Municipal Allotment Network

Open call. Registration from March 18 to April 16.

Barcelona has 15 municipal allotments throughout the city’s ten districts. These allotments are divided into plots of between 20 and 40 m2 which are given to people aged 65 and over and not-for-profit organisations in the city.

The aim is to enable city residents to participate in activities that improve the environment by growing vegetables and following the principles of organic farming.

The programme was launched in 1997 with the Can Mestres allotments, although the first allotment in Barcelona was the Hort de l’Avi, in the Gràcia district, in 1986, thanks to a petition from local residents.

How can you participate in the municipal urban allotments?

To access the allotments, you must apply for a private urban allotment plot license in one of the urban allotments in Barcelona’s ten districts, managed by the Municipal Institute of Parks and Gardens of Barcelona, when the next application process opens.

The plots for people aged 65 and over are allocated through a draw, while the plots for organisations are allocated through a competition.

The conditions for participating in the draw for individuals are as follows:

  • You must be 65 or over.
  • You must have been registered as a resident in the district where the allotment plot is located for at least six months.
  • Only one application per household is permitted.
  • You must be physically able to work on the allotment.
  • You must be up to date with the payment of all taxes and any other debts with Barcelona City Council.

  • If you previously had a plot from the Network of Urban Allotments, you are still eligible to apply.

    People in this situation will be added to a list created by means of a draw. Once all first-time applicants have received a plot, plots will be assigned to individuals in the order they appear on the list.

The main conditions for taking part in the draw for organisations (legal persons) are as follows:

  • They must be constituted as a not-for-profit organisation.
  • They must have an office in the district where the urban allotment with the requested plot is located.
  • The plot must be for users of the organisations’ services. The organisation must guarantee that a minimum of six people will participate at least once a week between October and May.
  • The organisation must designate a contact person for the allotment project.
  • The organisation must have civil liability and accident insurance covering both the organisation itself and all the people who will use the plot.

Registration

Barcelona City Council periodically launches plot allocation processes for the ten districts. It is only possible to register when a process is open. The documents you must provide will be specified for each application process.

Online

Through the specific procedure on the Virtual Procedures Office.

Go to the portal Open in a new window

In person

At the Citizen Help and Information Office (OAC) in your district. You can make an appointment to save time waiting in line.

The form can be downloaded by clicking on the link on the Virtual Procedures Office.

How?

  1. Using the procedure and service kiosks which can be found at any Citizen Help and Information Office.
  2. Making an appointment with the Citizen Help and Information Offices (OAC) Open in a new window.
  3. Calling 010 (freephone) or, if you call from outside the Barcelona Metropolitan Area, on 931 537 010 (ordinary call rate).

Fases del procediment

El període d’inscripció és del 18 de març al 16 d’abril de 2025, ambdós inclosos.

El 16 de maig de 2025 es publicarà la llista provisional de persones i entitats admeses. Es donarà un període de 10 dies per presentar les al·legacions.

El dia 5 de juny es publicarà:

  • La llista definitiva de persones i entitats admeses.
  • La data del sorteig de parcel·les.

Les dates previstes per a la resta del procediment són:

  • Sorteig: a mitjan novembre de 2025.
  • Publicació de la llista d’adjudicataris i d’espera: final de novembre de 2025.
  • Acte d’adjudicació i signatures i incorporació a les parcel·les: durant el mes de desembre de 2025.

The social and educational values of urban allotments

Urban allotments have enormous ecological and social value, given that they allow people to occupy their time, create new relationships and improve their quality of life with a physical activity that is positive for their health. They also bring the city environmental value and become new public green spaces where the allotment and biodiversity come to the fore.

Moreover, they serve an important educational purpose, with activities targeted at schools so that children and young people can learn about the world of farming and the principles of ecological agriculture. They also foster coexistence among different generations, since the educational activities at urban allotments facilitate interaction among children, young people, the elderly and groups at risk of social exclusion.

Useful links

Règim d'ús dels horts urbans gestionats per Parcs i Jardins de Barcelona, ​​Institut Municipal
Map of Barcelona’s urban allotments
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Map of allotments of the Urban Agriculture Observatory
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Brochure informing about the network of urban allotments
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Let’s talk allotments. Resources and tools for cultivating community allotments.
Díptic informatiu sobre la convocatòria 2025
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Visit the farms in the urban allotments

Can Mestres and Can Cadena farmhouses have not only gardens but also a space with farm animals with the goal of allowing Barcelona residents to learn about farm living in a traditional Catalan farmhouse. 

These farms are open to the public at weekends, and guided tours are occasionally held.