Most persons are stunned once I say I’ve by no means visited Barcelona – and for good motive. The town is without doubt one of the richest in Europe by way of artwork, tradition, delicacies and sports activities. It’s house to the Sagrada Família, Camp Nou, Barceloneta Seaside and Casa Batlló. A spot the place you may wander among some of the most distinctive architecture on the planet, earlier than sharing Catalan dishes together with a glass of crisp cava. What’s extra, Barcelona is only a quick hop from the UK, with a variety of finances airways flying commonly.
Nonetheless, it has been a vacation spot that I’ve repeatedly delay visiting, and that is definitely – no less than partly – as a result of I fear concerning the impression of overtourism.
Like many cities and cities throughout Europe (Venice, Amsterdam and Dubrovnik – to call just some), Barcelona has been a sufferer of its personal magnificence. As customer numbers surge, residents are feeling the pressure, with housing turning into scarcer and more and more unaffordable, memento stalls changing retailers promoting native produce, and streets choked with crowds.
This week, we reported that Spain has broken tourism records in 2026, with greater than 58.1 million arrivals within the first seven months of the 12 months up till the tip of July – a 4.6 per cent enhance from the identical interval in 2025. Over the previous few years, anti-tourism protests have flared in a variety of Spanish areas, with demonstrators bearing banners with slogans like “mass tourism kills the town” and “your holidays, my distress”. In a single very memorable incident, disgruntled locals sprayed tourists with water pistols whereas they have been eating at eating places. So involved is the town concerning the impression of tourism that the brand new commissioner for sustainable tourism has outlined a plan to control visitor numbers with the message “not one tourist more”, placing an finish to actively encouraging guests to Barcelona.
Nonetheless – and that is the place I could have to re-think my aversion to visiting the Catalan capital – many protesters clarify that it’s not tourism per se that they object to; it’s the unchecked, unmanaged surge of tourists that provides little profit to the native financial system. Certainly, tourism is important to the financial system. So, the query turns into: how are you going to be a “good vacationer”? And is it nonetheless doable to go to Barcelona responsibly? Final week Katie Mather wrote in Impartial Journey about how visitors can best support the economy and supply advantages to communities when visiting the Catalan metropolis, whereas limiting any adverse impression. She shared recommendation together with: keep in lodging that’s formally regulated; select unbiased bars and eating places; study some Catalan; and make sure you respect native guidelines and customs.
The opposite suggestion I’d add to Katie’s listing is to go to out of season. Not solely will you be contributing to the financial system at a time when it will likely be most appreciated, however you’ll be visiting the town when there are far fewer crowds – a profit to each the traveller and the host vacation spot. Having stubbornly refused to journey to Venice till just a few years in the past as I used to be satisfied it could be an overcrowded hell-hole, I eventually planned a trip to the city in the middle of winter and it was magical. The mist and rain are the right backdrop to the town, and at one level I discovered myself admiring the twinkly lights of the Christmas tree in St Mark’s Sq. with out one other individual in sight.
In order the height season attracts to an in depth and vacationers begin to skinny out, maybe 2026 would be the 12 months that I plan a metropolis break to Barcelona. In actual fact, a winter getaway to the Catalan capital sounds actually reasonably interesting.
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