UK Foreign Office issues new travel warning for Spain

The updated safety guidance for travellers comes after a recent heatwave in Spain, which saw temperatures soar above 40C.

Provisional figures suggest the extreme conditions have led to around 1,000 deaths in Spain.

UK Foreign Office updates travel advice for Spain

The UK Foreign Office is warning visitors to take extra care when swimming in the sea or pools, as “every year, people drown in the sea and in swimming pools in Spain.”

It stressed the importance of supervising children at all times, especially around water.

Advice now includes keeping children within arm’s reach in pools and on beaches, even if a lifeguard is present.

Sea hazards such as strong undercurrents, hidden rocks, and unpredictable waves mean not all areas are safe for swimming and can cause “serious injury or death”.

The Foreign Office has cautioned against diving into unknown waters and swimming at beaches where rivers meet the sea, as these locations can be particularly dangerous.

#Spain: Read our latest travel advice with updated information on swimming safety for children in swimming pools and the sea: https://t.co/3jJn1TY9ub pic.twitter.com/a5KXViQuhF

— FCDO Travel Advice (@FCDOtravelGovUK) June 26, 2026

It also reminded holidaymakers to pay close attention to the flag system in use on many Spanish beaches.

A red flag means it is unsafe to enter the water.

Travellers are also advised to heed local warnings about jellyfish, which can sometimes populate coastal waters.

The Foreign Office recommended checking additional resources, including ABTA’s swim safe guidance and the Royal Life Saving Society’s advice on water safety during holidays.

eGate rules to change next week

Meanwhile, changes are also coming to UK border procedures for families returning from overseas.

From Wednesday (July 8), children aged eight and nine, who are at least 120cm (3ft 11in) tall and travelling with an adult, will be allowed to use UK airport eGates.

The current minimum age for eGate use is 10, and before 2023, it was 12.

The change is expected to speed up arrivals, as younger children currently have to be processed manually by a Border Force officer.

The new rule will make an estimated 1.5 million more children eligible to use eGates over the next year, based on 2025 UK arrival figures.

The change applies to the 13 UK airports using eGates:

• London Heathrow
• London Gatwick
• London City
• London Luton
• London Stansted
• Manchester
• Birmingham
• Bristol
• East Midlands
• Newcastle
• Cardiff
• Edinburgh
• Glasgow

More than 290 eGates operate across the UK, including at certain ports and European entry points where British travellers are processed.

In addition, 48 EU airports now allow British holidaymakers to use eGates.

These eGates are open to travellers arriving from non-Schengen countries such as the US, Australia, and Japan.

Do you have a holiday to Spain booked for this summer? Let us know in the comments below.