Coronavirus: Latest information and advice

Last updated: 25/02/2021

PLEASE NOTE:

From 22 December flights between the United Kingdom and Spain are temporarily banned. Only Spanish citizens and residents are exempt.

From 22 February and till at least 16 March, all travellers arriving from Brazil and South Africa must quarantine for 10 days or for 7 days if after one week quarantine they take a PCR test and get a negative result. Other restrictions also apply to flights coming from both countries.

From 23 November 2020 Spain requires a negative Covid test from anyone travelling from a high-risk country. The test must have been done no less than 72 hours before arriving in Spain. Once in Spain, all visitors must follow the latest government guidelines, including social distancing and wearing a mask at all times in public places, both indoor and outdoor.

Due to the rise in COVID-19 cases in Spain, the Spanish government once again declared a national state of emergency on 25 October. As a result, a night-time curfew has been imposed across the whole country, and local authorities are now allowed to restrict movement between regions.

Latest coronavirus measures in place in the whole of the Madrid region:

• A night-time curfew has been introduced meaning between 11pm and 6am residents and visitors are only allowed to move around the city on work, school or medical grounds, or for other pressing reasons.

• Different households are not allowed to meet indoors in private homes (unless it is to provide care or assistance to a vulnerable person).

• Groups in bars and restaurants are limited to a maximum of 4 people indoors and 6 people outdoors.
   
• All establishments, including restaurants, bars, cafés and shops, must close at 11pm (they are allowed to remain open till midnight for home deliveries services). The only exceptions are shops regarded as essential such as chemists’, health centres, vets and petrol stations.
   
• Facemasks must be worn in all public spaces in Madrid, both indoor and outdoor. The only exception are people doing sports and children under the age of 6.
   
• Social distancing rules must be followed at all times.
   
• Smoking outdoors in public places is forbidden if and when a 2-metre distance cannot be maintained.
   
• The maximum capacity is 50% in most enclosed spaces (such as hotels, restaurants, bars, places of worship and sports facilities), and 75% in cultural venues (like museums, monuments, theatres and cinemas), outdoor cafés and restaurants, and shopping centres.
   
• Most night clubs and other late night venues remain closed.
   
• All public parks and gardens shut between 11pm and 6am.

Additional restrictions in certain basic healthcare areas

In addition to the measures enlisted above, further restrictions have been applied to numerous basic healthcare areas, where the number of cases is currently higher:

• Residents are only allowed to enter and exit the zones on work, educational, legal or medical grounds.
• Residents may move freely around their zones but may not step outside the perimeter without a legitimate reason. Police officers will carry out daily checks in the affected areas to ensure these restrictions are respected.
• Churches, mosques and synagogues must reduce their capacity to one third. Funeral services may be held with a maximum of 15 mourners outdoors and 10 indoors.
• Children's outdoor play areas have been closed.

The healthcare areas are reviewed every two weeks, and are reopened or closed depending on the number of cases in each zone.

Healthcare areas currently affected by additional restrictions in the city Madrid till at least 1 March (except those in italics which are affected till at least 8 March):

• Andrés Mellado (Chamberí);
• Aravaca (Moncloa-Aravaca);
• Jazmín (Ciudad Lineal);
• Montesa and General Oráa (Salamanca);
• Vinateros-Torito (Moratalaz)

In the rest of the Region of Madrid, the restrictions will affect the following healthcare areas till at least 1 March:

• Getafe Norte (Getafe);

Restrictions also currently affect the following areas till at least 1 March (except those in italics which are affected till at least 8 March):

Alcobendas, San Sebastián de los Reyes, Hoyo de Manzanares, Mejorada del Campo, Collado Mediano, Becerril de la Sierra, Navacerrada, Brunete, Griñón, Villaconejos, Torrejón de Ardoz, Moralzárzal, El Álamo and Villanueva del Pardillo.

Museums and Cultural Centres

Many of the city’s museums and cultural institutions have reopened, all of them with the necessary social distancing and safety measures put in place. We strongly recommend you visit the venue’s official website before visiting to get the most reliable and up-to-date information.

• Paseo del Arte: the three major museums on the Art Walk – The Prado, Thyssen-Bornemisza and Reina Sofía – are open since 6 June, as are CaixaForum and the Mapfre Foundation Recoletos exhibition hall.
• The following national museums opened on 9 June: National Archaeological Museum, National Museum of Decorative Arts, Sorolla Museum, National Museum of Anthropology, Cerralbo Museum, Museum of Romanticism, Museum of the Americas.
• The Royal Palace reopened on June 10 while the biweekly Changing of the Guard resumed on July 18 (the grand monthly Solemn Changing remains suspended for the moment).
• The rest of the palaces and royal sites of Patrimonio Nacional in Madrid and the surrounding area are also open: Royal Palace of El Pardo, Royal Palace of Aranjuez, Royal Palace of La Granja de San Ildefonso and gardens, Royal Palace Riofrío and the Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial.
• Also reopened: Lope de Vega House Museum, Royal Tapestry Factory, Museum of Natural Sciences (with discounts all summer), National Library, Lázaro Galdiano Museum (free entry until the museum opens fully), San Fernando Royal Academy of the Fine Arts, Liria Palace, Espacio Fundación Telefónica.
• Visits to the city’s two main football stadiums, the Bernabéu and Wanda Metropolitano, resumed at the beginning of June as did the live horse races at La Zarzuela race course.
• All parks and gardens as well as most theme parks (including the Zoo, Parque de Atracciones and cable car) are once again open to the public.
• Matadero Madrid and the Conde Duque cultural center have partially reopened to host the Veranos de la Villa festival throughout the month of August.

Urban transport

Madrid's extensive public transport system is up and running again. Please note that face masks must be worn on all forms of transport:

• The metro, buses and Cercanías regional train are all operating normally.
   
• Taxis are also operating normally. Please note that the front passenger cannot be occupied.
   
• The BiciMAD electric bike hire service is also operating normally. Please note that you must wear gloves when riding the bicycles.

Tourist information points

• On 10 June the SATE resumed service, as did the Tourist Information kiosks (Callao, Royal Palace, Reina Sofía, Paseo del Prado and Bernabéu)
   
• On 15 June the Plaza Mayor Tourist Information Centre, including the shop, opened to the public.
   
• The tourist information point located in Terminal 4 of Barajas airport reopened on 7 July.
   
• The tourist information point located in CentroCentro reopened at the beginning of November.
   
• The tourist information points located in Terminal 2 of Barajas airport.

The Plaza Mayor Tourist Information Centre and the city’s five tourist information kiosks (Plaza de Callao, Royal Palace, Reina Sofía, Paseo del Prado and Bernabéu) have been awarded the Safe Tourism Certified Seal (UNE 0066-10 de Mayo 2020). Madrid is the first major city whose tourist information centres have received the seal which is given by the Institute for Spanish Tourism Quality (ICTE).

You can also continue to use the following channels to obtain information about the city:

• Telephone (+34) 915 787 810: 9:30am-8:30pm   
• Via e-mail: turismo@esmadrid.com: 9:30am-8:30pm
• On this Tourism website: www.esmadrid.com: 24 hours

Travelling to Spain

From 23 November 2020 Spain will require a negative Covid test from anyone travelling from a high-risk country. The test must have been done no less than 72 hours before arriving in Spain. Furthermore all passengers arriving in Madrid-Barajas must fill in an FCS health control form and will face both a temperature check and a visual inspection.

The mandatory FCS Health Control Form can be accessed from both the Spanish government's official page spth.gob.es or by downloading the app Spain Travel Health-SpTH, available on the same page. YOU SHOULD NOT TRAVEL if you have had symptoms consistent with COVID-19, such as a high temperature, a cough or breathing difficulties, in the last 14 days.

Read more

Additional information on other websites

• Everything you need to know about the FCS health control form (official government website in English)
• Everything you need to know before going to the airport (official website of the Spanish Aena airport network in English)
• Detailed information on the current situation at Spanish airports (in Spanish)
• Information from Renfe on the situation of rail transport (in Spanish)

In addition, the European Union has launched "Re-open EU", an interactive tool that provides you with the information that you need to confidently plan your European travel and holidays, while staying healthy and safe.

Interactive COVID-19 Map of Europe

Find out the latest available data on coronavirus cases in Europe with this interactive map published by the WHO.