Barcelona and nearby coastal towns are starting to fine people €30 for smoking on the beach this summer, extending a rule already in force in Barcelona city since 2022. The move comes as more municipalities across the province join the smoke-free push along the coast.
The Diputació de Barcelona says tobacco harms both smokers and people exposed to second-hand smoke. It also points to the environmental damage caused by cigarette butts, which end up in the sea and on public beaches.
Barcelona city introduced its beach smoking ban in 2022, with fines beginning last year. The city’s ten urban beaches attract millions of visitors each year. Sitges brought in its ban in 2021, while Vilanova i la Geltrú introduced a partial ban in 2020 and is now extending it to all its beaches.
This summer, the new fines will apply in Premià de Mar, Vilassar de Mar, Cubelles, Sant Andreu de Llavaneres, Sant Vicenç de Montalt, Sant Pol de Mar and Mataró. Vilanova i la Geltrú is also widening its ban to cover its full coastline. Residents in these areas were given an awareness campaign in 2025 before enforcement began.
Vaping is still allowed on the sand. Barcelona City Council tried to ban electronic cigarettes as well, but the Catalan High Court (TSJC) overturned that move in 2025, saying the council did not have the legal power to do it. That means cigarette smoking can be fined, but e-cigarettes remain legal on Barcelona beaches.
The Diputació de Barcelona wants all 107 beaches in its area to become smoke-free. Those beaches stretch across 61.6 kilometres, from Garraf in the south to the Maresme coast in the north. For more local coverage, see our Community and Sport pages.
Originally published by El Periódico Barcelona. Read original article.
