Agenda 2030

Barcelona continues to be one of the most attractive cities in the world, once again taking eighth place out of 100 top cities chosen by one of the most prestigious international rankings, the annual World’s Best Cities report published by US firm Resonance Consultancy.

Each year, it analyses over 400 cities with over one million residents to determine the top 100, using a combination of core statistics and perception indicators such as ratings and online reviews. The data are interpreted by the consultancy firm using three key factors: livability, lovability and prosperity, taking into account the perspective of locals, visitors and businesspeople.

Barcelona has been in the top 10 for several editions now, and this year it ranks above major European capitals such as Berlin, Amsterdam and Vienna. For the tenth year in a row, London takes first place, followed by New York City, Paris, Tokyo, Singapore, Rome and Madrid. 

Foreign investment attraction, a key factor

The Mediterranean weather, striking architecture and kilometres of golden sandy beaches, as usual, are some of Barcelona’s highlights, making it ‘a must-visit, across Europe and the world’, the report says. 

The consultancy firm also notes Barcelona’s commitment to securing ‘massive foreign investment that will benefit the city over the long term’, as exemplified by the recent arrival of Lufthansa Group, the largest airline group in Europe, which opened its first southern European digital hub in Barcelona. Also mentioned is US real-estate developer Panattoni, which will invest $300 million to build the largest data centre in the region. 

Regarding the growth of the business ecosystem, the report emphasises the key role of initiatives like the creation of an Intel semiconductor laboratory in conjunction with the Barcelona Supercomputing Center. 

Commitment to green hubs and housing policy improvements

The opening of the Consell de Cent green hub also earned a mention in the report as an example of how the city has recently invested in traffic-calming some of its major streets and avenues as part of the superblocks project. 

The report also addresses the ongoing debate over tourism, its peaceful coexistence with local residents and the problem stemming from rental prices. ‘Mayor Collboni’s zero tolerance for short-term rental policy even goes beyond New York City’s strict Local Law 18’, it says, highlighting Barcelona’s efforts to tackle the residential housing shortage once and for all over the next few years. 

Check out the full report here.