Ibiza has glorious beaches, hiking trails and stacks of things to do, but it’s largely known as a world-famous party destination (and it’s got the nightclubs to prove it).
But don’t crack open a beer just yet – authorities in the popular nightlife resort of San Antonio, as well as in Llucmajor, Palma and Calvia (Magaluf) in Majorca, have announced they’re tightening the rules around the sale and consumption of alcohol. These curbs were first introduced in 2020 but are now much stricter than before.
Firstly, drinking in public is not allowed. While having a cocktail or a pint on designated terraces of bars or restaurants is permitted, you can’t carry it along the street while you head to the next place or to the beach.
On top of this, the new rules now mean shops that sell alcohol must close between 9.30pm and 8am. There are also much stricter rules for party boats – vessels are banned from coming within one nautical mile (1.85 km) of the coast of any of those resorts, and they can’t pick up or drop off passengers in those areas either.
Jaime Martínez, mayor of Palma, Majorca, told Sky News one of his main objectives was to ‘correct uncivil attitudes’ and authorities are keen to curb ‘excessive tourism’. Around €16 million (£13.7 million) has been committed to supplying extra security and inspections.
And there’s quite the incentive to comply. People could be fined between €750 and €1,500 (£645-£1,290) if their drinking ‘disrupts coexistence, involves crowds or deteriorates the tranquillity of the environment’. However, should the offence be considered particularly serious, the fine could reach up to €3,000 (£2,580), and offenders will be reported to the relevant embassy.
Happy hour’s over
Ibiza isn’t the only party destination in Europe to be calling last orders on rowdy behaviour. Amsterdam has tried its hand at multiple schemes to curb partygoers, and Prague has just announced restrictions for stag and hen dos. You can read more about why tourists have become so unhinged right here.
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