https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Europe in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Spain's railway system is under more scrutiny than ever after a commuter train crashed near Barcelona, just days after at least 42 people died in a collision between two high-speed trains. https://www.thelocal.com/20260121/rail-safety-questioned-as-spain-reels-from-twin-train-disasters Wed, 21 Jan 2026 12:42:13 +0100 rail-safety-questioned-as-spain-reels-from-twin-train-disasters Barcelona's El Prat Airport has started restricting access to its terminals to anyone without proof of a boarding pass, as authorities aim to control the problems of homelessness and petty crime at Spain's second busiest airport. https://www.thelocal.com/20251210/spains-barcelona-airport-to-require-boarding-passes-to-enter-terminals Wed, 10 Dec 2025 09:49:29 +0100 spains-barcelona-airport-to-require-boarding-passes-to-enter-terminals Barcelona unveiled on Thursday a plan to reduce the number of cruise passengers arriving at its port, part of a wider trend to combat overtourism in Europe's most popular destinations. https://www.thelocal.com/20250718/tourist-magnet-barcelona-to-cut-cruise-ship-capacity Fri, 18 Jul 2025 10:38:19 +0200 tourist-magnet-barcelona-to-cut-cruise-ship-capacity Demonstrators are set to hit the streets of the Catalan capital this weekend with instructions to bring their water pistols with which to spray holidaymakers, as part of a day of mass tourism protests in Spain and other southern European countries. https://www.thelocal.com/20250613/bring-your-water-pistols-barcelona-braces-for-tourism-demo Fri, 13 Jun 2025 11:31:02 +0200 bring-your-water-pistols-barcelona-braces-for-tourism-demo New rules on temporary rental contracts mean that long-term renters in Barcelona and across Catalonia will have better protections against landlords who try to use get around rules on price caps by only offering contracts under a year in length. https://www.thelocal.com/20250410/barcelona-to-limit-temporary-rent-prices-so-landlords-stop-skirting-rules Thu, 10 Apr 2025 13:56:48 +0200 barcelona-to-limit-temporary-rent-prices-so-landlords-stop-skirting-rules Barcelona City Council has received a letter from the US Embassy in Spain urging them not to apply diversity policies at a language learning programme for young people run by a local library if they don’t want to have funding withdrawn. https://www.thelocal.com/20250326/trumps-anti-woke-policies-threaten-barcelona-library Wed, 26 Mar 2025 11:18:53 +0100 trumps-anti-woke-policies-threaten-barcelona-library Following several concessions from the Spanish government, Catalan separatists now want to create their own immigration agency with the power to set quotas and make it compulsory for foreign residents to have Catalan language lessons. https://www.thelocal.com/20241001/could-catalonia-force-foreigners-to-learn-catalan Tue, 01 Oct 2024 14:45:26 +0200 could-catalonia-force-foreigners-to-learn-catalan With tour groups literally dancing through the streets of Valencia and tour guides flouting local regulations in Barcelona, locals in Spain are growing tired of yet another drawback of mass tourism in their cities. https://www.thelocal.com/20240903/theme-park-for-idiots-locals-in-spain-outraged-by-dancing-city-tours Tue, 03 Sep 2024 12:56:43 +0200 theme-park-for-idiots-locals-in-spain-outraged-by-dancing-city-tours Barcelona wants to clamp down on establishments in the city centre that sell tacky souvenirs or goods such as phone cases that "contribute nothing" to the local economy, amid ongoing efforts to reorientate the city away from mass tourism. https://www.thelocal.com/20240821/barcelona-to-crack-down-on-tacky-shops-that-degrade-citys-image Wed, 21 Aug 2024 12:16:31 +0200 barcelona-to-crack-down-on-tacky-shops-that-degrade-citys-image Recent footage of protesters in Barcelona squirting water on tourists while telling them to “go home” has gone viral. Is it enough for Spain-bound visitors to change their holiday plans? https://www.thelocal.com/20240715/should-i-cancel-my-trip-to-spain-because-of-the-tourism-protests Mon, 15 Jul 2024 15:49:31 +0200 should-i-cancel-my-trip-to-spain-because-of-the-tourism-protests Barcelona’s mayor recently announced plans to get rid of all tourist flats in the next four years as a means of controlling rent hikes. It’s the most drastic measure so far in Spanish cities’ battle against Airbnb - but will it actually happen? https://www.thelocal.com/20240704/can-barcelona-really-ban-all-airbnbs Thu, 04 Jul 2024 17:48:47 +0200 can-barcelona-really-ban-all-airbnbs The mayor of Barcelona announced on Friday that the city will bring an end to 10,000 tourist flats by 2028 simply by not renewing licences. https://www.thelocal.com/20240621/breaking-barcelona-to-get-rid-of-all-tourist-rental-flats-by-2028 Fri, 21 Jun 2024 16:47:11 +0200 breaking-barcelona-to-get-rid-of-all-tourist-rental-flats-by-2028 A direct rail route between Barcelona and Paris which was set to launch in time for the Summer Olympics has been delayed due to setbacks in France, as has another new sleeper train between Barcelona and Amsterdam. https://www.thelocal.com/20240416/spains-barcelona-paris-train-link-delayed-until-after-olympics Tue, 16 Apr 2024 15:05:14 +0200 spains-barcelona-paris-train-link-delayed-until-after-olympics Catalonia's emergency drought plan involves a whole series of water restrictions which will affect 6 million from Friday February 2nd, many in Barcelona. The following drought map and rules breakdown explains in detail. https://www.thelocal.com/20240202/explained-what-and-where-are-the-drought-water-restrictions-in-catalonia Fri, 02 Feb 2024 11:27:53 +0100 explained-what-and-where-are-the-drought-water-restrictions-in-catalonia If you fancy dining alone one night while visiting Barcelona, there's a chance you'll be turned away, as some bars and restaurants in the Catalan capital have started rejecting solo diners in favour of bigger-spending groups of tourists. https://www.thelocal.com/20230807/anger-as-some-barcelona-restaurants-ban-solo-diners Mon, 07 Aug 2023 19:45:29 +0200 anger-as-some-barcelona-restaurants-ban-solo-diners