Pub crawls in a major Spanish city are now totally banned, whatever the time of day or night. The ban on promoting, organising or running pub crawls has been extended to cover the entire area of Barcelona at all hours of the day, and comes into force today (October 29).
The move aims to “ensure peaceful coexistence, safeguard residents’ right to rest and protect public health”. The new decree, which also prohibits advertising-related activities in any form, has been agreed following a public consultation exercise. “Pub crawling is a business that takes customers on organised drinking tours to a series of establishments that offer discounted alcoholic drinks. It typically involves quickly consuming one or more low-quality drinks before heading to the next stop,” said a spokesperson for Barcelona city council.
“This activity has been identified as a risk factor that causes disturbances in neighbourhoods, puts extra strain on public spaces and potentially leads to criminal behaviour or road safety violations.”
Organisers face fines ranging from €1,500 (£1,300) to €3,000 (£2,600), while participants are exempt from fines but could face them for other infractions, such as drinking in the streets or causing disruptions.
Until now, pub crawls have been banned in the districts of Ciutat Vella (since 2012) and L’Eixample (since June 2025), with restrictions mainly focused on night-time hours, from 7pm to 7am. The new decree introduces a permanent ban that applies 24 hours a day, year-round, rather than being only seasonal. The new text has been approved and will be in force for four years.
According to the city council, data provided by the police indicate that the ban on alcohol routes in Ciutat Vella and L’Eixample has worked. They say it has “contributed to significantly reducing the number of activities detected and has facilitated their prevention, thanks to the early detection of the offer through social networks”. The city council has said the ban has been well-received in the Ciutat Vella district, with only three fines issued last year, and authorities believe it will have a similar impact citywide.
Pub crawls have been hugely popular in Barcelona and have been widely promoted online. They attract hundreds of thousands of people every year and generate a huge income. Most last for at least six hours, and others last up to 24 hours.
Organisers have already started to post “now unavailable” messages on their websites.
This comes after the Costa del Sol city of Malaga launched a crackdown on noisy tourists by imposing an overnight ban. The port city has implemented Acoustically Saturated Zones (ZAS) following complaints from residents over noisy and antisocial behaviour caused by late-night parties. The ban now means that bars and restaurants will be forced to close at 12.30am on nights between Sunday and Thursday – extended to 1am for the rest of the week.