Barcelona’s seafront is seeing more rough sleeping camps, from Vila Olímpica to the Ronda Litoral. For people living, working or travelling along the coast, the change is most visible around the Litoral, beach access points and other public spaces.
The city says its social services and outreach teams are the first point of contact if you see an encampment or need support. According to the Ajuntament de Barcelona, the latest city count in May identified 2,171 people sleeping in public spaces.
What the city count says
According to the Ajuntament and figures cited by Institut Metròpoli, the May count found 2,171 people sleeping in public spaces, including around 180 women. The wider total of homeless people in Barcelona is about 5,000, including people in residential resources, public or private facilities, informal settlements and disused premises.
Where the camps are appearing
At the Cobi Pond, near Plaça dels Voluntaris Olímpics in Vila Olímpica, Sindy, 41, lives in an encampment with about ten tents. She said, “With 400 euros for a room, seven of us eat here for a month.” A short walk away, a pedestrian overpass above the Ronda Litoral has held half a dozen tents for some time.
More tents are also visible in other coastal areas, including flowerbeds and green spaces in the Zona Franca. Along the Litoral, 148 people were living in tents or similar structures, spread from Plaça Carles I and Avinguda Litoral to the Fòrum, according to the report cited by Institut Metròpoli.
What readers can do next
Arrels Foundation says the wider trend is still rising, and its December 2025 count recorded over 2,000 people sleeping rough in Barcelona, a 43.2% rise from its previous assessment. The foundation’s director, Bea Fernández, said some groups form after evictions from more stable camps. For more Barcelona coverage, see our Community page, and for related local reporting, visit our Sport page.
