Barcelona residents enjoy re-opened beach, restaurants

Residents in Barcelona were able to enjoy a meal by the beach on Monday, as Spanish authorities continue to ease coronavirus restrictions.

Outdoor seating at bars and restaurants has been allowed to resume in the city and people are now also allowed to gather, albeit in limited numbers.

Restaurant owner Silvestre Sanchez Sierra said he was unable to sleep as he was so happy to be reopening.

"I opened this restaurant 51 years ago and the day I inaugurated it, I wasn't as happy as I am today," he said.

Many diners shared Sierra's joy.

Sam Bodon, a 22 year-old student, said the feeling of freedom was "magical".

"Here we are, the sun, a couple of beers. It's wonderful," he added.

Relaxations have gone a step further in other areas of the country, where people can now visit beaches and nursing homes and hold weddings.

Spain has more than 235,000 confirmed cases and more than 28,700 deaths according to Johns Hopkins University.

However, the number of infections is thought to be far higher because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected with the virus without feeling sick.