Last year, Barcelona launched a three-year Action Plan for the High-Traffic Area of the Sagrada Familia to manage tourism.

In an effort to balance tourism and local life, the city will create a dedicated photo zone outside the iconic basilica to reduce sidewalk crowding and improve neighborhood flow.

This was once the Crowne Plaza, a brand hard-wired for conferees, but has since been rebranded as InterContinental cementing its focus on luxury, too. Still, its location near the convention ...