We analyse the travel patterns during Pope Leo XIV’s visit using Smart Steps

The apostolic visit of Pope Leo XIV, which took place between 6 and 12 June 2026, brought together thousands of people in Madrid, Barcelona, and the Canary Islands. The various religious events transformed the usual rhythm of these cities for seven days and generated significant population movements at both local and national levels.

Some events recorded increases in mobility of over 250 per cent compared to a typical day, reflecting the impact of one of the largest mass gatherings held in Spain in recent years.

Thanks to Smart Steps, our Big Data and Artificial Intelligence platform, we have analysed how attendees travelled before and during the main events of the visit. The solution transforms anonymised and aggregated data into key insights, revealing the origin of visitors, attendance patterns by time of day, and the impact these events had on mobility in each region.

Read the full report to learn more about the key findings and conclusions of the analysis.