Athens and Barcelona Lead Europe-Wide Crackdown on Short-Term Tourist Rentals With Registration Freezes and Licence Phase-Outs

European travel hubs are enacting strict regulatory limits on holiday apartments, with Athens freezing new short-term rental registrations in central districts through 2026 and Barcelona implementing a complete phase-out of over 10,000 tourist flat licences by the end of 2028.

[Athens, Oct 6, 2026] — Destinations across Europe are introducing regulatory frameworks to govern short-term holiday rentals, seeking to balance international tourism growth with residential housing availability. In Greece, authorities have extended a freeze on new short-term rental registrations across three central municipal districts of Athens through 2026.

Concurrently, Barcelona is implementing a broader phase-out strategy, announcing that existing tourist-use home authorisations will not be renewed upon expiration, targeting the complete elimination of licensed tourist apartments by December 2028. Similar combinations of registration freezes, annual night caps, safety mandates, and planning restrictions are taking effect in Florence, Amsterdam, Paris, Madrid, the Balearic Islands, Portugal, and Slovenia.

Comparative Overview of European Short-Term Rental Regulations

Destination / Country	Primary Regulatory Mechanism	Operating Limits & Enforcement Thresholds	Target Outcome for Local Housing & Tourism
Athens (Greece)	Registration freeze in 1st, 2nd, 3rd Districts	No new AMA numbers issued through 2026; Law 5170/2025 safety standards	Stops supply expansion in central historic districts
Barcelona (Spain)	Complete tourist apartment licence phase-out	Non-renewal of 10,000+ tourist flat licences by end of 2028	Returns tourist apartments to residential housing market
Florence (Italy)	Expanded geographic restriction zone	New rental freeze extended beyond UNESCO core on June 21, 2026	Controls rental concentration (16,906 units = 56% bed capacity)
Amsterdam (Netherlands)	Ultra-strict annual operating night caps	Max 15 nights/year in 8 central areas from April 1, 2026 (30 days elsewhere)	Curbs rental intensity in Jordaan & Grachtengordel
Paris (France)	Annual primary residence night ceiling	Max 90 days/year for primary homes; strict change-of-use rules	Prevents year-round commercial conversion of housing
Madrid (Spain)	Plan RESIDE urban planning restrictions	Strict conditions for tourist rentals within residential buildings	Reduces tourist home planning application permits
Balearic Islands	Property-type specific prohibitions	Ban on new tourist rentals in apartment buildings (Mallorca/Ibiza)	Protects multi-family housing from tourist displacement
Portugal	Municipal suspension powers (Alojamento Local)	Local councils authorized to freeze new registrations through end of 2026	Enables tailored municipal control based on local housing pressure
Slovenia	National hospitality framework day caps	Municipal operating limits scalable down to ~30 days annually	Nationwide regulation balancing housing & visitor stays

Athens Enforces Registration Freeze and Technical Safety Mandates

In Greece, the Ministry of Tourism and tax authorities have extended the registration freeze on new short-term rental properties across the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd municipal districts of Athens through 2026. Unregistered properties within these central areas cannot obtain a Property Registry Number (AMA), preventing new units from entering the digital booking market. Existing registered properties may continue operating provided they satisfy technical rules.

Athens Short-Term Rental Regulatory Framework:
├── Supply Control (Geographic Freeze)
│   ├── Applies to 1st, 2nd & 3rd Municipal Districts
│   └── Blocks Issuance of New AMA Property Numbers through 2026
└── Operational Standards (Law 5170/2025 Mandatory Requirements)
    ├── Primary-Use Property Status & Structural Ventilation
    ├── Mandatory Public Liability Insurance & Electrical Certification
    └── Pest-Control Certification & Joint IAPR Safety Audits

The freeze accompanies technical requirements enacted under Law 5170/2025. All active short-term rentals in Greece must meet standards regarding primary-use status, natural lighting, air conditioning, electrical safety compliance, pest-control certification, and civil liability insurance. Joint inspection teams from the Ministry of Tourism and the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (IAPR) conduct compliance audits across Attica, where 18,769 short-term units were recorded in 2025.

In historic neighborhoods like Monastiraki and Plaka, an official carrying-capacity study commissioned by the Municipality of Athens revealed a ratio of 200 short-term rental tourists for every permanent resident during 2025, highlighting the concentration of visitor accommodation in central historic zones.

Barcelona and Spanish Regional Accommodation Frameworks

Barcelona’s approach differs from Athens by targeting an outright reduction in tourist apartment inventory. Under municipal directives aligned with regional Catalan housing frameworks, the city will not renew expiring tourist-use home licences, aiming to return over 10,000 tourist flats to the long-term residential rental market by December 2028.

Spanish Regional Short-Term Rental Frameworks:
├── Barcelona ──► Non-Renewal Phase-Out of 10,000+ Tourist Flat Licences by 2028
├── Balearics ──► Ban on New Tourist Rentals in Multi-Family Apartment Buildings
└── Madrid    ──► Plan RESIDE Urban Planning Limits on Residential Building Conversions

Elsewhere in Spain, regulatory models vary by region:

• Balearic Islands (Mallorca & Ibiza): Authorities prohibit new tourist rental registrations in multi-family apartment buildings, preserving residential housing blocks while allowing specific single-family detached properties to operate.
• Madrid: The city’s Plan RESIDE framework applies strict urban planning rules that restrict tourist accommodation inside residential buildings, leading to a decline in planning permit applications.

Regulatory Mechanisms Across Florence, Amsterdam, Paris, and Europe

European Operating Night & Geographic Restrictions:
[Florence]  ──► Geographic Freeze Extended to 7 Outer Zones (June 21, 2026)
[Amsterdam] ──► 15-Night Annual Operating Cap in 8 Central Districts (April 1, 2026)
[Paris]     ──► 90-Day Annual Operating Ceiling for Primary Residences
[Slovenia]  ──► National Framework Allowing Local Night Caps Down to ~30 Days

Florence (Italy)

On June 21, 2026, Florence expanded its prohibition on new short-term tourist rentals beyond its UNESCO historic core into seven surrounding municipal districts, including Campo di Marte, San Jacopino, Gavinana, Statuto, Rifredi, and Libertà. In 2025, Florence recorded 16,906 tourist rentals—representing 56% of total city bed capacity—amid 4.7 million arrivals and 11.5 million overnight stays.

Amsterdam (Netherlands)

Effective April 1, 2026, Amsterdam reduced its annual operating cap from 30 nights to 15 nights per calendar year across eight central neighborhoods, including Jordaan, Haarlemmerbuurt, Grachtengordel-West, Grachtengordel-Zuid, Weteringschans, Burgwallen-Nieuwe Zijde, Nieuwmarkt/Lastage, and Oude Pijp.

Paris (France)

Paris enforces a statutory 90-day annual cap on tourist rentals for primary residences, while secondary homes face strict commercial change-of-use authorizations and municipal penalties.

European Union Platform Transparency Directive

Across the European Union, platform data-sharing rules taking effect May 20, 2026, require online booking portals to share monthly transaction data with public authorities. In 2025, major platforms recorded 952 million guest nights across EU member states, an 11.4% increase over 2024.

Practical Implications for International Travelers

The expansion of short-term rental controls across major European cities will influence how travelers plan accommodations:

1. Verification of Registry Numbers: Travelers booking holiday apartments in Greece should verify that the listing displays a valid AMA number to avoid unlisted properties.
2. Shift Toward Traditional Hospitality: With tourist apartment numbers contracting in Barcelona and central Florence, hotels, hostels, and serviced aparthotels will represent a larger share of central city accommodations.
3. Advance Booking Requirements: Strict annual night caps in cities like Amsterdam and Paris mean central holiday apartments will reach booking capacity earlier in the season.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which central districts in Athens are affected by the short-term rental freeze?

The freeze applies to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd municipal districts of Athens (covering central areas such as Plaka, Monastiraki, Syntagma, and Koukaki), where no new short-term rental property registrations (AMA) can be issued through 2026.

What is Barcelona's long-term plan for tourist apartments?

Barcelona plans to phase out all licensed tourist apartments by the end of 2028 by not renewing existing tourist-use home authorisations upon expiration, returning over 10,000 units to the residential housing market.

How are short-term rentals regulated in Amsterdam, Paris, and Florence in 2026?

Amsterdam limits rentals to 15 nights per year in 8 central neighborhoods starting April 1, 2026; Paris caps primary residence rentals at 90 days annually; and Florence expanded its freeze on new short-term rental registrations to seven surrounding districts on June 21, 2026.

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