Plazas, the evening stroll (paseo) and drinking in the street

Terms used

• Policía Local — The Policía Local is the town's local police, who enforce street ordinances, measure noise and issue fines.
• Denuncia — A denuncia is the official fine notice the police give you for breaking a rule.
• Alegaciones — Alegaciones are the written objections you send to contest a fine.
• Recurso de reposición — A recurso de reposición is a request asking the town to review its own decision on your fine.
• Botellón — A botellón is a street drinking party, usually of young people, which many towns ban.

Key rules

• No national ban: Street drinking rules depend on your region and town, so check your town's civic-behaviour ordinance.
• Safe option: Drinking at a licensed terrace is the safe choice in cities that fine drinking in public spaces.
• Terrace hours: Each town sets its own terrace closing hours, usually 23:00-24:00 on weekdays.
• Fines: Paying quickly usually halves the fine, but it usually ends your right to appeal.

Join the paseo and plaza life

The paseo is free and open to everyone. Walk along the main street, promenade or plaza in the early evening, usually from about 18:00 to 21:00. In summer it runs later, and in the south it often starts after 21:00.

Families, couples and older residents all take part. They walk, stop for a drink or an ice cream, and chat on benches or at terraces. Plazas are busiest at weekends and in warm months. It is strongest in towns and in the south, and less pronounced in large cities.

To join in, walk at the same hour as everyone else, greet people, and sit on a terrace. Go back to the same bars so faces become familiar.

Drinking in the street

There is no single national ban on drinking in the street, so the rule depends on your region and town, and many large cities fine it outside licensed terraces. Regional laws usually ban drinking in public spaces where it causes disturbance. Town ordinances often go further. Some places tolerate discreet drinking, but do not count on it.

Cities known to fine it include Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, Málaga, Palma and Granada. Fines are usually minor offences, from tens of euros to several hundred, and repeat offences or botellón (street drinking parties) cost more. Ask your town hall or the Policía Local for the figure in your city.

The safe habit is to drink at a licensed terrace. Sitting on a bench with a can is exactly what many ordinances target. Festivals with official authorisation are the usual exception.

Terraces and noise

Terraces usually close around 23:00-24:00 on weekdays and between 00:00 and 02:00 on Fridays, Saturdays and the eves of holidays, but each town sets its own hours. Residential zones and summer can be tighter. Amplified music is usually banned on terraces. The Policía Local can measure noise and fine it, so keep your voice down late at night.

If you get a fine

The Policía Local gives you a fine notice, called a denuncia. Read it straight away, because the deadlines run from the day you receive it.

• Pay promptly: paying within the period in the notice usually gives a 50% reduction. Paying ends the case but usually means you give up the right to appeal.
• Disagree: send written objections, called alegaciones, usually within 10-15 days.
• After the decision: you can ask the town to review it with a recurso de reposición within one month, or appeal to the administrative court within two months.

Reductions and deadlines vary by town, so go by what your notice says. The timeline and checklist below cover the steps.

Timeline and deadlines

• The Policía Local gives you a fine notice (denuncia): on the spot or soon after

• Pay the fine for the prompt-payment reduction, usually 50%, which ends the case: within the period stated in the notice

• Send written objections (alegaciones) if you disagree: typically within 10-15 days of the notice

• Ask the town to review its decision (recurso de reposición): within 1 month of the decision

• Appeal to the administrative court instead: within 2 months of the decision

Checklist

• Look up your town's civic-behaviour ordinance to see if drinking in the street is banned.

• Drink only at a licensed terrace if your city fines drinking in public spaces.

• Ask the terrace staff or check the town's rules for the closing time, usually 23:00-24:00 on weekdays.

• Read the fine notice for the payment period and reduction as soon as you receive it.

• File your written objections within the days stated in the notice if you disagree with a fine.

Frequently asked questions

What time does the evening paseo usually happen?

The evening paseo usually runs from about 18:00 to 21:00, and later in summer. In the south it often goes on after 21:00.

Can I get fined for drinking in a plaza if I am sitting on a bench?

Yes, you can be fined in many large cities, because drinking outside a licensed terrace is often banned by the town's ordinance. Fines are usually minor offences, from tens of euros to several hundred, and higher for botellón (street drinking parties). Sit at a terrace if you want a drink.

What can I do if I get a fine for drinking in the street?

Pay quickly if you accept the fine, because paying within the period on the notice often cuts it by 50%. Paying usually means you give up the right to appeal. If you disagree, send your written objections (alegaciones) within typically 10-15 days.

How long do I have to appeal a street drinking fine after the decision?

After the town's decision, you have one month to ask the same office to review it (recurso de reposición). You have two months to go to the administrative court instead. Read the notice for the exact route.