This website tells you which Barcelona terraces are in the sun or shade

The Terrasses.cat website was created by radio journalist Josep Moragas and combines municipal information with the position of the Sun and the height of buildings. The result is shown on a map using a simple code: yellow for sun, orange for dawn or dusk light and green for shade.

The platform can use the user’s location to show the nearest terraces. It also allows searches by neighbourhood, street or establishment and shows how conditions will change at other times or on other days, which is useful for planning a meal, a coffee or an outing when the heat is intense.

Each terrace has its own profile showing its hours of sun and shade, the authorised surface area and the number of tables and chairs. It also shows whether it is on the pavement or the roadway, information that helps form an idea of the space before arriving.

Users can add data that do not always appear in official records, such as the presence of awnings, and leave brief comments on their experience. The website also allows users to save favourite terraces and find the best time to visit them.

Among the most consulted establishments are Dublin Sport Tavern, in Sarrià-Sant Gervasi; La Isla and Topik, in Eixample; La Nova Farga, in Sants; and Barcelona, in the Sants-Badal area. The list changes according to searches and reflects which areas draw the most interest.

Moragas developed the tool without specialised computer training, relying on artificial intelligence systems to generate and adjust the code. The process shows how this kind of technology can be used to create simple urban services from public data.

The scene leaves mobile phones open on tables and decisions made before leaving home. In a city where an hour of sun can completely change an outdoor meal, knowing where shade falls becomes a small advantage for organising the day.