Anyone who’s visited Spain knows it can get be a pretty noisy place, especially in the cities.
Compact urban areas where bars and apartment blocks are side by side, coupled with a culture of spending time outdoors and a bustling nightlife, mean that noise can be a constant, even when it’s time to sleep.
So it’s no surprise that noise complaints are common in the country, from Barcelona down to Cádiz.
READ ALSO: Which cities in Spain are the noisiest? (Clue: It’s not Madrid)
In Alicante’s old quarter, neighbours have been up in arms for years over the uproar that keeps them up even once the bars have closed, as revellers continue the party outside.
The City Hall has implemented measures such as limiting opening times for hospitality establishments and installing sound level metres, which have had limited success so far.
Alicante’s Castaños Street, which has a high concentration of bars with terraces, is the most problematic of all and is what has been deemed a Zona Acústica Saturada (Acoustically Overwhelmed Zone).
Even though business owners have appealed the municipal rules, Alicante’s Public Prosecutor’s Office has sided with the neigbours and city authorities.
This should mean than within a matter of weeks, according to the local press, Alicante city centre – and the old quarter in particular – should be notably quieter at night.
Shorter opening hours will be more strictly enforced and there will be a greater police presence in the noisy areas to ensure that crowds don’t gather after the ‘sound curfew’.
READ ALSO: Why are Spaniards so ‘loud’?
A similar situation is playing out in the neighbouring city of Valencia, capital of the Valencian Community which also houses Alicante.
Here the regional high court has ruled against the recent municipal restrictions preventing new music-themed hospitality establishments from opening their doors in mainly residential parts of the city, a measure rolled out by Valencia City Council in 2023.
This means that new clubs, pubs and cafés will be able to open even if there is another similar establishment within a 30-metre distance.
Judges argued that the 30-metre limit was random and that there are other ways of monitoring and restricting noise pollution that Valencia authorities should use instead.
It’s a decision which has reportedly been welcomed by bar and club owners, angered Valencia’s older generations and left the city’s younger population feeling slightly indifferent.
For them, and many other city dwellers in Spain, noise comes with the territory.
READ ALSO: Noisy local fiestas – What to do when your Spanish town hall is responsible
However, it’s a whole different story if going to bed becomes a daily nightmare due to excessive noise levels you can’t escape.
According to the World Health Organisation, 1 in 4 people in Spain sleep badly due to being exposed to acoustic levels above 65db.
More than five million Spaniards are exposed to noise levels which are considered negative to cardiovascular health.
Are you kept up at night by the noise from nearby bars and night-time revellers? Share your experience below.
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