Using Spanish pharmacies day to day
You will be able to walk into a Spanish pharmacy, get what you need at any hour and handle shortages calmly.
In Spain, the pharmacy (farmacia) is the first stop for minor health problems and the only place that sells most medicines. This topic shows you how to use one day to day: how a farmacia works, when it is open, what you can buy without a prescription, when the pharmacist can help, how to buy…
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How Spanish pharmacies (farmacias) actually work
Explains what a Spanish farmacia is, why it is the only place to buy medicines, and how it differs from a parafarmacia or supermarket. Written for newcomers who need to know where to go and what to expect.
Finding a pharmacy on duty (farmacia de guardia) at night
How to get medicine at night, on weekends or on holidays in Spain: how the rota of on-duty pharmacies works, how to find the nearest one, and what to expect when you get there. For anyone who needs medicine outside normal hours.
Which medicines you can buy without a prescription in Spain
Explains how Spain splits medicines into prescription and non-prescription, which everyday products you can buy without a prescription, and which ones you may be used to buying at home but now need one. For newcomers stocking up or replacing home remedies.
When the pharmacist can help instead of a GP visit
For minor problems like a cold, heartburn or mild diarrhoea, a Spanish pharmacist can advise you and suggest a non-prescription treatment, and will tell you when you need a doctor. This page is for anyone new to Spain who wants a quick first step.
Buying medicine online in Spain and what is legal
How to buy medicine online in Spain without risking fakes: which sellers are legal, what you can and cannot order, and how to check a site before you pay. For anyone in Spain who wants to use a web pharmacy.
What to do when your medicine is out of stock in Spain
How to keep your treatment going when a pharmacy says your medicine is out of stock in Spain: check the official supply list, ask for an equivalent, and know when to go back to your doctor. For anyone filling a prescription in Spain.
Running out of medicine on a weekend or holiday
How to get a regular medicine when you run out at a weekend or on a holiday and cannot see your doctor. It covers three routes: an active electronic prescription, a pharmacist's emergency supply, and an urgent prescription from out-of-hours care.
Spanish habits around antibiotics, remedies and leftover medicines
How Spaniards treat minor ailments, why the pharmacist is the usual first stop but antibiotics still need a prescription, and where to take leftover or expired medicines. For anyone newly arrived in Spain.
About this topic
It is for anyone thinking about moving to Spain, planning a move or already living there. Rules and habits differ a lot from the supermarket-style shelves you may know from home. By the end, you should be able to walk into a Spanish pharmacy, get what you need at any hour and handle a shortage calmly.
Start with "How Spanish pharmacies (farmacias) actually work". It explains what a farmacia does differently from a parafarmacia or a supermarket, and it makes the other pages easier to follow.
Key rules
- Where to buy: Medicines, with or without a prescription, can only be sold in a farmacia, not in a parafarmacia or supermarket.
- Antibiotics: Antibiotics need a prescription in Spain, and pharmacies must refuse to sell them without one.
- Online sales: Only non-prescription medicines can be bought online, and only from pharmacies on the official authorised list that show the EU logo.
- Medicines: Only a farmacia can sell you medicines, so do not look for them in a parafarmacia or supermarket.
- Prices: Medicines paid for by the public health system cost the same everywhere, while other medicines can vary by pharmacy.
- Door notice: Every pharmacy must show a notice at its door listing the nearest pharmacies on duty.
Using Spanish pharmacies day to day: questions that cross several articles
Can I buy my usual cold or sleep medicine at a supermarket or parafarmacia?
No, medicines of any kind can only be sold in a farmacia, not in a parafarmacia or supermarket. Those shops sell cosmetics, hygiene products, supplements and baby items. Read How Spanish pharmacies (farmacias) actually work for the difference, and Which medicines you can buy without a prescription in Spain to see what you can buy without a prescription.
Why can't I get the sleep aid or strong painkiller I use at home without a prescription?
Many products sold over the counter in other countries need a prescription in Spain, such as most sleep medicines, tramadol and stronger codeine combinations. Low-dose paracetamol, ibuprofen, loratadine and cetirizine do not need one. Read Which medicines you can buy without a prescription in Spain, and Spanish habits around antibiotics, remedies and leftover medicines for local attitudes.
What can I do if I run out of my regular medicine on a weekend and the pharmacy is closed?
Go to the farmacia de guardia, the pharmacy on duty that takes turns to stay open at night and on weekends and holidays. Every pharmacy shows a notice at its door with the nearest ones on duty, and your province's colegio de farmacéuticos lists them online. Read Finding a pharmacy on duty (farmacia de guardia) at night, then Running out of medicine on a weekend or holiday.
Can I order antibiotics or prescription medicine online instead?
No, prescription medicines cannot be bought online, and antibiotics need a prescription in Spain. Only non-prescription medicines can be bought online, and only from pharmacies on the official authorised list that show the EU logo. Read Buying medicine online in Spain and what is legal, and When the pharmacist can help instead of a GP visit for minor problems.
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