons over 40. It seems promising.

@Suzanne - that list of testing sites provided by the US Embassy is fairly limited, testing locations in Spain are much more numerous, especially in the big cities. When in Spain, I'd probably ask the concierge of a notable hotel chain which testing location they recommend for foreigners.

@Carlos re:CDC being slow, it’s a bit true, but if you didn’t know or if anyone else was curious, the reason Spain is still on level 4 is that the CDC adjusts their levels based on the incidence rate per 100k for the last 28 days. To fall from level 4 I believe the incidence rate has to be below 500 per 100k for the previous 28 days. So I expect Spain to fall off the level 4 warning probably next week or so.

Re: COVID tests for returns to the US, the TripAdvisor forum has some posters who have shared their experience of where they went. It sounds relatively simply. I am actually looking for one myself as I will be returning in less than a week. I think I will do mine 2 days before just because I am worried that although the rapid antigen test should give results in 30 minutes I don’t want to leave it for the last minute and since I am leaving on the 12th, a holiday, that makes me even more nervous if something goes wrong. I will report back my experience if it helps others.

@James, thank you for illuminating of the CDC process, I know it affects American tourists' decision making, who may be hesitant to visit Spain.

In Spain we use the 14-day cumulative number of cases, rather than 28 day as you mention for the CDC, the current 14-day incidence rate in Spain now stands at 54.12 cases per 100,000, down from 57.91 from Friday. This is much lower than Italy (90.38), France (132.57), and Germany (139.78) current 100k incidence rates.

Source: https://english.elpais.com/society/2021-10-05/spains-coronavirus-incidence-rate-falls-below-100-cases-per-100000-among-all-age-groups.html

I just read Spain just entered "bajo riesgo" or low risk for first time since june of 2020 with a 14 day incidence of 48.92 cases per 100k. Way to go Spain!

Indeed that is good news! One can see a graph of Spain's incidence rate here: https://elpais.com/sociedad/2021-10-07/espana-entra-en-riesgo-bajo-de-transmision-de-covid-por-primera-vez-desde-julio-de-2020.html

Thanks for posting this, considering buying tickets later today and wondered what the current procedure was. The official Spanish Health website keeps talking about “third countries”but I’m flying directly from US to Madrid, so I can ignore that I think.

Anyway if a CDC paper card showing a completed Moderna series if enough, I have that.

How is Iberia premium economy?

@Tom_MN -- I flew Iberia premium economy round-trip JFK-MAD in August and was very happy with my decision. I don't want to derail this thread too much since it is very useful and I don't want to get it off track, but happy to answer any questions you might have! (either here or perhaps somewhere else)

Nick: I wondered if that were the case. One interpretation is that a third country is one transited, like flying to Madrid via a third county like via Paris. You are right though that in this case Spain in the first county, the EU/Schengen States are the second countries, and every other country is a "third country."

Anyway the vaccination exception is buried all the way at the bottom under item K (after clicking the third countries button). https://www.mscbs.gob.es/en/profesionales/saludPublica/ccayes/alertasActual/nCov/spth.htm

Andrew: thanks, just got a notification that the airfare dropped another $100.

Thank you very much!

Just to update for those wondering about tests to return to the US, I did mine this morning with a company called Democratest. I booked an antigen test online for 25 euros.

I went there this morning and was early but they did not mind. One other woman also was there early, they took her first and then me. The whole process was maybe about 1 minute to collect the sample. Super easy. They emailed the results in 30 minutes and I already uploaded them to Delta and they accepted them.

Today, CDC (finally) revised its travel advisory for Spain from Level 4 to Level 3, as James predicted upthread a few days ago. I’m headed there next month and am looking forward to it!

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/covid-3/coronavirus-spain

Awesome! You will have a great time. I just got back from spending two weeks there and it was great. Covid cases are really low right now (lower than a level 3 warning would have you believe). Of course you still must take precautions like wearing masks indoors and on transports but all the cities I was in were really alive and buzzing. Gran Via was a little crazy actually with the number of people.

CDC (finally) revised its travel advisory for Spain from Level 4 to Level 3

On Spain's National Day too, no less... very nice 😉

Just to update for those wondering about tests to return to the US, I did mine this morning with a company called Democratest. I booked an antigen test online for 25 euros.

I went there this morning and was early but they did not mind. One other woman also was there early, they took her first and then me. The whole process was maybe about 1 minute to collect the sample. Super easy. They emailed the results in 30 minutes and I already uploaded them to Delta and they accepted them.

@James ...what city did you go to for the test?

I'm curious because we're planning on doing this as well, but we'll be in Barcelona for our outbound back to the states. Just wanted to know where the location for planning purposes. Thanks!

@knhellesky

This was Madrid, but you can check Democratest's website as they have centers all over Spain.

Thanks @James

I’m in Spain in Barcelona. Spain has been wonderful. Everyone is wearing masks indoors, and in crowded conditions outdoors. We had a Covid test scheduled through a website, but we would have had to walk 20 minutes to the clinic. Just so happened one block from our hotel there was a testing site. We passed by at 9 am yesterday and stopped in to inquire about getting a test and they got us in right then and there. We took a PCR test for 50 euro each and had our results and paperwork with QR code in 10 minutes.

What I want to say is, from our experience, it’s not a difficult thing to do to find a testing site and get it done before traveling home. We were so lucky to find a closer location. No disruption to our day plans at all.

Thanks for that info @Ellen....I'll keep that in mind for our trip soon.

UPDATE Spain now the most epidemiologically safe country in the EU (October 31, 2021)

The latest update of COVID-19 maps by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has shown that Spain is currently the safest European Union destination to travel to amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, all of the following regions of Spain are placed on the green list:

Galicia
Asturias
Cantabria
Basque Country
La Rioja
Castile and Leon
Extremadura
Andalucía

Such categorisation has been made since all of the above-mentioned regions have identified less than 50 COVID-19 infection cases per 100,000 inhabitants during the last couple of weeks and have had a test positivity rate of not more than four per cent. As for the other regions, almost all are on the orange list, with the Basque Country being the only region still in red.

You can see the map here: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/covid-19/situation-updates/weekly-maps-coordinated-restriction-free-movement

Info source: https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/spain-is-now-the-safest-eu-destination-heres-what-you-should-know-before-you-travel-there/

More good news for Spain -- and proof positive of what a high vaccination rate can do for an entire population.

We are finally feeling like our trip next month will happen and are so happy to see the continuing good trends... now we just need Delta to do another flight schedule upheaval so we can get home in less than 30 hours; hopefully a seventh schedule change will do the trick :-)

Thank you again, Carlos, for the ongoing updates. Much appreciated.

I'll say it again. We were in Spain the first two weeks of October, and I never felt safer. Better than here in the US for certain. Masks everywhere, no protests over wearing a mask, or protest over getting a vaccination. Spain was amazing, and I can see from the updated report how well this country is doing. Compare that to what is happening here in the US in the last few days, and I"m ready to go back to Spain and enjoy the peace and quiet and the safety. And the caring, considerate population of that country. Hurrah for Spain, set the example for the US and other countries... Well done.

I'll be honest, even the experts in Spain are (pleasantly) surprised with the lack of issue with masks/vaccine hesitancy. Considering we had some the most strict lockdowns early on, there is still very little "pandemic fatigue" and the collective sense of "we're all in this together" is still very strong in Spain, from all sides of the political spectrum.

All this accomplished without the need for any vaccine mandates or national covid health pass to access businesses, as opposed to France, Germany, or Italy for example. A bit of a 'head-scratcher' even for us Spaniards.

Carlos, I hope you didn't jump the gun with the good news. Let's see where we are in a week.

I can't speak about other communities, but here in La Rioja we've been at in the high 20's /100k for the last several days. Hospital good, deaths none. Now's the big test. As you know we are finishing a 3 day weekend, and at least here, there were a LOT of people celebrating of Halloween. But, shall we say, not always in a responsible manner.

I am confident that the rate will rise. I am hopeful that it will be slight.

I'm cautiously optimistic, no doubt the rate will rise again, perhaps it won't be such a dramatic spike like other times, but a manageable incline that will hopefully equilibrate with time.

Of course, the pandemic isn't totally over, lets hope covid does not have any major surprises for us left.

Carlos, I hope you didn't jump the gun with the good news. Let's see where we are in a week.

Thankfully it's still looking good, one week on. Fingers crossed it stays that way :)

There was an article in the Lancet medical journal a few days ago discussing the possibility that Spain could be the first country to truly reach heard immunity:

Although Spain, similar to the rest of the EU, had a relatively slow start to its vaccination campaign in early 2021, the country accelerated its efforts and has now overtaken countries, such as the UK and the USA, that had made better progress earlier on. More than 80% of Spain's population is now fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and experts are beginning to believe the country is on the cusp of reaching something that barely seemed possible even weeks ago—herd immunity.

With winter closing in on Europe, the next few weeks and months will be crucial in finding out how successful each country's individual strategy has been in attempting to bring COVID-19 under control.

One can read more here: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanres/article/PIIS2213-2600(21)00495-1/fulltext

Hi all and thanks again to Carlos for the trips for my Pyrenees(FR) and Barcelona trip in Oct 2-to-14). Yes there was a lot of extra prep work and hoops to jump through for FR and Spain but it was all well worth it. I second the opinion of the earlier comments on how safe it felt out in both the big streets of Barcelona and also the wine hill-towns of Pritorat - and in the resort and mountain towns of Basque-region France. It was a great time to go to these areas to see Barcelona enjoyed by locals and other Spanish regional visitors - so different than the usual international crowds (hoards?) :) Same in France in the areas we went.
Its a great time to go if you are fortunate enough to be able to - and if we can be flexible and considerate of the locals and their local needs and rules to follow. We are all guests and this can be a more authentic and different experience than the usual years of "tourism"... be a traveler and not a tourist - and enjoy! :)

In non-covid related travel news, it appears father winter has visited Spain quite early this year as a massive early snowstorm has hit many regions across Spain this week. The snow and cold temps are set to continue through the weekend. Aragón, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y León and La Rioja were particularly hard hit, with Asturias, Cantabria, Catalonia, the north of Madrid, and Navarra also being affected.

In the last 24 hours, snow has been falling at increasingly low altitudes, with snow recorded Monday night at 800 meters in the northmost part of the country. According to Spain’s traffic authority DTG, traffic restrictions were introduced on close to 750 kilometers of roads in 10 provinces, mostly in the north of Spain, due to the buildup of snow.

Temperatures are also forecast to drop across the Spanish mainland. Readings on thermometers are expected to fall below 10ºC (50F) in up to 22 provincial capitals, with Ávila set to see highs of just 3ºC. In the Sierra Nevada mountain range in southern Spain, close to Granada, temperatures fell to -12ºC (10F) in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Just another example of how more and more extreme weather is affecting Europe. One can read more here: https://english.elpais.com/spain/2021-11-23/ten-regions-on-alert-for-snow-as-early-winter-storm-hits-spain.html

UPDATE (November 25 2021) - Catalan regional government approves the use of COVID Certificates in bars, restaurants and gyms, more regions to follow

With the recent rise in Covid-19 cases, Catalonia has approved the use of COVID Certificates to be used in bars, restaurants, gyms and nursing homes across the region, including Barcelona. The new measure is set to come into effect on Friday. The documents presented should certify whether the bearer has been vaccinated against Covid-19, has recently recovered from an infection, or has been tested for the virus.

So far six other Spanish regions have received court approval to make a COVID certificate a condition of entry in certain indoor spaces. They are Galicia, Aragón, the Balearic Islands, Murcia, Catalonia and Navarra. But the spaces where the COVID certificate is required vary from region to region.

More on COVID certificates in Spain: https://english.elpais.com/society/2021-11-26/covid-passports-in-spain-a-region-by-region-breakdown-of-where-they-are-required-and-for-which-activities.html

UPDATE (November 29, 2021) - Current COVID situation in Spain + concerns over omicron variant

The Spanish government has tightened entry requirements to the country due to concerns over the new variant of the coronavirus, named omicron by the World Health Organization (WHO). Visitors from the United Kingdom who are not EU residents will now only be able to enter the country if they are fully vaccinated, while those from ‘high-risk’ areas will need to provide a negative Covid test in addition to proof of vaccination.

Under the new rules, published Saturday in the Official State Gazette (BOE), travelers from seven countries are currently classified as high-risk: Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Travelers from these countries will need to present a negative Covid-19 test – for example, a PCR test taken within 78 hours – regardless of whether they are fully vaccinated or have recovered from the disease.

Sources from the Spanish Health Ministry confirmed that it has detected its first case of the Omicron variant in a man who had recently arrived from South Africa. The man has "light symptoms" and is now in quarantine, Madrid authorities say. Meanwhile, Portugal announced that it has detected 13 cases of omicron.

This comes as much of Europe continues to grapple with a 5th wave of Coronavirus. In the Baltic countries, Bulgaria and Romania, cases seem to have peaked and are falling according to the dynamic that has been seen at other times during the pandemic. In Slovakia, Slovenia, Austria and the Netherlands, new positives have risen to levels that have not been seen in the last two years. Germany has also registered a record in infections and the volume of Covid patients has once again affected the normal running of healthcare centers. In Spain, Italy and Denmark, cases have risen later and for now, are doing so at a lower velocity.

In Spain, the situation is one of tense calm and in recent weeks the data has gotten worse in the majority of Spain’s regions, which are in charge of their coronavirus restrictions, healthcare systems and vaccination programs. In Aragón and Navarre, hospitalizations have doubled in the last four weeks. In Catalonia, in the last week the incidence data has worsened among those aged between 60 and 80, something that has caused a significant increase in hospital occupation.

Source on omicron: https://english.elpais.com/spain/2021-11-29/spain-tightens-travel-restrictions-amid-concerns-over-omicron-coronavirus-variant.html

Breakdown + graphs of covid situation in Spain: https://english.elpais.com/society/2021-11-29/the-new-wave-of-coronavirus-infections-in-europe-whats-the-situation-and-how-is-it-being-felt-in-spain.html

I saw that Barcelona now requires the EU COVID certificate for eating in restaurants. Does that mean Americans are unable to go in restaurants there since we can't get the EU certificate?

I saw that Barcelona now requires the EU COVID certificate for eating in restaurants. Does that mean Americans are unable to go in restaurants there since we can't get the EU certificate?

I don't believe so, from what I've read, it appears that you might be able to use the CDC Vax Card instead, as an American tourist. This is a brand new requirement for restaurants in Barcelona though, so I'm not 100% sure, but fairly confident.

can please you share where you saw/read that? Maybe the official Barcelona Tourism isn't up-to-date

https://www.lavanguardia.com/vida/20211130/7897606/catalunya-pedira-pase-covid-viernes-nuevo-fiasco-inicial.html

^From our local newspaper in Barcelona, it's in Spanish. I highly doubt they would turn away American/British tourists because they don't have an EU Green Pass.

The official channels might take a few more days to update their websites.

This is where I read that: https://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com/en/covid/latest-covid-updates-in-barcelona.html
Basically, that website says that Americans would have to get tested every couple of days to get a temporary EU certificate, even if they are vaccinated. If that is the case, I would definitely cancel my trip. Hopefully they will sort out a better system!

Yeah, that sounds like a terrible system from what you describe. I'm a bit skeptical as the website you linked is not the official website for Barcelona tourism.

This is the official website - https://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/en/

Thanks for that link. Yeah, the website I saw seems sketchy because they are also trying to get you to sign up for COVID testing. I emailed the information email address from the official site you listed, and I will report back if I find anything out.

Here's what I found with a few google searches. It's still a little confusing, so maybe you call can take a look and share your .02.

Field of hospitality and catering

To access the interior you must present the digital COVID certificate . This measure is temporarily suspended.

The establishments must designate personnel for the control of access in charge to do the verification of the certificates through verificacovid.gencat.cat.

Bar consumption is allowed, with an interpersonal separation of 1.50 meters.

There is no limit of people per table or minimum distance between tables.

Hours: usual in the sector, up to a maximum of 2.30am and 30 minutes added on Fridays, Saturdays and public holidays).

https://web.gencat.cat/ca/activem/restriccions-territorials/catalunya/

Check out the links for the regulations....one dated 26th Nov is the latest one.

Update: I wrote an email to the tourism office in Barcelona, and they said that the CDC vaccination card should be accepted by restaurants.

Update: I wrote an email to the tourism office in Barcelona, and they said that the CDC vaccination card should be accepted by restaurants.

Many thanks for the confirmation, I was 95% sure that was the case, otherwise it would have been a total fiasco lol!

Here is an overview of how the Covid passport/certificate is being applied across Spain.

Andalucía (14-day cumulative incidence: 104 cases per 100,000). The Covid certificate is not currently required in Andalusia, but the regional government is planning to ask the Andalusia High Court for permission to introduce it in night venues. Regional authorities have requested legal support for demanding the Covid pass from people visiting hospital patients and care home residents.

Aragón (370). In Aragón, residents are required to present the Covid passport at nighttime venues, celebrations in hospitality establishments and large-scale events. The High Court of Aragón has called on the affected sectors to express their objections, but has not yet stopped the measure from being introduced.

Asturias (191). The regional government is not “for now” considering any measure that would imply making the Covid certificate a condition of entry, but it has not ruled out doing so in the future.

Balearic Islands (255). The Covid certificate is currently required at night venues and nursing homes. The regional High Court authorized this measure to be extended until the beginning of December. The Balearic Islands government later requested permission to introduce the certificate in bars, restaurants and night venues with an indoor capacity for over 50 people. This request is still pending court authorization.

Basque Country (485). The regional government has received the green light from the Spanish Supreme Court to use the certificate in restaurants with capacity for more than 50 diners, as well as nightclubs, party venues, karaoke bars and other night venues. Last week, the Basque High Court ruled against this measure on the grounds that it was “unjustified.” The regional government appealed and the Supreme Court ruled in its favor on Tuesday.

Canary Islands (180). The Canary Islands government will ask the regional High Court for authorization to request proof of a negative PCR result or a Covid certificate in all venues that are currently subject to restrictions on capacity and opening hours. If ratified, the plan is for the measure to come into effect in December. Regional authorities have also reintroduced a requirement for all passengers arriving from another region of Spain to show proof of vaccination, a negative diagnostic test or evidence of recovery from Covid-19 in the previous six months. The measure will be in effect until January 15.

Cantabria (165). The Cantabria High Court refused the regional government’s request to introduce the Covid passport last summer. The premier of Cantabria, Miguel Ángel Revilla defended the measure and criticized the courts for not accepting its application. The region’s health department is expected to file a new request seeking permission to demand the Covid pass in hospitality venues.

Castilla-La Mancha (117). For now, the regional government of Castilla-La Mancha does not believe it is necessary to introduce the Covid certificate.

Castilla y León (252). The regional government is awaiting a legal report about the Covid passport’s use in hospitals and guesthouses, which would be the first place it would be required should the plan be implemented.

Catalonia (268). The Covid pass will go into effect this coming Friday after a one-week delay caused by a surge in certificate downloads that destabilized the regional health department’s website. Anyone 13 years old and over will have to show the pass to enter bars, restaurants, care homes and gyms. Until now, the certificate had only been required to access nightlife venues.

Extremadura (92). For now, the regional government does not believe it is necessary to require the Covid passport.

continued below:

Galicia (204). The Galician High Court has approved the use of the Covid passport for people who want to visit patients in hospitals and also for nightlife venues. The executive is awaiting authorization from the courts to require the document for entry into bars and restaurants from 9pm onward.

La Rioja (213). For now, the regional government has no plans to introduce the use of the Covid passport. At its latest Cabinet meeting this week, the executive ruled out any additional measures to contain the rise in coronavirus cases.

Madrid (142). The Madrid region is not requiring Covid passports for access to any kind of venue. The regional premier Isabel Díaz Ayuso has stated that a debate is underway about its application, adding that she was “unclear whether it is the most efficient measure” and mentioning the legal problems seen in other regions. But Díaz Ayuso said that her government will this week present new measures in connection with the Christmas season, especially with regard to vaccination and tests.

Murcia (223). The High Court in the southeastern Murcia region has backed the use of the Covid certificate in nightlife venues at full capacity and at events with large crowds. It is not required at bars and restaurants.

Navarra (588). The Navarre High Court has approved the use of the Covid passport in the region, considering it a “suitable, necessary and proportionate” measure. Until January 6, the document will be required for access to restaurants with more than 60 patrons, establishments with a nightclub license and banquet halls. The certificate will also be required for access to large cultural indoor events that are for more than 1,000 people where food and drink can be consumed. The regional health chief, Santos Induráin, has admitted that the online app to download the certificate has caused “some logistical problems,” the daily Noticias de Navarra reported.

Valencia region (220). The regional High Court has approved the use of the Covid passport in bars and restaurants with capacity for more than 50 people, as well as nightlife venues, betting parlors, hospitals and care homes. The certificate will also be required at indoor social events and music festivals, and also outdoors when the use of masks cannot be guaranteed at all times. The measure will be in place for a month and is expected to be introduced on December 3 – the idea being that it will cover the holiday season and New Year.

Ceuta (86) and Melilla (135). For now, the Covid passport is not required in either of the North African exclave cities. “We are considering measures that will not affect hospitality or any indoor activity too intensely, but we will also work on creating safe spaces while trying not to hurt any sector,” said Paqui García Maeso, head of Melilla’s public health department, according to the daily El Faro de Melilla.

source: https://english.elpais.com/society/2021-12-01/covid-passports-in-spain-a-region-by-region-breakdown-of-where-they-are-required-and-for-which-activities.html

Interestingly I just read the Health Ministry has announced if you are a close contact of someone with omnicron (or beta or gamma) you now have to quarantine even if you are completely vaccinated. I believe before if you were vaccinated and a close contact you did not have to quarantine.

UPDATE for folks coming back to the States (C19 testing)

Travel requirements have changed. Starting December 6, all air passengers, regardless of vaccination status, must show a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than 1 day before travel to the United States.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/international-travel-during-covid19.html#anchor_1634924936642

Interestingly I just read the Health Ministry has announced if you are a close contact of someone with omnicron (or beta or gamma) you now have to quarantine even if you are completely vaccinated

Makes perfect sense to me.

In BCN now, and saw a signs in restaurant about the new Covid Passport requirements.
We showed our CDC cards (fully vaxed) and they gave us the thumbs up to go in.

Thanks for the update knhellesky, enjoy your trip!!

UPDATE (Dec. 20, 2021) - Catalonia to reimpose restrictions including nighttime curfew

The Generalitat of Catalonia announced today that it will impose a nighttime curfew (from 1 am to 6 am) across the region starting this Friday. The Regional Government also plans to close nightlife venues, limit social gatherings to a maximum of 10 people, and reduce capacity to 50% in sports and cultural areas. As of Thursday, all close contacts of a positive case must also quarantine for 10 days, whether or not they are vaccinated.

This comes as Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has called a special meeting for this Wednesday with the heads of the country’s regional governments to discuss the spread of the new omicron variant and “evaluate new measures that could be introduced in the coming weeks.” Meanwhile the president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz-Ayuso, already made it clear this Monday that she is "not in a position to apply more restrictions."

According to the most recent data released by the Health Ministry on Friday, 38.6 million citizens have been fully immunized (91.7%); 70% of the over-60s have received a booster shot and vaccination of the under-12s is underway. This mass immunization is widely viewed as a barrier that will avoid the complete overload of the healthcare system.

You can read more here:

https://elpais.com/espana/catalunya/2021-12-20/cataluna-pide-el-toque-de-queda-a-partir-del-viernes.html

https://english.elpais.com/spain/2021-12-20/spains-pm-to-meet-with-regional-leaders-to-discuss-new-covid-19-measures-due-to-real-risk.html

I've also read the CDC has placed Spain back on the highest level, level 4, of travel advisories and is advising citizens not to travel if not necessary.

This is so frustrating especially for a country like Spain which did so well with its high vaccination rate.

UPDATE (Dec. 22, 2021) - More covid restrictions on the horizon?

PM Pedro Sánchez will convene an extraordinary Council of Ministers this Thursday to discuss the impositions of further covid restrictions, right at the gates of the Christmas holidays. One restriction that is currently being proposed is the mandatory use of masks outdoors across Spain. Measures like limiting indoor capacity and reducing some business hours are also on the table, but a full lockdown is not being considered at the moment.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health of Catalonia has announced today that it will NOT impose quarantine on the close contacts of a covid positive with the omicron variant, if the contact is vaccinated. This reverses the previous decision to enforce a quarantine on all contacts of a covid positive (omicron) regardless of their vaccination status.

You can follow live updates here: https://elpais.com/sociedad/2021-12-22/ultima-hora-del-coronavirus-hoy-en-directo-incidencia-y-restricciones-en-espana.html

Thank you for these updates.. I have a trip to Madrid and Toledo booked for mid January but can’t decide if I should cancel. I don’t want to be part of the problem.

@lauramblair - that is a tricky decision as cases are indeed exploding across Spain due to Omicron, if it were my holidays I would try to push until Spring at least.

UPDATE (Dec 29, 2021) - More regional COVID restrictions announced ahead of NYE festivities and Omicron spread

It looks like many NYE and Three Kings Day celebrations are again being cancelled this year in Spain. Due to the devolved nature of the pandemic response in Spain, there is a patchwork of new Covid restrictions amongst the various regions most notably certification of Covid vaccination (aka Covid Passport). I though it would be helpful to give a roundup of where the various regions stand on new Covid restrictions:

Andalucía
Until January 15, certification of Covid vaccination will be obligatory for entry to hospitality and nightlife venues, as well as access to hospitals and care homes. Anyone who does not have one will have to show a negative coronavirus test. Indoors, there is a recommendation of no more than 10 people per table, and that no more than two bubble groups take part in social meetings. Another recommendation is that people see in the New Year in wide open streets. Kings’ Day processions are not recommended, but if they do go ahead they should also be on wide streets.

Aragón
Until January 15, the Covid passport will be necessary for celebrations of more than 10 people and for access to nightlife, betting shops, hospitals and other social centers. They will also be needed for events with more than 500 attendees if indoors, or 1,000 if outdoors.

Hospitality venues must close at midnight, and nightlife venues at 2am. Tables are limited to 10 people inside and outside, and smoking is banned on sidewalk cafés as is drinking at the bar. The regional government is recommending no more than 10 people at social events from no more than two bubble groups. No specific measures have been approved for Kings’ Day or New Year’s Eve.

Asturias
The Covid passport is required for access to hospitality, care homes and gyms. Indoor nightlife venues are closed, and bars and restaurants must shut at 1am. The regional government recommends 10 people from two bubbles for social events. Local councils will have the final say on Kings’ Day parades – some have already opted to cancel them.

Balearic Islands
The Balearic government is requiring Covid passports for healthcare workers, as well as for hospitality, nightlife, gyms, care homes and cultural spaces. A special monitoring plan has been announced for nightlife venues during New Year, and if the rules are not observed – such as mask requirements – more drastic measures have been threatened, including the closure of the sector.

Basque Country
All hospitality and nightlife venues must close at 1am, meaning that many New Year’s celebrations have been canceled or altered. Capacity indoors is limited to 60%, and people must eat and drink seated. Tables are limited to 10 people outside and inside. From January 1 to 6, hospitality venues cannot open before 8am. Capacity for any cultural or sporting event is limited to 600 inside and 800 outside. Sports activities must be limited to groups of 10 and locker rooms are limited to 50% capacity. These measures will go into force today until January 28.

Canary Islands
The Covid passport is required on the islands with higher incidence rates (currently Gran Canaria, Tenerife and Fuerteventura) for access to bars, restaurants and nightlife venues, as well as gyms and healthcare facilities. The hospitality sector must close earlier according to its epidemiological situation (between 1 and 3am in Gran Canaria, Tenerife and Fuerteventura). Capacity of venues is between 33 and 75% according to the incidence of each island. Private social meetings in closed spaces are limited to 10 people unless they live together.

CONTIUED BELOW

CONTIUED ABOVE

Canary Islands
The Covid passport is required on the islands with higher incidence rates (currently Gran Canaria, Tenerife and Fuerteventura) for access to bars, restaurants and nightlife venues, as well as gyms and healthcare facilities. The hospitality sector must close earlier according to its epidemiological situation (between 1 and 3am in Gran Canaria, Tenerife and Fuerteventura). Capacity of venues is between 33 and 75% according to the incidence of each island.

Cantabria
A total of 50 of 102 municipalities in Cantabria are above level 3 of the coronavirus alert level, meaning that nightlife in those areas has been closed since Tuesday. The Covid passport is required for entry into bars, restaurants and nightclubs. Tables are limited to six people, and capacity is at 75% for hospitality venues. There are no limits on social or family meetings. Kings’ Day parades will be static, like last year.

Castilla-La Mancha
The region will not enforce additional restrictions for Christmas or New Year. The regional premier, Emiliano García Page, announced last Wednesday that he would be meeting with the Public Health Commission to evaluate the latest figures after Christmas.

Castilla y León
This region also has not put obligatory measures in place for the holiday season, but it has recommended limiting the number of participants at social meetings, without specifying how many.

Catalonia
Catalonia has implemented a curfew from 1 to 6am for municipalities of more than 10,000 residents and that have a cumulative 14-day incidence above 250 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. Nightlife is closed. Bars and restaurants are limited to 50% capacity, while sports, commercial, cultural and religious events are at 70%. Social meetings in a private setting must be limited to 10 people. Christmas celebrations have been canceled in Barcelona, and the Covid passport must be shown for access to care homes, bars, restaurants and gyms.

Extremadura
There are no extra restrictions, but the recommendation is for people to hold social meetings outside and that tables be limited to 10 diners.

Galicia
Between December 31 and January 18, hospitality and nightlife venues must close early, and if the courts approve it, there will be a ban on people meeting in the streets between 3 and 6am. Bars and restaurants must close at midnight (drinking at the bar is not permitted), apart from Fridays and Saturdays, when it is 1am. Nightclubs must close at 3am. People must be seated at large music events and cannot eat or drink.

On the night of New Year’s Eve, hospitality venues must be closed between 1am and 10am, and nightlife venues must close at 3am. Pubs and nightclubs that agree to close between December 30 and January 2 will be given financial compensation by the regional authorities. Covid passports are required for hospitality, healthcare facilities, care homes, gyms, museums and other cultural venues. Tables are limited to eight diners inside and 10 outside.

Madrid
The regional premier, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, has not implemented new restrictions and has instead been encouraging individual responsibility to stem the wave of infections. Five large New Year’s events – with between 500 and 1,000 people expected – have been denied permission to operate. Madrid City Hall is limiting access to the central Puerta del Sol square to 7,000 people on New Year’s Eve to see in 2022.

Valencia
New Year’s celebrations have not been canceled so far, but the hospitality sector is reporting a lot of cancelations due to the pandemic. Covid passports must be used for access to venues. The Valencia city council has canceled the ringing in of the New Year in its main square, but other New Year’s parties are still going ahead.

Source: https://english.elpais.com/spain/2021-12-29/coronavirus-restrictions-the-latest-measures-in-place-ahead-of-new-years-eve-region-by-region.html

UPDATE (Jan 18 2022) - Catalonia to lift curfew starting Friday as Omicron wave begins to slow in Spain

Good news, there appears to be some light at the end of the tunnel!

Spain’s northeastern region of Catalonia will lift its nighttime curfew on Friday. The decision was made on Monday by the Catalan government’s Covid-19 advisory committee, which took into account a recent slowdown in the growth rate of reported coronavirus infections as well as low hospitalization figures.

Catalonia still has other restrictions in place. Night venues remain closed and there is a 10-person cap on social gatherings. Food and drink establishments can only work at 50% of indoor capacity while this figure is 70% for sports and cultural events.

Josep Maria Argimon, the Catalan health chief, on Monday said the recent slowdown in the seven-day case growth was good news, but called for prudence. “In recent days we have been slowing down, although not at a great pace. We have to be very prudent this week and see whether we reach the peak [of the wave] or not. This week is going to be key from that point of view.”

Argimon also said that the Catalan government has asked its science advisory committee to reconsider whether it is still necessary to request a Covid pass at events and venues.

Source: https://english.elpais.com/society/2022-01-18/catalonia-to-lift-night-curfew-starting-on-friday.html

UPDATE (Feb 2, 2022) - Spain to scrap mandatory outdoor masks, other measures as Omicron subsides

Spain will next week lift a requirement for people to wear masks outdoors as a measure against the coronavirus, extending a wider rollback of restrictions as the contagion slowly recedes in the country.

Regional authorities in Spain's Aragon and Basque Country regions as well as in the Canary Islands have also lifted restrictions on socializing.

Aragon dropped a rule requiring a COVID vaccination or PCR test certificate to access bars and restaurants and scrapped all restrictions on opening hours and capacity. The Basque Country stopped requiring the pass and Canary Islands now permits bars and restaurants to ask for it on voluntary basis.

Catalonia, scrapped the COVID pass requirement a week ago.

Despite the surge in cases between November and January as Omicron spread, hospital admissions and deaths remain well below those seen in earlier waves of the pandemic. This is thanks largely to Spain's high vaccination rate and Omicron's apparent tendency to cause less serious illness.

Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/spain-scrap-mandatory-outdoor-masks-feb-10-2022-02-04/

Thank you Carlos!