Summer Festivals & Falling in Love Again with Barcelona
- Christina Kerkhof
- Jun 29
- 4 min read
Years ago when I was living in New York City, there was a newspaper article about tourist zones and resident zones. The gist of it was something like, if you were a NYC resident in a highly touristic area (e.g. Times Square), you should expect crowds and tourists (for lack of a better word)”owning” the area. Conversely if you were a tourist in a more residential part of town, be respectful of following the local norms. At the time, I lived two blocks from Times Square. Yes, I learned to allow more time if I needed to cross through. I didn’t eat there - more expensive meals for poorer quality. I didn’t shop there - if I wanted the big box brand stores, I could find them elsewhere.
But has the issue gotten worse or more complex or since those days 20+ years ago?
Barcelona is one of a growing number of destinations that are concerned about overtourism. (e.g. BBC article and ResponsibleTravel.com article). To be honest, for the last few years, I have not made an effort to go ashore in Barcelona. Over the years I have seen most of the major sites and museums. Many of the shops are common European chains that I can find in many a port. I appreciate the great food - but it hasn’t been enough of a draw. And La Rambla is to me Barcelona’s Times Square - crowded, overpriced (and rife for petty crime).
You gotta do La Rambla at least once - and know that you are paying high prices for that glass of sangria or cup of coffee while doing some people watching. As La Rambla construction projects are due to complete in 2027, now might not quite be the time to visit. But if you are keen, you can still see the beautiful Barcelona architecture, there are still street performers, and it looks like McDonald’s now has some real estate, so that might be your budget location to have a seat - assuming you can be OK with eating a global fast food in such a gastronomic city.
(As a point of comparison, Barcelona’s La Sagrada Familia is estimated to be completed sometime between 2026-2034.)
This season I have gone ashore in Barcelona a couple times and have headed to La Dreta de l’Eixample. Although the Eixample district as a whole includes superstar sites like Gaudi's La Sagrada Familia, Casa Batlló, and Casa Milà (La Pedrera), La Dreta de l’Eixample is a more upscale, relaxed residential neighborhood. I have also had on my hitlist to visit the Vila de Gràcia neighborhood in the Gracia district. Like Eixample, Gràcia has its powerhouses, including Park Güell. The Vila de Gràcia neighborhood is known for its Bohemian, independent feel. And it houses one of Barcelona’s cat cafes, Gautari. To get where I want to go, I usually take parallel, more atmospheric Gothic Quarter streets a few blocks a few blocks over.
On my latest visit, I stumbled upon a local street festival in Eixample. It was lovely to wander and enjoy the atmosphere of locals soaking up the food, music, family entertainment and vendors. It was my happy, nostalgic place.
The kitty cafe was also my happy place. Minerva and I had a good visit.
As I write this, I am watching on tv England’s biggest summer festival, Glastonbury. Something like you and 200,000 of your closest friends, low on hygiene and comfort options, but high on musical talent. The festival faces challenges of waste and pollution and questions of carbon footprint. But Sir Rod Stewart was the Sunday early evening headliner and he gave a good show.
Interestingly, one of the tour companies I follow, Devour Tours, is giving an online seminar on July 10 “How to Be a Good Tourist & Tips for Traveling Mindfully.” Check it out! I'll see you there.
I certainly don’t know the answers re overtourism, but the conversations are happening. As a traveler, whether I am in a residential area or a touristic one, I do my best to be respectful. At least I hope I am.
Wellness Round Up
Hydration. Much improved.
Movement. Improved. Gym strength training trips and more walking have been happening!
Sleep & Stress. Overall good. Some work stress, but this has subsided.
Nutrition. Alcohol consumption has been higher than intended - sitting outside in that beautiful summer weather, enjoying a glass of wine has been too empting. But some fun recipe discoveries! We like our Indian food...
Aloo Posto, which needed Panch Phora. I was super excited to try this as it is a Bengali recipe and I so loved our food tour in Kolkata. 30 minutes of soaking did not produce the desired texture - another recipe discovered afterwards suggested 3-4 hours or overnight soaking. The flavors were good, so I would try again with this adjustment.
And our chickpeas....Ok and celeriac, tofu and bananas.
Chickpea Buns - essentially socca bread in the form of a bun. Yummy!
Baked Tofu - tofu is something you don't want to overcook and I find when I try to get it crispy when frying, I run that risk. This was super easy and yummy.
Taco Slaw- made this to go with the baked tofu for tacos.
Banana -Tahini Eton Mess - we don't usually keep cream on hand, so we used some coconut milk. It didn't turn into whipped cream, but it was still yummy.
Microwave Banana’s Foster - a bit of decadence
That’s it for now. Bon Voyage & Bon Appétit!
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