Airbnb Regulation in Europe 2026: Where Licenses Still Work
Barcelona closed, Lisbon frozen, Athens capped — and short-term rentals in Europe still aren't dead. An overview.
EU regulation 2024/1028 has forced platforms to report booking data to authorities since 2026. The wild phase is over — which doesn't mean Airbnb investing is dead. It's just more transparent.
Spain
Barcelona is ending all tourist licenses by 2028. Madrid is tightening. Valencia has district-level quotas — buying with an existing license is an advantage. Málaga is still open but likely to follow in 2026/27.
Portugal
Lisbon and Porto have frozen new permits in most districts. Existing AL licenses ("Alojamento Local") are tradeable and gaining value. The Algarve stays open.
Greece
2026: a three-property cap for individuals + license requirement in several Athens districts. Crete and the islands remain relaxed — but anyone past three properties is treated as a business.
Italy
Apulia stays simple with CIN registration. Florence and Venice are heavily restricted. Rome: a two-property cap per person is planned.
Our rule of thumb
Only buy in markets where the rules are clearly defined, documented and stable for the next 3+ years. We check this per property with local lawyers and update our regional traffic light quarterly.
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