On vacation in Barcelona, where temperatures are almost 40 degrees: "I regret choosing these dates."

BarcelonaThe high temperatures hitting Barcelona have made the fan an indispensable ally, and ice-cold bottles of water have become one of the most coveted items among tourists. From early morning on, the thermometer rises above 30 degrees, and by afternoon it reaches dangerously close to 40 degrees. In places like the Sagrada Família, La Rambla, and Parc Güell, visitors are no longer looking for the best photograph, but rather for shade to escape the intense heat.

In light of the record heat records that have been repeated in recent days, Civil Protection has maintained the Procicat plan alert active at least until now, with both daytime and nighttime warnings. Authorities have reinforced their recommendations: avoid going out during the hottest hours of the day, hydrate frequently—and avoid alcoholic beverages—and make use of open spaces.

Despite the warnings, thousands of tourists continue to tour the city. Many choose to take it easy and reorganize their routines. This is the case of Cristopher and Brittany, a Mexican couple who found the best place to admire the Sagrada Familia in the shade of a tree in Plaça Gaudí. "Visiting Barcelona was a dream for us. We wanted to see Montserrat, the coastal towns, Girona, explore every corner of the city..." explains Brittany, who is selling the brochure they were given upon leaving the basilica.

However, the heat has forced the couple to change their plans. "We take advantage of the early morning hours to visit some places on our list, and then we look for a place with air conditioning to spend the hottest hours. If it cools down a bit, we go out again in the afternoon," adds Cristopher. They both acknowledge that they probably won't have time to see everything they'd planned in the remaining seven days of their stay. "But that's okay," they agree with a smile. "This will give us an excuse to come back, if possible, when the heat is cooler."

In Barceloneta, some tourists have opted to skip cultural visits altogether and have found the sea to be the best ally to combat the heat. This is the case of Markus, a German father who has swapped museums for sandcastles. "Since we arrived last week, we've tried to climb Montjuïc several times, but my children kept complaining. So today we decided to come to the beach, eat out, and relax. In this heat, it's the best thing to do," he says as he returns with several bottles of water. His wife and two young children are waiting for him.

But not all tourists are equally comfortable with the high temperatures, and some even say they would have thought twice before choosing Barcelona for these days. "You can't sleep well. As soon as I get out of the shower, I'm sweating, and I'm tired all day," complains Tom, a young Briton, as he takes advantage of the last few seconds of air conditioning before crossing the doors of his hotel lobby and facing the heat outside. "I regret having chosen these dates," he concludes.

Businesses also affected

The heat wave is also being felt by those working in businesses near the city's main tourist spots. At one of the ice cream shops on the Rambla, Luz has been serving cones nonstop since early morning. "Customers start arriving very early. There are days when we can't keep up," she comments while serving several tourists. She adds: "It's exhausting, working like this, but at least the place has air conditioning. The worst part is for those who are on the terraces or in the street all day working." Luz hopes the heat will give us a break soon and we can get back to our normal pace.