Spain has always been a popular holiday destination – not only for Brits but also for millions of people from around the world. From beautiful islands like Majorca to stunning cities like Madrid and Valencia, there is a lot to choose from.
But arguably one of Spain’s biggest and most popular attractions is the city of Barcelona and the jaw-dropping Sagrada Familia – a famous basilica that attracts over four million visitors every year. Now, authorities in Barcelona are introducing new changes around the site in a bid to reduce crowds and tackle complaints of “too many tourists” overwhelming the city.
According to The Olive Press, the area around the Sagrada Familia will soon have a designated photo-taking zone in the Placa Gaudi.
This move was designed to stop crowds gathering on nearby roads and pavements trying to get the perfect picture.
The decision comes after ongoing complaints from locals about overcrowding and disruption.
Officials behind the plan said: “The area around the Sagrada Familia was not designed for the intensive use it currently experiences.”
Work on the site is due to begin in September and will take around eight and a half months.
The full project is expected to cost €15.5m (£13.2m) and will include wider public space, improved visitor flow and areas returned for local use.
Barcelona Tourism Management (BTM) hopes these changes will ease pressure on the surrounding streets and improve the balance between tourism and daily life.
The new space will also help link to the nearby Sant Pau Modernist complex via Avinguda de Gaudi.
The plan comes almost exactly a year after protests erupted in the city in response to overtourism.
A group of locals armed with water pistols made headlines in the summer of 2024 when they squirted tourists sitting at outdoor cafes, while chanting “tourists go home.”
While some saw it as harmless, the incident highlighted rising tensions between locals and the tourism industry.
In 2024 alone, over 11.7 million tourists visited the city, according to Road Genius.
Tourism now makes up around 14% of Barcelona’s economy and supports over 150,000 jobs, CNN reported.
But some officials say they are worried about how the city is perceived.
For example, Mateu Hernández, the Director of the Barcelona Tourism Consortium, told reporters earlier this year: “We are worried about Barcelona’s image of overtourism.”
With the Sagrada Familia set to be completed next year, officials hope these new changes will protect the city while keeping it a welcoming place for visitors.