Why you really shouldn’t go on holiday to Barcelona this year

Barcelona is one of the most visited cities in Europe. No wonder, because in addition to sun, beach and sea, the city also has a lot of culture, traditional markets and delicious food to offer. The city is therefore popular among German tourists.

But as fun as a holiday in the Catalan capital can be, you may want to avoid a trip to the region this year. The reason: in Catalonia, authorities have declared a drought crisis after months of warnings. The Barcelona urban area has been at the highest alert level since February.

The region is experiencing its worst drought since weather records began, partly due to a lack of precipitation but also a lack of snowmelt. And that has serious consequences for people and local life, which could further deteriorate tourism.

Catalonia is drying out. There is virtually no water left. Nor to irrigate the green spaces and the trees that have been dry for years. Not even for fountains or swimming pools. The reservoirs of Barcelona’s two rivers are virtually empty. And this situation is likely to worsen as summer approaches. Also for tourists.

At the beginning of this week, the pressure in water pipes was reduced in six municipalities in the region around Barcelona. The beach showers, where you have to shower and scour the sea yourself, are out of service. The scarcer water becomes, the more the question arises: who gets the remaining water? Agriculture and the local population – or the tourists? The potential for conflict is enormous.

The residents of Barcelona already use only about 103 liters of water per day. For comparison: in other Spanish cities such as Madrid it is about 140 liters. This goes hand in hand with some cost-saving measures. There are posters everywhere in the city that say: ‘Emergency. Water doesn’t fall from the sky.”

Restrictions also apply to agriculture: farmers had to reduce their water consumption by more than 80 percent – ​​a huge cutback for farmers. These have been struggling with drought and the resulting crop failures for years. But anyone who violates the regulations will have to dig deep into their pockets: a violation costs up to 150,000 euros, reports ‘Focus’.

According to the “Tagesanzeiger”, tourists are also asked to save water. But while residents are struggling, tourists use around 500 liters of water a day. Part of this is due to the hotel operation. Hotel swimming pools are allowed to be filled, while showers in local households only drip.

And as if all that wasn’t bad enough, the drinking water is slowly running out. There are countless tanker trucks driving through the city, fully loaded with water. An increasingly valuable commodity.

The seawater desalination plants are running at full speed and producing drinking water. But their capacity is limited; additional desalination plants are already planned. But it will take until late 2027 and 2028 before they are ready. The emergency plan that could soon become reality: tankers bringing drinking water to Barcelona, ​​for example from Palma de Mallorca or even Marseille in France. But this is also expensive – and does not completely solve the problem.

Water scarcity and persistent drought reveal a new problem: distribution conflicts. Of course, despite the drought and water shortage, Barcelona is dependent on tourism.

So if you’re planning a trip to Catalonia, keep these issues in mind—and maybe shorten your shower time a little, too. The residents will be grateful to you.