It’s the one question I hear over and over again. Is it OK to visit Barcelona? Usually, it’s followed up with something like, “I hear they hate tourists.”
The anxiety stems from a consistent flurry of anti-tourism news, including a well-documented series of street protests that went viral. In a remarkably successful publicity stunt, protesters surrounded by photographers squirted tourists with water pistols, launching a million social media posts. A few weeks later, Barcelona’s government announced plans to ban Airbnb and short-term rentals, another anti-tourism broadside.
Before you cancel your flights, a few things to consider. Like Barcelona’s reputation as the home to the world’s most artful pickpockets, there is a foundation of truth to the concerns. But that doesn’t mean it’s something that should have any affect on a visit to the city.
