FCDO Spain travel warning for tourists staying in hotels with balconies
Sun-worshipping Brits jetting off to Spain this year have been issued a stark warning following a series of balcony-related accidents, some have which have been 'fatal'
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has updated its travel advice ahead of the summer boom - and has starkly warned Brits jetting off to Spain.
Despite a series of fresh protests and growing anti-tourist sentiment, the consistently sunny country is slated for a huge influx in the coming months - as holidaymakers appeared undeterred by the furore.
If you're counting down the days until you land in hotspots like Benidorm, Barcelona, or Seville, you'll already know that there's no better feeling than chilling on a balcony, post-shower, while sipping on a Fanta Lemon and watching the sunset. It's a universal holiday experience like no other, but it could put you at serious risk.
Following a number of serious accidents, some of which have been fatal, the FCDO has warned Brits about falling from their balcony. The alert follows a 15-year-old girl who was left 'seriously injured' after falling from the first floor of a property in Majorca last year.
Damning blow to Spain and Greece as Brit tourists ignore 'misery' threat
"Do not take unnecessary risks around balconies or other high places, particularly if you're under the influence of drink or drugs," the FCDO warns. "If you are staying in a room with a balcony, follow the safety advice at the hotel or apartment, and watch out for friends who may be at risk."
The government body added that Brits risk getting fined or evicted from their accommodation if they are found 'behaving irresponsibly' around their balcony. It also warned that your travel insurance may not cover you for incidents that take place on a balcony, especially if you were under the influence of drink or drugs when it happened.
Other prohibitions in Spain
Other FCDO warnings include not walking around in the street wearing only a bikini or swimming shorts. "Being bare-chested is also illegal in some areas in Spain," it added. "You could be fined if you are caught wearing swimwear on the seafront promenade or adjacent streets."
Whether you're booking a last-minute trip to Spain, or paid for your holiday in-full last year, money-saving guru Martin Lewis has urged Brits to make sure they follow his 'golden rule'. The expert advises booking your travel insurance 'ASAB' (as soon as you book) - or risk being left out of pocket.
As previously reported, travel insurance doesn't just cover you when you're actually abroad, and can protect your finances in case circumstances prevent you from going away. This could be because of sudden ill health, job loss, or even a change in your relationship status.
"Booked a holiday and not got [travel insurance] yet? Don't wait, do it NOW," Martin wrote on X (formerly Twitter). "Half of what it costs pays for protection in case illness or other issues before you go mean you can't go."
One fan named Bev contacted Martin to explain how her parents hadn't followed his advice - and ended up paying for it. "My parents made the mistake of waiting until closer to the holiday date and my mum got diagnosed with cancer and had no choice but to cancel as she needed life-saving surgery," she said. "They only got 10 per cent back: an expensive mistake."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
EasyJet rules for visiting major holiday hotspots in Europe this summer
easyJet states that post-Brexit, Brits travelling to the EU will need to ensure their travel documents meet certain requirements - specifically when it comes to their passport's validity If you are one of the many sun-seeking Brits preparing for a European holiday, there are some rules that you should know. easyJet has shared its guidance for those travelling to certain countries in the EU to ensure all passengers have a smooth flight. Under the ' travel documents and information' section of its website, easyJet states that passengers 'need to have some form of identification on both domestic and international flights'. Below are the specific guidelines for travel to Spain, Portugal, Greece and France. Spain Under post-Brexit regulations, easyJet confirms UK passport holders travelling to the EU (except Ireland), or Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, the Vatican City or Switzerland need to meet certain passport criteria. UK passport holders travelling to Spain must have a passport that is valid for 'at least three months after the day you plan to depart from the EU or above countries'. Additionally, passports 'must be no more than 10 years' old on the date of travel to the EU or above countries'. According to the UK government's latest guidance, those with a full British citizen passport from the UK can travel without a visa to the Schengen area, which includes Spain, for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Portugal easyJet passengers flying to Portugal are also reminded that entry is permitted for a maximum stay of 90 days in a 180-day period without a visa. Portugal follows Schengen area rules as well, meaning your passport's validity must fall within the prescribed 10-year and three-month rules. Your passport must have a 'date of issue' less than 10 years before the date you arrive and have an 'expiry date' at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave the Schengen area (the expiry date does not need to be within 10 years of the date of issue). easyJet also states that extra documents are required for children entering or leaving Portugal without a parent or guardian. According to the airline: 'Children aged 17 and under, must carry written authorization to be able to travel to and from Portugal if they are travelling without their parent or legal guardian.' easyJet's guidance continues: 'The letter must include the details of the adult who will be responsible for them during their stay in Portugal. For full information about the requirements please see the web pages of the Government of Portugal and the Government of the United Kingdom . Greece Given that Greece is also part of the Schengen area, easyJet passengers that are UK passport holders are subject to the same passport and visa regulations as those travelling to Spain and Portugal. Meaning that those with a full British passport will also be able to travel without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Additionally, the UK government website advises that even if you are visiting multiple countries 'your total stay in the Schengen area must be no more than 90 days in every 180 days. 'It does not matter how many countries you visit. The 180-day period keeps 'rolling',' the website confirms. Additionally, if you are considering adding on a trip to Cyprus on your Greece journey, remember that Cyprus is not in the Schengen area. That said, the UK government confirms that British passport holders can stay up to 90 days in a 180-day period in Cyprus without a visa. More importantly, any time you spend in the Schengen area does not affect the number of days you can spend in Cyprus. France France, also being part of the Schengen region, does not require British passport holders to travel with a visa for stays under 90 days. Non-EU passport holders travelling to the Schengen area are once again obliged to ensure that their passport is valid for at least three months from the date of their departure from the Schengen member country, according to the UK government website. Though this requirement does not apply to holders of a Schengen issued residence permit or long-term visas.
Daily Mirror
4 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
'We made a change after Covid that's let us quit our jobs to travel the world'
Ryan Losasso and Jade Beaty, 30, are now known as Live The Dash and travel across the world filming their exploits for their TikTok account, which is followed by 505,000 people A couple quit their desk jobs and now travel the world full-time after discovering what they had captured on holiday. Ryan Losasso and Jade Beaty, 30, are now known as Live The Dash, one of the biggest UK travel creators with 505,000 followers on TikTok. They live a life many dream of, getting paid to whizz around the world to intriguing destinations. The advertising workers had not planned to become full-time TikTok content creators. In fact, it wasn't until they returned from a big six-month trip at the turn of the Covid lockdowns that they realised what they were sitting on. "We had all this video content when the world shut down, and we had a lot of time on our hands. So we turned to this huge stock of footage," Ryan told the Mirror. "We set ourselves a challenge of posting a video every day for 30 days. Then when some of that did really well, it spurred us on. We continued to post every day for six months." Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@ READ MORE: Tourist warning to 10 million as Europe's hottest capital on alert Jade added: "It was surprising how quickly we got through that content. On a walk in Spain, the videos were doing quite well, and we realised we were going to run out of content soon. We started joking that we'd start going on trips." At first, the couple juggled their desk jobs with travel, booking themselves onto the cheapest flight out after they clocked off on a Friday and returning on Sunday. Two years ago, they decided to go full time. The risk has clearly paid off, as Jade and Ryan are among the most watched travel TikTok channels and won the platform's Travel Award for 2024. Part of the secret to their success is putting in the research hours before they go on a trip and then only travelling when they've landed on a great idea. That might be heading to New York to see if the hallowed 'dollar slice' of pizza can still be purchased, or around the UK in search for a genuine 99p 99 whippy. They've also spent the night on the fastest sleeper train in the world, which rushes snoozing passengers from Hong Kong to Shanghai. "Was it amazing? The tech is amazing, but you're sharing with three other strangers. It reaches 270 mph, but it's super smooth," Ryan explained. "For TikTok specifically, we have our hooks before we go. We film all we can, we film the journey, we film two intros, two hooks. We bet on all the horses." The search for something new that will engage their audiences takes the pair to places they might otherwise not have visited, which often turn out to be the most enjoyable. READ MORE: Brits warned of travel chaos as European airport hit by 10th walkout in 45 days "Somewhere I wasn't expecting much from was Weston-super-mare. It had a lot of cheap whippies. It is obviously a faded Victorian seaside town, but the beach is gorgeous," Ryan said. Jade added: "We also like to hunt out weird hotels. We stayed in a cow cabin with unlimited free milk, near Ed Sheeran's hometown, called Easton Farm Park. We also stayed in these huge tree houses in Derby." The old adage of 'if you do what you love, you'll never work a day in your life' seems true in the couple's case. They still have the travel bug and are hugely excited by their trips. Part of that means pushing themselves to engage with people they meet along the way. "We have this rule that whenever we're on the plane, we have to speak to the person next to us. One guy told us 'do what excites you'. Six years later, we still tell ourselves that. We call it Conrad's message." The couple also recommends running every day and practicing good communication for travelling couples who want to avoid arguments while on the road. In terms of finding inspiration, they recommend using the adjustable 'For You' feed on TikTok. It is now possible to customise content preferences so you can see more or less of certain content in topics from over 10 categories – including travel, sports, nature, and food and drink An AI-powered 'smart keyword filter" that allows users to limit content they don't want to see'. "The For You feed is the heart of TikTok, a way for us to discover new content. We use the new features, manage topics, and think it's really cool that you can filter which topics you want to see more or less of."
Daily Mirror
6 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Brits could see summer holiday spending boost - see full list of destinations
The strength of the pound against most other currencies has boosted Brits' spending power when they head abroad this summer, research had found, in some cases by a lot Millions of Brits planning foreign holidays this summer will be quids in thanks to the pound's strength, a recent report has found. Sterling's gain against a host of currencies has boosted families' spending power - in some cases by a lot. For instance, the pound's 30% rise against the lira in the past year means holidaymakers jetting to Turkey will have a bumper £116 more to spend for every £500. That is equivalent to a couple of three course meals for two, with wine, in the Turkish resort of Marmaris, plus four beers. Those considering a long-haul break to Mexico will have almost £57 per £500 extra thanks to a near 13% increase against the peso, according to the Post Office Travel Money's Holiday Spending Report. It reveals that the UK pound is stronger than a year ago against 25 of the 30 currencies and has gained ground against 80% of them since March. Others in the top 10 list of spending power gainers include Egypt, Australia, and New Zealand. Brits thinking of a trip to the States will also get more bang for their buck thanks to sterling's 6.6% rise against the US dollar, meaning they would have almost £31 per £500 more to spend than this time last year. Despite that, many people are seemingly having second thoughts about going on holiday to the USA. The main concern is that US President Donald Trump 's trade tariffs will mean higher prices - cited by 78% of those polled - rather than his politics in general. Those heading to Europe will also be better off, though not by so much. Sterling is just 0.9% up against the euro year-on-year, meaning Brits have £4.50 per £500 more spending power across the pond than last summer. The Post Office report also found a sharp rise in the number of people planning trips abroad. Two-thirds of those surveyed said they intend to take a foreign holiday this year , with more than half having already booked their trip. That is despite growing concerns voiced by nine-in-ten of them about whether they have enough money to afford the trip. Over three-quarters said exchange rates were a big concern for them. When it came to people's views on the best value destinations, Brit-favourite Spain came top, followed by Turkey, Thailand, Portugal, Greece and Italy. When it came to their trip abroad, 82% of holidaymakers said they had set a budget averaging £377, but most admitted overspending. Laura Plunkett, head of travel money at the Post Office, which accounts for one-in-four UK foreign exchange transactions, said: 'This year's holiday spending research again demonstrates that holidaymakers don't always set a realistic budget and overspend by large amounts as a result. It's great to hear that holidaymakers are already planning to budget more for their holidays this year, to avoid coming unstuck when they arrive at their destination.' The report also found that many holidaymakers are paying over the odds for transactions abroad. While it advisable to carry some cash overseas, one-in-five in the survey said relied solely on plastic to pay for purchases, and just over a quarter changed less than £100 into foreign currency. As a consequence, holidaymakers can into difficulties. From the poll, 7% said they had tried to pay a restaurant, shop or bar bill with a credit card, only to find that it was not accepted. More than one-in-ten also fell foul of a practice known as Dynamic Currency Conversion by agreeing to pay on their card in sterling rather than local currency, incurring unnecessary transaction charges as a result. Ms Plunkett said: 'Paying on a debit or credit card may seem like a convenient way to pay for things while abroad, but our research suggests that this can be a costly practice. Far too many holidaymakers told us that they paid significantly more than they anticipated because of the transaction charges made for using credit and debit cards at an overseas ATM."
