Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, Jun 20, 2025

Madrid bars back in business – beaches open elsewhere in Spain

Madrid bars back in business – beaches open elsewhere in Spain

After ten weeks of coronavirus confinement, on Monday 25, Madrid residents were able to go to bars, although only on the terraces, while elsewhere in Spain, where the number covid cases is lower people are now able to go to the beach.
On a street in the historic center of the capital, the San Ginés chocolate factory, famous for its churros with chocolate, had six of the usual 13 tables set up on its terrace this morning, to guarantee the safety distance. The indoor areas remain closed for customers.

"We have been open for 125 years, and it is the first time that we have been closed like this," said the manager, Daniel Real.

"Soon we will open 24 hours as before, but right now the night shift is suppressed, due to the absence of tourists and because the disco next door, which usually brings us many clients, is still closed."

The parks, starting with the Retiro, also opened, after ten weeks of closing.

"It gives me some peace that the Retiro is open again, it comforts me," says Rosa San José, a 50-year-old high school teacher, who came to the park for a walk in sports clothes and wearing a mask, before starting teleworking from her home.

The Spanish capital, as well as Barcelona and its metropolitan area and a part of the Castilla y León region (north), entered on Monday the first phase of the progressive lack of confidence proposed by the Spanish government, which had already started the rest of the country.

In this stage, the terraces of the bars, the spaces of worship and museums or libraries are allowed to open, always with limited capacity and keeping safety distances, as well as meetings for up to ten people.

In the last week, Spain managed to contain the mortality of the epidemic below one hundred deaths per day. Even so, it is one of the most punished countries in the world with more than 28,700 deaths and some 235,000 confirmed positive for coronavirus.

Besides Madrid, the other major focus of coronavirus has been Barcelona and its metropolitan area.

On the promenade of the old fishing district of Barceloneta, the revival left images similar to those of Madrid this Monday.

Barcelona residents can walk, swim or run on the beach from this Monday onwards, but must wait to the opening of the next phase in order to sunbathe.

On the other hand, in the regions that began the ease of control two weeks ago and are already in the second phase of de-climbing, the beaches can open for recreational reasons and the bars can use their interior spaces.

This is the case of the Balearic or Canary archipelagoes, the north coast and much of Andalusia, where the Ministry of Health asked that local authorities control access to beaches and the safety distance between bathers.

In its recommendations, Sanidad decided to separate the umbrellas four meters apart and delimit strips in the sand, something that in some municipalities did with colored ribbons, dividing the beach into numerous squares, one for each group.

At the moment, everything is focused on the local customer. International tourists, who are required to be in their forties for fourteen days when they enter the country, will be able to start returning to Spain "from July," as announced on Saturday by the head of government, Pedro Sánchez, in order to once again promote arrivals from foreigners to the second tourist destination in the world, where this sector represents 12% of GDP.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Israel Launches 'Operation Rising Lion' Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Sites
Israeli Forces Intercept Gaza-Bound Aid Vessel Carrying Greta Thunberg
IMF Warns of Severe Global Trade War Impacts on Emerging Markets
Syria to Reconnect to Global Economy After 14 Years of Isolation
Saudi Arabia Faces Uncertainty Over Succession After Mohammed bin Salman
Israel Confirms Arming Gaza Clan to Counter Hamas Influence
Majority of French Voters View Macron's Presidency as a Failure
U.S. Reduces Military Presence in Syria
Trump Demands Iran End All Uranium Enrichment in Nuclear Talks
Iran Warns Europe Against Politicizing UN Nuclear Report
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
Head of Gaza Aid Group Resigns Amid Humanitarian Concerns
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
×