Pla Litoral

Barcelona enjoys exceptional climatic conditions and facilities for the practice of sports and leisure sailing. However, unlike other cities that are open to the sea, Barcelona has still not explored how to make full use of these conditions, in order to provide and establish a nautical culture that is open to everyone. We are working to showcase a comprehensive city policy that coordinates and promotes sailing all along the city’s seashore, while also emphasising the unique features of each sailing facility.

A recurring assessment indicates that the sector has many possibilities for developing the city’s seashore, although this vision of potential progress may be linked to Barcelona’s low ratio of moorings per inhabitant, compared to other port cities.

For an action proposal, it is necessary to take into account the current trends in the sector and, in order to promote nautical activities, the following actions are proposed:

• Raising the profile of sailing activities and offering new nautical activities, making them more accessible to the public.  
• Using the Olympic Port as a space for introducing new nautical-sport and recreational policies. 
• Creating a joint Sailing Board, to develop new projects and coordinate initiatives that promote sailing. 
• Breaking away from the seasonal nature of sailing. 
• Introducing training for teachers and students in compulsory education. 
• Upgrading the infrastructure of both current facilities and the public access ramps to the sea.
• Creating a sea agenda which can be showcased in the media. 
• Using international sailing events in the city to publicise these activities and further outreach work.

In this regard, holding the 37th edition of the America’s Cup in Barcelona in 2024 is a chance to relaunch sailing and grass-roots sports linked to the sea. The America’s Cup is regarded as the sailing event par excellence, with a major economic and media impact which must have a sustainable social return. This is why the America’s Cup is ideal for promoting nautical sports. For example: raising the profile of sailing activities (by offering new activities that are more accessible to the public), creating a sea agenda where all available activities are communicated to the media, adapting current infrastructure, or creating a Sailing Board to coordinate initiatives, among other actions.