Responsible Travel
in Barcelona

Someone else's house...

Imagine one of your friends invites you to dinner.

It’s a true privilege to be welcomed into her home and experience her warm hospitality, leaving you filled with gratitude and happiness. As you step into her new environment, you feel a profound respect and humility.

You take in this special space with admiration, genuinely curious about how she nurtures it and cares for you. You engage her in conversation, asking about her life, her aspirations, and what brings her joy and well-being. You appreciate the artwork adorning her walls, listen closely to her stories, and enjoy the music that invigorates her spirit. You’re also intrigued by the spices she uses in her cooking.

You make an effort to ensure she feels relaxed and comfortable around you, hoping to create a positive, lasting impression that reflects your genuine concern for her.

You would never consider wasting water by leaving the faucet running, picking flowers from her pots, rummaging through her fridge, disposing of trash carelessly, dropping cigarette butts on her property, disturbing her pets, or taking any of her cherished belongings as keepsakes.

Now, imagine that the name of this friend is Barcelona.

You are part of the solution

Over the past decade, Barcelona has experienced intense overtourism, leaving both the city and its residents feeling worn down and frustrated, perhaps even abandoned to the unchecked forces of mass consumer tourism that impact cities worldwide.

This growing discontent has led to street protests and demonstrations, capturing international attention and fueling discussions about the sustainability and fairness of the current tourism model.

So, how can we strike a balance between making travel democratic and accessible while protecting the well-being of local communities?

It is a complex affair…

But one thing is clear: sustainable tourism aren’t just about the individual, whether the visitor or the one being visited—it is a collective responsibility. Whether you realize it or not, you are part of the solution, not the enemy.

Conscious, respectful tourism fosters tolerance, acceptance, and awareness of our interconnectedness. It encourages understanding of nature, diverse cultures, and environments, strengthening our shared responsibility toward each other and the planet.

Travel better

The rush to visit a destination can sometimes work against us.

So much so that instead of truly connecting with the place, we consume it in a way that we lose sight of why we came there in the first place.

The essence of sustainable travel goes beyond simply reducing flights or minimizing plastic use. It’s about embracing a mindset of connection, gratitude and responsibility toward the city and its people—elements that give Barcelona its unique and special character.

Because sustainable travel means enjoying the city’s charm and culture while allowing locals to continue living authentically, without feeling as though their home has been overrun by visitors.

Knowledge and education are the key.

Show appreciation and respect while building a meaningful connection with us by educating yourself about our community. By learning about the city, our traditions, and how we, as locals, think, feel, and experience life, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of our culture and environment. This knowledge will empower you to make thoughtful decisions that positively contribute to the local area.

Connect with it, not just consume it ferociously.

At the end of the day, it should be a win-win situation where both parties are happy to have met each other, leaving Barcelona with the ability to continue flourishing after your departure, not exhausted and drained.

Knowledge and education are the key.

Is there anything I can do on my part?

All these tips that we offer you in a personal and humble way may seem very obvious to you, but it’s true that they are often overlooked, and we tend to focus more on personal gain than on contributing to the city’s prosperity after we leave.

Common sense, a lot of love, a mindful intentionality, and being open to learn are key to ensuring that Barcelona doesn’t lose its essence or sell its unique identity to the rising trend of monoculturalism.

Don’t do what everyone else is doing just because it’s trendy

What if, instead of following trends about what you should do in a particular country, you became the creator of your own adventure, connecting and immersing yourself in the destination in your own way? Everyone often ends up doing the same things—blindly, which contributes to overtourism. These lists of must-see attractions can limit your ability to discover what the city truly has to offer. To avoid this, try to create your own journey based on your criteria, tastes, and personal preferences.
Spending an entire afternoon talking with a local about life may be far more memorable than visiting yet another church. Seek out the inner experiences that will make your trip an unforgettable part of your life—those that resonate the most with you. Remember to be open to any locals you meet along the way, as they, just like you, may be curious about who you are and where you come from.

Engage with the Community

Learn about our Catalan traditions, our customs, and ways of life while making new friends. These connections will leave a lasting impact on you, far more than any endless list of monuments you feel you 'should' see.
We Catalans love to see even a small attempt to understand our culture and perspective on the world.

Learn some vocabulary

Of course, you don’t have to learn to speak Catalan, but we greatly appreciate hearing basic words like 'Bon dia', 'Gràcies','Com estàs?' or 'Adéu'. It shows a clear intention to speak with the musicality of words that we cherish and the historical significance they hold in our lives.

Support local business

What makes Barcelona, or any other city in the world, special is the personality of each of the markets, restaurants, and shops that contribute to the city's commercial fabric. Whenever you can, support the small stores that bring life to the streets, offering food and souvenirs that you can only enjoy while you’re here. Don’t let the typical, well-known chain companies put them out of business.

Eat local (and as Catalan and Spanish as much as you can)!

Gastronomy is a very important part of every country or region, reflecting our approach to the world and the influences of all the cultures that came before us. Eating locally in Barcelona offers a delicious experience of the Mediterranean diet, celebrated for its fresh fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats. The city is filled with local markets offering fresh, locally produced ingredients. Additionally, Barcelona boasts an impressive array of vegan and vegetarian restaurants, ensuring that everyone can enjoy its culinary delights.
Don’t be afraid to try new flavors and experiment with different ways to combine and play with the ingredients! After all, you didn’t come to this side of the world just to have the same familiar quinoa bowl over and over again, right?

Mind your trash

Tourists, travelers, and locals coexist in a space where all resources are shared, including parks, streets, sidewalks, roads, or bicycle lanes, as well as the handling of waste and garbage generated. The more people there are in the city, the more waste we create.
Try to use reusable bags, refill your bottles with water from the fountains, and limit the use of disposable containers.

Use public transportation (and our bicycle system!)

Barcelona has an efficient public transportation system, including a reliable subway, buses, and trams, making it easy to explore the city efficiently and sustainably. If you want to reach the city, Spain's high-speed train network connects major cities like Madrid and Barcelona in under three hours—take advantage of it! And don’t forget about getting around by bicycle on our amazing bike lanes.

Practice sustainable resource use

Drought is a challenge that Barcelona faces, and as a tourist, it is important to be aware of how your behavior can affect the environment. Therefore, the most sensible approach is to use water responsibly, avoiding excessive consumption, and to respect local regulations to show consideration for our community, wildlife, and the environment.

The Airbnb eternal dilemma

The prohibition of Airbnb in Barcelona was implemented to regulate the rise of short-term rentals and address the impact of mass tourism on residents' quality of life. While it allows property owners to generate income, it has also led to increased long-term rental prices and the transformation of residential neighborhoods into tourist hotspots, altering their local character. These regulations have sparked protests among residents, who support the ban to protect their right to housing and preserve the city’s cultural identity, fostering more sustainable tourism that benefits local businesses.
So be as mindful and thoughtful as possible when choosing a place to stay in Barcelona.

Give something back to the community

Consider volunteering or supporting local entities to give something back to the community during your visit. This can range from participating in a beach cleanup to visiting a nearby animal sanctuary.