Barcelona's plan to ease tourism woes near Sagrada Familia
Barcelona plans to create a special zone for tourists near the Sagrada Familia. This aims to reduce the pervasive chaos and conflicts with residents. It will be designated, among other things, for people who take photos.
Barcelona, one of the most frequently visited cities in Europe, struggles with issues of overcrowding, mass tourism, and rising rental prices. In response to some of these challenges, city authorities plan to establish a special zone for tourists near the Sagrada Familia.
An icon on the map of Spain with a new zone
The most famous Art Nouveau church in Barcelona, designed by Antoni Gaudí, attracts nearly five million tourists annually. Construction of this iconic basilica has been ongoing for over 140 years and is expected to be completed in 2026. The new zone aims to help manage tourism traffic and facilitate photo-taking without disturbing others, both strolling residents and tourists.
The planned 6,200 square metres space between the Sagrada Familia and Plaça Gaudí will be established. It is intended to allow tourists to take photos freely and take breaks without disrupting pedestrian and car traffic. Until now, tourists are often engrossed in their cameras or phones, taking pictures, selfies, and recording videos, and this has disrupted other users of this space, often without paying attention to them. Construction work will commence after the summer of 2025 and will be completed in April 2026.
The investment is expected to cost 2.7 million euros (approximately $3.9 million CAD). It is part of a larger plan to modernize public spaces around the Sagrada Familia, which has a total value of 15.5 million euros (approximately $22.2 million CAD).
This is how they promote the Spanish city
Barcelona is also changing its approach to promoting the city. It abandoned the slogan "Visit Barcelona" in favour of "This is Barcelona", to emphasize the city's authenticity and local character.
