As protesters travel through central Barcelona on Sunday, they shouted at tourists who were filming their “Go Home!”.
The confusing couple sitting in the street cafe was sprayed with a water pistol and a luxurious clothing store with stickers on it, announcing visitors to lock themselves in unpopular places.
Tourism is very important to Spain, and Barcelona is the main destination for tourists. But the crowds grew so fast that many locals complained that they were being squeezed out of their cities.
Here and throughout Southern Europe, residents are pushing back.
Protesters
The sign says “Your Airbnb was my home” [BBC]
Marina explained: “We can’t live in this city. The rent is very high due to the BNB and the weather in which we live here.”
It declared that “your Airbnb was once my home”.
Other signs call for banning giant cruise ships docking here, one of which declares that overtourism is “killing” the city.
“Our goal is not to stop tourism because it’s good too, but to have it at a normal pace,” Marina said.
The protesters’ route heads to one of Barcelona’s largest attractions, the towering church of Sagrada Familia designed by Catalan architect Gaudi.
Last year, the combination of stunning architecture, ocean and sun attracted more than 15 million visitors, almost ten times the local population. No wonder it feels stressed.
“We are not against individual tourists, but about how we manage this,” said Elena, a young marine biologist.
“Young people can’t afford the burden of living here, even ordinary things like coffee are very expensive for us.”
resident
Pepi Viu, 80, was expelled from her house earlier this month [BBC]
It’s not just young people struggling.
Pepi Viu is 80 years old and has just been expelled from her home for nearly a decade, in a popular neighborhood. She believes the owners want to earn more than the rent they can pay for.
Pepi is now in the hotel, looking for a more suitable place, but prices have soared nearly 70% since last rented.
“I can’t find anything – no support. I don’t feel protected and it’s frustrating,” she said fragilely. “Now there are only tourist apartments, but we residents need to live somewhere!”
In some parts of the town, almost all locals have already launched it.
But on a narrow, paved street in the Gothic district, right in the tourist heart of Barcelona, Joan Alvarez is struggling to stick with his family renting an apartment for 25 years and at a price he can afford.
His landlord terminated the contract, but Joan refused to leave.
Most of the apartments in his building have been divided into single rooms to bring in more rent.
Joan’s small oasis, with tiled floors and a terrace facing the cathedral, is one of the few who are still intact.
“It’s not just about money, but about principle,” he explained. “This is central Barcelona, and there are few people left behind by our residents. It’s not that.”
“Housing shouldn’t be a big business. Yes, it’s his property, but it’s my house.”
landlord
Jesus Pereda [BBC]
Under pressure from protests, Barcelona authorities have taken radical steps to announce short-term rental bans on tourists starting from 2028.
10,000 landlords will lose their travel housing permits.
But Jesus Pereda, who owns two popular tourist apartments, is not far from Sagrada Familia, thinks it is a false reaction.
He insisted: “Ten years ago, they stopped new permits, but rents are still rising. So how should we blame it? We are just an easy enemy.”
Managing an apartment is his job, providing income for himself and his wife. “Now we have anxiety.”
Jesus believed that it was the “nomad” workers who moved out from other parts of Europe, not tourists. “They earn and pay more. You can’t stop that.”
He believes that tourist apartments like his help spread crowds and cash to other parts of the city. Without tourism, he believes Barcelona will face an “existential crisis” – it accounts for 15% of Spain’s overall gross gross product (GDP).
If he lost his travel permit, Jesus wouldn’t take over the local tenant under any circumstances: the price cap means that long-term rents are barely profitable, so he plans to sell both apartments.
Anthem and firecrackers
The protests in Barcelona ended up cheering with “You are all Giris!” – Local lang language for foreigners – A burst of firecrackers. Red smoke rolled in front of a row of policemen, blocking all routes to Sagrada Familia.
Earlier, the crowd aimed at a busy hotel and kicked the torch into the lobby. The tourists inside, including children, were obviously shaken.
Similar protests were also seen elsewhere in Spain, with more crowds in Portugal and Italy: not huge, but loud and persistent.
The focus is the same, and there is no consensus on how to best solve it. But Spain expects more tourists this summer.
Other reports by Esperanza Escribano and Bruno Boelpaep
