A pricey breakfast in the heart of Sevilla has unleashed a wave of ‘anti-tourism’ sentiment on social media.
It all began when lawyer Julio Escobar took to X to complain about his €8.50 bill this week.
He had ordered a small black coffee and regular sliced ham on toast with olive oil, which, typically, would not exceed €5 in the majority of Andalucia.
However, the bar was right beside the Catedral de Sevilla in the heart of the historic centre, where prices are typically higher due to it being a tourist mecca.
Despite this fact, Escobar wrote a message on X directed at the Junta de Andalucia and Mayor Jose Luis Sanz.
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He said: ‘Armed robbery: old Bar Gonzalo. Breakfast: black coffee and toast with olive oil and jamon york… The bill: €8.50. Is this the reality we want for Sevilla?’
He added: ‘The Mayor has enough on his plate governing a city under brutal tourist pressure, inherited and fostered by all the business lobbies.
‘He’s certainly not to blame for the rising prices of establishments, but it’s good for him to know about it.’
Some shared Escobar’s outrage, with Carlos Iglesia writing: ‘A rip-off price to attract salmon-skinned, sangria-loving guiris.
‘Ninety-eight percent of the bars in the Old Town have those prices, and some even prevent Sevillanos from sitting at their tables. On the blacklist!’
Guiri is a slang word used to describe northern European or American tourists, although it typically refers to Brits. It can be pejorative depending on the tone and context.
Another said: ‘What madness! Did they put it in gold leaf?… A good piece of bread is worth €1 at most.’
One user added: ‘The historic centres of cities, not only in Spain but in Europe, and if you ask me, all over the world, no longer belong to their inhabitants; they’re a money-making machine left in the hands of a few. They have too many of us. They’ve taken it away from us.’
However a few claimed that such prices can be expected due to the location, where business owners face much higher rents.
‘My darling you are in the centre and that bar has to pay tax. It’s not going to cost you €2,’ one wrote.
But local clapped back: ‘So, because it’s in the centre only guiris can enjoy the bar? What an argument.
‘It’s one thing to be a little more expensive, and another to be unaffordable for the average Sevilliano.’
