From taxes in Portugal to Airbnb bans in Spain, we clarify all the foundations that would have an effect on your 2025 European vacation.
Journey in Europe is getting extra sophisticated to navigate for vacationers. Some cities now cost a day by day vacationer tax that you need to pay on arrival.
Locals in sure vacation hotspots have made it clear that you simply’re not welcome with outright bans on seashores or limits to customer numbers at high sights. Different locations say you’re welcome – as lengthy you comply with the foundations.
With a easy vacation in Europe getting tougher to ebook as you navigate the elevated vacationer restrictions, Euronews Journey shares a lowdown on all of the yr’s journey watchouts.
Is Spain actually banning vacationers?
There’s been a great deal of press about Spain’s battle with overtourism. From high-profile protests to new guidelines and laws, it’s straightforward to suppose vacationers are now not welcome in Spain.
Whereas some have referred to as the actions of the Spanish authorities a ‘vacationer ban,’ it’s not that in any respect. Insurance policies are in place to curb overtourism in the most well-liked locations like Mallorca, Tenerife and Barcelona, however the strikes are extra about managing tourism quite than stopping it.
Vacation leases together with Airbnb-style leases and flats, can nonetheless be booked. The one lodging affected by the adjustments are flats registered after February 2024 that don’t have their very own entrances. For these lets, licenses shall be completely cancelled.
Varied cities are introducing curbs on new rental properties coming into the market, together with in Malaga, the place short-term lets are banned in 43 neighbourhoods. Barcelona plans to section out vacationer condo leases by 2028, and restrictions are in place in Alicante and Madrid.
The principle distinction you’ll discover for those who’re heading to Spain this yr would be the want to offer further particulars when staying at lodging or renting a automobile. Count on to be requested for info like your nationality, handle, telephone quantity, and e mail handle as a part of the brand new tourism guidelines.
The place in Europe is limiting vacationer numbers?
Cruise passengers are being restricted in every single place. From Ibiza limiting simultaneous docking to Barcelona lowering the variety of cruise ships that may go to, a number of European cities wish to curb the inflow of hundreds of cruise passengers.
For holidaymakers, these new guidelines gained’t have an effect on your journey, as your cruise firm could have deliberate their schedule considering guidelines and restrictions. Nonetheless, it’s price being conscious of native taxes payable for coming into the town, reminiscent of in Venice, which is €5 or €10 – extra particulars under.
Some main vacationer sights are limiting customer numbers to fight overtourism. For instance, the enduring Acropolis in Athens is capped at 20,000 guests a day, and slots have to be booked prematurely to go to.
Pompeii was straining below the load of greater than 4 million guests in 2024 and, as such, can be introducing a 20,000 customer cap in 2025. In Rome, the Colosseum is capped at 3,000 guests at anyone time.
In Seville, there are plans to shut the Plaza de España and cost vacationers €3 to €4 to go to, though this has not been enforced but.
Sardinia’s distinctive Spiaggia Rosa seashore has been closed to the general public since 1998 to guard its pink sands and wildlife. Since 2023, Italy has stepped up its policing of the seashore and is actively issuing fines of €500 to €3,500 for trespassing.
Varied different locations have restricted vacationer behaviours and are issuing fines. In Prague, costumed teams of stag and hen events should not welcome, whereas in Rome, shirtless males and ‘love padlocks’ on bridges may get you fined. Test the restrictions to your vacation spot to keep away from upsetting the locals.
The place in Europe do you need to pay a vacationer tax?
A number of vacation hotspots will add or enhance their vacationer tax this summer time.
How a lot is the vacationer tax in Greece?
Guests to Greece pays a tax of €8 per day, which works out to an added price of €56 per grownup for a week-long journey. Some lodging don’t cost for youngsters, whereas others provide a decreased fee.
Along with the vacationer tax, Greece additionally applies a Local weather Resilience Tax, collected at check-in, and relevant to all motels, villas, Airbnbs, and different lodging. The price ranges from €1.50 for essentially the most fundamental lodgings as much as €10 per night time for luxurious motels.
Visiting within the low season could be profitable right here. Outdoors of April to October, the vacationer tax reduces to €2 per day, and the environmental tax to between €0.50 and €4 a day.
Cruise passengers are chargeable for further taxes this yr, too, though the quantity you pay will rely upon the place you go.
Visiting Santorini or Mykonos on a cruise goes to price €20, whereas different places are simply €5. The upper tax for the 2 Cyclades Islands follows a report summer time for guests final yr, the place the islands have been overwhelmed with as much as 20,000 cruise passengers a day, far exceeding the native inhabitants.
How a lot is the vacationer tax in Portugal?
The vacationer tax state of affairs in Portugal is much less easy, because the 306 totally different municipalities make their very own guidelines about taxation. At current, a minimum of 26 municipalities are charging a tax, largely within the typical resort places just like the Algarve and in addition Lisbon.
For example, Setúba, simply exterior Lisbon, launched a tax of €2 per particular person per night time final yr, which can proceed into 2025. Lisbon metropolis prices €2 per night time, as does Madeira and Faro. Beforehand untaxed Azores has begun charging €2 per particular person per night time from January 2025.
How a lot is the vacationer tax in Spain?
Like Portugal, Spain’s areas set their very own guidelines, and the taxes you pay will rely upon the place you go.
In Barcelona, there are two taxes to pay – a metropolis tax and a regional vacationer tax. Town tax has risen to €4 per particular person per night time for 2025, whereas the vacationer tax has not elevated. Cruise ship passengers staying in Barcelona for greater than 12 hours have to pay €6.25.
Vacationer tax is paid primarily based on the lodging, starting from €1.70 an evening for fundamental motels to €3.50 for luxurious lodging. Outdoors of Barcelona, within the wider Catalonia area, the identical vacationer tax is payable, however not the town tax.
Within the Balearic Islands, the excessive season attracts a inexperienced tax starting from €4 per particular person per night time for luxurious motels to €1 for hostels and campsites.
Within the first Spanish vacationer tax to be carried out at a municipal degree, Mogan Metropolis Council on Gran Canaria has utilized a modest tax for guests beginning this yr. The brand new guidelines, utilized throughout all institutions on the similar fee, is €0.15 per particular person per night time.
A number of different cities – together with Valencia and Madrid – have proposed vacationer taxes, however none have been allowed but. However, it’s all the time price checking along with your lodging whether or not there are any further prices to concentrate on.
How a lot is the vacationer tax in Italy?
Italian municipalities set their very own vacationer tax charges, so once more, the charges payable will rely upon the place you keep and go to.
In massive cities, there’ll virtually actually be a vacationer tax utilized. In Rome, for instance, it ranges from €3 to €7, relying on the usual of lodging. In Milan, it’s between €2 and €5, and in Florence from simply €1 to €5.
Final yr, Italy floated implementing a a lot larger vacationer tax of as much as €25 for the most costly motels, to be utilized on high of current municipal levies. The federal government says the price will assist deal with overtourism however continues to be debating the problem.
“In occasions of overtourism, we’re debating this in order that it actually helps enhance providers and makes vacationers who pay it extra accountable,” Italy’s minister of tourism, Daniela Santanche, commented on the announcement.
In case you’re heading to the floating metropolis, Venice has expanded the times it’ll cost day trippers to go to. Between 18 April and 27 July, day guests arriving on Friday to Sunday or a public vacation might want to pay €5, rising to €10 if the reserving is made lower than 4 days prematurely.
It may be paid earlier than the journey which can generate a QR code it’s best to preserve with you throughout your go to. You can too pay by way of WhatsApp and on arrival at a Punto Lis tobacconist.
How a lot is the vacationer tax in Paris, Amsterdam and Edinburgh?
In Paris, there are new vacationer taxes relevant in 2025. Each a regional tax and a vacationer tax have to be paid, which change primarily based on the kind of lodging. In complete, the mixed taxes vary from as little as €1.95 for campsites and as much as €15.60 per particular person per night time for essentially the most luxurious lodging.
Amsterdam continues to cost a vacationer tax and has raised its price for guests from 7 per cent to 12.5 per cent of the lodging price. As a information, a resort costing €175 an evening would entice taxation of €21.80 per night time.
A number of UK cities are mulling vacationer taxes, with Edinburgh within the highlight as doubtlessly the primary metropolis to implement a compulsory levy. Wales can be considering taxing guests, as is London, however as but, none of those schemes have been launched.
ETA and ETIAS: How will they work?
Brits going overseas and Europeans going to the UK have an additional merchandise to recollect on their pre-travel to-do listing this yr.
For individuals visiting the UK, the brand new Digital Journey Authorisation (ETA) shall be required. It’s already in impact for individuals visiting from exterior the EU – however shall be coming in for EU residents on 2 April.
The ETA price €11.82 at launch, and that’s what guests are presently paying. Nonetheless, the UK authorities floated a hike to the fee simply two weeks into the scheme, proposing elevating it to €18.91. It’s but to be debated in UK parliament however specialists say it could add considerably to the price of a vacation, notably for households.
On condition that the ETA is legitimate for 2 years, travellers planning to go to the UK at any level within the subsequent couple of years are inspired to use sooner quite than later. EU residents can apply for the ETA from 5 March 2025.
For British residents heading to Europe, there’s presently no paperwork required for journeys within the Schengen space. However later in 2025, a brand new rule is because of launch.
The European Journey Info and Authorisation System (ETIAS), alongside the brand new Entry/Exit System (EES) has been delayed repeatedly. The most recent replace estimates ETIAS will come into power in mid-2025, all being effectively.
The EU has mentioned that ETIAS will launch six months after the EES launches. It’s presupposed to price €7, however there’s no mounted timeline on when it’ll roll out but.