Colm Tóibín: 'Locals work, while tourists have parties in Airbnbs'

From quiet streets to a tourist hotspot, Irish author Colm Tóibín looks back on how tourism has transformed Barcelona. He returned to the city on Friday to present the new edition of his book, 'Homage to Barcelona.'

According to the author, tourism has reshaped much of the city specially since the initial publication of the book in 1990. "Not everything has been ideal and the change has been enormous," he told Catalan News during an interview. 

The high number of tourists has changed the city center significantly, making it less comfortable for residents at times, Tóibín noted. 

"For the tourists it’s marvellous coming in for four or five days," he said, but "people are working while they’re having parties in an Airbnb."

Despite the changes, Tóibín said much of Barcelona’s original charm remains, opening the special edition’s prologue with “The city has changed, but the city remains the same.”

Most of the streets remain very beautiful, but he also pointed to the rise of English as a third language in the city, alongside Catalan and Spanish. Signs, shops, and restaurants increasingly cater to international visitors.

Tóibín also highlighted the improvements to the city’s architecture, and the revitalisation of the Catalan language, once suppressed under the Franco regime, is now widely spoken.

About the book

Originally published in 1990, 'Homage to Barcelona' is a collection of essays that draw on the author’s personal experience living in the city from 1975 to 1978. The book explores the city’s history, key figures and cultural identity. 

Tóibín explained that it is not a traditional history or travel guide, but a series of focused chapters that explore key aspects of the city. "I think it’s what everybody wants to know about Barcelona," he said. 

The book is now reissued in Catalan and published for the first time in Spanish.