First Holiday Abroad With Friends? What Could Go Wrong?

• Published date: 01 May 2023
• Subject Matter: Litigation, Mediation & Arbitration, Food, Drugs, Healthcare, Life Sciences, Arbitration & Dispute Resolution, Personal Injury, Food and Drugs Law
• Law Firm: Giambrone & Partners
• Author: Mr Gonzalo Butori

The holiday season is around the corner with many young people going on holiday for the first time with friends. A "lads (or girls) holiday" in Spain can be a fun and exciting experience, but it also comes with a variety of risks that should not be overlooked, if something goes wrong, a young person can find themselves out of their depth in many ways.

Our fluent English-speaking Spanish lawyers in our UK and Spanish offices enjoy a reputation for successfully assisting British nationals to resolve problems that arise on holiday for many years.

Gonzalo Butori, a partner, commented "there can be many reasons for being arrested in Spain that would be unlikely to result in arrest in the UK, for example. If you are considered to be uncooperative by the police in Spain this is an offence for which you can be arrested, therefore drunken young people who do not speak Spanish may not realise what is happening, if there is a minor incident and if they refuse to cooperate when being moved on and argue with the police this can easily lead to arrest as lack of cooperation" Gonzalo further pointed out "in some regions swimwear and skimpy outfits are not acceptable must be confined to the beach alone, such clothing is not permitted in the street. If you are arrested you have the right to a lawyer that speaks your language, however, the duty lawyer may not have good English, it is far better to make your own arrangements and appoint a lawyer who will be able to explain your position to you in detail."

Our highly experienced lawyers point out just a few of the risks that can occur when on holiday in Spain:

Alcohol

Overconsumption of alcohol is one of the oldest and biggest risks for young people on holiday in Spain. This can lead to a wide range of problems, including injuries, accidents, and violent behaviour. Tolerance of drunk and disorderly tourists is wearing thin in the popular regions of Spain. Some regions in Spain have enacted new laws to limit the consumption of alcohol having experienced too many years of the consequences of anti-social drunkenness on holiday. "Off licence" sales have been limited to certain times only during the day but not in the evening and not in the street. You should also remember that the attitude of the police, as well as the laws, differ in countries abroad. If you break the law you could find that you are arrested, facing a language barrier and not understanding quite what has happened.

If you have been...