Barcelona nears 7,000 terrace licences, a third of them in the Eixample
Barcelona ended 2025 with about 6,899 active terrace licences, up 6.1% since 2022. New permits per year fell from 486 to 220, and l'Eixample alone holds roughly 2,296 — about one in three.
Barcelona closed 2025 with about 6,899 active terrace licences, a 6.1% rise since 2022. The pace of new permits has slowed sharply: 486 were granted in 2022, then 243, 243 and 220 in the years that followed. Across 2022–2025 the city approved 1,192 new authorisations and denied 1,117.
The terraces are unevenly spread. L'Eixample holds roughly 2,296 licences — about one in three in the city, a density the reporting puts near 8.3 per 1,000 residents against a city average of about four. The fastest growth between 2022 and 2025 came in Sant Andreu (11%), with Nou Barris and Horta-Guinardó close behind at about 8.5% each.
Enforcement has run alongside the growth: the city opened 11,033 sanction proceedings over the four years, about 2,400 of them in 2025.
Frequently asked questions
How many terrace licences does Barcelona have?
Barcelona ended 2025 with about 6,899 active terrace licences, a 6.1% increase compared with 2022.
Which Barcelona district has the most terraces?
L'Eixample, with roughly 2,296 licences — about one in three of all the city's terraces, at a density near 8.3 per 1,000 residents.
Are new terrace permits in Barcelona increasing?
No. The number of new permits granted each year has fallen, from 486 in 2022 to 243, 243 and 220 in the following years.
How many terrace sanctions has Barcelona issued?
The city opened 11,033 sanction proceedings over 2022–2025, about 2,400 of them in 2025.