What you can do in parks and public spaces

Key rules

• Street drinking: Outside licensed terraces, drinking in public is banned in most regions.
• Barbecues: Never light a grill in a forest or natural area outside an equipped recreational area.
• Drones: A drone with a camera, or any drone over 250 g, needs AESA registration and insurance.
• Local rules: Your town's ordinance sets the fines, so check it before you act.

Local rules decide, and breaking them means fines

Town councils set most of the rules for drinking, barbecues and drones in public spaces. Breaking them carries fines. The rules differ by town and region, so check your own town's ordinance (ordenanza) before you go.

Picnics

Picnics are generally fine in parks and the countryside. The limits come with what you bring: alcohol, a grill or a drone.

Drinking alcohol outdoors

Drinking in the street or in a public park is banned in most regions, except on licensed terraces. Mass outdoor drinking, known as botellón, is the main target. Cities such as Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Sevilla fine people for it.

• Typical fines run from about 30 to 600 euros. Repeat or serious cases can cost more.
• The police can confiscate your alcohol.
• The rules apply to residents and visitors alike.
• Zones and amounts change from town to town. Your town hall can tell you where drinking is allowed.

Barbecues and open fires

Wildfire risk makes fires tightly controlled. Many urban parks ban barbecues outright, so ask the town hall before you bring a grill.

In forests and natural areas, you may light a fire only in an equipped recreational area. In the high-risk season, usually about June to October depending on the region, fires including barbecues are often banned even there. On red alert days the limits are stricter still.

Your regional government sets the fire-risk calendar. Check it before every trip.

Fines for fire offences can reach thousands of euros. Starting a fire through negligence or on purpose can be a criminal offence.

Drones

Drones follow EU rules, enforced in Spain by AESA, the aviation safety agency.

• If your drone has a camera or weighs over 250 g, register as an operator with AESA and show the operator ID on the drone.
• Third-party liability insurance is mandatory.
• For the common categories you must pass an online training and test first. Some flights need an extra certificate.
• Do not fly near airports, in controlled airspace, over crowds, in nature reserves, or near military and sensitive sites. AESA's drone maps show the restricted zones.
• Local ordinances may add limits, and fines can reach tens of thousands of euros.

The checklist, warnings and questions below cover the practical steps.

Checklist

• Check your town's ordinance (ordenanza) before drinking outdoors in a street or park.

• Drink alcohol only on a licensed terrace if the town bans drinking in public spaces.

• Ask the town hall whether barbecues are banned in the urban park you plan to use.

• Check your region's fire-risk calendar and any red alert notice before taking a grill to the countryside.

• Light a fire only in an equipped recreational area, and only when the calendar allows it.

• Display the operator ID on the drone and take out third-party liability insurance.

• Complete the online training and test for your drone category before you fly.

• Check the Enaire Drones map for restricted zones before each flight.

What to watch out for

• Street drinking fines: Drinking in the street or a park, especially botellón (mass outdoor drinking), can bring a fine, typically from about 30 to 600 euros, and the police can confiscate the alcohol. Repeat offences cost more. Drink on a licensed terrace or check the local ordinance first.

• Barbecues and wildfire risk: A barbecue or open fire in the wrong place or season can cause a wildfire. Fines can reach thousands of euros, and starting a fire by negligence or on purpose can be a criminal offence. Skip the grill in summer and in forests, and use only equipped areas when your region allows it.

• Drone fines: Flying an unregistered drone, or flying near airports, over crowds, in nature reserves or over sensitive areas, can bring fines of tens of thousands of euros. Local ordinances may add limits. Register with AESA, carry insurance and check the Enaire Drones map before you fly.

Frequently asked questions

Can I have a picnic in a Spanish park?

Yes, picnics are generally allowed in parks and countryside, but many urban parks ban barbecues by ordinance. Bring cold food and a cooler instead of a grill. In forests, no fire is allowed outside equipped recreational areas.

When are barbecues banned because of wildfire risk?

Barbecues are usually banned in the high-risk season, typically from about June to October, even in many designated areas. Your region sets the exact calendar, and red alert days add extra limits. Check your regional government's notices before lighting anything.

Do I need to register a small camera drone in Spain?

Yes, you must register as an operator with AESA, Spain's aviation agency, if your drone has a camera or weighs over 250 g. Display the operator ID on the drone. You also need third-party liability insurance and the online training and test for the A1/A3 categories.

What happens to my alcohol if the police stop me drinking in the street?

The police can confiscate the alcohol as well as fine you, typically from about 30 to 600 euros. Repeat or serious offences can cost more. Drinking on a licensed terrace is fine.