Spanish News Today Editors Roundup Weekly Bulletin May 28
CLICK HERE FOR THE FEATURE ARTICLES "Unvaccinated tourists can now enter Spain with just a negative test" and "How to get through airport security as quickly as possible for free"
There have been some high-publicity delays in airports recently as people have been left queuing for hours either at passport control due to confusion over expiry dates, or at bag check-in, or during the security checks.
Well, you’re likely to come across even more people travelling to Spain now and clogging up the airports as the official word came down the line that the country would be accepting unvaccinated tourists from the United Kingdom and other non-EU nations.
Luckily, there are some secret tips and tricks that it’s worth learning to master the art of getting through the airport as quickly and as smoothly as possible, and we’ve got them right here for you.
Spain travel news
The big news of the week concerns holidaymakers, as Spain has finally relented and agreed to permit entry to unvaccinated tourists from non-EU countries, providing they have tested negative for coronavirus. This was indeed a surprise move, as a few days before the government had extended its restrictions to third country unjabbed visitors but from May 21, tourists from the UK can come to Spain once they produce one of the following:
- Vaccination certificate meeting the government’s requirements
- A negative test certificate (PCR or similar)
- Certificate of recovery at least 11 days after testing positive
For all the latest coronavirus news and updates in Spain, use the link above
Once you have your cert and head for the airport, it’s not necessarily plain sailing, as stories have been circulating for months about hours-long queues delaying travellers, even causing them to miss flights in some cases.
To help you beat the queues and fast-track your way to the departure lounge, we posted a travel expert’s top tips this week for racing through airport security. The most important trick is to select the right line: businessmen are the key here, since they’re frequent flyers and have the art of passing through security down to a fine art. And if you can’t find a queue with suited and booted travellers, the expert advises passengers to avoid, at all costs, families with children, since they will likely take much longer to get through security with their baggage.Once you touch down in Spain, you may be thinking of hiring a car to take in all the sights, but the experts have warned that the number of rental vehicles is down by around 40% this year so you need to get booking early to avoid disappointment.
The good folk at the Organisation of Consumers and Users (OCU) have given their five pro tips for renting a hire car in Spain this summer, which include shopping around for the best prices and insurance cover, and checking for free cancellation options in case your flights change.
For next year, though, things are due to change with regards to travelling to Spain. A new visa system being introduced across Europe in 2023 means that travellers from the UK and other third countries will soon have to pay to come to Spain for a holiday or short business trip.
Named the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), this new type of visa was actually supposed to be introduced this year but was delayed due to the rollout of the new European Union Entry and Exit System (EES) system, which will also come into effect in the next few months. The ETIAS system basically means that Brits between 18 and 70 years travelling to any European country by plane, boat or car and staying for less than 90 days in a 180 day period will, at least 96 hours before their departure time, have to apply online and pay the 7-euro surcharge.
The ETIAS is valid for three years, unless the traveller renews their passport, in which case they will have to apply for a new one. In any case, it will not impact those who have a visa for their destination country or people who have permanent residency in Spain.
Monkeypox
Just as the world is coming out of the long coronavirus tunnel to approach the light at the end, another virus has struck the globe which has prompted Spain to issue a national alert: monkeypox. Previously endemic to central and western Africa, the rash-causing virus has now spread to around 20 nations and in this country, is believed to have originated in a sauna favoured by homosexual men and a huge pride festival in Gran Canaria which attracted more than 80,000 people.
To date, Spain has confirmed 80 cases of monkeypox, at least one of which is in Alicante and one in Seville, while a further 150 positives are pending definitive sequencing results. Earlier this week, a British tourist holidaying on the Canary Island of Fuerteventura was tested for a suspected infection.
Monkeypox cases have so far mainly been detected in homosexual and bisexual men, although one suspected infection has been reported in a woman in the Extremadura region of Spain. This has led to the many misinterpreting monkeypox as a sexually transmitted disease, which it is not, although it can be caught through sexual activity, according to the WHO’s Andy Seale.
He said: “While we are seeing some cases amongst men who have sex with men, this is not a gay disease, as some people in social media have attempted to label it. That's just not the case.”
There is no known vaccine, but the smallpox jab is believed to alleviate symptoms if taken within a few days of exposure, and although the ministry of health has ordered some doses, there are no plans to administer the vaccinations to under 40s just yet.
The chance of the general population being infected, according to the Ministry, is very low, and the country’s emergency mechanisms have been fine-tuned and “are working”. While the monkeypox is nowhere as near as contagious as Covid and most people who catch it experience only minor symptoms, this is not a case of media frenzy and it is a genuine concern for health authorities.
A surprising twist came in a report from the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), which suggested that household pets could also contract monkeypox, and pass it onto humans. In Africa, several cases have been detected in the past in rodents, but the health authorities in Spain believe that while animals like rabbits, hamsters and guinea pigs could be carrier, it’s extremely unlikely that monkeypox will be transmitted through dogs and cats.
Nevertheless, the ECDC has warned that the Ministry must work closely with veterinary experts, and be prepared to quarantine and test any pets that show symptoms, or have been exposed to the virus through their owners.
Mar Menor matters
Scientists have stepped up their monitoring of the Mar Menor saltwater lagoon in Murcia, performing daily checks of the water quality as the situation gets visibly worse before our very eyes. And the results so far aren’t uplifting.
It was actually discovered this week that the salinity levels in the lagoon have dropped so significantly, they actually match that of the Mediterranean Sea.
The low salt levels are harmful to some native species and attract other invasive marine life that shouldn’t be there, like octopus and cuttlefish. In recent days, a local fisherman was astonished to discover a loggerhead turtle caught in one of his nets, a completely unprecedented event in the saltwater lagoon.
People keep swimming in the water, though, and there has been plenty of anecdotal evidence of people saying they find nothing wrong with it – no algae, dead fish, nothing. But hotel bookings around the Mar Menor tell a different story.
Reservations for hotel rooms have been so low for this summer, they are resorting to freezing their prices to try and attract someone – anyone – to come and holiday by the Murcia shoreline.
The prices of hotel rooms and restaurants in the Region of Murcia have already risen by 6.1% in recent months, but Murcia still remains one of the cheapest holiday destinations in Spain. Hotels normally put their prices up for the summer season, but the president of the Cartagena Hotel Association, Bartolomé Vera, has warned that tourists won’t hesitate to choose a new destination if prices go up.
Murcia
There was a dramatic Romeo & Juliet moment in Cartagena this Monday, but with less of the timeless poetic love story and more of the fatal family feud about it. Two families in the Villalba area who have a long-standing rivalry came to violent blows when an exiled member of one of the families returned to the neighbourhood after five years.
He had been forced to flee because around six years ago there was a dispute over an incident that took place during a cockfight, which ended in a massive street brawl. This all came to a head this week when, in broad daylight, around 4pm on a Monday afternoon, reports came through of one man being stabbed in the face and others firing gunshots.
A huge police force was quickly despatched, some of them heavily armed, in order to keep the peace and secure the area, especially around Calle Lentisco. No arrests have been made as yet but, according to witnesses, “a tense calm reigned” in the streets afterwards.
Villalba is not known as one of the worst or most dangerous areas of Cartagena, not like neighbourhoods such as Las 600, for example. But for some time now, residents admit, families have been moving into the who can be “conflictive”.
Mazarrón, also, cannot be accused of being a run-down or violent area, but the perhaps surprising news has come out this week that it is one of the 15 poorest municipalities in the whole country. A study by the National Institute of Statistics of average per capita income shows that people living in Mazarrón earn around 8,667 euros, one of the lowest in Spain.And five other municipalities in Murcia also feature in the bottom 50 ‘low income’ ranking, with Jumilla (per capita income of 8,943 euros), La Unión (8,968), Torre Pacheco (9,016), San Pedro del Pinatar (9,133) and Yecla (9,256) all making the cut too.
Worse yet, this ranking was made using data collected in 2019, so these figures could now be lower still following the two-year Covid pandemic. Then again, this is only based on income declared in Spain, so it may not be entirely accurate.
An update on the situation at Villas Caravaning in La Manga, which was threatened with closure last week if it didn’t improve its fire safety measures immediately. A meeting was held on Wednesday between the company that owns the campsite and the owners’ and tenants’ association to discuss the proposal and figure out how to move forward.
Together, they agreed with to approve a health and safety plan that includes such measures as installing more fire hydrants and modernising the electrical installations, and to cover the cost of these improvements they also agreed to an increase in their quarterly fees from 260 euros to 300. As these fees are paid every three months by the nearly 2,000 residents and owners of plots of land, it is expected that the campsite will be able to raise 80,000 euros to put towards new safety measures in this period.
Hopefully it will be enough to stop the City Council from shutting them down and jeopardising the homes of people who live there. Time will tell.
Check out our EVENTS DIARY to see everything going on in Murcia:
Spain
The Times has selected its definitive list of the top 20 prettiest villages in Spain that are an absolute must for visitors, including six hidden gems in Andalucía and the stunning Castell de Guadalest in Alicante, especially famous for its beautiful streets and picturesque square.
All the villages in this exclusive ranking have a population of less than 15,000, and each location is judged on its “architectural or natural heritage”, protection of historical buildings and the general prettiness of the town.
If you fancy something a bit more urban, though, Spain’s capital Madrid will soon have the best of both worlds as it plans to open Europe’s largest artificial beach next year. Situated just 52.7 kilometres from the city in Guadalajara and featuring 21,000 square metres of water surrounded by almost 17,000 square metres of sand, the beach will offer visitors everything from water sports, slides and play areas to beach bars, restaurants and shops.
However, before you rush out to enjoy the dazzling summer sun, don’t forget the sunscreen or you could well end up less the golden goddess and more the tomato. Aside from an unsightly burn, the experts strongly advise wearing sun block to protect against exposure to harmful UV rays, which can lead to permanent damage and in the worst cases, cause skin cancer.
To provide a helping hand, the OCU has provided us with a list of the 10 best sunscreens, many of which can be bought at the local supermarket and don’t come with too hefty a price tag.
While many people are looking forward to a trip to Spain, poor old Shakira might be considering beating a hasty retreat, as she lost a court appeal 
this week and will soon face trial for swindling the Spanish Tax Agency out of more than 14 million euros.
this week and will soon face trial for swindling the Spanish Tax Agency out of more than 14 million euros.According to prosecutors, the ‘Hips Don’t Lie’ diva failed to pay any income tax when she was living in Catalonia between 2012 and 2014, although the Columbian pop star swears she didn’t move to Spain until 2015. The court examined her social media accounts, credit card statements and bills, however, and felt they had “sufficient evidence” to take her to trial for tax evasion. The date hasn’t been set yet, but if convicted, Shakira will face a massive fine and even jail time.
Alicante
In a huge inter-region search and arrest operation, 43 people linked to an international drug trafficking network run by a British man from a luxury villa in Torrevieja have been detained in Alicante, Murcia and Almeria.
Hundreds of officers carried out dozens of house raids in the Vega Baja area of Alicante province 
seizing more than 100 kilos of marijuana and other drugs destined for the UK and other European countries using British 'mules'. Fourteen of the arrestees have already been remanded in prison and the rest released with drug trafficking and other charges.
seizing more than 100 kilos of marijuana and other drugs destined for the UK and other European countries using British 'mules'. Fourteen of the arrestees have already been remanded in prison and the rest released with drug trafficking and other charges.Police sources confirmed the organisation was well-orchestrated, unlike an opportunist criminal who preyed on unsuspecting holidaymakers at Alicante-Elche, stealing luggage as tourists landed on the Costa Blanca ahead of a long-awaited break in the sun.
And the 60-year-old may well have got away with fleecing tourists of their suitcases had he not provided police with a false non-EU driving licence when returning to his badly-parked car.
Police were initially issuing a fine, but were immediately suspicious about the dodgy identification and were about to search his car when the alleged thief “slipped away” and tried to stash a rucksack under a bus parked nearby. An eagle-eyed bus driver spotted what he was doing and alerted the police who found a laptop inside the bag.
Meanwhile, other tourists were lodging complaints at the airport police station, reporting missing suitcases which were subsequently found inside the suspect’s car. The game was up and after a brief escape attempt, the 60-year-old was arrested and charged with theft and falsifying documents.
Meanwhile, a 39-year-old Swiss woman has been detained and charged with child abandonment in San Isidro after her newborn baby was found on a roadside near a derelict building in which she had given birth moments earlier.
Once again, the vigilance of a member of the public proved instrumental in assisting police inquiries. In this case, a lorry driver spotted a bloodied woman carrying a bundle of blankets with what appeared to be a baby inside and called the police. Cops from Almoradí station rushed to the open field next to an industrial estate where they found a woman “who appeared to be well” but denied the driver’s account of what he had seen and refused medical attention.
Undeterred, officers searched the area and discovered a bundle of blankets rolled up behind drums about 100 metres from the house and in direct sunlight. Inside, they found a newborn baby who still had the umbilical cord attached. Although showing signs of dehydration, the newborn was thankfully “breathing normally” and is now being cared for at a nearby hospital after being admitted to a neonatal unit. The mother has been remanded in prison whilst an investigation is carried out.
But it hasn’t all been crime and arrests. There was great news for commuters, shoppers and visitors to Alicante city this week where two new free park-and-ride car parks were unveiled. As part of a 430,000-euro project, Alicante City Council has created two parking facilities in the San Gabriel neighbourhood, offering 223 spaces just 100 metres from bus links into the city centre, and there are plans to build more park-and-rides elsewhere in Alicante.
Andalucía
With travel opening up again, tourism bosses have appealed to British travellers to make Spain their number one destination once more in order to make up for the shortfall in Russian visitors to the Costa del Sol. Their numbers began dwindling during the pandemic, and the war in Ukraine and resultant airspace restrictions have exacerbated the matter.
In order to reach pre-pandemic visitor levels this summer, says the General Director of Tourism in Marbella, it is “vital” that British tourists come back to Spain and enjoy everything the country has to offer, including the fantastic weather.
In fact, so steamy was it at the beginning of this week that various Malaga towns repeatedly topped the list of hottest places in Spain, including Rincón de la Victoria, Coín, Estepona and Vélez-Málaga, where temperatures at the hottest part of the day reached 38.5ºC, well ahead of anywhere else in the country.Temperatures have now dropped mercifully, but still remain around 30ºC along the Costa del Sol, perfect balmy weather for enjoying a relaxing afternoon on the beach, or some watersports in the sea.
Down the coast in Cadiz, two sailing boats had to be towed to port after suffering damage by killer whale “attacks” in the Strait of Gibraltar. These two most recent interactions between orcas and sailing boats in the Strait of Gibraltar are in addition to the twenty that have already been recorded since the beginning of April, and which have left the rudder of at least ten vessels unusable.
Last summer, up to September 3, at least 69 orca contacts with sailing boats were recorded, 30 of which required towing, a significant increase on previous years. For that reason, there was a temporary ban installed on sailboats of less than 15 metres in the inlet of Barbate, in Cadiz. That decision has not yet been taken for this summer, but it is expected that killer whale attacks will once again increase on last year.
While the reasons for killer whales bumping and breaking the rudders of sailboats are not fully known, it is believed that they may be attracted by the rubbing of the rudder blades because they don’t emit any noises to scare them away. It’s also worth pointing out that these incidents often happen in areas close to fishing activity, where the orcas concentrate in search of bluefin tuna.
You may have missed…
- Two exhausted dogs saved from drowning in dramatic police rescue in Totana.
The Guardia Civil has released footage of an exhaustive rescue in which two dogs were saved from drowning after falling into a large irrigation pond in Totana. - Extensive road repair and resurfacing program presented in Mazarron.
The Town Hall of Mazarrón has this week presented a far-reaching plan named “Mazarrón Urbano” which aims to transform the image of the municipality by renovating and resurfacing roads, streets and squares. - Yet another tourist seriously injured in Mallorca balcony fall.
A 19-year-old man has been seriously injured after falling from a fourth floor balcony at a hotel in Palma, Mallorca. - Teenage tourist might be paralysed after diving into shallow Spanish pool.
Yet another tragedy has struck the Spanish Island of Mallorca after a 19-year-old Norwegian tourist was seriously injured after diving into the shallow end of a resort pool just hours after arriving on holiday. - Video shows Rolling Stones touch down in Spain ahead of Madrid concert next week.
Maybe we can’t get no satisfaction, but we can get pretty close when we get a glimpse of what may be the world’s hardest working septuagenarian rockers stepping off a plane at Madrid’s Barajas airport.
That’s all from us for this week. If you like reading your weekly bulletin and know someone else who might want to read it too, you can send them this link to sign up and start receiving the email too: https://murciatoday.com/weekly_bulletin.html
See you next week!
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