Overview
- The municipal council approved the beach ordinance unanimously on July 17, making Zarautz the first town in Euskadi to bar tobacco on its sand
- A public consultation (periodo de alegaciones) runs through late August, after which the measure can take effect if no amendments are filed
- Smokers face €500 fines per offence, while serious or repeated breaches can trigger penalties up to €3,000
- The regulation also bans loud music, open-air cooking with camping stoves and ball games at high tide to maintain order
- Any amendments during the consultation would delay enforcement until summer 2026