Overtourism is turning Europe into a minefield—socially, economically, and environmentally. Now, Spain, Italy, and Portugal have reached a dangerous boiling point. The very destinations that once rolled out red carpets for global travelers are now seeing red. Streets once filled with music and markets are now echoing with protest chants. And behind it all? The unstoppable rise of cheap airlines, budget stays, and mass travel surging in from the US, UK, Canada, Netherlands, France, and Germany.

Tourism has become a double-edged sword. While it fuels economies, it’s also draining local life. Spain, Italy, and Portugal are no longer just holiday dreams—they’re battlegrounds. Overtourism isn’t creeping in anymore. It’s crashing down.

Meanwhile, the tools that made travel so accessible—low-cost carriers, Airbnb-style rentals, discounted tours—are pushing local infrastructure to the brink. Mass travel doesn’t just fill hotels. It fills hospitals, roads, schools, and housing markets—with growing consequences.

Overtourism is no longer just a buzzword in policy rooms. It’s a living, breathing crisis playing out in real time. Protests are intensifying. Cities are cracking down. And residents are demanding change before it’s too late.

So what pushed Spain, Italy, and Portugal over the edge? Why are tourists from the US, UK, Canada, Netherlands, France, and Germany suddenly caught in a whirlwind of backlash?

This is the breaking point. This is the tourism story of the year. And what happens next could rewrite the rules of global travel forever.

Overtourism Boils Over: Why Europe’s Most Popular Destinations Are Now Battlegrounds for Survival

For three years, Europe’s most iconic cities have braced under the pressure of a growing, unchecked tourism surge. Now, the pressure has exploded. From the crowded alleys of Barcelona to the cliffside paths of Santorini, widespread protests have erupted with the force of a volcano—loud, disruptive, and impossible to ignore.

Overtourism is no longer just a buzzword. It’s a full-blown crisis.

From Welcome Mats to Water Pistols

This past weekend, cities across Spain, Italy, and Portugal witnessed powerful anti-tourism protests. Local residents, fed up with crowded streets and soaring rents, took to the streets armed not with slogans alone, but with water pistols and rolling suitcases—symbolic and disruptive.

In Barcelona, demonstrators marched down the city’s posh Golden Mile, soaking passing tourists with water while holding signs that read “Tourists go home” and “Tourism is stealing from us.”

These acts aren’t random. They’re calculated expressions of deep frustration. They’re symbolic of a fight for survival in cities that are being hollowed out by the very industry that once sustained them.

The Core of the Crisis: Housing and the Airbnb Effect

Behind the colorful chaos lies a serious issue—housing.

Locals across southern Europe are being pushed out of their own cities as short-term rentals skyrocket. Airbnb and similar platforms have come under intense fire for turning residential neighborhoods into de facto hotel zones.

The result? Locals can’t compete. Rent is no longer affordable. Communities are fractured. And resentment has turned to revolt.

Though Airbnb defends its role, pointing to the 63% of overnight visitors who still stay in hotels, the fact remains—traveler nights in short-term rentals rose by 57 million in 2024 alone, reaching 715 million. In comparison, hotels saw a 73 million night increase, totaling 1.9 billion. But the impact of short-term lets is disproportionate, saturating city centers and upending local economies.

Post-Pandemic Boom Becomes an Urban Headache

The end of lockdowns unleashed an unprecedented wave of revenge travel. Tourists flooded back into places like Barcelona, Athens, Lisbon, Venice, and Rome, eager to make up for lost time.

But local infrastructure wasn’t ready. Nor were local residents. Streets meant for locals became congested with foot traffic, bikes, Segways, and suitcases. Everyday life got swallowed by tourism.

For cities like Barcelona, where tourism contributes over 12% of national GDP, the balance has tipped too far. Now, the very engine of economic prosperity is also driving social unrest.

Europe Responds with Crackdowns and Caps

Governments are no longer standing on the sidelines.

Barcelona has announced a full ban on Airbnb rentals by 2028 .

has announced a full ban on . The Spanish government recently ordered Airbnb to remove nearly 66,000 listings from its platform.

recently ordered Airbnb to remove nearly from its platform. Santorini, Venice, and Bruges have implemented visitor caps and tourism taxes .

have implemented . Pompeii will now limit daily entries to 20,000 people .

will now limit . Even Ibiza is restricting cruise ship arrivals, once a golden goose of island tourism.

These are not isolated policy tweaks. They represent a paradigm shift in how European cities manage the flood of global travelers. The message is clear: quality over quantity.

Tourists Face a New Reality: Higher Costs, Stricter Limits

Travelers will soon feel the difference.

Expect higher prices, more restrictions, and fewer available rentals. Mass tourism is becoming more regulated, more localized, and more expensive. This shift may disappoint some visitors, but it’s a necessary evolution. The cost of cheap travel has been high—environmentally, socially, and economically.

And the long-term sustainability of the industry depends on valuing people over profits.

The Emotional Toll: Locals Want Their Cities Back

The protests sweeping southern Europe aren’t just about policy—they’re emotional cries from communities that feel erased.

When locals can no longer afford their rent, access their parks, or find peace in their own streets, tourism stops being a celebration of culture and becomes an invasion.

The emotional cost is immeasurable. Lifelong residents now face daily displacement, not from war or disaster, but from commercial tourism.

In 2025, Europe’s golden trio—Spain, Italy, and Portugal—are once again dominating the global travel map. These Mediterranean powerhouses are attracting tens of millions of visitors from across the world, with new travel dynamics emerging from both post-pandemic demand and growing market accessibility.

Behind the sun-drenched beaches and charming historic cities lies a more complex story. Tourism is booming, but the sources of that boom tell us how dramatically travel has changed—and where it’s headed next.

Let’s take a closer look at where the tourists are coming from and why these countries continue to top every traveler’s bucket list.

Spain: Still the King of European Tourism

Spain remains one of the most visited countries on the planet—and 2025 has only strengthened that claim.

Topping the charts is the United Kingdom, with approximately 18.4 million British tourists making their way to Spanish shores. That’s nearly 20% of Spain’s total arrivals. Cheap flights, cultural familiarity, and the promise of reliable sunshine keep British tourists loyal to destinations like the Costa del Sol, Canary Islands, and Barcelona.

Germany follows with 13 million visitors, while France comes in close at 11.9 million. These neighboring countries continue to make Spain their go-to destination for weekend breaks, summer holidays, and cultural retreats.

Meanwhile, the United States is gaining traction as a long-haul source, bolstered by strong air connections and the growing appeal of Spanish wine regions, heritage cities, and culinary experiences. Other significant contributors include Italy, Netherlands, Ireland, Sweden, and Switzerland.

Notably, China is emerging fast. With a projected 36% increase in Chinese arrivals during the summer of 2025, Spain is positioning itself to tap into Asia’s outbound tourism revival in a big way.

Italy: Art, Heritage, and a Steady Flow of Tourists

Italy continues to enchant travelers from all over the world, holding firm as a top-tier European destination.

Germany remains the top market, with 1.2 million German arrivals by mid-2025 alone. German tourists tend to favor northern Italian regions like Trentino, Veneto, and South Tyrol, known for blending Alpine charm with Italian flavor.

France and the United Kingdom also contribute millions to Italy’s visitor numbers. From romantic getaways in Venice to family holidays on the Amalfi Coast, the country’s timeless appeal spans generations and continents.

The United States ranks among the top five, showing the enduring allure of Italy for American travelers. From Rome to Florence to Sicily, Americans seek immersive cultural experiences, fine cuisine, and historical grandeur.

Italy also sees solid traffic from neighboring European nations, particularly Switzerland, Austria, and the Netherlands, thanks to easy overland access and strong rail connectivity.

Portugal: Small in Size, Big on Impact

Portugal may be smaller than its southern European counterparts, but it’s making an outsized mark on global tourism.

In 2025, the United Kingdom and Spain lead all visitor source countries. Proximity and familiarity play a strong role, especially with Spanish tourists frequently traveling overland to Lisbon and Porto or hopping to the Algarve for weekend getaways.

Germany, France, and the United States round out the top five. The U.S. has emerged as a major growth engine for Portugal’s tourism industry, contributing between 4 to 5 million overnight stays in the 2023–2025 window.

Brazil and the Netherlands are also significant contributors, with Portuguese-speaking Brazilians finding cultural affinity, and Dutch travelers exploring the coastlines and wine valleys with growing enthusiasm.

Portugal is forecasted for a 9% year-over-year growth in 2025, driven by improved air connectivity, digital nomad appeal, and its reputation for safety, affordability, and authenticity.

The Bigger Picture: What This Surge Tells Us

The tourism resurgence in Spain, Italy, and Portugal reflects broader global trends. Travelers from the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, France, Germany, Netherlands, and Brazil are seeking more than beaches—they want connection, heritage, food, and value.

Several key factors are fueling this inbound boom:

Low-cost airlines have expanded aggressively across transatlantic and intra-European routes, especially targeting hubs in Spain and Portugal.

have expanded aggressively across transatlantic and intra-European routes, especially targeting hubs in Spain and Portugal. Digital platforms have simplified travel planning and access to accommodation, though this has also contributed to the over-tourism backlash.

have simplified travel planning and access to accommodation, though this has also contributed to the over-tourism backlash. Remote work and lifestyle migration have blurred the lines between short visits and long-term stays, especially in Portugal.

However, this growth is also creating pressure. Housing markets in urban centers are squeezed. Infrastructure is strained. Environmental concerns are rising. And local protests, particularly in Spain, are warning signs that the golden goose may be nearing its limit.

Moving Forward: Balance Over Volume

As these countries continue to welcome millions, the future of their tourism industries will depend on how well they balance economic gains with social and environmental costs.

Expect more regulations around short-term rentals, tourism taxes, and visitor caps in historical or fragile zones. Authorities are recognizing that growth must now focus on value per visitor, not volume.

For travelers, this may mean higher prices, more planning, and fewer budget-friendly loopholes. But it also promises more authentic, less crowded experiences—and a greater chance to enjoy these destinations in a sustainable way.

What’s Next for Travel in Europe?

The golden era of unrestricted budget tourism is ending. And what comes next will be shaped by new values—fair wages, environmental care, and resident well-being.

Travelers may need to adjust expectations. Governments will face pressure to legislate swiftly and clearly. And the tourism industry must adapt or risk breaking the trust of both its guests and hosts.

Europe is signaling a turning point. For the travel industry, this is not a time to ignore the noise. It’s a time to listen and act.

Because if these protests are any indication, the age of blind tourism growth is over—and what rises next will either heal the damage or deepen the divide.

Source: The Irish Times

It goes without saying that tourism can be controversial, and is a double-edged sword for regions that are popular with visitors. While tourism can do a lot to support local economies, over time it can also take away from the way of life for locals, and change economics. Along those lines, this past weekend we saw some major protests against tourists across Europe, in particular in Spain.

Protestors demonstrate against mass tourism

On Sunday, June 15, 2025, residents in Spain and several other European countries held large scale protests against mass tourism, as residents are frustrated by increasing housing costs that are pushing out locals.

The biggest protests happened in Spain, in particular in Mallorca and Barcelona. This weekend’s event was the first coordinated effort by activists to protest over tourism across Europe. There were also protests in Lisbon, Portugal, and Venice, Italy, among other places. Thousands of protestors marched, held up signs, and sprayed tourists with water pistols.

Spanish anti-Tourism protests spray water pistols at tourists to demand they leave Barcelona.

Demonstrators sprayed tourists sitting in cafes and let off red smoke to protest against mass tourism.

Tourism accounts for 14% of Barcelona’s GDP. pic.twitter.com/6ggt1y6s2l — Oli London (@OliLondonTV) June 17, 2025

Protests in Spain, Italy and Portugal calling for a curb on mass tourism.

Anti-mass tourism campaigners say excessive levels of visitors are forcing locals out of affordable housing, raising the cost of living and making city centres unusable.pic.twitter.com/jxAbSg9uiG — James Melville 🚜 (@JamesMelville) June 17, 2025

For what it’s worth, this isn’t the first time that we’ve seen such protests. There were similar protests last year, but they weren’t as well organized, and weren’t as widespread.

What should tourists make of these protests?

Should visitors avoid destinations where locals have a strong anti-tourist sentiment? I’m not sure there’s an easy answer, though I’ll still share my take. Look, mass tourism has no doubt become a big issue in many places.

I’m not one of those people who thinks “how dare the locals not be grateful for my tourist dollars,” while walking off a cruise ship. Then you have the whole group of people who don’t identify as tourists, and who show in July in Greece, complaining how crowded it is with all those other people.

I think the whole thing is a bit more nuanced than that. I don’t think we’re entitled to being welcomed with open arms in Hawaii, Venice, etc., and to tell locals how they should feel about us, even if tourism is how many people support their families.

With that in mind, a few thoughts:

Just about any major source of revenue for a region’s economy is going to have pros and cons; that’s not exclusive to tourism, as the same is true for manufacturing, a city becoming a tech hub, etc.

I would assume that the sentiment regarding over tourism is similar in most major destinations that have mass tourism; like, Japanese people might be too polite to spray us with water guns, but I’m sure many people there feel the same

I can appreciate the challenges that tourism poses for many locals, and I think these kinds of protests can help get a dialogue going between the government and these groups, to provide relief with some pain points; there are things the government can do to make tourism more palatable and beneficial for locals

As a visitor, it’s uncomfortable to go somewhere and be shot with a water pistol, though at least these protests aren’t violent in a meaningful way

Personally I can’t say that something like this would impact my decision to travel somewhere. That’s simply because I realize that in most places dealing with mass tourism, the sentiment is probably the same. Some people are greatly in favor of it, others are strongly against it, and others are somewhere in the middle.

I’d almost view this similarly to a labor group going on strike in the airline or hotel industry. Ultimately they’re not meaning to inconvenience customers, but rather it’s the best bargaining technique they have to try to get what they’re hoping for.

There’s no denying that governments need to look out for locals, and make sure they’re happy, even if that comes at the expense of some amount of tourism. Personally, I’ve also kind of given up on traveling to Europe in the peak of summer, because I just don’t enjoy the size of the crowds. But that’s just me…

Bottom line

While frustration with mass tourism has become an increasingly big issue, some groups across Europe (and in particular, in Spain) are expressing their displeasure a bit more directly at the moment. This past weekend, we’ve seen huge protests, some with thousands of people, telling tourists to go home, and shooting them with water pistols.

Mass tourism is complicated, and as much as tourism is good for the overall economy of a place, that money isn’t always distributed fairly, and it can also impact the day-to-day life of locals negatively. I completely understand the plight, and this is certainly one way to get the attention of the government.

What do you make of these kinds of anti-tourism protests?

CNN —

It was the water pistol shot that echoed around the world.

In the summer of 2024, after years of enduring the pressures of overtourism, locals in Barcelona ramped up their protest, with thousands gathering to chant “tourists go home.” But it was a small group armed with toy water pistols who made headlines by squirting them at visitors seated in outdoor cafes.

A mischievous, seemingly harmless act, perhaps. Yet as pictures of the incident spread globally, the firepower of those toy weapons soon became apparent. Barcelona’s longstanding tensions over the city’s transformation into a tourist playground had erupted into very public hostility.

The surprise squirt attack, criticized by some top tourism officials, was also emblematic of a situation ongoing in many other destinations, from Amsterdam to Bali, where local residents face being priced out of their own homes by a global tourism industry that gets bigger and more expansive every year.

Barcelona, like many of these places, also faces another problem. While mass tourism might be putting a strain on the city, it’s also vital to its existence, providing jobs and income. Tourism is now 14% of the city’s economy and provides 150,000 jobs, said Mateu Hernández, director of the Barcelona Tourism Consortium.

Video Ad Feedback See Barcelona protesters squirt water at tourists 00:49 – Source: CNN See Barcelona protesters squirt water at tourists 00:49

It’s a balancing act the city’s tourism officials are only too aware of as Barcelona prepares for the arrival of throngs of visitors this summer. Even as measures are enacted aimed at helping protect local residents, there have been official concerns that many tourists may not feel welcome.

Hernández, whose Consortium is the city’s tourism promotion board, pointed to “a perception that Barcelona doesn’t want tourists. We are worried about Barcelona’s image of overtourism,” he told a group of foreign correspondents in Madrid in January.

Now, authorities are working to change perceptions before this summer arrives. Visitors will certainly still come — a newly opened cruise terminal has the potential to bring in many thousands more tourists — but will some stay away?

Before the crowds

Thousands of people took to the streets of Barcelona last July to protest about tourist overcrowding. Paco Freire/SOPA Images/Shutterstock

Tourism wasn’t always a problem in Barcelona. For years the capital of Spain’s northeastern Catalonia region welcomed a steady but sustainable flow of visitors there to savor the beautiful architecture and Mediterranean lifestyle.

Then came the Barcelona 1992 Summer Olympics. In its runup, an urban renewal upgraded the airport, removed railroad tracks and industry located along the Mediterranean and installed beaches. The Games then provided a spotlight for the style and culture of the historic city that had opened to the sea.

By 2004, Barcelona, a city of 1.5 million residents, received 4.5 million tourists who stayed overnight. The airport soon added a third runway and a new terminal. Ryanair began low-cost flights there in 2010. More cruise ship terminals were built, and by 2019, just before the Covid pandemic, there were 16.1 million overnight tourists, official figures show.

And then the latest backlash. It’s unclear whether last year’s protests had a direct impact, but 15.5 million tourists stayed overnight in Barcelona in 2024 — 100,000 less than in 2023, official figures show. The city’s population had increased to 1.7 million.

The 1992 Summer Olympics marked a turning point for Barcelona. George Tiedemann/Sports Illustrated/Getty Images

Some tourists spend only the day in the city. Among them, 1.6 million cruise ship passengers “in transit” in 2024, the Port of Barcelona reported. The majority come ashore when their ships dock in the morning, tour the city, and return by late afternoon to sail for the next destination, the tourism consortium press office said.

The resulting crowds, at places like La Rambla street and in the adjacent Gothic quarter, the oldest part of town, are partly to blame for the ire among Barcelona’s residents.

“We feel quite invaded,” Joan Albert Riu Fortuny, a lifelong Barcelona resident, told CNN.

‘There’s a limit’

Barcelona’s Park Guëll, designed by Antoni Gaudí, is among attractions that have become overwhelmed by tourists. Josep Lago/AFP/Getty Images

One focal point of crowding, said Jordi Valls, a Barcelona deputy mayor whose portfolio includes tourism, is the neighborhood around the iconic Sagrada Familia Basilica. It’s home to 50,000 residents, he said, but in summer, another 50,000 tourists can show up daily there, just to look at the still-unfinished church.

“We think tourist demand is unstoppable,” Valls told CNN. “Everyone is welcome. But there’s a limit,” he said, without specifying the number. “The only possibility is to control the supply.”

A plan to double the tourist tax — up to more than $16 (15 euros) per tourist per night in Barcelona — was unveiled in February by the Catalan regional government. If approved, it would earmark at least 25% of the revenue to help ease a housing shortage, which is a prime complaint among residents.

Short-term tourist rental apartments are widely blamed as a factor in reducing affordable housing in Barcelona. The average price of long-term rental apartments, where residents live, increased 68% in the past decade, the city’s housing office told CNN.

“With tourist apartments, the owner gets much more money by renting it that way than in a long-term lease,” said Riu Fortuny, the Barcelona resident. “There’s not enough available housing.”

In all, Barcelona has 152,000 beds available nightly for visitors, the tourism consortium’s Hernández added, mainly in hotels but also including 60,000 in tourist apartments.

With such a potent industry, the proposed doubling of the tourist tax “does nothing more than legitimize the very touristic activity,” Daniel Pardo, a longtime member of the Assembly of Neighborhoods for Tourism Degrowth, in Barcelona, told CNN. “It’s an isolated measure that doesn’t change the status quo.”

The Assembly helped organize the large tourism protest last July — but not the water pistol part of it, Pardo said. He added that there will “surely” be more protests this year, but that specific plans would be decided later.

‘Giant tourist trap’

The Sagrada Familia Bascilica, another Gaudí design, is now only accepting pre-booked visitors. Moritz Wolf/imageBROKER/Shutterstock

At the city’s most-visited sites, there are signs of change in how Barcelona is receiving the tourists.

On La Rambla, sensors were installed last year to measure foot traffic, through cell phone movements, along the 0.8 mile (1.3 kilometer) promenade, said Xavi Masip, manager of Friends of La Rambla, a 65-year-old neighborhood association to protect and promote the street.

“The sensors give an indication of how and where people are moving, at what hours, and the areas with some saturation,” Masip told CNN. “La Rambla is very full. There are times when those of us from Barcelona can feel bothered” about it.

Some congested areas have already been identified, like a narrow section near the Plaza de Catalunya, at one end of La Rambla, Masip said. The port, at the other end of the street, has also installed some sensors.

“A big part of this is that crowds aren’t managed well” on La Rambla, said Will Gluckin, global communications manager for Get Your Guide, a Berlin-based platform offering travel experiences in destinations around the world. The firm is a sponsor for the Friends of La Rambla initiative that installed the sensors.

“We send customers to La Rambla every day,” said Gluckin, whose company has operated in Barcelona for a decade. He told CNN that “poor-quality tourist shops” and many fast-food eateries there have made “La Rambla something of a giant tourist trap instead of a genuinely good place to visit.”

The city’s La Rambla pedestrian thoroughfare is frequently overwhelmed by tourist crowds. Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto/Shutterstock

But it’s free, and tourists keep walking it, even as street work continues this year to widen the central pedestrian portion of La Rambla and to reduce the two lanes of vehicle traffic to just one on each side of it, Masip said.

The two most-visited sites that charge entry fees in Barcelona were both designed by modernist architect Antoni Gaudí. Each now sells only advance online tickets. The Sagrada Familia started this in 2020 during the Covid pandemic, and last year had 4.8 million visitors, 87% of them from outside of Spain, its press office said.

Park Guëll, perched on a hill overlooking the city and the sea, shifted to advance online tickets only last year and had nearly 4.5 million visitors. This year the park, with its distinctive Gaudi curvy mosaics, increased the standard entry fee to $19.50 (18 euros), from $10.80 (10 euros). It’s a move aimed at managing the crowds, said deputy mayor Valls.

To make room for more visitors on the street, the city says it has removed benches and small gardens around Sagrada Familia, where a new tower, the tallest of all the church’s spires, is to be completed later this year. At Park Guëll, tour bus and taxi stops have been relocated farther from the entrance, to lessen crowd density there.

Over at the port, Barcelona’s seventh cruise ship terminal just opened in February. It’s a sleek structure exclusively for ships from MSC Cruises, a Geneva-based global cruise operator. MSC said it has stopped using three other cruise terminals at the port for its ships.

About 800 cruise ships a year use Barcelona’s cruise port. Angel Garcia/Bloomberg/Getty Images

But the city aims to reduce the seven terminals to just five, through negotiations, deputy mayor Valls told CNN. Three existing terminals, he said, have concessions due to expire in 2029.

MSC’s Madrid press office told CNN its new terminal has a 30-year concession.

“MSC Cruises is committed to responsible tourism,” a company statement said, adding that it gives prior notice to local authorities about ship arrival and departure times, and details about passengers who’ll visit various tourist sites. “This guarantees that our clients enjoy their vacations while helping Barcelona’s economy and local jobs.”

In all, about 800 cruise ships arrive annually at the port and it’s not the only flash point of big tourism infrastructure in Barcelona. Mayor Jaume Collboni announced last year that the city would revoke permits in 2028 for the 10,000 licensed tourist apartments, to help provide more affordable housing.

But Barcelona’s tourist apartments association, Apartur, opposes this, demanding hefty compensation for the owners and arguing that it would result in more unlicensed tourist apartments.

‘There will be more tourists’

Barcelona’s airport handled a record 55 million passengers in 2024. Jorge Silva/Reuters

And there’s talk of expanding Barcelona’s airport, which had a record 55 million passengers in 2024. It’s “at a saturation level,” said Hernández, of the tourism consortium. The airport has direct connections to about 200 destinations globally, 70 percent of them in Europe, also including eight destinations in the United States.

The Spanish government and Catalan officials are discussing “how to increase the capacity and protect the surroundings,” the Catalan president’s press office told CNN, adding that the airport sits in a river delta with European Union-protected marshlands and bird habitats.

Barcelona’s appeal for tourists has even become a subject of study at college, said two American university students on a semester-abroad program in Madrid. They visited Barcelona for the first time in February on a school-organized trip and told CNN that the preparation materials mentioned tourism’s impact on Barcelona.

Sean Thompson, 20, a sociology major from Utica, New York, said, “I really did enjoy the city. It teaches us the effect of tourism on Barcelona and the hyper-tourism.”

Andrew Durkin, 21, a finance major from Scranton, Pennsylvania, said, “I knew, going in, that there were attitudes toward tourists. I expected to be treated differently.”

Their visit included the Sagrada Familia and La Rambla. They expected bigger crowds but said it was a mostly rainy weekend in February, in low season.

But the crowds could be back for the summer.

“We’re making an effort to manage, but high season is high season,” deputy mayor Valls said. “So, there will be more tourists.”