Half-empty squares in the middle of the day? That could become a reality in Spain this summer. The country is rolling out new rules that will force outdoor terraces to close when the heat gets too extreme – and it's something Swedes heading down on holiday will notice straight away.

Closed terraces during extreme heat

The core of the regulation is simple: when the thermometer hits the roof, restaurants, bars and cafés have to scale back outdoor service. If they lack shade or a cooling system that meets the standard, the terrace simply has to close.

Anyone who ignores the rules could pay a hefty price. Fines run to over 50,000 euros.

The rules kick in primarily when the weather agency AEMET issues an orange or red heat warning, according to reporting from Euronews. The publication also notes that this is about more than just restrictions:

The Spanish government is building a national network of cooling centres, designed to give people a place of refuge during increasingly intense heatwaves.

In other words, the classic image of a Spanish city where every terrace is packed in the middle of the day is going to look different from now on.

What it means for Swedish holidays

For many Swedes, a Spanish holiday is synonymous with long lunches in the sun, a cold drink by the square, and a pace that's anything but stressful. That picture shrinks a bit when terraces have to close during the worst hours of the heat.

In practical terms, it means rethinking the schedule. Sightseeing, shopping and restaurant visits will increasingly shift to mornings and evenings, while afternoons out in the blazing sun become less appealing.

"The new normal"

The change is one piece of a bigger puzzle: southern Europe is adapting to a warmer climate. Spanish authorities have been clear that extreme temperatures are no longer the exception.

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez sums up the development this way:

"In some summers, we're not facing separate heatwaves but a single long heatwave that stretches from June to August. This is now the new normal."