Clamour for peace and quiet in 'noisy' Spain

Vibrant tapas bars and wild outdoor festivals define many outsiders' image of Spain, but locals are increasingly fed up and mobilising against the din unleashed by their compatriots.

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"The only thing that makes us different from other countries is that we are noisier," Spanish writer Ignacio Peyro wrote recently in daily newspaper El Pais.

"We have as many words for party... as the Inuit for snow," he quipped.

When foreigners enter a crowded Spanish bar for the first time, they often mistake the deafening hubbub for a fight.

The cities sound even louder in the summer as the heat pushes revellers into the street in bar terraces, patron saint festivals and pride marches with their accompanying loudspeakers and fireworks.

In historic neighbourhoods of Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia, where many homes lack air-conditioning and opening the windows is essential to cool down, getting a decent night's sleep is mission impossible.