In most of Spain, you cannot buy alcohol in shops, supermarkets, or convenience stores after 22:00 or 23:00, depending on the region. In the Balearic Islands (Ibiza, Mallorca), this restriction is stricter, with sales prohibited from 21:30 to 08:00. However, you can still purchase and consume alcohol in bars, restaurants, and clubs during these hours.
What time can you buy alcohol in Spain? Well, if you're planning to grab a bottle of wine or a few beers to enjoy at home or take to a party, be aware that most regions—including Catalunya—don't allow alcohol sales in shops and supermarkets after 23:00.
The most common places to buy alcohol in Spain are supermarkets and grocery stores. Popular supermarkets such as Carrefour, El Corte Inglés, and Mercadona sell a large collection of wine, beer, and spirits. As a traveler, you can also purchase alcoholic drinks from convenience stores and local shops.
In contrast with the U.S., the legal drinking age in Spain is 18, except in the province of Asturias, where it is 16. Be mature: Don't be the ”ugly American”. Spanish students your age are accustomed to having beer, wine, and other alcoholic beverages at home and outside the home with family and friends.
Quiet Hours 10pm-8am: There is a national law in Spain prohibiting noise from 10pm-8am and neighbors will call the police if this is not enforced. This means that after 10pm it is prohibited to run the washing machine, listen to loud music, walk around in heels, etc.
Can You Buy Alcohol After 10PM In Spain? - Iberian Wonders
What is the alcohol curfew in Spain?
Beyond the drink limit, the sale of alcohol in shops is banned between 9:30 PM and 8 AM. Activities promoting heavy drinking, such as pub crawls and happy hours, are also prohibited. Advertising for party boats is restricted, and new licenses for such excursions will not be issued.
The 1-2-3 drinking rule is a moderation guideline: no more than 1 drink per hour, 2 drinks per occasion, and 3 alcohol-free days per week, helping to pace consumption and reduce risk, though it's important to know that no level of alcohol is completely risk-free, and other guidelines (like the 0-1-2-3 rule or official dietary recommendations) also exist. A "standard drink" is key: 12 oz regular beer, 5 oz wine, or 1.5 oz spirits, and it's crucial to avoid mixing alcohol with medications or while driving.
For most drivers, the legal BAC limit is 0.5 g/l in blood or 0.25 mg/l in breath. This is lower than the limit in countries like the UK, meaning even moderate alcohol consumption can put you over the legal threshold.
As detailed in a recent Rooted article that focused on food, Spain has one of the highest life expectancies in the world. But Spain's alcohol consumption, at about 10.5 liters per adult annually, is higher than the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) average of 8.6 liters.
Alcohol prices are €87 in Germany and €90 in Austria. In Spain, people pay €91 for the same basket of drinks. This means alcohol is generally cheaper in the EU's 'Big Four' economies than the EU average. Only France is above the average at €102 — and that's just 2% higher.
Alcohol may not be sold, served or supplied to persons under the age of 18 (the minimum legal drinking age in Spain). Please note that it is not possible to buy alcohol in shops and supermarkets after 10pm.
Smoking is prohibited in publicly accessible buildings and public transport (including taxis), at work, in train stations, in discotheques, in bars and restaurants, outdoors on the premises of hospitals, health centres, schools and kindergartens. Smoking is also not permitted on playgrounds.
Alcohol. Drinking on the beaches in Barcelona (as well as in any public place in the city) is illegal and can result in a range of fines if you are caught. With that being said, it's smart to steer clear of street beer sellers. You're free to enjoy a drink at any nearby beach bar!
The rules aren't as simple as just being allowed six free drinks either. The most amount of alcoholic drinks a person can consume is three with their lunch, and then another three with their evening meal. So it's bad news for those of you that were planning to down all six in one go, sorry.
Drinking laws in Spain are generally more liberal than in many other countries, particularly when it comes to age restrictions and alcohol availability. The legal drinking age is 18 and alcohol is widely accessible in bars, supermarkets, and restaurants.
In the Netherlands, there are strict regulations with regard to alcohol and driving. It is an offense to drive with a blood alcohol level of 0.05% or in excess of this level. The regulations are even stricter for motor vehicle drivers who have been license holders for less than five years.
Myth 3: Drinking hard liquor is worse than drinking beer or wine. Contrary to popular belief, the type of alcohol you drink doesn't make a difference – what matters is how much you drink. "The safe limit is fixed at 14 units a week," explains Dr Lui. "Below this limit, alcoholic fatty liver is less likely to occur.
After one standard drink, it generally takes about 1 hour for your Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) to return to zero, as the liver metabolizes roughly one drink per hour, but factors like weight, sex, and metabolism can slightly alter this, with the BAC peaking within 30-60 minutes before steadily decreasing. Time is the only factor that eliminates alcohol; you'll be clear of alcohol in your system after roughly 1 to 2 hours for a single drink, but this varies.
A 0.05 illegal BAC is not typically reached with a couple of beers after work or with a glass of wine or two with dinner. It takes at least four drinks for an average 170-pound male to exceed 0.05 BAC in 2 hours on an empty stomach (three drinks for a 137-pound female).
Can a 16 year old drink alcohol with a meal in Spain?
Ever since, alcohol "may not be sold, served or supplied to persons under the age of 18" anywhere in Spain, according to Madrid's official tourism website. Obviously, that's a younger drinking age than the 21-years-old minimum that has been the law of the land in the United States since 1984.
