Seville is among numerous cities in Spain where locals have felt the drawbacks of overtourism in the past few years, with complaints about crowds and the proliferation of tourist apartments among their many grievances.
At the end of September on World Tourism Day, authorities in the Andalusian capital announced that they would erect various signs around the Old Town warning tourists about their behaviour and dictating the best practices.
Now, in November 2024, the '10 commandments' of good tourist behaviour are up.
The first signs, written in both Spanish and English, have been placed around the Cathedral, right at the entrance to the Santa Cruz neighbourhood, but the City Council's intention is for them to reach more areas with big tourist numbers as well.
They warn against noise levels, group sizes and also make suggestions for visitors to consume local products and treat Seville's architectural heritage and public spaces with care.
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The signs also encourage tourists to respect the privacy of local residents, and ensure the proper use of bins to keep the streets clean.
In order to prevent tour groups from blocking streets and squares, the signs set a maximum limit of 30 people who are allowed to take part on this guided walking tours.
In fact, there's a general recommendation for tourists against stopping in busy areas with a big flow of people or vehicles, and rather to "keep enjoying the walk".
Street performances and using e-scooters and other vehicles in pedestrian areas isn't allowed, the signs stress.
In addition, visitors are being told to respect working hours so they’re not blocking the streets when deliverymen are trying to go about their work.
The overall aim of the signposts is to "establish a code of good practices and regulate the flow of tourists in the areas where there is the greatest concentration", as stated by Angie Moreno, Seville's delegate of Tourism and Culture.
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The signs have gone up in the old Jewish neighbourhood of Santa Cruz, one of the most popular spots in the city due to its attractive layout of narrow streets and architecture. A March 2024 report revealed that tourist apartments accounted for 34 percent of its residential stock.
Earlier this year the Seville City Council announced it would not grant any more tourist licences for apartments located in the Old Town neighbourhoods, but more still has to be done to improve the situation.
Residents not only complain about the number of tourist apartments, but also the increasing noise levels and large tour groups passing through.
The signposts are part of Seville authorities' promise to improve the coexistence between residents and tourists and has launched various initiatives to help reduce any inconvenience to locals.
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