Ajuntament de Barcelona has launched this Saturday a new phase of the program “Juguem a les places”, an initiative aimed at promoting neighborhood and family use of public space in areas of high tourist influx in the city center.
The measure, endowed with about 72,500 euros, is part of the Management Plan for Spaces of Great Affluence (EGA) and will run until February 2026.
Every week, different squares in the city’s 10 districts organize activities for children with the aim of recovering public space.
Over the next few months, the project will take place in the gardens of Plaça de la Sagrada Família and at two points around La Rambla: Plaça Reial and the Voltes d’en Cirés gardens.
In total, 61 sessions of recreational and community activities will be held, aimed at all ages, with the objective of reinforcing coexistence and offering leisure alternatives to the neighbors as opposed to the tourist use of these areas.
The City Council has framed this expansion within the tourism management strategy set out in the Mesura de Govern per a la Gestió Turística 2024-2027 and the Pla Barcelona Impulsa (Barcelona Impulsa Plan). Among other measures, Barcelona has promoted a surcharge on the tourist tax, which in 2024 raised 106.5 million euros, and has approved the elimination of tourist apartments from 2028.
Patios open until Christmas
In addition, this summer the City Council has funded with about 14,000 euros the opening of the courtyards of the Drassanes (Ciutat Vella) and Coves d’en Cimany (Horta-Guinardó) schools for community use.
These spaces have been available daily until August 31, and the consistory is considering extending the initiative until Christmas.
According to the consistory, the open courtyards program seeks to promote the educational use of free time, shared play and the creation of new spaces for coexistence in the neighborhoods.
Both actions are developed with the collaboration of the districts of Ciutat Vella and Eixample, and Foment de Ciutat, within the framework of the EGA program.