Dilip Kuner
SUNSHINE, sangria and… legal landmines? Spain may be known for its beaches and fiestas, but it’s also a hotspot for eyebrow-raising laws that can land you in hot water for doing the most mundane things – like building sandcastles or daring to own a mop.
To start with, new business laws can only be introduced in January or July (no, we don’t know why either). But that is just the beginning.
We thought we’d celebrate the summer season the best way we know how – by rounding up 12 bizarre Spanish laws that are weirder than a flamenco flash mob at a funeral.
If you’re planning to move here, make sure your dog is quiet, your mop is hidden, and for heaven’s sake, don’t die in Lanjaron…
1. Death is literally banned
In Lanjaron, Granada, it’s illegal to die. The town’s old cemetery was full, and the mayor passed a law in 1999 urging residents to ‘remain alive’ until a new one could be built. It was part protest, part publicity stunt – but technically still on the books. Die here, and you’ve got a burial problem and a legal problem.
2. Sandcastles? Not here, mate
Fancy a seaside sculpture session? Not in Tenerife. Building sandcastles is banned, and elsewhere like the Costa Blanca, you’re allowed only if you use the sand that is right there and flatten your work before you leave. This all stems from one overambitious builder who tried to recreate a medieval fortress. Classic overkill.
3. Barking? Siesta says no
Villanueva de la Torre takes its naps very seriously. Dogs are banned from barking between 2pm and 4pm and at night. Enforcement is a mystery – perhaps a stern letter to the canine in question? It’s one of many OTT rules in the town’s lengthy ordenanza, which reads more like a novel than a law.
4. No radioactive waste in bins (obviously)
Also in Villanueva de la Torre: a rule specifically banning residents from dumping radioactive waste in local bins. A solid policy – except for one small problem. The town doesn’t have a single nuclear facility. Safe to say, the bins were probably already in the clear.
5. Ban the mop!
Got a mop on your balcony? That’s a €750 fine in some parts of Castilla–La Mancha. Hanging clothes out to dry? Also banned if visible from public spaces. The message is clear: clean in secret or suffer the consequences.
6. Dominos of doom
Sevilla might be all flamenco and fiestas, but don’t try to play dominos at an outdoor cafe. A local noise law bans it – apparently, the clack of the tiles is too much for local ears. Also prohibited? Rolling barrels down the street and standing near restaurant terraces with food or drink. (Yes, really.)
7. Don’t tap dance at home
In Madrid, Mojacar and Ciudad Real, you’re forbidden from running, skating or tap dancing inside apartment buildings. Presumably clog dancing is a capital offence. It’s all part of Spain’s mission to keep neighbourly peace – especially in a country where two-thirds of people live in flats.
8. No feeding pigeons in Barcelona
Feel like tossing some breadcrumbs in Plaça Catalunya? Think again. Feeding pigeons in Barcelona is strictly forbidden and can land you with a fine of up to €600. The city declared war on its feathered freeloaders in a bid to reduce the poo and chaos. One unlucky tourist even got slapped with a penalty mid-selfie.
9. No sleep in Bilbao
In Bilbao, it’s illegal to sleep in your car – or anywhere in public, really. The city bans snoozing in cars, vans, tents, caravans and even on benches. And don’t even think about bathing in a fountain or washing your socks in public. Just get a hotel room.
10. Watch what you name your baby
Spain doesn’t have an approved baby name list like Denmark, but it does have a banned list. Names like Judas, Cain and Lenin are strictly off limits. So if you were planning to raise a tiny revolutionary or biblical baddie, you’re out of luck.
11. You must have a spare pair of glasses
If you wear glasses and drive in Spain, you’re legally required to carry a spare pair in the car at all times. Forget and get caught? That’s a fine. So if you’ve got dodgy vision and a heavy right foot, pack those specs.
12. Leave your lawn flamingos at home
Planning to decorate your villa with neon pink flamingos or gnomes? Not so fast. In several towns with strict communities of owners (especially in resort areas like Marbella and Torrevieja), lawn ornaments are actually banned to ‘maintain aesthetic harmony’. It may not be an actual local law, but those HOAs can be very nit-picky. It’s like Desperate Housewives, but with more paella.
Click here to read more Spain News from The Olive Press.
