When you picture all-inclusive, you probably imagine filling your boots with whatever you want whenever you want on your holiday, and that also probably includes all the ‘free’ alcohol. Over the last couple of years and most prominently this year, this is no longer the case in selected areas of the Balearic Islands.

The government of the Balearic Islands has begun a crackdown on excessive drinking by putting certain rules and laws in place with regards to all-inclusive holidays and what they are allowed to serve alcohol–wise.

There are designated areas of resorts now including Magaluf (Calvià), Playa de Palma on the island of Mallorca, and San Antonio (San Antoni de Portmany) where there are tougher restrictions on drinking. In these areas, there are prohibitions on happy hours, open bars (such as all you can drink in 1-hour offers), the sale of alcohol from vending machines, self-service alcohol dispensers and the organising of pub-crawls and party boat trips. The law also prohibits “off-licence” sales between 9:30pm and 8am.

As part of these new laws, there are now a maximum of six alcoholic drinks per person per day that can be served and these drinks will be provided only during lunch and dinner (3 each). Anything else will have to be paid for separately.

This new rule mainly only applies to the more party-centred resorts mentioned above. In the other areas of the Balearic Islands, the old all-inclusive rules still apply, as drunken anti-social behaviour is less of an issue in these parts.

It is certainly something to factor in when travelling to the Balearic Islands.