Barcelona takes on the invasion of souvenir shops in Ciutat Vella: 127 closure orders in 2024

The City Council has launched an unprecedented offensive against the proliferation of souvenir shops in Ciutat Vella, a phenomenon that has concerned residents and shopkeepers for years. The 2024 tally speaks for itself: 285 inspections, 127 closure orders and 134 penalty proceedings.

«We are acting firmly», Albert Batlle, district councillor, assured residents directly in a message to those who complain that some streets seem to have become one large tourist bazaar, blurring the neighbourhood's identity.

That said, cease-and-desist orders do not always mean immediate closure: if those responsible correct the irregularities detected, they can remain open. As things stand, Ciutat Vella officially has 134 active licences for souvenir shops, although in reality many others conceal this business under other activities.

But the battle does not stop at inspections alone. The City Council is already working on a new land-use plan intended to protect the soul of the neighbourhood and curb the expansion of businesses designed solely for tourists. The challenge is clear: to give Ciutat Vella's streets back to its people, and for Barcelona's memories to return to where they have always been —in memory and everyday life, not only on plastic shelves.