The programs, supported by European Next Generation funds, will introduce renewable energy systems, advanced water-saving technologies, and resource monitoring solutions. In the Canary Islands, €11.2 million will go toward cutting energy use and CO₂ emissions, while Catalonia’s €45 million plan focuses on ecological transition through efficient water management and sustainable upgrades in accommodations. Additionally, Valencia will invest €21 million in projects such as solar panel installations, and Asturias will dedicate €11.2 million to insulation improvements and energy optimisation.

These efforts underline Spain’s commitment to responsible tourism, ensuring its destinations remain competitive while protecting the country’s natural resources for future generations.

Ahead of travelling to Spain and its islands, visitors should check the requirements of the European Union’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) which is gradually being implemented across the destination: 

https://travel-europe.europa.eu/ees  

For all press enquiries contact Jessica Harvey Taylor on Jessica.harvey@tourspain.es or the Spanish Tourist Office’s PR agency LOTUS on spain@wearelotus.co.uk 

UNESCO has announced the approval of the designation of 11 new biosphere reserves in 11 countries, including Spain. 

The Val d'Aran Biosphere Resrve is in the North of Catalonia, bordering France, and is the western frontier of the Catalan Pyrenees. It spans 632 km² and serves as Catalonia's sole north-facing valley. The valley's northern orientation, mountainous terrain, and Atlantic climate result in much higher precipitation than other Pyrenean regions and the Iberian Peninsula. This unique environment supports ecosystems that are particularly favorable for species such as the Brown bear, a diverse array of micro-mammals, the threatened freshwater Sculpin, and even the Bearded vulture. The region is also a bastion of Occitan cultural and linguistic heritage.

According to UNESCO, ‘The designation of the area as a biosphere reserve has been a pivotal step towards improving biodiversity protection and revitalizing traditional practices, in order to halt depopulation and transition to a more resilient rural development model. The biosphere reserve’s management plan has been meticulously designed with village representatives from local associations promoting tourism and animal husbandry.’

Learn more about Val d'Aran here

The completion of the building will  coincide with the centenary of the death of its architect, Antoni Gaudí, 

Esteve Camps,  Executive Chairman of the organisation tasked with completing Antoni Gaudí’s masterwork, stated that the organisation has the money and material to complete the construction, including the 172.5-metre central tower dedicated to Jesus Christ. This tower will make the Sagrada Familia Barcelona’s tallest building.

Following its completion, set for 2026, the organisation will continue to work on sculptures and decorative details of the building as well as a stairway that will lead to the newly constructed main entrance, until 2034.

Antoni Gaudí is one of the most universal figures of international architecture and Spanish culture, devoting more than 40 years to the construction of the Sagrada Familia and having spent twelve years working exclusively on this project.

Tourism has contributed significantly to the construction of the building, with visitors having contributed 62.5 million euros through the visitor entry fee.

141 years since construction began in 1882, the four main towers of La Basílica de la Sagrada Família, Gaudí’s spectacular basilica church and Barcelona’s most famous landmark, are complete. Each tower represents one of the four evangelists – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John – with each evangelist represented by an animal.

A beloved sight on the Barcelona skyline for years, most locals and visitors are used to their view of the majestic church being impeded by scaffolding, but this is set to change with an end to construction work finally in sight. The scaffolding on the four towers will be taken down shortly, bringing a new era to Sagrada Família, which is also the final resting place of its famous architect.

The team behind the UNESCO-listed site are now looking ahead to completing the central tower, representing Christ; this tower is to be topped with a statue of Jesus, making Sagrada Família one of the tallest churches in the world.

La Basílica de la Sagrada Família is famous for being incomplete, and construction has been hampered by the fact that Gaudí himself did not leave full plans for the cathedral. However, it is hoped that the church will be finished in its entirety within the next three years, with an anticipated completion date of 2026 (to coincide with the 100^th anniversary of Gaudí’s death).

On 16 – 17 September, Barcelona will host Sustainable Fashion Week, a two-day event celebrating environmentally conscious approaches to fashion and design. The event was organised in collaboration with Humana, an organisation dedicated to improving living standards across the globe, particularly through promoting the concept of a circular economy and the re-use of textiles and fabrics. 

Hosted within the chic surrounds of Juno House, the B-Corp-certified event (tag-lined ‘Sustainability is not an option, it is a necessity’) aims to raise awareness of the ethical implications of fashion as well as celebrating the work of figures within the world of sustainable fashion. The show brings together sustainability-focused designers, brands and industry experts, and award categories include Sustainable Designer of the Year, Sustainable Emerging Designer of the Year and The Look of the Year. Visitors to the show will have the chance to experience sustainable fashion shows as well as to attend other events that place environmental consciousness at their core. The Barcelona Sustainable Fashion Week team also organise events throughout the rest of the year, including sustainable markets. 

Sustainability challenges facing the fashion industry have come to the forefront of discussions recently, with topics such as fast fashion, manufacturing waste, greenwashing and carbon footprint under fire. In reaction to global Fashion Week events, which have not escaped criticism, sustainable and slow fashion weeks have been popping up in cities across the globe, including Madrid (April), Stockholm (August) and London (September). 

Details of events can be found on the team’s Instagram or Facebook page. Tickets can be purchased here. 

Learn more here. 

The Biblioteca Gabriel García Márquez in Barcelona, which opened last year, was recently awarded the title of Public Library of the Year 2023 at the IFLA World Library and Information Conference in Rotterdam, surpassing 15 other libraries to claim the prestigious award. 

With its extraordinary timber-framed architecture (the building was designed to resemble a stack of open books), the library is a fine example of social responsibility, and is truly a place where the community comes first: serving around 240,000 residents, the Biblioteca Gabriel García Márquez offers not only a space to discover the world through reading but also provides community activities such as language, cooking and digital literacy workshops. The library was created with sustainability and inclusivity at its core – embodying how a building can enhance and interact with its local environment and culture – and includes distinct areas that cater to specific requirements, such as a sensory space for children with additional needs opening later this year. 

Since 2015, Barcelona has been designated a UNESCO City of Literature and the Catalan city is suffused with culture and literature at every turn. Countless artists, writers, photographers and musicians have been inspired by Barcelona’s inviting streets and vibrant buzz, and as visitors wander past Gaudiesque architecture and gaze at Barcelona’s stunning sandy beaches, it is not hard to imagine why. Dozens of writers and creatives have made the city their temporary or permanent home, including George Orwell, Maria Vargas Llosa and Gabriel García Márquez (the library’s namesake), and the city itself has been featured in a number of great novels and books, including Colm Toíbín’s majestic Homage to Barcelona and Juan Goytisolo’s Marks of Identity. 

Learn more here.