Spanish restaurants can now charge tourists extra if they are sitting in the shade, officials confirm

Spain has brought in a contentious new law making it legal for restaurant owners to charge a premium for guests to sit in the shade in one of the country's hottest provinces.

The Junta de Andalucia in the country's arid south has ruled that venues can set different price points for tables depending on whether they are in the sun or shade, subject to certain conditions.

Ruben Sanchez, a spokesperson for consumer association Facua, said bars, cafes and restaurants will be able to charge more as long as they clearly advertise the higher price.

But there will be limits on how much proprietors can charge for a terrace table, preventing extortionate add-ons, as reported by The Olive Press.

Restaurants and bars will still not be able to charge more for a specific view, and could face 'reports and punishments' if they flout the rules.

File photo shows a waitress taking an order on a pad at a Tapas bar terrace in Conil de la Frontera, near Cadiz, during a busy lunch time

Under the new rules, any changes to price must be 'clearly visible'.

Telling a customer about extra charges verbally would not be enough to satisfy the new conditions - and proprietors could face a penalty for getting it wrong.

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According to Mr Sanchez, new rules will also mean customers cannot be obligated to pay for bottled water as tap water should be available.

Andalucia, the south of Spain, frequently records blistering temperatures throughout the region.

In 2021, the city of Cordoba recorded a record high of 47.6C.

The changes come amid a push for new laws changing customs and protecting worker rights in Spain's key hospitality sector. 

Earlier this month, Spanish politicians proposed contentious new rules that could see Spanish bars and restaurants shut early in a move intended to better 'structure' Spanish society.

Yolanda Díaz, the country's Minister of Employment and Social Economy, told the Spanish Congress: 'A country that has its restaurants open at one in the morning is not reasonable.

'It is crazy to try to continue extending hours until I don't know what time.'

It comes amid a wider bid by Díaz's party, Movimiento Sumar, to introduce new protections for workers in the tourism and hospitality sector, imposing limits on working hours, reduced opening times and earlier closures.

But the move has been met with criticism from proprietors and politicians who argue longer opening hours are an essential part of what punters have come to expect - and what venues rely on for survival.

Isabel Díaz Ayuso, the president of the Community of Madrid, commented on a video of Díaz's speech on X, formerly Twitter: 'Spain has the best nightlife in the world, with streets full of life and freedom. And that also provides jobs.

'They want us puritans, materialists, socialists, without soul, without light and without restaurants because they feel like it. Bored and at home.'

Madrid's tourist board subsequently shared that the number of international tourists to Madrid had risen 17.5 per cent in January, bringing more than a billion euros in spending.

'The region thus records the best data in the entire historical series in relation to spending and the second in January arrivals.'

Last year, Spain also introduced a list of new proscriptions explicitly for travellers planning to visit the country.

This included being able to prove you had enough cash to support yourself for the whole trip - if you were coming from outside the European Union. 

File photo shows an outdoor tapas restaurant with parasols in Barcelona, Catalunya

Smoking was also banned on a number of beaches, following policies introduced in Barcelona in 2022.

Violators in affected communities can face a fine if caught with a cigarette by the sea.

Drink limits were also introduced at all-inclusive hotels in the notorious tourist hotspots of Magaluf, El Arenal, Playa de Palma in Mallorca, and Sant Antoni in Ibiza in a bid to clamp down on reckless drunken behaviour.

In 2022, the Balearic island of Mallorca also introduced a dress code, putting a ban on tank tops without straps, swimwear, football kits and accessories bought from street vendors (like gold chains and glow-in-the-dark hats) in bars and restaurants. 

Hotspots like Barcelona and Alicante also introduced new noise laws, threatening fines of up to 300,000 euros for disturbing the ambience.