The Barcelona tourist tax is a fee that tourists must pay for each night of stay in the city. This tax applies to all overnight stays in tourist establishments, including hotels, tourist apartments, campsites, and similar accommodations.
From October 2024, the Barcelona City Council has been applying a surcharge of 4 euros per overnight stay for stays in the city.
Starting in July 2025, the Barcelona City Council has approved a progressive increase: the municipal surcharge will rise by one euro each year, from the current 4€ up to 8€. This means that, combined with the regional rate, the total tourist tax could reach between 10 and 15 euros for stays in hotels and premium accommodations, positioning Barcelona as the city with the highest tourist tax in Europe. Additionally, the regulations allow for adjustments to surcharges based on city zones and establishment categories.
Parliament Plans to Increase Barcelona’s Tourist Tax
After several months of dialogue, the Comuns spokesperson in the Parliament announced a pact with the Generalitat government to double the current surcharge from 4€ to 8€, aiming for tourists to pay between 10 and 15 euros by 2029. If this surcharge is ultimately applied, Barcelona would become the city with the most expensive tourist tax in Europe.
This city council surcharge must be added to the general rate (common rate in Catalonia) by type of establishment to determine the total tourist tax.
Currently, Barcelona’s tourist tax is in the TOP 5 of Europe’s most expensive tourist taxes.
These rates and surcharges help finance the maintenance of tourist infrastructure and the promotion of the city as a tourist destination.
| Type of establishment (Barcelona city) | Tourist tax 2025 | Tourist tax 2026 | Current surcharge from the Barcelona City Council | New Surcharge from the City Council of Barcelona | Total rate 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5-star hotel (EB1) | €3.50 | 7 € | 4.00 € | 8.00 € | 15 € |
| 4-star hotel (EB2) | €1.70 | 3.40 € | 4.00 € | 8.00 € | 11.40 € |
| Tourist accommodation (EB4) | €2.25 | 4.50 € | 4.00 € | 8.00 € | 12.50 € |
| Rest of establishments (EB3) | €1.00 | 2.00 € | 4.00 € | 8.00 € | 5.00 € |
| Cruise ship – More than 12 hours (CR1) | €2.00 | 4.00 € | 4.00 € | 8.00 € | 12.00 € |
| Cruise ship – 12 hours or less (CR2) | €3.00 | 6.00 € | 4.00 € | 8.00 € | 14.00 € |
What is the Barcelona Tourist Tax Used For?
The Barcelona tourist tax serves several purposes, all focused on improving and maintaining tourism-related infrastructure and services in the city. Some of its main uses include:
– **Maintenance of tourist infrastructure**: Funds for the maintenance and improvement of tourist-used facilities, such as monuments, museums, and public areas.
– **Tourist promotion**: Investments in marketing campaigns and promotion to attract more visitors to the city.
– **Public services**: Improvements to public services like security, cleaning, and transportation, used by both residents and tourists.
– **Sustainable development**: Initiatives to promote sustainable and responsible tourism, minimizing the environmental and cultural impact of mass tourism.
– **Support for local culture**: Financing for cultural events and activities that preserve and promote local culture and traditions.
– **Tourism diversification**: Investments to develop new attractions and tourist experiences, diversifying the offer and reducing pressure on the busiest areas.
With this staggered increase, five-star hotels and large accommodations could charge up to 15 euros per night and person by 2029, while tourist apartments and other categories will see proportional increases. The 2025 fiscal ordinance sets these maximums and expects annual tourist tax revenue to exceed 200 million euros, mainly allocated to sustainability projects, security, public services, and actions to reduce tourism’s impact on the most crowded neighborhoods.
**These funds ensure that Barcelona remains an attractive and well-maintained destination** for tourists, while also improving residents’ quality of life.
Since 2025, the City Council has announced the creation of a Tourism Return Fund, aimed at reversing tourism’s negative impact and improving daily life for neighbors in the most affected neighborhoods. Institutional campaigns also seek to raise visitors’ awareness about culture, language, and respect for local traditions.
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Barcelona Tourist Tax at Maximums of 7.5€
Barcelona City Council Surcharge from 3.25€ to 4€
The Barcelona City Council **increased the surcharge from the current 3.25€ to 4€** per overnight stay. **This measure took effect in October 2024**. To implement this proposal, both the Generalitat and the Parliament of Catalonia amended Law 5/2020 on fiscal and financial measures so that the surcharge amount could exceed the previous 3.25€.
### How Much Will Barcelona City Council Collect with This New Surcharge?
According to **Jordi Valls**, councilor and deputy mayor of Economy, Finance, Economic Promotion, and Tourism of the Barcelona City Council, he detailed that **the city of Barcelona would go from collecting 95 million** (75 million from the surcharge and 20 million from the Tax on Stays in Tourist Establishments – IEETS) **to 115 million euros**.
## Who Pays the Barcelona Tourist Tax?
The **tourist tax** is a tax applied by the Government of the Generalitat and managed by the Catalan tax agency. This tax **falls directly on tourist accommodations, which in turn apply this surcharge to the stay price per overnight stay**, so the final price paid by the guest includes the tourist tax.
## When Must the Tourist Tax Be Settled?
As mentioned earlier, **each tourist accommodation must settle this tax with the Catalan Tax Agency**.
This procedure **must be done semiannually and electronically**. In each settlement window, **the tourist accommodation will have 20 days to complete the process**.
The settlement and payment of the tourist tax continues to be done electronically every semester, maintaining the 20-business-day deadline. It is important for establishments to track changes in rates and surcharges, as municipal regulations allow adjustments to amounts and conditions according to the budgetary needs of the City Council and the Generalitat. [idealista](https://www.idealista.com/en/news/legal-advice-in-spain/2025/08/05/856013-spain-s-tourist-tax-barcelona-hike-new-city-levies-for-2025)
