A bit of a touchy and controversial subject lately but maybe worthy of mentioning.
I’ve read about how overtourism was creating problems and discontent amongst locals in cities like Barcelona and further afield like in Malaga, southern Spain.
The same feelings are even evident on the Balearic island of Ibiza, where tourist sector workers are finding it hard to find affordable apartments to rent. A recent large protest on the neighbouring island of Mallorca had large banners with ‘ Mallorca no es ven’ (Mallorca is not for sale). Strong stuff
Sadly other European cities are suffering also, like Athens and Venice. Lisbon too, but in that case it seems mostly to be all about the ‘golden visas’. Spain also has the same visa but they are withdrawing it soon. It basically allowed foreign visitors to live here by purchasing a property at a cost of about half million euros.
Working legally is another matter, but as always, money and good lawyers smooth out these wrinkles. I was never an expert in this field and always advised people to seek the correct legal advice. That in itself is never an easy process, recommendations do help and if English is spoken then even better.
We´re lucky I suppose that we can lean on our kids where only Catalan or Spanish is spoken. Having a (native Catalan) friend or colleague to help out can be a handy alternative. How about if I only know Spanish? Yes, of course give it a try but a repetitive comment I come across a lot is that using Catalan makes getting things done a whole lot easier, smoother and less troublesome.
Having said all that above, if you really want to cover all the bases I’d go as far to advise people to get a second opinion. You’d be surprised how legal expert advice here can and does differ.
Even in the mild-mannered environs of Girona there have been recent musings, including graffiti signs like ‘stop tourism’, ‘guiri go home’ and this one directed at cyclists ‘bikers go home ́. That’s something that I’ve never noticed before.
The word guiri is a colloquial reference to a foreigner and I’ve never felt it was a derogatory word, kind of neutral. Others may have a different opinion. The cyclist scene is something else, I’ve written about it briefly in the past and there´s no getting away from how it’s skewered local feeling. It’s been brewing for a long time. Many trace its roots to when the famous American rider Lance Armstrong was based here in the 90’s.
However, we shouldnt forget that Catalans are also into cycling big time. Just walk around Girona and you’ll see plenty of bike shops, cyclist-centric cafes, as well as others that offer cycle tours and outings.
Many nationalities choose to relocate to this region for a myriad of reasons and one focal point for the bad feeling is centred on the old town area. A common complaint I hear is that a majority of foreign cyclists who opt for longer stays remain insular and don’t seem to want to integrate with locals.
