Barcelona is nearing 7,000 bar and restaurant terrace licences, with the city now 6.1% above its 2022 level, according to an ACN report. The figures keep terraces at the centre of a wider debate in Catalonia’s capital over public space, business activity and neighbourhood life.
Between 2022 and 2025, Barcelona City Council granted 1,192 new terrace licences and denied 1,117 applications. The Restaurant Guild says there is still room for growth, while the Federation of Neighbourhood Associations of Barcelona, known as FAVB, wants fewer terraces and tighter control. For readers following local coverage, see our news tag.
Sants-Montjuïc led the city for new licences over the period, with almost 20% of all those granted. Other districts with high numbers included Sant Martí, Eixample and Sant Gervasi. Eixample and Ciutat Vella, however, saw more applications denied than approved.
Looking at active licences, Eixample has the highest concentration with 2,296 terraces, about one-third of the city total. It is followed by Sant Martí with 1,096, Sants-Montjuïc with 678, Ciutat Vella with 568, Sant Andreu with 467, Sarrià-Sant Gervasi with 466, Nou Barris with 423, Les Corts with 382, Horta with 279 and Gràcia with 244.
Barcelona has about four terraces per 1,000 inhabitants. Eixample is well above that average at 8.3 per 1,000 residents, while Ciutat Vella stands at 4.9 and Sant Martí at 4.3. Horta-Guinardó and Gràcia have the lowest ratios, both below two per 1,000 inhabitants.
City Council data sent to ACN also shows 2,400 sanctioning proceedings related to terraces were opened in 2025, similar to 2024 but below the levels seen in 2023 and 2022. In total, 11,033 sanctioning proceedings were started between 2022 and 2025. The most common issues were unauthorised elements, exceeding occupancy limits, reducing pavement width with serious disruption, and operating without a licence.
Roger Pallarols, director of the Barcelona Restaurant Guild, says terraces are part of the city’s identity and important for restaurant businesses. Ana Menéndez, vice-president of FAVB, argues the city should move towards a reduction, saying conflicts over noise, coexistence and the use of public space continue to grow. The dispute leaves Barcelona balancing hospitality demand with pressure for stricter enforcement.