If you visit right now, as the high season has firmly come to an end, it’s likely that you’ll have nothing but lovely interactions with the locals. This couldn’t be said for the city’s earlier visitors this summer, who had to endure being sprayed by water pistols and were driven out of the city centre by anti-tourism protests. But there are still remnants of a particularly tense summer in Barca, with “tourists go home” graffiti near the local landmarks serving as a semi-permanent reminder.
But don’t let it put you off visiting the city. Barcelona needs tourism, it just doesn’t need centralised throngs of totally un-self aware tourists blocking traffic, holding selfie sticks and making their very lived-in city centre unlivable. So, if you’re considering paying the place a visit soon, make like the locals and explore the El Poblenou instead.
This is the place to go if you’re the type of person who likes to visit European cities to get a taste of what it’s actually like to live there. The chic, up-and-coming area is popular among young Barcelonans due to its relative distance from the busy, visitor-heavy citadel and its closeness to some of Barcelona’s best beaches. El Poblenou is just 30 minutes drive from Barcelona-El Prat Airport airport, and prominent hotel chains are starting to base themselves there, including Meliá Barcelona Sky, a 4-star hotel that is housed within an ultra-modern skyscraper designed by legendary French architect Dominique Perra.
