Barcelona is taking steps to rein in its booming tourist numbers by closing two of its cruise ship terminals, reducing the number of operational terminals at its port from seven to five.
The decision, announced in a joint statement by the city council and port authorities, is part of an ambitious plan to address overtourism, which locals say is threatening the city’s quality of life.
The closure is expected to take effect in 2025.
The initiative will also fund a study into how cruise passengers move around the city – a first step toward developing a more sustainable mobility strategy.
At the same time, the port will undergo upgrades, including the installation of onshore power supply facilities, enabling ships to switch off their engines while docked, thereby cutting harmful emissions.
The move is the latest in a series of measures aimed at softening the environmental and social impact of mass tourism in Barcelona.
In 2024 alone, the Port of Barcelona – the largest cruise port in Europe, handled 1.6 million cruise passengers “in transit”.
The influx of these day-trippers, who typically flood the city’s central attractions, like La Rambla and the Gothic Quarter during peak hours, has sparked growing anger among residents.
Public frustration came to a head in July 2024 when anti-tourism protestors took to the streets, spraying visitors with water pistols in a symbolic act of defiance.
Locals say overcrowding has become unbearable and accuse short-term holiday lets of driving up rental prices and pushing residents out of the housing market.
The Barcelona Tourism Consortium said that most cruise passengers disembark in the morning, spend a few hours exploring, and then return to their ships by late afternoon.
While this boosts local tourism spend, it also puts intense pressure on popular areas in a short period, often without contributing meaningfully to the city’s long-term economy.
City officials say this new plan is not about rejecting tourism altogether but about managing it better. With sustainability at the forefront, Barcelona is hoping to strike a much-needed balance between being a global destination and a liveable city for its residents.
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