A Spanish summer is hard to beat. Long, late hot evenings, gorgeous sunsets with cocktails and al fresco dining. Its what makes life in Spain so special. But you have to take the rough with the smooth, as the heat also invites one of the country’s most frustrating and unhygienic seasonal pests. The common housefly.

The hotter it is, the faster food spoils, creating a breeding paradise for insects. Not only are they unbelievably annoying, they are also a health hazard, acting as vectors for diseases like salmonella, dysentery, and cholera.

To tackle the problem early on you can use a classic home remedy. It takes less than a minute to assemble, costs next to nothing, and offers a chemical-free way to protect your living spaces all season long.

How to build the classic plastic bottle fly trap

The plastic bottle fly trap works on a basic mechanical principle. Flies are drawn down into the structure by an enticing scent but are naturally unable to find the small opening to fly back out. To build, follow these three quick steps –

Take a clean plastic bottle and cut it roughly 10 centimetres below the cap, right where the plastic begins to widen.
Turn the top section upside down so the neck points downward like a funnel, and place it directly inside the bottom base. Leave a small gap of clear space between the mouth of the inverted funnel and the bottom of the bottle.
Secure the two pieces together by wrapping adhesive tape completely around the top rim. This keeps the structure stable and seals any tiny side gaps that a fly could use to crawl out.

The right indoor and outdoor bait recipes for success

While many online guides suggest a blanket mixture of water, sugar, and vinegar, using the wrong recipe inside your home can backfire. Large houseflies have entirely different preferences than tiny fruit flies, so matching your bait to the location is key.

Best bait for outdoor terraces and gardens

If you are placing your trap out on a patio, courtyard, or balcony, use a mixture of water, sugar, and vinegar. The sweet, fermenting aroma is incredibly effective at pulling pests away from your outdoor dining table. Because of the sharp, pungent scent, this specific mixture is strictly recommended for well-ventilated outdoor areas.

Best bait for kitchens and indoor spaces

Avoid using vinegar indoors. Large houseflies are often naturally repelled by it, and the smell can quickly become overwhelming inside a house. Instead, fill your indoor trap with warm water and plenty of dissolved sugar. To supercharge this indoor mix, drop in a small piece of overripe fruit (like a slice of banana or melon) or a pinch of baking yeast. This creates a mild, low-odour fermentation process that houseflies find irresistible.

Easy natural alternatives using everyday items

Sticky homemade fly paper

You can easily create your own chemical-free fly ribbons. Cut strips out of a brown paper bag, punch a hole at the top of each, and thread a string through for hanging. In a saucepan over medium heat, warm equal parts water and sugar with three tablespoons of honey, stirring until it forms a thick, sticky glaze. Coat the paper strips in the mixture and hang them up in problem areas where insects tend to gather.

The diluted vinegar barrier spray

Because houseflies actively avoid the scent of vinegar, it makes a terrible trap bait, but an exceptional defensive barrier. To use it indoors without creating an overwhelming smell in your living areas, mix equal parts vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Instead of misting the air, spray it strictly onto targeted entry points—like exterior window frames, door tracks, and the inside base of household bins. The scent quickly fades for humans as it dries, but it remains strong enough to disorient flies and stop them from crossing into your home.

Potted aromatic plants that act as natural deterrents

Utilizing the power of aromatic plants is a stylish way to help move them along. These plants add beautiful decorative value to Spanish windowsills and balconies and also have natural essential oils doubling up as insect repellents.

Citronella and mint – Citronella is the ultimate defender for outdoor terraces. Indoors, potted peppermint is incredibly hardy, easy to maintain on a windowsill, and releases a sharp mentholated fragrance that flies actively avoid.
Basil and sage – Broad-leaved basil varieties are perfect for kitchen counters, producing an aroma that disrupts a fly’s sensitive sense of smell. Sage releases strong essential oils that create a highly unattractive environment for flying insects.
Bay leaves – Bay leaves naturally contain organic compounds called cineole and eugenol, which are scientifically proven insect deterrents. You can place dried bay leaves inside your pantry cupboards or scatter them on windowsills to amplify the protective effect.

Top tip. To make your live plants work effectively as natural deterrents, remember to gently rustle or brush their leaves occasionally. This physical action breaks the plant’s oil glands and releases the defensive aromas into the air.

Combined with daily kitchen hygiene, wiping surfaces down, and emptying your household bins frequently, these natural tricks will help your Spanish summer stay peaceful and fly-free.

The European Union announced that it has launched infringement proceedings against Spain for failing to comply with its regulations on passenger data protection. The proceedings claim that the categories of data about passengers, as well as the time for which the authorities keep them, are excessive.

Spain’s data privacy issue: Too much data, held for too much time

To be specific, Spain requires travel accommodation providers, online booking platforms, and car rental companies to collect and store travellers’ personal data in a government database. However, the amount of data collected, as well as the categories, including payment information and GPS data, is the main point of contention. Additionally, Brussels alleges that law enforcement authorities have too broad access to this data without limitations.

Spanish authorities also retain the information for a period of three years, which Brussels states is “disproportionate.”

Brussels launches formal proceedings: What will happen if Spain does not correct the problem within 2 months

Brussels announced the proceedings on Thursday, June 4, having sent a formal notice letter to Spanish representatives. Spain now has two months to correct the system for collecting traveller data. If the issue is not resolved, Brussels can negotiate more time with Spanish authorities, but if an agreement is not reached, Spain could be denounced before the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU). 

If this occurs, and the CJEU rules that Spain has not complied with EU regulations, they could legally obligate the member state to comply, and in more extreme cases, impose strict fines on the country.

Travel organisations: Vindicated, but urging for immediate change

Following the announcement of the proceedings, FETAVE (the Spanish Federation of Territorial Associations of Travel Agencies), and UNAV (the Union of Travel Agencies), have put in a request for the Ministry of the Interior to suspend the application of the Royal Decree 933/2021, which obligates these agencies to collect, store, and send the data.

FETAVE, which is currently in the process of merging with UNAV, highlighted that it was the only Spanish tourism sector organisation that challenged the Royal Decree 933/2021 with European Union law, in January 2023. Since then, the organisation has consistently opposed the regulation.

Now, the two organisations state that the European Commission’s decision to impose sanctions on Spain confirms their suspicions about the “disproportionate” nature, “legal uncertainty” and “practical unfeasibility” of the obligations of the decree.

Carlos Garrido, President of the Spanish Confederation of Travel Agencies, stated, “the obligation to collect and communicate tens of thousands of personal data points from millions of travellers has placed a disproportionate administrative burden on travel agencies and other tour operators, without a convincing explanation for the necessity of much of this data.”

But what will change for travellers if Spain is forced to comply?

The review and change of this royal decree will not have a broad, obvious impact for travellers checking in to hotels or renting cars, but the new compliance may see holidaymakers with slightly less paperwork to do upon arrival (or less fields to fill on an online form), and more transparency from travel agencies and booking companies in Spain.

Could the Entry/Exit System be impacted by the decision?

The EES can be reviewed, examined by the CJEU, and changed, but only through an EU legislative process. As it stands, the data collected from the EES across the whole of Europe and the data collected specifically in Spain function as two separate systems, and changing the EES would be a Europe-wide review of the framework, not on a national level.

The Spanish trade union UGT has postponed the start of an indefinite strike involving truck and bus drivers until June 22, delaying industrial action that had originally been scheduled to begin on 8 June.  The decision was announced by the union’s Road Transport, Urban Transport and Logistics sector, which said it wanted to avoid disrupting travel during the visit of Pope Leo XIV in these coming weeks (this may come as a miracle to many)!

UGT described the move as a responsible measure aimed at preventing additional transport difficulties during a period when large numbers of people are expected to travel. The strike will affect drivers working in Spain’s road transport sector, including both passenger transport and freight services. Despite the delay, the union has confirmed that the dispute remains active and that industrial action will begin on the new date if no agreement is reached beforehand. The disagreement centres on working conditions and demands for improvements for professional drivers, particularly older workers approaching retirement.

What does the postponement mean 

For residents, businesses and visitors across Spain, the postponement means transport services are expected to operate normally during the Pope’s visit and the busy early summer travel period. Areas with significant tourist activity, including Malaga, Barcelona, Benidorm and Torrevieja would likely have felt the impact of a nationwide transport strike. Bus services are particularly important in many coastal towns where large numbers of residents and tourists rely on public transport to travel between resorts, airports and city centres.

Freight transport is also critical for local businesses. A prolonged strike could affect deliveries to supermarkets, shops and hospitality businesses, especially in popular tourist destinations preparing for the summer season. By delaying the action until later in June, the union has reduced the immediate risk of travel disruption at a time when many religious events, holidays and summer journeys are expected to increase demand on Spain’s transport network.

Transport operators and local authorities will now be watching closely to see whether negotiations can resolve hopefully before the new strike date arrives.

Advice for passengers and businesses

Although no immediate disruption is expected, residents and travellers should remain aware of developments.

If you are planning to travel to and around Spain during the second half of June you should remember to do the following:

• Check regularly with your bus or coach operator before travelling. 
• Monitor updates from transport companies and local authorities. 
• Allow extra flexibility in travel plans after June 22. 
• Consider alternative transport options such as BlaBla car, taxi service or trains especially if travelling longer distances. 

For businesses that depend on road freight should:

• Review delivery schedules for late June. 
• Contact suppliers about contingency plans. 
• Monitor announcements from transport associations and unions. 

At present, no additional action is required for journeys taking place before the planned date.

What has changed compared with the original plan?

The key difference is the timing rather than the nature of the dispute itself.

Under the original plan, the indefinite strike was due to begin on June 8, creating the possibility of disruption during the Pope’s visit to Spain and at the start of the summer travel season. Following UGT’s decision, the strike has been postponed until later in the month This means the expected increase in travel linked to the Pope’s visit will not coincide with industrial action, reducing the risk of transport problems for residents, pilgrims and tourists. It also gives unions and employers an additional two weeks to continue negotiations and potentially reach an agreement.

However, the underlying dispute remains unresolved. The union has not cancelled the strike and continues to press for improvements to working conditions and retirement arrangements for professional drivers. If talks fail, both freight and passenger transport services could still face disruption from June 22 onwards. For travellers and businesses, the postponement provides short-term certainty but does not remove the possibility of disruption later in the month. Anyone with travel plans or deliveries scheduled after the new set date should continue to monitor developments closely.

Questions regarding the strike

Does this affect existing bus and coach services if im travelling?

Yes, only if you are travelling from June 22 onwards

Should I stock up on food if the strike affects deliveries?

While a prolonged freight strike could eventually affect deliveries of fresh produce, dairy products and other short-shelf-life goods, supermarkets across Spain generally have contingency plans and existing stock levels designed to manage short-term disruption.

What happens if negotiations succeed before June 22?

If unions and employers reach an agreement, the planned strike could be cancelled or suspended. Further announcements would be made before the scheduled start date.

Attention turns to negotiations

Passengers, transport companies and businesses across Spain will now be looking towards  the next key date. Further updates are expected as negotiations continue, and transport operators may issue contingency plans if an agreement remains out of reach.

For now, the immediate threat of disruption has been removed, but the possibility of a nationwide truck and bus drivers’ strike later this month remains firmly on the table.