Barcelona’s Bodegas Battle Rising Rents and Overtourism

A recent count indicates Spain has roughly one bar for every 175 people, the highest per-capita rate in Europe. In Barcelona, many historic bodegas—small taverns with wooden casks and vermut on tap—have been disappearing. The primary driver, according to Ricard Martin, the food and drink editor for *Time Out Barcelona*, is “rents and greed” after rental regulations were loosened around 2014, prompting landlords to raise rents beyond what longtime owners could afford. New venues that replaced them tend to target tourists rather than local residents, intensifying concerns about overtourism.

New York Times

In response, two local businessmen, Lito Baldovinos and Enric Rebodosa, purchased the long-neglected bar La Confiteria in 2014. Their effort succeeded when the City Council designated the establishment an “emblematic establishment” in 2015, a status meant to protect culturally significant businesses.

New York Times

The emblematic-establishment designation signals municipal recognition of the cultural value of traditional bodegas. While the council has not announced broader rent-control measures, the designation provides a layer of protection that can help owners resist displacement pressures and preserve the historic character of neighborhoods.

New York Times

• “In two words: rents and greed,” — Ricard Martin, the food and drink editor for Time Out Barcelona

New York Times

• “What makes these bars unique is that they’re not designed as concepts. They’re the result of time,” — Mr. Baldovinos

New York Times