Barcelona‘s allure is what draws in millions of visitors every year, but it means the Spanish city faces the stark reality of local discontent as a result.
The European hotspot tops the charts for Europe’s most pollution from cruise ships and is up there as one of the worst on the continent for pickpockets.
On Reddit, Barcelona natives have vented their frustrations, labelling the city as nothing short of an “amusement park” due to the swarms of tourists.
One exasperated resident lamented: “Barcelona has become an amusement park made for tourists. Everything’s overpriced, when you go to class or work you have to avoid distracted tourists who randomly stop to take a picture all the time of the day, week or year.”
Another former local reflected on the changes: “I was born and raised in Barcelona, but I no longer live there. I didn’t remember how bad it was until I went to visit my family last summer.”
Sharing an anecdote that highlights the shift, they continued: “Me and some friends went to walk around the centre and the girl that took our orders at Pans and Company (a Spanish bakery chain) didn’t even know Spanish or Catalan, only English.”
Despite apparent language barriers, research indicates that less than 10 percent of Barcelona residents converse in English, although tourist outlets seem to favour the language.
Yet another disgruntled Barcelona native recounted: “A friend who lived in Barcelona all his life has just moved out of the city.
“He was living in the old part of the city and noise from tourist apartments in his building and the whole street was unbearable all year through.”
It’s not just crowds of people that are problematic for locals during the day, but also well into the evenings with a bustling nighttime culture to contend with.
A local revealed that the sweltering conditions in the summer, forced them to endure the heat even indoors, noting: “In the summer he had to close the windows and suffer the heat, but still it was no use. A problem also with crowds everywhere.”
The Gothic Quarter of Barcelona, steeped in history, has become one of the areas most impacted as a hub for tourist flats and hotspots.
Speaking on the impact of overtourism in their city, another resident remarked: “Locals have been pushed out of their own cities by tourists. Local businesses shut down because tourist businesses are more profitable.”
They added: “Everything is a show, a facade put up to impress tourists and get a couple euros more from them. Locals feel forgotten and not wanted in their own cities.”
It’s commonly seen that outlets catering to travellers inflate their prices compared to those serving the needs of the local populace, as tourists are often willing to spend more.
In turn, it means locals have to foot the rising bill for their favourite dining and drinking spots.