Barcelona’s tourist appeal is now becoming a bit of a double-edged sword for the locals. The city, known for its cultural charm, is drawing in more tourists than the Spaniards can handle, with the locals watching all the quaint squares and quiet markets being converted to selfie stages for social media.

This isn’t about a few noisy nights. Take Carmel Bunkers, once a modest lookout post. This spot has turned into a raucous selfie station thanks to the social media obsession with hidden gems — something that only those local to the area know about. Or even Boqueria market — once upon a time, locals used to pop in for fresh produce and a chat with the vendors, now it’s more of a tourist trap buffet.

This is a ripple effect spanning three decades. After the city’s Olympic attention in ‘92, followed by the budget airline boom, and more recently, the arrival of Airbnb — the city’s streets filled up. As the number of tourists increased, so did the rent, making it harder for locals to stick around.

But Barcelona doesn’t want their residents to say adios. The city is trying to reverse some of the traction it gained and is still gaining by banning the construction of new hotels, hiking tourist taxes, and cracking down on short-term rentals to discourage temporary migrants.

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