IS IT SAFE TO TRAVEL TO SPAIN IN 2026?

Is it safe to travel to Spain? Spain’s location, benign climate, and welcoming nature make it one of the safest international destinations. Still, there are cautions you should heed to ensure your Spanish vacation is safe. 

Safety Ratings for Spain 

The numbers say that Spain is extremely safe. For instance: 

These measures are important because they measure safety on many levels. However, what’s it really like for travelers on the ground? 

What to Watch Out for in Spanish Cities 

Travelers on the ground in Spain’s most popular cities, Madrid and Barcelona, find the cities safe but pickpocketing to be a problem.  

As Allison Sicking, a travel blogger who lives in Barcelona, put it, “Barcelona is generally a very safe city to visit, but unfortunately pickpocketing and petty crime is a big issue.” 

While some people have called Barcelona the world’s pickpocketing capital, Sicking doesn’t think it’s quite that bad – and GeoSure concurs, based on the city’s theft rating. 

However, she does have specific safety recommendations for visitors to Barcelona, which actually look a lot like our safety recommendations for travelers to cities around the globe. 

Sicking’s recommendations include: 

While Sicking’s recommendations are for Barcelona, they apply equally to Madrid, Seville, Ibiza, and other Spanish metro areas. 

Besides that, violent assaults and other physical crimes are extremely rare, though the State Department notes that, “The U.S. Mission in Spain has received many reports of sexual assaults of U.S. citizens. Victims include younger travelers, students, and exchange teachers.” 

What to Watch Out for in the Countryside 

Not much, honestly.  

Driving through most of Spain is a relative piece of cake. Drivers drive on the appropriate (American) side of the road, and while they can be aggressive, they’re no more aggressive than drivers elsewhere in Europe. 

The only really challenging area for drivers is the Pyrenees in eastern Spain. Roads can be narrow, winding, and extremely treacherous, especially in late fall, winter, and early spring.  

Spain's rural roads can also be afflicted with sheep. When this happens, smile, relax, and enjoy the view. 

How to Stay Safe When Traveling in Spain 

In addition to watching for sheep when driving in rural areas, watch for motorbikes and small dippy, darty cars when driving in the cities. The general advice on driving in major European cities (“don’t do it”) applies to Spain’s cities as well. 

Pickpockets work the metros, trams, and buses in Spain, so be extra-vigilant when traveling on these conveyances. That means: 

The same cautions apply when taking intercity trains, with the additional caveat of taking your backpack with you when you get up and move around. Never leave bags unattended on the train. 

It’s also a good idea to follow general safety tips we’ve discussed in other posts, including: 

Health concerns in Spain 

There are few health concerns for travelers visiting Spain. The rate of food-borne and contagious diseases is low, and medical care is excellent and readily available. 

What should travelers watch out for? 

Using sunscreen, watching where you’re walking, and looking both ways before crossing streets can go a long ways toward staying safe in Spain. 

Trouble Spots in Spain 

This all sounds wonderful, but what are the dark clouds in Spain – the places and things people need to steer clear of? 

There are two: 

Demonstrations 

For a very peaceable country Spain has a lot of demonstrations. Some are related to the separatist movements, but not all of them are. Some are related to labor disturbances, elections, overtourism in Barcelona, major holidays (!) – you name it. 

According to the State Department, “Demonstrations can be unpredictable. Past demonstrations have turned violent. Avoid areas around protests and demonstrations. Check local media for updates and traffic advisories.” 

That’s good advice. 

The separatist movement(s) 

You might not know it from your stateside perspective, but Spain is embroiled in separatist movements involving the region around Barcelona and regions to the north and east. 

CATALONIA 

The area around Barcelona is known as Catalonia, and Catalonia has a declaration of independence (unrecognized by Spain), its own parliament (dissolved by Spain), its own flag, a government in exile, the works.  

While support for Catalonian independence is down to roughly half of the region’s electorate, demonstrations related to independence, the government in exile, and related issues are fairly frequent in Barcelona. 

Best advice: It’s not your fight. Steer clear. 

THE BASQUE REGIONS 

There’s also a separatist movement involving the Basque people of the Pyrenees, north of Catalonia. They’re looking to disengage from Spain and form a new country, possibly joining the Basques in Andorra. 

Historically the Basques have been more violent than the Catalonians, though neither group is currently pursuing a violent dissolution. 

However, violence may crop up in Basque regions, and if it happens to crop up around you the advice is the same: Avoid it. 

Travel Insurance for Spain