# How much is the Barcelona tourist tax in 2026, and who has to pay it?

> Barcelona tourist tax since 1 April 2026: €7 to €12 per person per night by hotel type, €9 to €11 for cruise calls, 7-night cap, under-17s exempt. Full table.

- Source: https://clevertourists.com/resources/barcelona-tourist-tax-2026-rates-guide
- Authors: Evan & Clara, Clever Tourists (first-hand, from years of travel across 20 countries)
- Published: 2026-10-01

**Since 1 April 2026, an adult staying in Barcelona pays €7 to €12 (≈ $7.8–13.4) per night in tourist tax, depending on the type of accommodation: €12 (≈ $13.4) in a 5-star hotel, €9.50 (≈ $10.6) in a tourist apartment, €8.40 (≈ $9.4) in a 4-star hotel and €7 (≈ $7.8) in a 3-star hotel or below.** That is roughly double what it was before. The amount is two charges added together: Catalonia's regional tax (the *impost sobre les estades en establiments turístics*, IEET) and a Barcelona city surcharge of €5 (≈ $5.6). The city part goes up by €1 (≈ $1.1) every 1 April until 2028, so the same room will cost more in tax each spring. Children aged 16 and under don't pay, and no one pays for more than seven nights of a stay. The figures below come from the Catalan Tax Agency's (ATC) official rate table. We spent 5 nights in Barcelona in late July 2022, between Zaragoza and Valencia, under the old, lower rates.

## How much is the Barcelona tourist tax per night?

Prices are per person, per night, from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027. Each line shows the regional rate plus the €5 (≈ $5.6) city surcharge:

• **5-star hotel, grand luxury hotel or luxury campsite:** €7.00 (≈ $7.8) + €5.00 (≈ $5.6) = **€12.00 (≈ $13.4)**

• **Tourist apartment (*habitatge d'ús turístic*, the licensed holiday rentals listed on Airbnb and similar sites):** €4.50 (≈ $5.0) + €5.00 (≈ $5.6) = **€9.50 (≈ $10.6)**

• **4-star and 4-star superior hotel:** €3.40 (≈ $3.8) + €5.00 (≈ $5.6) = **€8.40 (≈ $9.4)**

• **All other hotels, guesthouses and campsites (3-star and below):** €2.00 (≈ $2.2) + €5.00 (≈ $5.6) = **€7.00 (≈ $7.8)**

• **Youth hostel (*alberg de joventut*):** €1.00 (≈ $1.1) + €5.00 (≈ $5.6) = **€6.00 (≈ $6.7)**

A couple with two children aged 8 and 12, staying five nights in a 4-star hotel, pays tax for the two adults only: 2 × 5 × €8.40 (≈ $9.4) = **€84 (≈ $94)**. Two adults spending a week in a tourist apartment pay 2 × 7 × €9.50 (≈ $10.6) = **€133 (≈ $148)**. For a backpacker, five nights in a youth hostel adds €30 (≈ $33).

## Cruise passengers: €9 or €11 per call

Cruise passengers pay too, even if they never sleep on land. The charge is per passenger, per port call:

• **Ship docked more than 12 hours:** €4.00 (≈ $4.5) regional + €5.00 (≈ $5.6) city = **€9.00 (≈ $10.0)**

• **Ship docked 12 hours or less:** €6.00 (≈ $6.7) regional + €5.00 (≈ $5.6) city = **€11.00 (≈ $12.3)**

Short calls carry the higher rate on purpose: the regional government wants to discourage quick turnarounds that add crowds without overnight spending. You won't pay it at the port. Cruise lines collect it and normally include it in port charges or taxes and fees, so check that line of your booking before you sail.

## The rise to 2029: what it costs next year

The ATC table sets the Barcelona surcharge by period, and each period starts on 1 April:

• **1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027:** €5 (≈ $5.6) surcharge (5-star total €12 (≈ $13.4), apartment €9.50 (≈ $10.6))

• **1 April 2027 to 31 March 2028:** €6 (≈ $6.7) surcharge (5-star €13 (≈ $14.5), apartment €10.50 (≈ $11.7), 3-star €8 (≈ $8.9), if the regional rate stays the same)

• **1 April 2028 to 31 March 2029:** €7 (≈ $7.8) surcharge

Catalan news outlet 3Cat reported that the surcharge will reach €8 (≈ $8.9) in 2029, which is the ceiling the law allows Barcelona. The tax is based on the night you stay, not when you book or pay. A room booked now for May 2027 will be charged the €6 (≈ $6.7) surcharge when you check in.

Elsewhere in Catalonia (Girona, Sitges, the Costa Brava) the regional rate is lower: €4.50 (≈ $5.0) for a 5-star hotel and €1.75 (≈ $1.9) for a tourist apartment until March 2027, then €6.00 (≈ $6.7) and €2.50 (≈ $2.8) from 1 April 2027. Since 1 October 2026 other towns can add their own surcharge of up to €4 (≈ $4.5). Barcelona's €5 (≈ $5.6) surcharge applies only inside the city.

## Who is exempt, and the 7-night cap

**Children aged 16 and under** are exempt. Catalonia's tax law uses the wording "16 or younger", and the ATC's exemption form refers to under-17s, which is the same group. Hotels may ask to see a passport to confirm a child's age.

**Seven nights maximum:** the law counts no more than seven taxable nights per person, so a two-week stay in one place is charged for seven.

Stays paid for by public social programmes and some health-related stays are also exempt. These rarely apply to holidaymakers. Being a foreign tourist, paying in cash or booking through a platform doesn't change the amount.

## How it is charged: hotels, Airbnb and cruise lines

You never pay this tax to the government yourself. The accommodation or cruise line collects it and pays it to the ATC, so there's no app, QR code or online form like the [Venice access fee](https://clevertourists.com/resources/venice-tourist-entry-tax-day-tripper-fee-and-qr-code).

Hotels often leave the tax out of the room rate on booking sites and add it to the bill when you check in or out. Check your booking confirmation for a separate line called *taxa turística*, *tasa turística* or "city tax". If it isn't there, expect to pay it at the desk. Holiday-rental platforms often include it in the total at checkout. Some hosts still ask for it in person on arrival, which is legal as long as it matches the official rate.

To avoid an argument at check-out, compare the figure on your bill with the table above. The rate depends on the property's official category, such as 4-star hotel or tourist apartment, not on how much the room cost. A cheap 5-star room still pays €12 (≈ $13.4) per adult.

## Is it worth staying outside Barcelona to avoid it?

Only for long stays and big groups. A 4-star hotel elsewhere in Catalonia pays €1.80 (≈ $2.0) regional tax instead of €8.40 (≈ $9.4) until March 2027, a saving of up to €6.60 (≈ $7.4) per adult per night, or €66 (≈ $74) for two adults over five nights. But since October 2026 other towns may add their own surcharge of up to €4 (≈ $4.5), and daily train fares into the city and the extra travel time use up much of the saving.

A better saving is to choose the accommodation category carefully. Two adults moving from a tourist apartment (€9.50 (≈ $10.6)) to a 3-star hotel or guesthouse (€7.00 (≈ $7.8)) save €5 (≈ $5.6) a night in tax. If you're travelling between April and June, book for March or earlier and you'll avoid next year's €1 (≈ $1.1) rise.

Barcelona isn't the only Spanish city charging tourist tax. The Basque Country has a separate scheme coming, explained in our [San Sebastián and Bilbao tourist tax guide](https://clevertourists.com/resources/basque-country-tourist-tax-2027-san-sebastian-bilbao). For tipping on top of your bill, see [tipping in Spain](https://clevertourists.com/resources/tipping-in-spain-restaurants-bars-propina-guide).

## Planning a Barcelona trip around the tax

Barcelona fits naturally into a route along the east coast. We arrived from Zaragoza and went on to Valencia for 4 nights. The [60-day Spain route](https://clevertourists.com/resources/spain-itinerary-our-60-day-route-madrid-north-coast-andalusia) shows how it connects to the north coast and Andalusia, and the [2-week Spain itinerary](https://clevertourists.com/resources/spain-itinerary-2-weeks) is a shorter version.

Late July, when we were there, is hot and the busiest time of year. The [best time to visit Spain](https://clevertourists.com/resources/best-time-to-visit-spain) guide explains when hotel rates drop, which matters more for your budget than the tax. For phone data on arrival, see the [Spain eSIM guide](https://clevertourists.com/resources/spain-esim-for-tourists). US and UK passport holders should read [do I need a visa for Spain](https://clevertourists.com/resources/do-i-need-a-visa-to-visit-spain) and [ETIAS and EES explained](https://clevertourists.com/resources/etias-and-ees-explained-europe-entry-2026-2027), because EU border checks are changing separately from the tax.

## Frequently asked questions

### How much is the Barcelona tourist tax in 2026?

From 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027, it is €12 (≈ $13.4) per person per night in a 5-star hotel, €9.50 (≈ $10.6) in a tourist apartment, €8.40 (≈ $9.4) in a 4-star hotel, €7 (≈ $7.8) in other hotels and guesthouses, and €6 (≈ $6.7) in a youth hostel. Each figure includes the €5 (≈ $5.6) Barcelona city surcharge.

### Did Barcelona double its tourist tax?

Yes. Catalonia doubled its regional rates on 1 April 2026 (for example, from €3.50 to €7 (≈ $3.9–7.8) for a 5-star hotel in Barcelona), and the city surcharge went to €5 (≈ $5.6). The surcharge goes up by €1 (≈ $1.1) each April: €6 (≈ $6.7) from April 2027 and €7 (≈ $7.8) from April 2028.

### Do cruise passengers pay the Barcelona tourist tax?

Yes. Cruise passengers pay €9 (≈ $10.0) if the ship is docked more than 12 hours and €11 (≈ $12.3) if it is docked 12 hours or less. The cruise line collects it, usually as part of port taxes and fees.

### Do children pay the tourist tax in Barcelona?

No. Children aged 16 and under are exempt, and hotels may ask for a passport to confirm age.

### Is the Barcelona tourist tax charged for every night?

No. It is charged for a maximum of seven nights per person per stay, so a 10-night stay in one place is taxed for seven.