Barcelona is an incredible city to live in and to visit, but sadly it has become a victim of its own popularity. With tourists facing a backlash from residents and the effects of over-tourism hitting hard, we need to do things a little differently when we visit Barcelona. It’s important to visit the city responsibly and preserve it properly for future visitors, and even more importantly, for its residents. Use these travel tips to help you be a responsible tourist in Barcelona, and have a better experience for you too!
What is Responsible Travel?
Essentially, travelling sustainably or responsibly means that you travel in a way that doesn’t have a negative impact on the destination you visit or the people who live there. For me, a lot of that is about how, when and where we choose to spend our money.
Most people visiting a destination will spend a short amount of time visiting the same popular attractions, eating at the same restaurants and at the same time of year as thousands of other people. This puts a huge strain on the infrastructure of a place and on the well-being of the people.
If we can find ways to manage the number of people visiting so they are more spread out and encourage them to do different things and explore different areas, they will also spread out their important tourist dollars among more local businesses instead of a few international corporations, reduce overcrowding and benefiting everyone involved in the process.
Having lived in Barcelona for several years, I know how busy it gets on La Rambla on a weekend afternoon, how many people file through the narrow streets of the Gothic Quarter in August, how much noise and mess drunk tourists make, and how unpleasant it can be, for all concerned.
I still want visitors to have the same feeling I had when I first arrived in Barcelona – a feeling of wonder and joy, not frustration and disappointment at how busy and crowded everywhere is. And as Barcelona residents, we want to enjoy our own city too, and not feel overrun or pushed out by tourists.
Instead of telling you not to come to Barcelona at all, here are some ideas for how you can be a responsible tourist and visit Barcelona sustainably.
How to Visit Barcelona Responsibly
Visit Barcelona in the Shoulder or Off-Season
Barcelona is a hugely popular destination, so try to plan your visit to avoid peak times around summer and other school holidays. Barcelona is also popular as a weekend destination, so if you are able to take time during the week and avoid the weekend you will find it much quieter – and much more enjoyable.
Choosing a quiet time to visit Barcelona can make a huge difference to your trip, and while it will probably be busy no matter when you visit, you might be surprised by the difference between visiting Barcelona in the winter, and during August when the streets are filled to breaking point with tourists and the locals flee the city.
Even visiting Barcelona in September is much more enjoyable than during the peak of the summer holidays, when the weather is still fabulous and there are some excellent local festivals. Spring months like April and May are also great times to visit when the weather is good and prices are cheaper too.
Spend Longer in Barcelona
While I admit that Barcelona is a tempting weekend destination, and perfect for a city break from the UK, a weekend in Barcelona isn’t really enough and if you can afford to spend more time here then you will be rewarded with being able to properly explore and discover more of Barcelona’s hidden gems and get to know more of Catalonia on day trips too.
While you can certainly see some of the highlights just spending two days in Barcelona, the more time you have here, the more treasures of Barcelona you will discover – far beyond the buildings of Gaudí and crowded beaches.
While both of these things are part of what makes Barcelona so special, if you take the time to properly get under the skin of the city you can experience more than you could ever imagine during a short break.
Why not consider taking a workation in Barcelona? With more people working remotely than ever before, it is a great time to spend a few weeks working from Barcelona instead of your home office.
Travel to Barcelona by Train
Barcelona is well connected to major European cities by train, and the Spanish rail system is clean and reliable so if you are travelling from within Spain then I’d recommend taking the train. It can be cheap too if you book far enough in advance, I got a great deal on a train from Madrid to Barcelona.
Travelling to Barcelona by train is also easy from France and the rest of Europe too, with a high-speed train line connecting the city with Paris and other European hubs including London.
If you do fly, check out these tips for reducing the carbon footprint of your flights – including simple steps like taking direct flights instead of stop-overs and only taking cabin baggage.
Pick Your Accommodation Wisely
One of the major issues affecting local residents is the cost of living in the centre of Barcelona. The rise of Airbnb and other short-term apartment rentals has pushed prices up as tourists pay far more per night for a short stay then someone paying for monthly or yearly rent.
If you can, choose a hotel over a short-term rental apartment, a private room in a hostel (or a dorm bed if you’re on a budget!), or even a room in a local’s apartment like Airbnb used to be.
As for hotels, personally, I’m not a big fan of chain hotels. True, you get the same level of service that you do all over the world, but you often have the same kind of decor, the same staff uniforms, the same breakfast – and you could be anywhere in the world.
Stripping out the personality and uniqueness of the destination can make the whole stay too similar, and too boring – but if you choose an independent boutique hotel, you know that your stay will be unique.
Try to consider the sustainable credentials of the hotel as well. Some hotels are working hard to be eco-friendly, with various measures in place from saving water to becoming carbon neutral. I am working on a list of eco-friendly hotels and will try to recommend a sustainable option for every neighbourhood in Barcelona.
Use Public Transport, Cycle or Walk Where You Can
Once you’re in Barcelona, stick with public transport instead of getting taxis to move around – the metro is usually quicker than travelling overland due to traffic, although it is less scenic.
Hiring a bike is another great way to get around, there are lots of dedicated cycle lanes to use but remember to always wear a helmet. You can also walk a lot of the city too, which gives you more chance to enjoy your surroundings at a leisurely pace – just bring comfortable shoes!
Don’t Follow the Crowds
Like any major tourist destination, certain areas in Barcelona are more popular than others, so expect La Rambla and the streets around the Gothic Quarter and La Sagrada Familia to be very busy.
However, most people tend to stick to the same routes to get around, with a flow of people along the main thoroughfares. Instead of blindly following the crowds, if you see a quiet street, walk down it and take the scenic route.
Barcelona is a fabulous city to get lost in, so explore the quieter neighbourhoods away from the main attractions to catch a glimpse of Barcelona without the crowds. Take a walk through Sant Antoni and Poble Sec and check out the street art at les Tres Xemeneies, or head up to Sarrià and stroll around the fancy area of the city.
One of the best ways to escape the crowds is to go hiking just outside the city, in the hills of Collserola Park and Tibidabo. Get some fresh air, stretch your legs and get gorgeous views of Barcelona and the Mediterranean beyond.
Get Up Early (or Stay Late)
As much as I love a lie-in, I love enjoying quiet places even more! Getting up early to go into the more popular attractions before everyone else is definitely worth it. You can make the most of your time there without the crowds, take some beautiful photos without people in and stay there as long as you like.
For the most popular attractions like La Sagrada Familia, I’d suggest booking your visit as soon as it opens so you can beat the crowds and enjoy it when it is relatively quiet (book your tickets here). Also, as the sun moves around the different colours of the stained glass inside the cathedral are highlighted, so you get blue colours early in the morning, changing through to red on the other side of the cathedral in the afternoon.
As for Park Güell, I think it is most lovely in the late afternoon when most of the tour groups have gone and the sun has moved around to give you beautiful views of the city without the glare you get earlier in the day.
Choose Your Tours Carefully
If you take part in any tours or experiences while you are in Barcelona, try to make sure that the guide is from Barcelona or Catalonia, so you are putting money back into the community. Not only do local people know all the best places to visit, but they can also share with you a wealth of information that you simply won’t find in any of the guidebooks.
Then choose a small group tour or a private tour so you’re not following around a hoard of people and blocking others from moving around freely. There are legal limits on the number of people in tours, set at 20 in the busiest areas like La Boqueria and the Gothic Quarter, although that still feels like too many.
Smaller group tours with a maximum of 8 or 12 at most are much more enjoyable for you as you can have a personal experience with the guide, instead of a hundred following someone waving a flag! Although this can push the price up, it’s still worth it.
I particularly like the tours run by Devour and Walks. Devour have some incredible food tours in Barcelona, including one in Gracia, that will help you to explore the neighbourhood, visit local businesses and taste some of the best food in Barcelona – see their tours here.
I also use GetYourGuide to find tours of the places I visit, as they show a selection of suitable tours from several providers so you can check the size of the group before you buy.
Check out more tours with GetYourGuide here:
Taste the Local Food and Buy Seasonal at the Market
Although you will find the usual fast-food joints like McDonald’s and Burger King in Barcelona, skip the fast food and try some of the local specialities.
The food in Barcelona is delicious, and it can be cheap too if you stick to local restaurants and avoid tourist traps. Catalan restaurants tend to stick to more seasonal menus too, using fresh produce from the area, thus reducing your carbon footprint.
Buying fresh food to prepare back at your accommodation is also a wonderful opportunity to try seasonal fruit, vegetables and fresh seafood. Markets in Barcelona are still thriving, so by all means take a stroll through La Boqueria, but don’t miss out on the neighbourhood markets that are still essential parts of the city – including Santa Caterina or Sant Antoni for example.
Foodies will also love this private farm to table cooking experience by Barcelona Slow Travel, an incredible day in the countryside around Barcelona, meeting local growers and cooking a delicious meal from what you harvest.
Be Respectful of People Living in Barcelona
It can be frustrating having thousands of tourists right outside your front door (I know from living in the Gothic Quarter for more than four years). Be mindful of local people and of fellow tourists as you explore.
The main streets in Barcelona get very crowded, and when these streets are narrow like in the Gothic Quarter or El Born it creates human traffic jams. Be patient and try not to block the streets as you stop to take photos or have a chat.
When you come back to your accommodation at night, be respectful of your neighbours. People living next to or below holiday apartments in residential blocks often complain of noisy tourists drinking and partying into the early hours so keep the noise down and only party where they can’t hear you.
It is also never acceptable to piss in the street. Try not to drink so much that you puke on someone’s doorstep, in addition to be it being totally gross and unnecessary, you’re putting yourself at risk as well – drunk tourists make easy targets for pickpockets and thieves so don’t make that stupid tourist mistake!
Don’t forget to cover up a little when you’re not on the beach so people on their way to work or with their families don’t have to see all of your bits on show – you can be fined for just wearing a swimsuit in the city so be respectful.
Also, learning a few words of Spanish or Catalan can really help how people receive you – a simple bon dia (hello) and merci (thank you) in Catalan will go a long way – as will a smile!
Give Something Back to the Community
So much of tourism seems to be about the tourists themselves, and of course it’s your vacation or holiday so you absolutely should have a great time! However, consider what you can do for the local community while you are here.
That could be as simple as staying in family-run hotel instead of a big chain, eating in a local restaurant or choosing a responsible tour operator that supports small businesses.
But, if you want to do more, consider supporting a local charity or community project. There are lots of amazing organisations in Barcelona that help different groups of people in the city, and I have chosen Esperança Barcelona as my community project partner – you can donate or volunteer your time to help support them.
Esperança means hope in Catalan, and the organisation provides homemade meals and clothing for homeless people in Barcelona every weekend. It is completely run by volunteers and they help anywhere from 80 to 120 people every weekend, with the food costing around €350 to €400 each weekend.
Small things can make a big difference, so any donations and help are greatly received!
How Can You Help Esperança Barcelona?
There are several ways that visitors can volunteer in Barcelona and make a contribution to Esperança:
- Volunteer on a weekend walk to take food and supplies to homeless people (minimum age limit of 14 years to join a walk)
- Join a sandwich workshop to prepare food (every 2nd Sunday of the month)
- Donate or make food for the volunteers to distribute
- Donate supplies such as:
- travel-size toiletries like soap, shampoo and sun cream
- sanitary products
- clean clothing in good condition that is suitable for the homeless and for the current season. It should be casual and dark-coloured. For example:
- new socks and underwear
- light jackets, trousers, shorts, t-shirts & vest tops (summer)
- coats, sweaters, tops, warm clothing, gloves and hats (winter)
- seasonal footwear like flip flops and sandals in summer and trainers and boots in winter
- other practical items like backpacks, blankets and sleeping bags
- Donate money on the Esperança website
Read more about them and what you can do here.
Learn About Catalan Culture
One of the things that makes Barcelona so special is Catalan culture which is unique within Spain. Catalonia has a complex history with Spain, and Catalans are proud of their culture which was violently repressed during Franco’s dictatorship.
There are various cultural experiences you can have in Barcelona to see some of this for yourself, from watching local festivals, taking a cooking class or learning some Catalan words so you can greet people in their own language.
Explore More of Catalonia (and Spain)
Barcelona isn’t the only destination worth exploring in Catalonia, and you can easily take day trips from Barcelona by train or arrange tours to places outside the city. Game of Thrones fans will want to head to Girona, the Dali museum in Figueres is another spot, as is the Montserrat monastery.
However, to really explore, head up the coast to enjoy the calas beaches and coves of the Costa Brava, or head inland to medieval villages or go hiking in the Montseny mountains. Visit wine and cava country in the Penedès, enjoy the beaches of Sitges or the Roman ruins at Tarragona to name but a few.
Outside of Catalonia there are some incredible places to explore in the rest of Spain too, many of which can be reached easily by train from Barcelona. For example, I had a wonderful few days in Zaragoza which is a seriously underrated city in my opinion, and conveniently located on the high-speed train line between Barcelona and Madrid!
Reduce your Plastic Use
We should all aim to reduce our plastic waste every day, not just while we’re travelling, but even simple things like bringing your own refillable water bottle instead of buying bottled water, refusing plastic straws and bringing a canvas bag for shopping is a step in the right direction.
If you haven’t got a reusable water bottle yet, I have partnered with Water-to-Go to offer all Why Visit Barcelona readers a 15% discount on the purchase of a Water-to-Go bottle so you can save even more money as well as plastic! Simply choose the water bottle you want to buy, and put in the code BYORB for a 15% discount on your purchase.
These are just a few of the ways you can have a wonderful Barcelona trip, with a minimal negative or even a positive impact on the city and its residents. If you have any other ideas for how to be a responsible tourist in Barcelona please leave a comment below, I’d love to hear what you think!