Can I go to Spain? Rules for travelling to the amber list country

The government’s traffic light system for travel has finally been announced, with the green list, amber list and red list each including multiple destinations. From Monday 17 May leisure travel from England will no longer be illegal, meaning residents are free to take holidays providing they take tests and quarantine on return if necessary.

But what does this mean for holidays to Spain? Here’s what you need to know about visiting one of Europe’s most popular destinations.

Is Spain on the amber list?

Yes. According to the government’s website, this means that people should not be travelling for leisure. However, since travel for holidays will not be illegal from Monday 17 May, English residents are free to go to an amber country, so long as they follow the rules for testing and isolating. This means taking one pre-departure test and confirming a negative result; quarantine at home for 10 days upon return to England; plus completing a passenger locator form with details of where you will quarantine and the booking reference number for the tests you must pre-book and take upon your return – PCR tests will be required on days two and eight of quarantine (reduced to day five by paying for the cost of an extra test on that day, if it’s negative).

Scotland will follow a similar traffic light system from Monday 17 May. The rules for Wales and Northern Ireland have not yet been confirmed.

What are the entry requirements for Spain?

After multiple lockdowns, Spain has ended its six-month state of emergency and said it will be ready to welcome tourists from June. A ‘digital green certificate’ for those who have received both doses of an approved vaccine is being prepared for use throughout the EU. The Spanish tourism minister Fernando Valdes Verelst said: ‘Spain is going to be ready in June to use this digital certificate. We are doing a pilot programme in May, in all our 46 airports. We are going to give all these travellers that certainty. Spain is going to be ready in June to tell all travellers worldwide that you can visit us.’

Those who have not yet received their vaccine are likely to be able to enter Spain with a negative PCR test.

Where to stay: Are you looking for time to decompress post-lockdown, or a busy city break? After a year at home, it can be hard to choose, but Spain has both. Start in Barcelona at the smart Nobu Hotel for the sights and history, before hopping to the Balearic Island of Mallorca and checking into the El Llorenç Parc de la Mar for rooftop views and crystal-clear waters.

What to do: As well as switching to a tapas-only diet, we recommend hiring a car to drive the coastal paths of Mallorca. Make a stop at Es Pontàs, a natural arch in the south-eastern part of the island, in time for sunset.