Imagine living in a bustling city but feeling completely alone. For many residents in Spain and Portugal, this is their reality. As tourist numbers hit record highs, locals are finding themselves surrounded by short-term rental flats, with neighbours replaced by a never-ending stream of visitors.

Take Maria, a 71-year-old from Lisbon. When her husband fell in their sixth-floor apartment, she had no one nearby to call for help. In her building, only three of the 11 units are occupied by long-term residents—the rest are tourist rentals. “We should be a kind of social network,” she said. “But that network doesn’t exist anymore.”

Alex, another Lisbon resident, lives in a building where every other unit is rented out to tourists. “It’s like I live in a ghost place,” they shared. “There’s plenty of people, I just don’t know anybody.” From reporting trash at the entrance to dealing with noise complaints, Alex feels more like a building manager than a resident. “I didn’t sign up for this,” they added.

The situation is no better in Barcelona. Esther, a 69-year-old retiree, has lived below two tourist flats for over a decade. She’s become a regular caller to the police, reporting late-night parties and unruly behaviour. “It’s horrible, absolutely horrible,” she said. “Nobody should live like this.” From broken bottles to inappropriate behaviour, Esther’s building has seen it all.

The rise of tourist flats has also taken a toll on community ties. Joao Povoa, a Lisbon resident, lives sandwiched between two tourist rentals. “It’s just totally different now,” he said. “You don’t know anybody… it’s like being in a hotel.” Despite the challenges, Joao refuses to move, determined to preserve what’s left of his neighbourhood’s identity.

In Barcelona, Maite Martin and her neighbours are fighting to save their building from being fully converted into tourist flats. “We’re all fighting here because I think we’ve got to do it,” she said. But the battle is exhausting. From vomit in shared courtyards to noisy parties, living alongside tourists has become a daily struggle.

The issue has sparked widespread protests across Spain and Portugal, with thousands calling for stricter regulations on short-term rentals. In Lisbon, over 6,600 residents have signed a petition for a referendum to ban tourist flats in residential areas. Meanwhile, in Barcelona, locals are taking legal action to revoke licenses for tourist rentals.

For many, the fight is about more than just housing—it’s about preserving communities. “If you give up, then there’s going to be nobody living here,” Joao said. But as the pressure mounts, some, like Maria and Alex, are left wondering if they’ll have to leave the places they’ve called home for decades.

The question remains: can these cities find a balance between welcoming tourists and protecting their residents? For now, the answer seems uncertain, leaving locals to navigate a world where neighbours are a thing of the past.