Barcelona is rethinking how it welcomes its millions of visitors, starting with the city’s most iconic landmark, the Sagrada Família. With up to 16,000 people visiting the basilica each day.
But only around 20% actually enter the church, the area surrounding the site has become overcrowded with selfie sticks, long queues, and frustrated locals. In response, the Barcelona City Council has announced a dedicated photo zone to help ease the pressure on the pavements.
Set in motion as part of the city’s 2024 Action Plan, a new plaza will be built on Plaça Gaudí, right in front of the Sagrada Família, offering tourists a scenic space to snap their photos without blocking pedestrian walkways or spilling onto the roads.
Construction will begin after the European summer, with an eye on completing the project by April 2026. The timing is symbolic as it marks the centenary of the death of Antoni Gaudí, the genius architect behind the basilica’s fantastical design.
First begun in 1882, the basilica is famed for its soaring spires, intricate facades, and surreal blend of Gothic and Art Nouveau styles. Gaudí dedicated the final years of his life to the church, and even now, nearly 150 years later, it’s still under construction, which only adds to its mystique.
It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most visited monuments in Europe, making it both a cultural gem and a magnet for camera-wielding travellers.
But all that foot traffic comes at a cost. Barcelona, like many popular cities, is grappling with the effects of overtourism. From rising rental prices and overwhelmed infrastructure to the erosion of local life in neighbourhoods that feel more like open-air museums.
A 2023 report by the European Cities Marketing group listed Barcelona among the top cities experiencing “intense tourism pressure,” with residents increasingly vocal about the impact.
That tension boiled over in July 2024, when around 3,000 locals took to the streets in protest, armed with water guns. Marching through popular tourist zones, they doused unsuspecting visitors in a symbolic stand against the city’s ever-growing tourism industry.
Barcelona officials have taken note. In addition to redesigning the space around the basilica, the city announced in 2024 that all short-term tourist rentals – like those listed on Airbnb – will be phased out by the end of 2028.
It’s a bold move aimed at reclaiming housing stock for locals and discouraging the rise of holiday lets that have been linked to rising rents and the hollowing out of communities.
The plaza near Sagrada Família is just one part of a broader shift. Barcelona has created tourism management plans for 14 high-traffic zones across the city. The aim is to strike a balance between being a welcoming destination and preserving the day-to-day rhythm of life for its 1.6 million residents.
For travellers, this means there will soon be a designated place to capture that perfect photo of the basilica without feeling like you’re jostling for space.
For locals, it’s one small step toward breathing room in a city that’s learning how to share its beauty without being overwhelmed by it.
